wg_kjell

Hi, when you change size SignCut-X2 will keep that size just as the kind of measurement you have chosen. At least that is what should happen as you close SignCut-X2 properly. I mean, than it should remember at next time to use inches. When it does not change I assume that you have the "Locked scale" parameter set? However as it is active the normal size setting options in the Control panel should be grayed out, which makes that explanation less plausible? So I suggest that you reset SignCut-X2 to default parameters, all over to see if that solves the problem? To do that, cick the Settings menu and choose "Sign < 3mm". Then close SignCut-X2 and open it once again and make a new trial.

Hi, the reason may be that you have the latest revision of Inkscape, but not 2.16 of SignCut-X2? Else, please send a flle-example to: per@whisqu.se. Please describe exactly how you do the export!

If you for instance shut off your plotter before closing SignCut-X2, then the communication hooks up. Therefore SignCut-X2 switches to "Write to file" after a while, to not hook up as well. You has to switch back to the regular device setting in the cutter dialog.

Hi, If you click the Rotation main tool on the left side of the working area, then you will get sub-tools under the working area that allows you to change rotation. However, the quickest way to rotate it is to click the TAB-key, it will ratoate the image incremental in 90 degree steps. To mirror it press Ctrl and then click the TAB-key. To get the angle with the minimum vinyl consumption, then press Shift and click the TAB-key

Both CorelDRAW 12 and 13 are able to export high quality text, but if fonts are poor it will be what comes out as well. However that is rarely the problem and if it is you should see the poor quality already in CorelDRAW in wire frame mode, jsut as you should in SignCut-X2. A more likely explanation is that the blade offset parameter in SignCut-X2, it is not set according to the knife in use. A value for a standard knife use to be 0.01 inch. Other explanations could be a worn plastic list, that which makes the surface under the knife. Other reason could be that there is a play in the knife-holder or other mechanics, preventing it from cutting accurately.

Hi Alex, I assume that you are able to see all those tiles also before you start cutting, at least if you use the preview feature. So the most likely reason to the problems you have faced, it is that your software isn't locket up, it is probably still in the TEST-mode. All it takes to get the PE-mode is a computer with a proper connection to the Internet. If that does not help you better contact us through our customer login on www.sc-x2.com By doing so we can check that it is nothing wrong with the registration of your license.

Hi, the blue squares that you has been not able to get rid off, it is what is named the "Distance frame". You will find that option in the tiles dialog. It is a kind of automatic registration marks with two purposes. Both for huge signs. 1. You can print out automatic measurement job-information for tiles. Those measurement is relative to those corner registration makrs. 2. If you have a sign divided into tiles and the border where four tiles meet is covered of an object. Therefore you can't put regular registration marks there because they should cut through the object and make wholes into it. This is registration marks that do not cut through any objects, but they appears in corners like the described outside the actual tile in the space for tiles overlap. So by putting the inner-corners of those registration marks towards each other you becomes are able to mount with perfect precision also in a case like the described. When you get results that you do not understand you are able to reset most parameters to default. That option is found under settings and it is named "Normal sign < 3m".

Hi, If you take a look at it in Inkscape before transfering the imagae as an EPS to SignCut as Outline (View/Display-mode/Outline), then you will see that it is shown just as it is in wireframe mode in SignCut-X2. To get the expected result you have to convert what they call a sroke in Inkskape to Path. You will find that option under the Path-menu. Don't forget to delete the original path after that conversion!

Hi, take a look at it in the preview. If she is able to see all of it there, she should also be able to cut it all, else not. Do she really have SignCut-X2 running in the LE-mode? I guess that she still have the TEST-mode? Or she may did not set the proper vinyl width in the cutter area of the Control panel. It may be too a small value there? Also try to reduce the letter size to see if that affects what comes out when cutting? If the size affect the result, then this must be a question of wrong program mode, I mean it is still int the TEST mode.

