I want to kick some Flexi azz!!!

[gabagoo]

I am not sure why this happens and if it is normal with Flexi software, but it has caught me and cost me more than once or twice. It is something so hard to really detect that only by fluke do you catch it.

I am talking about PDF files. I have never seen a software that will open a file and give absoulutely no warnings that it has or hasn't got the proper fonts and then decides to replace it with its own choice of font. I will say that sometimes it mimics it pretty closely but thats when it starts to cost me, as I don't go looking for problems and like to think that software is there to help me.

The only reaso I caught this error was that I was testing the colours on decolite to see which profile worked best....then I see letters kerned so horribly I had to wonder what was going on.

It's the type of file that has a lot of copy and it is small so detecting small changes without scrutinizing the entire file is hard.

I then decided to open it and save it from acrobat as an eps file and I tried importing it into Signlab 8 in a different computer and all the fonts come in fine.

So I guess my question is.... how can I trust Flexi in regards to pdf files (which I am getting more and more of) and feel confident that what I am seeing is correct. If I have to double and triple check each file before printing it will be hard to stay competitive with pricing.
there must be a solution to this.

How do others deal with this?

 

[HulkSmash]

flexi is garbage. We use it daily and it makes me want to cut my eyes out

 

[spur]

Yeah...I learned the hard way too. Make sure ALL your text is converted to curves before taking it into flexi via a .PDF

 

[gabagoo]

Yeah...I learned the hard way too. Make sure ALL your text is converted to curves before taking it into flexi via a .PDF

dude, I would never send a pdf file to myself... If so i would be catching the errors instantly. These are customer files sent to me, by customers I mean people who receive files from another source and have no idea what they are sending back out.

well it's good to know that I am not alone, but Flexi is my only rip... I guess I will have to bring Everything into Signlab and then reexport as an eps file. ugg

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

I get files all the time that are customer supplied. I proof it to the customer anyway to make sure it was interpreted correctly when imported to Flexi. If we don't have the fonts and the proof is incorrect it falls back on the customer and I tell them to convert to their fonts to outlines and resend.

I am not sure why this happens and if it is normal with Flexi software, but it has caught me and cost me more than once or twice. It is something so hard to really detect that only by fluke do you catch it.

I am talking about PDF files. I have never seen a software that will open a file and give absoulutely no warnings that it has or hasn't got the proper fonts and then decides to replace it with its own choice of font. I will say that sometimes it mimics it pretty closely but thats when it starts to cost me, as I don't go looking for problems and like to think that software is there to help me.

The only reaso I caught this error was that I was testing the colours on decolite to see which profile worked best....then I see letters kerned so horribly I had to wonder what was going on.

It's the type of file that has a lot of copy and it is small so detecting small changes without scrutinizing the entire file is hard.

I then decided to open it and save it from acrobat as an eps file and I tried importing it into Signlab 8 in a different computer and all the fonts come in fine.

So I guess my question is.... how can I trust Flexi in regards to pdf files (which I am getting more and more of) and feel confident that what I am seeing is correct. If I have to double and triple check each file before printing it will be hard to stay competitive with pricing.
there must be a solution to this.

How do others deal with this?

 

[signmeup]

Flexi always messes kerning on me. I just try to remember to "Convert to curves" before I send anything to flexi. I can't think of any other software that does this.

 

[J Hill Designs]

what about bypassing flexi and dropping straight into prod mgr? never had a problem doing it that way...

 

[TyrantDesigner]

flexi is garbage. We use it daily and it makes me want to cut my eyes out

+1

 

[strypguy]

17 years using Flexi. No major problems. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

John

 

[GAC05]

I've been bitten by this too. Small change to a different font in secondary copy with no warning. Ran quite a few and luckily caught it before it left the shop.
There are a lot of small issues within Flexi that make it look it is not the best built and tested application out there.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[P Wagner]

what about bypassing flexi and dropping straight into prod mgr? never had a problem doing it that way...

