Silhouette Studio designer to Vinylmaster Cut questions on loss of options?

[PM-Performance 21]

Thanks for clarifying. I will see if that is checked maybe. I successfully did some cuts on HTV for shirts yesterday so I think I am good now that I understand where it starts the cut and how to manipulate the head if I want to place vinyl elsewhere

[slice&dice 2,450]

Good to see you are making some headway, and familiarizing yourself with both the machine and the software.

Y-W.

[darcshadow 1,626]

On 5/30/2020 at 9:28 AM, PM-Performance said:

Thank you very much! I am still kind of a noob in the formats since Sihlouette did all that for me. I thought SVG was the go to, but i will convert to EPS if that is the proper format. 

SVG wants to be the go to format but EPS has been around a very long time. The big selling point of SVG is that it is open source where as EPS is owned by Adobe.

Another option if you don't want to spend money is Inkscape. It is an extremely powerful free design program. You said you want to design and cut from the same program, but that's not always the best option. Cutting and designing are two very different tasks and not many programs can do them both well. It's also a good idea to have a second or third software option because often times doing something in one software is much easier and faster than another or one software just does something that the other can't.

[PM-Performance 21]

21 hours ago, darcshadow said:

SVG wants to be the go to format but EPS has been around a very long time. The big selling point of SVG is that it is open source where as EPS is owned by Adobe.

Another option if you don't want to spend money is Inkscape. It is an extremely powerful free design program. You said you want to design and cut from the same program, but that's not always the best option. Cutting and designing are two very different tasks and not many programs can do them both well. It's also a good idea to have a second or third software option because often times doing something in one software is much easier and faster than another or one software just does something that the other can't.

Thanks for the advice. Currently I have no interest in Adobe product, so I guess EPS is a no go. I am just not that serious of a designer. I do small stuff compared to what most of you probably do. 
I had inkskape for awhile now. I just don't use it. I haven't had a need really. Things may change as I find limitations to Vinyl Master I guess. 

[darcshadow 1,626]

Don't let Adobe scare you away from EPS. While it is owned by them, it has largely become open source. The protocol for the EPS format is widely distributed and understood and virtually all vector software can read and most can create EPS files.

I believe the upper levels of Vinyl Master can do everything Inkscape can do, I just prefer inkscapes interface. Specifically node editing. The node editing in Vinyl Master feels clunky to me and not as intuitive as Inkscape.

[PM-Performance 21]

I found out yesterday creating my first design that the Cut version of VM is proprietary format like Silhouette studio was. I will play with it a little more before deciding to use 2 programs or paying to upgrade. 

I deff like less complication in my life. 

[darcshadow 1,626]

VM can export files in several formats. Other than one extra step for reopening an exported file I don't believe you loose anything by saving as say an EPS vs the VM native format. It's always good to save files off in a common format such as EPS or SVG so that you can switch programs in the future if necessary.

[slice&dice 2,450]

1 hour ago, PM-Performance said:

I found out yesterday creating my first design that the Cut version of VM is proprietary format like Silhouette studio was. I will play with it a little more before deciding to use 2 programs or paying to upgrade. 

I deff like less complication in my life. 

You have a program that creates cuttable files and when you SAVE them, VM automatically saves into the format of VinylMaster, so it can be recognized and OPENED by VM later on. This is normal for computer programs. If you want something else (even a non-cuttable .jpeg for instance) then you are required to EXPORT (File Menu/Export as...) --- this is what darcshadow meant by 'save off' when you're not really saving but it's an EXPORT function.

What is the problem with that? Why do you feel it's 'complicated' ?

 

 

[PM-Performance 21]

2 hours ago, slice&dice said:

You have a program that creates cuttable files and when you SAVE them, VM automatically saves into the format of VinylMaster, so it can be recognized and OPENED by VM later on. This is normal for computer programs. If you want something else (even a non-cuttable .jpeg for instance) then you are required to EXPORT (File Menu/Export as...) --- this is what darcshadow meant by 'save off' when you're not really saving but it's an EXPORT function.

What is the problem with that? Why do you feel it's 'complicated' ?

 

 

I am just trying to keep everything in one package and not have to flip around between softwares to do the simple tasks I do. I do not like to save in proprietary formats because when I do switch like I did this week, I have hours of converting files out to common formats to be able to get the next software to open them. 