Hi, regarding upgrade of SignCut-X2 for mac, do you really have the sub-rev. 2.16 now? Please check that in the About SignCut dialog under HELP. There you should also be able to see teh expiration date. Another question, what are you able to read on the Title bar at the top of the SugnCut-X2 window? Is it the PE-version or Test version? If it is Test version, then the problem you have experienced is caused of the lack of Internet connection for SignCut-X2. If so, check that you have no settings for Proxy just keep port 80, I mean, if you do not have a proxy server, which is not so common. Also check that there is no firewall or virus protection that blocks Internet connection for SignCut-X2. If something like that is not the cause then check that you use the correct license number. If you have more than one license you may mixed them up? Regarding the problem to get a working communication between the plotter and computer that may be solved if you upgrade to subrevision 2.16? Also check that you have donwloaded a SignCut-X2 version appropriate for the OS-X version on your machine. The red computer status-lamp obvioulsy indicates that something is wrong with the connection. Check the adapter driver once again. You can find more information about that under the FAQ on our web-site. If possible also try an external USB to serial adapter and then we recommend an adapter with the FTDI-chipset. Regarding the cut out accuracy problem you have had, it is hard to guess what could be the cause. I suggest that you trim the knife pressure to o minium for cutting through and that you set a blade offest in Signcut-X2 of 0.01" Use the test cut ability in Signcut-X2 for those tests. The blade offset is correct when you have sharp 90 degree corners. Also recude the overcut in each path to for instance 0,1" Check that the knife still has an edge and that is is really sharp. If the vinyl is thick then use a knife with 45-degrees angle. A thin high quality vinyl is to prefer! Check that the knife head is not loose with a huge play? You should be able to cut object within 0.3" or smaller.

Hi, thanks folks for excellent support! Regarding the registration marks in Signcut-X2. If you implement them as long as all colors still are activated/shown, the registration marks that are clicked out will become active in each separate colour layer or for each combination of colours. If just a single color is excluded, the registration marks will be shown as deactivated in all colors or combination of colors; except for the colour layer they were implemented. To activate a deactivated registration mark, illustrated with a dashed contour line, just click the contour line by clicking the right mouse button. If you repeat right mouse button clicks the status for that registration mark will toggle between active and deactivated. To take it away, also hold down the Ctrl-key. The idea behind that behaviour is that when you create registration marks that are aimed for alignment of color layers, then you normally want to have them active in all colors, but when you use snapping registration marks in order to assemble tiles of the same color, such registration marks should normally be specific for a single color. Therefore they are automatically deactivated for all other colors or combination of colors as soon as a color separation is done. Notice that the feature "Adapted area", which automatically reduces the use of vinyl by just adapting to the objects in each color or combination of colors, that feature is also including active registration marks. So in order to exclude such registration marks that expands the vinyl area and which may not be needed for the alignment when assembling the sign, such registration marks is what you easily excludes by just a right mouse button click. On the other hand, you may need a registration marks that already is excluded and can't be seen, because it is outside the adapted area. In order to make it available, click the icon at the top of the color separation bar named "Whole/Adapted area", thereafter click that registration mark with the right mouse button and then choose the "Adapted area" feature again. Among the sub-tools for registration marks you have a tool for resizing the registration marks. This button is illustrated with a measurement tool. If the registration mark does not fit, inside that adapted area, you are able to expand it on top by choosing the none snapping sub-tool and click it out outside that area and it will expand in order to also include that active registration mark. Further, the snapping registration marks snaps to the surrounding frame and dividing tiling lines. When such a snapping registration mark is placed along the peripheral bounding box that surrounds the complete image, then the registration mark will be clipped and divided into half, plus the distance for the weeding frame distance or the tiling overlap. Tip for mounting! When you are about to mount a multi color sign you could use a combination of vinyl-registration marks and whole-registration marks. To make this possible takes registration marks with the kind of shape as SignCut-X2 offers. This is how to do. 1. For the first color, keep the registration marks on the sign surface. Before cutting consider where to keep active registration marks for this first layer in order to become guides for most other colors on top of that. 2. For the following colors you may just need two registration marks in each tile. But before you mount them and if you have a mounting paper that is not transparent, then cut out those two registration marks with a knife, right through the back-paper. Cut precisely along the contours of those registration marks. 3. Now you will be able to look through the backpaper when you aligns that color upon those already mounted. Another support for mounting, especially suitable for huge signs, it is to print out a job-information. For instance, if you have a huge multiple color sign where each color also are divided into tiles, then you should print out such a job-information for each color layer. As a result you will get all measurements needed for the mounting. That information is automatically generated. Actually there is also a real advance option for huge sign mounting information support. If you use CorelDRAW and if you illustrate the metal sheets that the sign is built up of with dashed rectangles and if you import those to SignCut-X2 together with the image to be cut (eventually multi color) and if the ?Sign-module?-concept is activated, then you will experience real magic. Because you will see those borders between the metal-sheets as dashed lines and the tiling is done according to these borders. You do not have to measure at all by yourself, it is so convenient. The most spectacular outcome from this is the use of so called ?Reference registration marks?. Because if you have a special mounting table with a built in measurement system according to that in SignCut-X2, then you will be able to mount any size of a sign that is built of metal-sheets, sheet by sheet. You will be able to mount all colors for each metal sheet. When you are ready with mounting the vinyl on all metal sheets, without doing a single measurement, no matte how big it was, you will find that when you put those sheets in the correct order, you will get an image with absolutely perfect match between them. That is the worlds most advanced and easiest why to build up a huge signs made by vinyl cutting. With the help of the job-information the whole thing becomes a piece of a cake. So there is a lot of power hided under the surface of this software. Power of a kind that you can?t find anywhere else! I happened to have some time over and this was the result

