Noobe Vector help

[Stevi 0]

  lol  i am lost ..  been reading through every forum i can find and the fog is starting ot thin... not lift, but thin... 

Got a few questions though

First off . I found the vector magic site and registered for my token tokens  lol  ,, first image I tried there was AVTguy.jpg.

I then converted via the site and got ATV_Male.eps.

Now I import into Signblazer and save it as a .sbd file.

I open the file and do a "select all".  I have 200 objects selected  (hmm.. )

Object size by default is 5.5 x 3.82 (Inches).

First trial cut results in a huge mess ,,  way too many small cuts resulting in some of the weed picking up and my cutter eventually penitrating the backing and fouling the job.

After a complete reboot of my puter (Signblazer locked up and could not even end task to reset)

I increased the size to 10.0 x 6.84 (Keep proportional checked) and ran the job again.

second run resulted in the same result ,, many retraces cuttting through the backing and eventually trashing the job, locking up the program and we are back to square one

How can I tell if a job is too small for the cutter to manage?

If my PCut fouls a job and the program locks up, What is the process for releasing the job to free the software to restart?

Am I missing something when working with a new image that has been vectorized and imports in with multiple objects ie. 200 on this example...  Logic dictates that it should be 1 object not many.

God this is frustrating!!!

I have went out and dloaded a few free vector images and sucessfully cut a few jobs so far but they are not as detailed as what i am now working with. I know this is a ID10T error cause I am buying these stickers off the net and they are sized similar to what I am trying to do 

HELP me O-B-Wan you guys are my only hope !!  :-)

ATV_Male.eps

ATV_Male.eps

[firemalt 10]

wow... that image is all boogered up!

[Jay2703 704]

I used the "Terry" method. I enlarged it, exported it as a .jpg then imported it and vectorized it. Here is what I came up with.

ATV.SBD

ATV.EPS

[Stevi 0]

Hay thanks ,,

The EPS file you posted is a little over 20" in size... gonna try to reduce it and see what comes out

[Stevi 0]

I used the "Terry" method. I enlarged it, exported it as a .jpg then imported it and vectorized it. Here is what I came up with.

which of the files did you do the work on ? the EPS or the origional Jpg?

[Guest Terry]

If nothing works for ya... I have the real original eps of that ATV posted.

[Jay2703 704]

I started with your .eps file. Did it all in SB.

[Stevi 0]

running it now. reduced the tile size to 8.17 x 10.40 ... the cut is going great .. but it stopped and the system is grinding on sending output to cutter ,,  been a while .. hmm  

you posted it up so fast ,, what were the steps ?  

give a man a fish, feed him for a day.....  

[Stevi 0]

hmm  well by the looks of it the job is stalled ..   The SB software is not locked up , but it is not sending the rest of the job to the cutter either ,, I am running this software on a 2ghz XPS that has a ton of ram on it.  Wouldnt think it would be a resource issue.

the cutter isnt fouled ..  it is in a wait state,

[Guest Terry]

Just checked Jays file, eps one, and it's perfect. And you have more than enough computer.

[Jay2703 704]

Are you using the USB connection? I had tons of trouble with it. Finally went to the serial connection and no more communication problems.

Steps I used

Import .eps file into SignBlazer.

Deleted the background

Enlarged so it would make a better quality .jpg

Exported to .jpg

File + New

Imported the .jpg

Select the .jpg

Image + Mode + Monochrome, Click OK

Image + Vectorize, Click OK

Delete the .jpg file.

Those are the steps. To be honest, SignBlazer sucks at vectorizing. Because this one was black and white and vector to begin (That's why I enlarged it before exporting it)  with it worked OK. I would recommend Inkscape to vectorize.

[Guest Terry]

You say it's grinding, is the cutter head off the tracks?

[Guest Terry]

Serial IS the best connection. More consistent, stable, than USB.

[Jay2703 704]

Just checked Jays file, eps one, and it's perfect. And you have more than enough computer.

Learned this method from you this morning! Thanks.

[Stevi 0]

Ok .. well after a 5 min wait i decided to try to cancel the job nad the progi is not responding ,,  Hmm  

Hi Terry by the looks of it ,, you and Jay are regulars on this site ,, thanks for looking into my issue for me ..

Please be paitent with me .. I am brand new and I am sure I willl be asking a tom of gooberish questions, but I am determined to learn how to use this new toy ..

In the event of a stall on the SB software is there a way to get it back up and running without a full system reboot ?

[Jay2703 704]

Unplug your USB cable from the cutter and it will "unlock" your computer.

I know this from experience.

[Guest Terry]

I would reboot, but I don't use signblazer. What cutter do you have? check to be sure head is on the track, and you image might be placed out of your cutting area causing it to go left or right looking for more room to cut from.

[Jay2703 704]

If you have the option, swith to serial connection.

[Stevi 0]

Are you using the USB connection? I had tons of trouble with it. Finally went to the serial connection and no more communication problems.

Steps I used

Import .eps file into SignBlazer.

Deleted the background

Enlarged so it would make a better quality .jpg

Exported to .jpg

File + New

Imported the .jpg

Select the .jpg

Image + Mode + Monochrome, Click OK

Image + Vectorize, Click OK

Delete the .jpg file.

Those are the steps. To be honest, SignBlazer sucks at vectorizing. Because this one was black and white and vector to begin (That's why I enlarged it before exporting it)  with it worked OK. I would recommend Inkscape to vectorize.

Yes i am using a USB connect to run the plotter

I am gonna get Inkscape ASAP ... just gotta figure out what supporting software i will need to get in order to do the basics

[Guest Terry]

I'm going to let Jay handle it he uses signblazer, and is typing faster than my post,  check back later.

[Stevi 0]

grinding = computer chewing on the information

[Guest Terry]

Get running with Jay before you start going to Inkscape and changing things.

[Guest Terry]

grinding = computer chewing on the information

WRONG, it's your cutter thats grinding isn't it?

[Guest Terry]

Sh$T you keep typing faster,

[Jay2703 704]

I mostly use SignBlazer. You can do most things that need to be done with the Elements version that comes with your cutter. I have Illustrator but to be honest with you I have never taken the time to learn it.