FlexiCOMPLETE is an utter piece of garbage

[Kernersville Vinyl]

I have been a Flexi user for close to 15 years having recently upgraded from version 19 to FlexiComplete and I can say without a doubt this is the most rushed, unfinished, bug-ridden version of any software I have ever used.
I have had to contact Flexi support 4 times in the past two weeks and they haven't been able fix a single issue.
One of my issues was concerning the way thumbnails no longer show what's in the file, their response, go back to an older version... I can't because the older version doesn't support my printer!

Yesterday I tried to print a 48' trailer wrap broken up into 26 panels and I had to close production manager after each panel and reopen it to send the next panel because it just hangs at 0%, it took 2 days to finish what normally could be done in a single day!

Other things:
It will randomly shut down while trying to open a file
It can't handle large rips that version 19 had no issue with
files created in 19 that had shadow added to the font won't print correctly in Complete, you have to delete all the old stuff and open the image in a new file and recreate all your lettering from scratch
I'm sure I could come up with a few more things about why it sux, but I am to tired at this point.

Onyx is about to get a new customer!

 

[Graphic Extremes]

I use Onyx and like it, Takes a little to get it all set up the way you want it.

 

[Bobby H]

We have 3 old licenses of Flexi at my workplace; they're mainly used for things like vinyl cutting or doing minor things to artwork to bring into EnRoute. All of the actual design work is getting done in CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. We bypassed the option to add large format RIP functions to any of our Flexi licenses when getting our first large format printer. Onyx was a better fit. Now that same Onyx installation is running 3 latex printers and we have RasterLink Pro controlling a flatbed printer.

I think applications like Flexi may be an endangered thing. They lack a lot of design features included in modern versions of CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator. Does Flexi still not even support OpenType Variable Fonts?

 

[gabagoo]

I'm currently on Flexi 21 but also on the subscription program. Everytime I call in about an issue they tell me I am 3 versions behind. I tell them that I am at a point in life where I no longer want to deal with the changes in software and just want to do my work knowing where everything is...unfortunately they can't do much if you have technical issues with older versions.... Maybe I move up to 22 at some point but I am in no rush to move up to the newest version.

 

[Kernersville Vinyl]

I'm currently on Flexi 21 but also on the subscription program. Everytime I call in about an issue they tell me I am 3 versions behind. I tell them that I am at a point in life where I no longer want to deal with the changes in software and just want to do my work knowing where everything is...unfortunately they can't do much if you have technical issues with older versions.... Maybe I move up to 22 at some point but I am in no rush to move up to the newest version.

I was happy with version 19, but we bought a used 570 and the version of 19 I had doesn't support it, so I upgraded, if I had known how much of a problem it was going to be then I might not have bought the 570.

 

[untitled]

I am right there with you! I absolutely despise Flexi. It's just such garbage software for the price. It's my biggest regret with buying a HP latex printer is having to deal with Flexi. I still have the free one year of Onyx certificate around somewhere that I was planning on finding today.

-After a certain amount of time the cuts will be off where lettering in cut vinyl just doesn't close. I know this is a flexi problem because after uninstalling and reinstalling the software it magically works again.
-What is the point of being able to save material print/cut settings if they don't actually save the settings. Apparently it has to be done by setting it up in production manager, so what is the point of having the save option in flexi if it doesn't work?

There are a bunch of other things I have run into over time and I am really just sick of the software. I use Illustrator for all of my design work and literally only use flexi to rip/print/cut.

Then today I got an email saying the pricing is going up, so I am looking for my Onyx certificate and switching to that if it's still valid, if not I will just switch.

 

[IsItFasst]

I have been a user for over 20 years and there solution to every problem is "do an update". But their update pretty much never fixes the issue and creates about a dozen new problems on it's own. And don't get me started on how every update screws up print colors so bad so we have to go in and reprofile every printer after each update.

 

[Ldireprophil]

Jesus, this is not something I like to hear. I’ve been on Flexi 19 perpetual license since 2019 but will have to update to Complete to run my new R530 that should be delivered in a few 2-3 weeks. I wonder how long the learning curve is to move to Onyx for the average person?