Hi Marcel, good luck with future endevoers! We have had a short co-operation but of the very best kind! I must say that I have been impressed of your ability to lead those forums, just as I have been about your technical skills. I hope to hear from you many times in the future! Per is sending his best wishes as well! Best regards! Kjell

If you have a problem with the CD then you always have the ability to download the latest version from your web-account on our web-site. http://www.sc-x2.com To do that, choose "Customer login". As you are logged in you will find the "DOWNLOAD"-button. Please close SignCut-X2 and SignIt-X2 before installing that download.

Thank you Taunie for letting us know! Regarding the font's we do not provide any fonts at all. That text feature should be able to show all Truetype fonts that are installed on your computer. You may have Adobe Type1 fonts as well but those will not be presented there.

You do not need to activate any Internet connection in order to use SignCut-X2. We offer 3 differnet alternatives. It is just the subscription that takes an Intenet connection. What happens is that SignCut-X2 is asking for if there is any subscription time remaining about once a seek, which use to take about 1 second. If there is a problem with that connection that is what X2 stands during at lest 1 week in some cases up to 2 weeks before it is switched to the test-mode. To get it up agin, just put the Internet cable in, launch SignCut-X2 and you can un-pluck the Internet wire once again if you want. It is the same principals as for most virus softwares and many others. As a consequnce of the methods we use, we are able to give away all upgrades during the whole subscription periods. There is no extra costs at all for this, which makes subscriptions very cost efficient for the end user. For instance it can pay the Internet-wire.

