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PLEASE help a very fusterated person!
I’m desperately trying to get my business moving along, but I’ve run across a few complications!
I’m using signlab 5. I have a disk with 50,000 clip-art images that are in .ai format. When I import them into signlab, the screen appears blank, however, the image is there and will cut out if I highlight the “blank” canvas. If I turn off the “view fill” option then I can see the cutting lines of the image. However, when I cut images the same image cuts over itself numerous times. I believe this is because there are thick lines that need to be welded, but when I hit weld…my image disappears all together!
On a lot of my images I can import something and see it as if it had been scanned in, but for the life of me I can’t get any of these new files to do the same.
I hope this made sense and that someone can help me out…It will be beyond appreciated!
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21 Replies
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Ok I have 2 suggestions for your to try.
1/ Are you sure the images you have opened aren’t coloured white when viewed as non wireframe views? To check this click on the images then try changing the colour to (say) black to see if it can be seen (if the image is white – you will not be able to see it against a white background) this may well be your problem.
2/ When cutting – make sure you haven’t inadvertantly held down the two keys “ctrl” and “d” prior to the cutting operation . (If you have done this you may have inadvertantly created multiple copies of your file which will be invisible to you if they are sitting on top of each other). To make sure this can’t happen again, change the settings in signlab to ensure that duplicate copies are created in a different location from the original.
I hope this helps. 😀
If not – make sure you are using an up-to-date PC. Older PC’s (with limited memory) sometimes cannot handle signlabs graphic capabilities properly and can make on screen images appear to be invisible (It can sometimes help to shut down any other applications that are running).
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Hi, think I know what you mean, but gave up with it as just an incompatibilty within the version of signlab, I found on composer 5 it wouldn’t actually import or really do much at all, certain .eps or .ai don’t import into e6 either, I really couldn’t be bothered to work out why so decided to find software which would. I now use a variety of software, some does some aspects very well and some doesn’t, some is better at certain things than others so I tend to work with them all, even at Christmas time CorelDraw is my favourite for making Christmas cards 😉 Down Dewi 😉
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quote outline:even at Christmas time CorelDraw is my favourite for making Christmas cards 😉 Down Dewi 😉
Bizarrely I’m considering sending out Christmas cards (closer to Christmas mind you), and they will be designed in CorelDraw 😀 I’ll think of something suitably evil for you Rob, maybe some ‘I Love CorelDRAW’ stickers for you to wear everyday 😉 😉
Cheers, Dewi
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They’d look nice on the skip mate 😉
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Are you still driving that?!? 😮 😮 😮 😉
Cheers, Dewi
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quote vinylvixen:On a lot of my images I can import something and see it as if it had been scanned in, but for the life of me I can’t get any of these new files to do the same.
I hope this made sense and that someone can help me out…It will be beyond appreciated!
Are these .jpeg? signlab 5 is a bit fussy of what it’ll import
you’ll have to import to photoshop and save as .jpeg then in .jpeg options
(from memory) baseline standard, could be baseline optimised or even progressive, can’t remember, but one should work, then the image should import to signlab. 😉 -
thanks for the help rightsigns…but it didn’t fix it. 🙁 My pc is only like 6 months old, so we should be good in that department. When I can see the wireframe and I change the color, it also changes, but as soon as I hit “view fill” it all disappears again. Theres also no multiple copies 🙁 I think it cuts so many times because maybe thick lines? But I can’t figure out why it all disappears when i hit weld.
The strangest part is the clipart disks I have are all from the same company. 8 disks. All the files are eps, unzipped. Half of the files open normal and the other half (naturally all the ones I need!) only are viewable with the wireframe!
Its nice to know I’m not the only one with that problem Outline! I just bought a second cutter that has LXI Expert software so i’m hoping it may be different, but for now signlab is all i have to cut with! 🙁
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quote Dewi:Are you still driving that?!? 😮 😮 😮 😉
Cheers, Dewi
at the moment 😉
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quote vinylvixen:I think it cuts so many times because maybe thick lines? But I can’t figure out why it all disappears when i hit weld.
