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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 12, 2013 10:40:52 GMT -9
Since you guys helped me so successfully with my last Cameo problem, I thought Id ask.
- So I import the PDF art into Photoshop and save it as a PNG. - I import PNG into Silhouette Studio - I then merge GSD file into document.
At first glance it looks great, looks like it overlays nicely. But if you zoom in a bit ONLY the middle of the page matches up perfectly.
As the cuts files go up, down, left, or right it starts shifting away from the artwork borders.
I have this problem no matter where the files come from.
Anyone experience this, its very minor but its there.
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Post by Parduz on Nov 12, 2013 13:39:48 GMT -9
I have a Portrait but, while the two softwares are different, i have the same issue. My way is to stay at office and open the PDFs with CorelDraw, export what i need and usually redraw the cutting lines and export them as DXF.
When everything is in the Studio, the lines does not match. My guess is that the program is'nt good at translating pixels (and DPI) to vectors (i trust in CorelDraw for this, but i have no real proofs that was not it the wrong).
The only thing i can do is to zoom at maximum and carefully stretch the cutting lines (as a whole group) to match the bitmap.
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 12, 2013 13:58:42 GMT -9
I've got a Silhouette SD, but I thought the software was the same for *all* the cutters - they've just got an annoyingly different registration mark style for the newer machines. wisdomknight - can you give me an example of a PDF you've tried to work with?
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 12, 2013 22:03:46 GMT -9
From memory some of the older GSD files don't convert/open well in the new studio software. I remember someone did a bunch of testing and reported the problems through to the manufacturer. I know they responded it was being worked on but no idea if it was ever resolved. Try a straight up .studio file and PDF. Hoard 109 should work spot on or very close on a Portrait/Cameo as the file was created and tested on the newer machine. I left a bunch of studio files with image over on the oversoul forums you could try one of those as well ie print from studio and cut from studio: oversoulgames.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=dptalk&action=display&thread=769If that fails you might need to calibrate your machine so it stretches or compresses in certain dimensions on output.
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 13, 2013 9:30:56 GMT -9
Thanks guys, I have to try out some other PDFs and save out the images in different formats as well. I do know my machine is calibrated correctly because what I see is what I get with the cuts. Ungrouping, selecting, hand editing every GSD is not very fun
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Post by flockofthese on Nov 16, 2013 11:09:53 GMT -9
I ran into this issue too. It is fixable. I know for sure I was able too. My portrait ins't hooked up right now, and my memory is very fuzzy on the subject, as it has been a few months. I had tried multiple methods to export the PDF to image files. I know an issue I ran into was that I needed to set my printer to boarderless printing. That was obviously one of the exporters that allow printing to image files instead of an actual printer. Im not sure what one it was, or even if it was the correct solution. I tried a lot of different things before figuring out the real problem. I'm really sorry I cant give you a real solution. For the time being, all I can really do is confirm that there is a real solution.
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 16, 2013 14:31:10 GMT -9
I ran into this issue too. It is fixable. I know for sure I was able too. My portrait ins't hooked up right now, and my memory is very fuzzy on the subject, as it has been a few months. I had tried multiple methods to export the PDF to image files. I know an issue I ran into was that I needed to set my printer to boarderless printing. That was obviously one of the exporters that allow printing to image files instead of an actual printer. Im not sure what one it was, or even if it was the correct solution. I tried a lot of different things before figuring out the real problem. I'm really sorry I cant give you a real solution. For the time being, all I can really do is confirm that there is a real solution. Thanks that is nice to know I wasnt the only one and thats its fixable somehow. Currently I have to manually ungroup everything, regroup and move things into place. Yes it sure does take away alot of the fun in using a Cameo thats for sure.
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 17, 2013 22:50:16 GMT -9
I just played around with Hoard41 and alignment looks pretty good for a GSD import to studio (2.7.18 I'm a few version behind I think). I want to build some more of Jims old Xeno's so I'll use the old GSD's I have for those as a full test.
If you point us at an example that's causing issues we (mproteau, Oldschooldm, others) might be able to help further
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 17, 2013 23:15:08 GMT -9
I just played around with Hoard41 and alignment looks pretty good for a GSD import to studio (2.7.18 I'm a few version behind I think). I want to build some more of Jims old Xeno's so I'll use the old GSD's I have for those as a full test. If you point us at an example that's causing issues we (mproteau, Oldschooldm, others) might be able to help further Ok let me find something ...
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Post by squirmydad on Nov 19, 2013 11:50:30 GMT -9
I'm a little unclear on this, from your first post I thought it was a problem with something you'd created, is it an issue with something you dl'd from my house or is everything giving you fits?
Standard robo-cutter questionnaire; -Are you printing actual size? -Do the printed versions of the registration marks match the dimensions of the registration marks in the Studio program?
Borderless printing stretches the image to fill the print space so the dimensions will be off, don't use that option.
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 19, 2013 12:30:46 GMT -9
But I just found out that Im good as long as I dont import the PDF images directly into photoshop first. I just figured out this problem! Finally. it seems Photoshop is the culprit. Thanks to everyone who has tried to help me! What a pleasure to print and cut without having to edit all the cut and perforation lines first!
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Post by oldschooldm on Nov 19, 2013 12:38:01 GMT -9
Depending on the version of Adobe products, PDF export has been spotty (folks on this board helped Adobe track down a problem with a recent version of Acrobat export!) so using the very latest version works OK at the moment.
:-)
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 19, 2013 16:43:49 GMT -9
Ok now I have a not quite black for my blacks on expoting images from acrobat. Isnt it always something!? See thats why I imported into PS first originally...the quality was top notch. So now I have another mystery to solve
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Post by mproteau (Paper Realms) on Nov 19, 2013 17:27:25 GMT -9
Here's what I do. Feel free to ignore this. I use free software for everything. In this case, that just means GIMP. I open a PDF directly in GIMP. It'll prompt me to select the pages - it will create a layer for each page. In the dialog that prompts to select the pages, I have to make sure to set the resolution to 300 dpi. Then, I File > Export the image out to a JPG image. I do a 90% quality JPG image. Toggle off the top layer, and export again to a new file. Repeat through the layers until they're all exported. Then, I open the GSD or studio file in Silhouette Studio. I drag the image from Windows Explorer into Studio. I right-click on the image, send-to-back to put it behind the cutlines, then I move the image around to line it up with the registration marks. If the image was an 8.5x11" image, then in theory I can just set its position to 0,0 and it'll magically line up.
If the reg marks are lined up and the cut lines are off, then let us know which cutfiles and PDF you started with, and we'll give it a go. I've occasionally run into issues with cutfiles that I didn't personally make, and I often wonder if people run into similar issues with cutfiles I make. The fact is, I've got a workflow I follow, and it works perfectly for me, but once it's released to the wild, who knows what happens on other cutters or other versions of the software...
I *did* work with a couple other people making cutfiles for WWG's The Maiden, and while we each had some stylistic differences, the cutfiles tended to work fine between the three of us.
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 19, 2013 20:13:41 GMT -9
mproteau It works like a charm man! You sure know your stuff The quality and black blacks in the JPGs are perfect and the images line up in Silhouette Studio amazingly well. It seems like your saving my day on a daily basis! Really thank you for taking the time to give me the steps you take.
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Post by WackyAnne on Nov 19, 2013 21:32:16 GMT -9
You guys make me a little happier to just be using scissors & X-acto blades
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Post by wisdomknight on Nov 19, 2013 21:34:08 GMT -9
You guys make me a little happier to just be using scissors & X-acto blades LOL, like they say "the more you have the more problems you have"....how true it is!
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