Hi, 14 years ago we did take a strategic decision. We had a layout tool and an editing tool and a bunch of other tools as well at that time. But we saw that CorelDRAW was a winner and they had a lot of money from the stock market, so we realized that we should never be able to keep up with them. So we decided to concentrate on doing the worlds best vinyl cutting software instead. We have been working hard and we have kept that focus since then and just as predicted not many of those about 100 competitors we had at that time did survived. Today, among those remaining, not many has even been able to keep their products up to date and that is understandable, because probably no company that is purely addicted to the sign business has the financial power to do that. There may be some exception, I don't know? And you must admit that there could be great benefit with using a software which is more like a standard, not just for the sign business, for instance when you have to share files with others. You will also get an unmatched price/performance value and you can be sure that the softwares will remain on the market many years to come and that it wil be perfectly maintaine during those years. Another perspective is that when your business expands it will be much easier to find people to employ that are skilled in the use of that layout software from the very beginning. You will be able to save huge money there! SignCut-X2 is so extremely well adapted to for instance CorelDRAW, especially to X3 as we also supply SignIt-X2 for that CorelDRAW version, that you really can't find any real drawbacks with that at all compared with a fully integratedsolution. At least it would be much easier to point out havy drawbacks with most full integrated solutions that can be found on the market today. Full fletched vinyl cutting solutions with layout ability that is compairable with what CorelDRAW offer is also much more expensive. So when you compare with other investments in the price range for the combination CorelDRAW and SignCut-X2, you will get considerably more power and less problems with that than any other solution. At lest that is my opinion. It is also a solution that you can rely up on for many years to come!

Hi, During the first evaluation month your SignCut-X2 will run in the PE mode, that is the only mode available when you subscribe. HOwever as you have PE you are also able to emulate LE. That option is found under the HELP menu. The most important features that most people use to ask for and those who have them never will loose again, it is weeding lines and step by step cutting, rotation and mirroring, just as decal contour cutting. In fact, so far about 86% has been choosing a subscription, 12% did choose SignCut-X2 PE with a dongle and just about 2% the LE-version. Honestly we thought that the LE-share should become much more than that but now I do interpret the real outcome as that people find that we offer these extra abilities at a very affordable cost.

I think yu must update to SignCut-X2 subrev. 2.16. To do so, please open your personal web-account by click "Customer login" on our web-site http://www.sc-x2.com and click the "Download button".

What causes your problem may be that you do not have the latest subrevison of SignCut-X2. Inkscape had a new upgrade release recently and previous SignCut subrevisons do not support that AI-format. I do understand that you guys who is running other softwares that you do not like SignCut-X2. It is like different worlds and it depends on what you are used to and normally which you learned first. There is thousands of SignCut-X2 users out there and I have never heard a single of those who owned it 1 month that they have complained. Those who may do that is those who just did get it but have problems with getting over the first threshold. As soon as they do, which use to be within a day or so, their opinion use to switch in the direct opposite direction quickly. If you ask a Mac customer about PC or a PC-friend about Mac or a CorelDRAW user about Adobe Illustrator or the contrary you will just find black or white picture. Rarely something in between. You are in another camp, that is how it is and that is what we know now. But you may be right, we may be able to learn something from your point if views, but please describe the problem so we can understand. As we do, we may be able to do something about it. During 16 years we have been listening carefully to the real users and we have followed their advises. We may follow yours as well if you just describe the problems. At least we are satisfied by ourself with our product as long as the real users are.

As you export from Incskape, be sure that it really is a vector image. To be sure, take a look at it in wireframe mode before export. If the image includes text, during export, choose the parameter "Convert text to curves". Also update to SignCut-X2 subrevision 2.16

Hi, the image is too small in my laptop to be able to see the apperaance of the fault, but likely a SignCut-X2 setting is wrong. First check the Blade Offset value in the cutter dialog. I think that may be too large. If you have a Copam plotter it should be set to zero! Else it may be the "Perfect Cut"-parameter that is too large or the Overcut parameter. These are found int the cut out dialog. To get it press key F11 or the button with the hammer and the screwdriver. To reset most SignCut-X2 parameters to default, click the Settings menu and choose "Sign < 3m". If nothing else helps, try that. If SignCut alone causes this you should be albe to see it in the preview window. Try that before cutting!