Signlabs “weld” function will automatically discard any contours that are the same colour as the background – are you sure this isn’t what’s causing your problem?
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Signlabs “weld” function will automatically discard any contours that are the same colour as the background – are you sure this isn’t what’s causing your problem?[/quote]
if it is the problem i have no idea how to fix it. When I import the image there are just the boxes that show an image is selected. So i tried hitting a new color on the bottom and the image doesn’t change. So then i undo the “view fill” button and there is my wireframe image. It is in black. I then hit a new color button and the wireframe changes color. Is it possible that the wireframe is in the background of a white box? If that is so…why doesn’t the box show up when i go to the cutting window?
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The white box you have talked about is probably in the foreground of the screen. If you delete this object (box), the images behind it will become visible. Alternatively you can alter the order so that the white box is behind the image – do this by selecting from the “arrange” menu – “to back” whilst the white is selected – better still – select the objects you want to see then go to the “arrange”menu and select – to front 😀
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grrrrr!!! nope…didn’t work either….you know, sometimes its easier to do things by hand rather than use the computer! 😀
thank you for trying so much rightsigns….any other ideas???
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I’m new to signlab myself, but I have found when importing files from Flexi and other AIs signlab thinks that the curves haven’t been “closed” and consequently will not fill them. I have had this problem with older versions of coreldraw. If you select the wireframe and choose close paths from the drop down menu, it then takes on the fill colour.
I might not be your prob, but its worth a look.
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go to veiw, then click show toolpaths only. this may help 🙄
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Open paths?
Some files have open paths and may display as wireframe only
Close all the open nodes with right click.
Importing to flexi from signlab may cause problems through the compatibility, signlab imports .fs but you’ll have to save as fs 5 or lower.I find its just as easy (in either) to highlight copy then paste into the other
then mess about ‘cleaning’ it up -
re- read my last post which I have edited as I think it was missleading when I first wrote it.
Try performing an “outline” in (say) black to see if the image will appear. This may provide clues as to what is wrong. If Colins suggestion is correct it may not be able to produce an outline if the contours are incomplete
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quote Robert Lambie:go to veiw, then click show toolpaths only. this may help 🙄
having said that, not sure if this will help the multiple cuts, but should at least make the graphic veiwable 😕
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quote Colin@BECC:I’m new to signlab myself, but I have found when importing files from Flexi and other AIs signlab thinks that the curves haven’t been “closed” and consequently will not fill them. I have had this problem with older versions of coreldraw. If you select the wireframe and choose close paths from the drop down menu, it then takes on the fill colour.
I might not be your prob, but its worth a look.
YOU DID IT!!!!! :cheer:
it works now. Actually….when i import the image, and select it, i have to break the path for it to show up! Thats strange but it still works and I am so excited and this forum is my new favorite place!
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT TRIED TO HELP!!
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Not a bad lot are we, eh! 😀
John
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quote johnalphasign:Not a bad lot are we, eh! 😀John
They’re not just a bunch of pretty faces 😉 :lol1:
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If the objects are drawn with Thick Lines, you may need to go to Signlabs View Menu and put a checkmark beside Show LineStyle. Signlab can toglle the viewing of thick lines on or off. Thick line are a pain so you may then also have to Select All and and make them a hairline as a blade can only cut hairlines. There should be an icon on the toolbar that looks line a Pen Nub that should give 5 flyouts. The first is the linestyle tool. Click it and should should see some controls to give things NO thickness.
I think NO thickness is what you want instead of hairline.If you want, email me one of the ai/eps files causing the problem.
I can have a look at it and see whats up.Also, go to Help/About Signlab and fine out what revision of Signlab you have, ie Rev 5 , or rev 12.
frank at cadlink.
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