Importing files

[Richard]

What sort of disc are you working with, and what is the file extension of the files you are trying to import?

[Phill Fenton]

If you can’t cut a file yet can see it on screen this may be because it is a rendered image and not a vector drawn image. To check if this is the case try and view it as a wireframe ( view menu – un tick “Show Fill”). If you don’t see a wireframe it’s not a vector graphic and would need to be converted first. This can be done using Signlab’s acuscan feature.

[Brian Hays]

If it’s a bitmap you will also get a message saying “no objects selected” when you try to cut it. If it is a bitmap it may well need posterising as well before you can vectorise it.

More information is needed if you want any real help!

[SignGuy95]

We also found out when a customer gave us his artwork on disk that anytime you get the message “No Objects cuttable” or something to that nature. You might check to see if there are any mask created on the artwork. We spend hours trying to figure out why we couldn’t cut it and finally run across the mask effect and there is was. I though I would throw that in just incase you need it, It surely would have help me!

[Mike Brown]

Trevor,

Your version of Signlab’s fine 😉 – ’bout the same as mine…

As regards the import problem – got any more details as asked above?

Hi Signguy95 😀 – and welcome to the world of UKSignBoards.

Look forward to more of your input on anything you choose.

How about dropping a post into the welcome forum and letting us know all about yourself! – that’d be great 😎

more soon

mikethesign

[Lorraine Buchan]

Something i recently came across in Flexisign, might be the same in signlab:

When going to cut an imported file there is sometimes a stroke colour selected, but the stroke has no thickness so there is nothing to cut and it comes up with the message there is no cuttable object in this selection.

It’s simple to solve just change the colour so there is no colour selected, if you get my drift. It might not be the same in signlab but its worth looking at.

[apache]

Thanks for your replies.
the file is in tiff, have put it in bitmap and various other formats, still same problem!
Mike could you ring us today after 2 on 01491 836603, Thanks, Trevor.

[Brian Hays]

You will need to vectorise a tiff file in order to cut it. You do this by using the accuscan in Signlab. A tiff file is a bitmap image so is basically made up of hundreds of dots, the cutter needs this to be converted to vectors to understand it.

It’s not the easiest thing to describe how to do over a message board!

[Alan]

There are two basic types of graphics that are use on computers.

First is Bitmap. All bitmaps are made up of dots and are used by printers that print by applying thousands of dots of ink to form the image.

Second is Vector. Vector images are line drawings and are used by plotters that draw or cut a series of lines. Vectors don’t always show up on screen as just lines because lines that are closed, such as a circle, can be allocated a fill colour, your screen or printer then interprets this as a mass of dots (like a bitmap), but a plotter only sees the outline and not the fill. (You choose the fill colour with the vinyl you use)

To turn a bitmap into a vector image (from a mass of dots to simple lines) the image needs to be traced. You can do this with the help of Signlab or Corel and other programs, or by hand. Or you can have it done for you using the Vectorwise service.

Bitmap are identified by extensions such as:
.jpg
.bmp
.gif
.tif

And Vectors by:
.esp
.ai
.wmf
.emf
.cgm
.svg
.dfx
.plt

The list for both goes on and on.

Does that throw any light on the subject?

Alan