Cutting Master 5 Contour cutting is not supported for multi-page design

[UO-Jeremy 1]

Hello All, 

I'm working with a new Graphtec CE-7000-60, Cutting Master 5, Mac running Ventura. 

Have a file in illustrator it's 24x36 with registration marks. when I send the file to the cutting master 5 it error with Contour cutting is not supported for multi-page design. The file is one art board. I've searched with my GhD. (google doctorate, LOL) and found something from 2011 about the same error that made no sense. I cannot figure out why it's thinking it's multi-page. I went in and tried to poll the cutter and it always says "cutter not ready" so I adjusted the page size manually, then re-sent the file, when the file is in the software, and the error is up, I cannot change the settings as they're all greyed out. If anyone knows how to get around this please let me know, 

 

Thanks in advance, Jeremy

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

As soon as you wrote Mac, you lost here. Most anyone here is a Windows user that answers questions . And don't know of anyone using Cutting Master 5.  There is only a couple handful of members here that answers questions.   Graphtec provided you with a GREAT over $1000 design and cutting software FREE with your purchase. WINDOWS ONLY., if purchased new. Which is designed by the creators of FlexisignPro,  (SAI), without the RIP.  GRAPHTEC PRO STUDIO.  Grab a windows computer and you will be much further ahead. There is support for that.  You could also use Bootcamp or whatever else you can use on a Mac computer to use a Windows program. We are a bunch of old timers here, who don't need to upgrade to newer software. I am still back on an XP laptop on a purchased new 2008 Graphtec FC7000., using Flexistarter 8.6, Plus I have an FC8000,  We have no need for the newest soft wares. Or upgraded Windows. Most users who come here, get their questions answered, if we can, and they move on. 

[UO-Jeremy 1]

this cutter is in the Art department here at the university. So Mac based it is and we can't use bootcamp and It has to be a Ventura or newer OS, as that is required by our ISO department. So. this is the plan have to keep on . 

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

It could be a VERY long wait to get your question answered then. Good Luck. 

[UO-Jeremy 1]

unfortunately classes begin in 2 1/2 weeks. .so I have to get this sorted by then. I can't find a good answer yet. I'll keep digging. 

[darcshadow 1,626]

If the design is exactly 24" wide, and you are using 24" wide vinyl, your design is probably bigger than the cutter will allow. When you load the vinyl does the cutter detect the edges of the vinyl? If so, it should also report to the software, or maybe on the cutter screen what the width is. My guess the width being detected by the cutter is closer to 23.5.

Are you allowed to install any software on the computer? There are other Window emulators that could be used to run different cutting software. There is also no reason the computer connected to the cutter needs to be on the university network so there's nothing stopping you from buying a cheap laptop and using it to control the cutter. Or just tell the department that the hardware is not compatible with apple and you are required to run windows to operate the cutter.

[UO-Jeremy 1]

Hello DarcShadow,

Thanks for the reply. Here's my exact thing. I work in IT department here at the UO. This is a new CE7000 just setup last week. I am on an iMac running ventura,illustrator 2023. I cannot run emulation software of any kind, as it's not supported in our IT MOU's. The file I have is 24" x 30" with an art board of 24x24 with 2 inch margins left and right, and 3" extra top and bottom (thus the 30" length) for the cutter to hold onto while finding the registration marks. I set the marks in illustrator using the cutting master 5 plug in/registration marks. Printed on a Canon 4000s. I have 2 layers I made, not counting the layers cutting master added to the file. the layers I have are "printing" with the art work on it, and "cutting" with paths of ovals that the art work lives in. Think of the marathon 24.2 or the oval white country stickers on cars and you're right with me. On our old cutter the FC8600-60 we use this basic 24x24 with 3" top and bottom all the time. and it's always worked on cutting master 4. Which I cannot run on Ventura as the SAI connect cloud service fails to connect. So we're on cutting master 5. And as the university moves forward with updates, I also have to stay moving forward on the cutting software. We cannot have a machine further back than ventura for our lab machines. So, I'm stuck here. I can cut a page of 24 x 30 without registration marks no issue. So, I'm stuck as to why the software thinks that it cannot do it. I have check and triple checked the document. no paths way out on the art board, everything is on the board and in the right layers. I also notice that when I send any job it's turned 90° counter clockwise. Maybe that's kicking the error as the paths are off the "polled" board showing in CM5? But, I cannot find a way to set a default in CM5 to say don't auto rotate 90°. When I send a file that's not with registration marks and it's turned 90° I can turn it with with the rotate option. but, because of the "Contour cutting" error I get, all the cutter controls are grayed out. 

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

removed by me. 

[darcshadow 1,626]

My guess would be that rotate thing is why it's saying it's spanning multiple pages. I have not used Cut Master but I have to think there is a way to disable that, or rotate it back. You could always try rotating the design prior to sending it to cut so that when CM5 does the auto rotate it's now facing in the right direction.

[haumana 1,220]

Is this the very first thing you're trying to cut with this newly installed Graphtec, or have you successfully tried to cut something else? 

Have you tried using the Graphtec Studio software? 

[UO-Jeremy 1]

Hello All, 

 

I found the issue.  The issue is a change in CM5. This is going to have to be a change for our faculty to know in their syllabi for art students. The change in CM5 from CM4 is this. On CM4 in illustrator your art board could be say 24 x 24 and in the file you know to add  2" right and left with no artwork in that space  to allow for the grit rollers (1” each side) and an extra inch for the registration marks. If you loaded the sheet into the cutter regardless of the poll size in CM4 it would just find the marks, and contour cut the file. In CM5 Apparently the art board is now being considered when sending the cut job. So, for the last 13 years I’ve always done 24” wide by x length. So, when I had this issue, I assumed it was an issue in CM5, which it is, and kind of I guess, isn’t. So I adjusted my art board to 22” wide by 32” tall. Sent the file to our Canon ImagrPrograf 4000s on a paper size of 24 x 32 so the printer understood the file. Then in illustrator I left the art board at 22”. The poll size on the cutter is 22.5”. When I sent the file, it allowed it to find the marks and cut. But WHY change that setting after 12+ years??? UGH!!.

I think this is also why the cutting page was rotating  90° I think the software doesn't know what to do with margins like that and just rotates it to fit. which kind of makes sense. 

thanks all for the adivce, and options. Now if I can only find a 2.x firmware for my Graphtech FC8600-60 to update so the version 3 firmware will take. but that's a different issue. 

 

Thanks again all. 

Jeremy

 

[haumana 1,220]

Thank you for your update. I'm sure others can learn from this.