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Macromedia Freehand
Hi Guys
I was just curious if anybody uses or has used Macromedia Freehand software (I will refer to it as Freehand from now on) The only DTP software I have is Freehand 10 and I know it very well as it is what my old company used and I taught myself how to use it. It works fine for me for cutting but was wondering how much easier it would be for me if I had the real proper software for vinyl cutting and what are the benifits of a specific vinyl cutting software, ie: what makes them different besides being able to cut directly to cutter?
This is what I do;
1) Create vector image in Freehand using pen tool and other functions.
2) Export as EPS
3) Open "Summa Winplot" (software that came with cutter)
4) Open EPS and press cutFrom watching Robs demo on creating vectors Freehand does basically the same but looks different and tools have different names, Freehand is very similar to Corel Draw if that makes it any clearer.
Anyway, was basically just curious as I know Freehand is not very popular in UK.
Comments welcome.
Cheers guys
Warren
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8 Replies
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best way to evaluate is to download the demos from cadlink, or other dedicated sign software suppliers.
This is how it works in signlab, type text, or create an image, press plot,
preview appears click cut, job donePeter
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Have to agree with Peter on this.
Get a demo of Signlab – you can’t plot, save or export (wouldn’t be a demo otherwise) – but it will give you a feel for the software. Like most things – the more you use it, the more intuitive it gets.
And there ain’t a lot you can’t make it do.It would appear that Flexisign don’t do demos these days – at least I’ve not seen a legitimate place to download them, Flexi looks a bit more ‘arty’ and can perform basically the same functions as Signlab by all account – maybe better for some stuff.
I run Signlab 7.0 r1 at present – with no need to upgrade – and used Signlab in one version or another for about 11/12 years…yup, back when it was dire and ‘DesignCAD’ was my preferred choice!
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well i do know freehand…. although corel is my main toolbox… in the previous company I was in, the girl there was trained up on Freehand and it just did work out well enough between me (corel) and her(freehand), so due to the import weaknesses and corel could do so much more it took her about a year to get used to it. She’s prints to a JV3 and does silk screen separation work now.
SignLab is favoured among a lot of signmakers here
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Dave you can still get a demo version of flexisign but not via download, if you contact Scanvec they will either ship a CD to you or arrange for one of their resellers to do it. My own personal opinion having read a lot of posts by both flexi and Signlab users is that they both do pretty much the same thing, some things are easier in Flexi and some things are easier in Signlab, most Flexi users will tell you flexi is best and most Signlab users will tell you Signlab is best !!!
Warren, I would continue to use freehand for now if it does what you want it to, you can then get a couple of demo programs and try them out to see what works best for you before deciding if it is worth parting with the cash.
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My weapon of choice is Illustrator rather than Freehand but I can do everything I need in that.
I think these specialised packages have some features that are useful to vinyl cutters but the problem is that they are selling to such a small market that the price of them tends towards the astronomical.
If it’s doing the job, I’d stick with Freehand.
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Thanks for the replies, it is very interesting to hear the opinions of others.
I will be sticking with Freehand for the moment as it does everything I need it to do, maybe one or 2 more steps then a dedicated cutter software but for the price it will make do for now. Besides, I know it so well I am quiet quick on it so it is OK.
Thanks guys
Warren
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Freehand too. However version 11 is much better than 10.
It’s better to create the draws in FH. I export to .ai to cut with flexicut or macsign from mac.
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quote Aitor:Freehand too. However version 11 is much better than 10.
It’s better to create the draws in FH. I export to .ai to cut with flexicut or macsign from mac.
I do find freehand very easy for vector images, I do the same but save as an EPS, same difference as they both do the same thing.
I only have version 10, used 8 for a long time until I got my hands on 10. That’s why I asked the question and it’s nice to hear somebody else uses it, I was not sure if life would have been much much easier if I got cutting software, does not seem the case, only slightly better.
Cheers
Warren
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