 

[Bobby H]

Onyx isn't difficult to learn. But it's not an all-in-one kind of solution like Flexi tries to be. It doesn't have a design application front end. The application is great at managing print jobs. Learning how to create quick sets will speed up the work flow. Onyx has an Adobe certified PDF print engine, so it works really well at handling PDF files generated by applications like Illustrator and InDesign.

 

[Patentagosse]

I have been a Flexi user for close to 15 years having recently upgraded from version 19 to FlexiComplete and I can say without a doubt this is the most rushed, unfinished, bug-ridden version of any software I have ever used.
I have had to contact Flexi support 4 times in the past two weeks and they haven't been able fix a single issue.
One of my issues was concerning the way thumbnails no longer show what's in the file, their response, go back to an older version... I can't because the older version doesn't support my printer!
View attachment 177058
Yesterday I tried to print a 48' trailer wrap broken up into 26 panels and I had to close production manager after each panel and reopen it to send the next panel because it just hangs at 0%, it took 2 days to finish what normally could be done in a single day!

Other things:
It will randomly shut down while trying to open a file
It can't handle large rips that version 19 had no issue with
files created in 19 that had shadow added to the font won't print correctly in Complete, you have to delete all the old stuff and open the image in a new file and recreate all your lettering from scratch
I'm sure I could come up with a few more things about why it sux, but I am to tired at this point.

Onyx is about to get a new customer!

Major reason why I haven't moved pass Flexi12... 'had read way too much complains... I'm from the "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" era so every upgrade seems like flipping a coin...

 

[Patentagosse]

I have been a user for over 20 years and there solution to every problem is "do an update". But their update pretty much never fixes the issue and creates about a dozen new problems on it's own. And don't get me started on how every update screws up print colors so bad so we have to go in and reprofile every printer after each update.

Reason why I design in Illustrator, Photoshop and Flexi12 but simply export in PDF or EPS to Versawork. Works flawlessly (almost)

 

[balstestrat]

Jesus, this is not something I like to hear. I’ve been on Flexi 19 perpetual license since 2019 but will have to update to Complete to run my new R530 that should be delivered in a few 2-3 weeks. I wonder how long the learning curve is to move to Onyx for the average person?

If you don't need the design side or just keep using the old Flexi, I would at least consider taking the Onyx subscription and trying it out. Then you can get perpetual license later if you like it.

 

[netsol]

I have been a user for over 20 years and there solution to every problem is "do an update". But their update pretty much never fixes the issue and creates about a dozen new problems on it's own. And don't get me started on how every update screws up print colors so bad so we have to go in and reprofile every printer after each update.

THE UPDATE is not supposed to fix the issue.
the point is you are on the phone with a “tech” who is simply putting your problem in a piece of HELP DESK SOFTWARE. simply a troubleshooting flow chart (IF this, THEN …)
everyone has to be on the same version so the software matches your screens, patches & fixes.
ONCE you update, then they can follow the flow chart & the process begins

 

[Bobby H]

Reason why I design in Illustrator, Photoshop and Flexi12 but simply export in PDF or EPS to Versawork. Works flawlessly (almost)

We moved away from using VersaWorks around 12 or so years ago when we retired a VersaCAMM printer and bought our first HP Latex printer. Newer versions of VersaWorks may be better. Back then we struggled with serious limitations, like not being able to do print and cut jobs using PDF files. The CutContour path wouldn't show up; we were stuck using EPS files. IIRC, the app also refused to see CutContour paths if the artwork had any clipping masks in it. We were stuck having to rasterize a lot of art elements into TIFF images and place cut paths over the top of them. Moving to Onyx Thrive solved that problem.

Customer provided artwork is another reason why we need the Adobe software and reliable apps (like Onyx) to print it. I attached screen shots of a food company's artwork. The logo art was built in Illustrator. They did a few things I wouldn't do with artwork, such as apply transparency blending effects to objects with Pantone spot color fills. These kinds of objects are stacked on other objects with RGB color fills. Illustrator sort of allows this for whatever reason. But if the art is brought into CorelDRAW the fills don't work. That's even after going to the trouble of spreading all the art elements onto their own layers. Affinity Designer 2.6.2 opened the file okay though. But I've seen other Illustrator-generated content fall apart into the Affinity environment. And I generally just don't design there or output print-ready art from there either. Usually the PDF files destined for Onyx are being generated by Illustrator.