Hi, my question is, what are you lacking? There is thousands of SignCut-X2 users and I have rarely heard that they have been lacking any features that has to do with cutting ability. But it is not rare that people do not now about all the features that SignCut-X2 offers. In reality I think you will get a hard job to find a lacking ability that you really need. But where else do you find so easy to use weeding lines or that powerfull tiling or more intuitive color separation, or a software that is able to seamlessly divide long cut outs into small distance cuts, seamlessly, or a program with better ability to control your plotter. Tell me what you are lacking and I wiil tell you where it is! Because when it comes to support for efficient and reliable cut out, support for mounting and support for material saving, you will probably find a better choice in SignCut-X2 than anywhere else. Do not cheat yourself just because we offer it at such a low price! Another advice is to read through the tutorial that can be downloaded from your web-account. Do that to learn more about SignCut-X2 and why not the features I mentioned here above. This is features that users of most other sign cutting software have no experience from at all because they do not have them. When we decided to not make a layout tool we asked ourself. What can be done to make the whole manufacturing process more efficient? We found the following answers: 1. The cut out can be managed in a much more reliable way by the step by step method. 2. The plottes can become easier to use and more powerful by tight customization of the software. 3. We also found that weeding can be speeded up with the help of a bunch of advanced weeding lines, some that are fully automatic. 4. We found that the support for mounting can be done much more efficient by registration marks with several unique abilities. 5. We found that re-cut of objects that is peeled off buy a mistake can be cut out quick and with a minimum of vinyl use. 6. We found that a lot of material can be saved with a varity of methods, such as deactivating of tiles and rotation to the angle for minimum consumption or by automatic stacking of tiles or by built in interactive calculatior and so on. 7. We found that multi color signs could be manufactured in a much easier way. 8. We found that it was possible to provide a method that allows save weeding of 4 mm:s high text (about 0,2 inch). In short, yuo can find more meaningful and thinked through well implemented inventions for the vinyl sign cutting industry in SignCut-X2 than in any other software for this purpose.

Hi, the text feature that SignCut-X2 offers is very basic. The source code that this feature is built upon is actually ripped off right from a Microsoft example. But it has some drawbacks because it acts differnetly dependiing on which Windows version it is running upon. Therefore we had to disable some features and that is what you have experienced now. We never aimed to make a design tool as that is such an incredible huge task, but that simple text-feature were implemented because the administration of the Swedich gouverment did ask for a simple solution to cut name-signs for the ministers doors. So this was a quick and dirty job and they were actually pleased with what we offered :-) So the text feature was never ment to be anything else than a simple tool for simple tasks and that is what it will stay as. Because why should people learn more than one software in order to create their designs. Most people use to never learn the whole ability of just one, so why create more options. What we have done is what can be understood within 5 minutes, it could be convinient for some simple tasks, but there is barely no time to save compared to the use of an external layout software, so why should we implement more features. We will keep it small and simple, that is the idea about it. As a matter it is not implemented anything like this in the Mac-version at all and that is about the only difference between the PC and Mac version. We will keep it in the PC version because we are changing goverment and ministerns in this country now and then and we will not take the risk to make that administrtion angry as they may have influence on the taxes? ;D

Hi, if the communication drops between SignCut-X2 and the plotter, then SignCut-X2 may release that communication port by switching to "Write to file". That is likely what have happened here. So you have to open the Cutter-dialog to choose the appropriate communication port again.

When you use the "Send to SignCut"-feature that is found in CorelDRAW under the "Application Launcher"-button, the image will be sent as an AI-file to a folder named IMPORT. That Import-folder is situated directly under the SignCut-X2 folder.SignCut get focus and the image is imported. All of that should be executed automatically. When that procedure fails the cause use to be that the computer date setting is wrong or were wrong in the past. To cure the problem, do like this ... 1. Check the computer date-setting and correct it if it is wrong. 2. If that was not the cause then remove all files under that IMPORT folder. 3. If that did not help either, then re-install SignCut-X2 and close CorelDRAW before.