Just trying to simplify life and my time playing with file types. I have many more things I enjoy with my spare time than complicating my files. 

 

I will see what the export option gives me. I did not even think to try that as I was in a rush to get something out quick and didn't really think about it. 

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

2 hours ago, PM-Performance said:

I am just trying to keep everything in one package and not have to flip around between softwares to do the simple tasks I do. I do not like to save in proprietary formats because when I do switch like I did this week, I have hours of converting files out to common formats to be able to get the next software to open them. 

Just trying to simplify life and my time playing with file types. I have many more things I enjoy with my spare time than complicating my files. 

 

I will see what the export option gives me. I did not even think to try that as I was in a rush to get something out quick and didn't really think about it. 

since the beginning every customer I have has their own sub folder on a separate drive just for the vinyl stuff - so under every customer their projects are exported in .eps so when I got back months or even years later I can access and they are editable.   doesn't matter if I open them in vinylmaster, flexi, etc they will open and work.  that is why I store all files as .eps   What everyone else does that works for them is fine for them too ...

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

Also to help people on this forum with files, we would have to own every type of software, just to look at the files posted. Most any software imports .eps files.   I use Flexi software which is .fs   format.   But I can also import .eps files,  Flexi software has many, many different file formats that can be imported.  But I cannot import your   vinyl master files.  

[haumana 1,220]

One and done type of customer, the files will stay in the native software that I use to create the layout, but if there is a logo or some kind of graphic involved, you can be absolutely sure that I have their logo in .eps format. They will still have their own folder though.

If it's a repeat customer, then the layout gets saved in both the native software, as well as exported as an .eps, so I can open it up in any compatible software. I work on multiple computers, but I only cut from one. The files are stored on a cloud, as well as a NAS, so their are readily accessible at any given time, from which ever computer or device I happen to be working on, regardless if it's a PC or Mac.

[slice&dice 2,450]

If you have .eps files, you don't "Open" them in the cutting software (SignBlazer, VM, Flexi, etc.) -- the method to get them into your software of choice is IMPORT (File Menu/Import).

When I'm interested in viewing (opening) the .eps files on my hard drive, I use IrfanView and have the computer set to do that automatically when I click on them.

[PM-Performance 21]

15 hours ago, haumana said:

One and done type of customer, the files will stay in the native software that I use to create the layout, but if there is a logo or some kind of graphic involved, you can be absolutely sure that I have their logo in .eps format. They will still have their own folder though.

If it's a repeat customer, then the layout gets saved in both the native software, as well as exported as an .eps, so I can open it up in any compatible software. I work on multiple computers, but I only cut from one. The files are stored on a cloud, as well as a NAS, so their are readily accessible at any given time, from which ever computer or device I happen to be working on, regardless if it's a PC or Mac.

I will be backing mine up to the cloud as well. That is one thing I really liked about Silhouette Studio was that it came with a gig or two of cloud storage which was nice. 

[PM-Performance 21]

14 hours ago, slice&dice said:

If you have .eps files, you don't "Open" them in the cutting software (SignBlazer, VM, Flexi, etc.) -- the method to get them into your software of choice is IMPORT (File Menu/Import).

When I'm interested in viewing (opening) the .eps files on my hard drive, I use IrfanView and have the computer set to do that automatically when I click on them.

I had to  cut some stuff last night so I tried the save vs export and confirmed I can export to svg or other formats. I saw AI in there as well. 

[darcshadow 1,626]

I believe I read once AI is basically the same as EPS with some extra stuff thrown in specifically for Adobe Illustrator. Often times if a program and open EPS it can open AI as well.

[slice&dice 2,450]

And for the record ---- Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based vector image format for two-dimensional graphics.

IrfanView is free for non-commercial use; commercial use requires paid registration.

Here's a hint for sending proofs to customers ---  Select your design, and Export to .jpg which can then be forwarded to customers via email for proof approvals. 

[PM-Performance 21]

39 minutes ago, slice&dice said:

And for the record ---- Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based vector image format for two-dimensional graphics.

IrfanView is free for non-commercial use; commercial use requires paid registration.

Here's a hint for sending proofs to customers ---  Select your design, and Export to .jpg which can then be forwarded to customers via email for proof approvals. 

I usually just send screenshots of the cut file. lol. I really should be doing something with watermarking and something nicer. Another thing to look into at some point.