+1

 

[gabagoo]

what about bypassing flexi and dropping straight into prod mgr? never had a problem doing it that way...

I have no idea how you do that and if you do it how can you look over the file or make colour corrections? Can you give me a detail description of how you print direct from program manager?




I generally set my own files up in Signlab but Flexi has the rip so i feel like a prisoner at times. The idea of changing rips at this point does not make sense as I am sure it would effect every file saved in Flexi..

 

[ddarlak]

i might also be going on 17 years of flexi and i have zero complaints....

start requesting files exactly how you want them and don't put up with less - it only causes you trouble

 

[P Wagner]

I have no idea how you do that and if you do it how can you look over the file or make colour corrections? Can you give me a detail description of how you print direct from program manager?




I generally set my own files up in Signlab but Flexi has the rip so i feel like a prisoner at times. The idea of changing rips at this point does not make sense as I am sure it would effect every file saved in Flexi..

Then I have good news: The 'Flexi' RIP actually is in Production Manager. It is pretty simple to do:

1) Open PM (Production Manager). Be sure that you see both sides/ panes of the program. You should see the output devices in the left pane, and jobs listed in the right pane.
2) Select the printer in the left pane.
3) From the top icons, click Add Job. Browse to your PDF or other supported file (could be JPG, TIF, etc).
4) Once the file is parsed, it should appear in the right pane of PM.
5) Double click on the file in the right pane. This opens up the Job Properties dialog. In this window there are a number of tabs, including one called Color Management (3rd from left). Set-up your media and print mode choices here, exactly as you would have in the CutPlot screen inside of Flexi. There are other tabs for layout issues, color adjustments, etc.
6). When finished, click the OK button.
7) Right click on the file in the right pane, and choose Send, or click the Send icon at the top.

That's it. I would expect improved print quality using this approach, along with eliminating the font substitution issues that you've been wrestling with. The only limitation in this workflow is that the file must be in a print-ready state before you bring it into PM.

 

[GAC05]

I always print directly from the Program manager and still hit the font issue once in a while.
The source of the files is most likely the main issue.
I get pdf/eps files from Japanese ad agencies and the character sets they use play hell with fonts, paths and links to support files when trying to open or print them.
Out here you deal with all types of people who's primary language is not English, so getting the exact file, formatted to your specs can be a large part of the job.

Part of being a service provider is solving problems for the customer, telling them to get the files right or go someplace else does not go over very well, at least here.

I have not used Flexi for 17 years, I went through all the Casmate versions to Inspire to Flexi 7.6
In my opinion in comparison to other graphic design software that costs less (and some that costs more) it does not stack up that well in regards to fit and finish.

wayne k
guam usa

Note on the above instructions:
You can just drag and drop a graphic file onto the PM and it will ask you what printer you want to send it to. Even FS files can be dropped there without opening the main program.

 

[choucove]

I know of the issue that you are talking about, it's something that has been brought up before, but I hate to tell you: It's not Flexi that's the problem, it's the file type. The way that PDF works is to try and as closely as possible match the font type with what you already have installed, but this isn't something that just Flexi does, it's something that anything that handles a PDF file does. Especially if you're opening that PDF file and then trying to modify the text directly in it as actual text and not as vector shapes.

Yes, it would be very nice if Flexi (and other software out there) was able to check and confirm the specific fonts in the PDF and inform you if there was a font substitution or a missing font, but that's another whole issue and goes beyond the scope of the PDF file type as it is anyways.

While it may be easy to jump on saying that Flexi is the one at fault and their system sucks (yes, I've even jumped on that wagon myself a time or two before) the truth is they are very helpful if you're willing to take the time calmly and talk with the right people. Even if it isn't something that can be fixed (such as the PDF issue in this case) they can explain what's the cause and probably give you an alternative that will fix the problem for your specific situation.

I have had the chance to talk with various people from SAi for different issues, from troubleshooting odd software occurrences to setting up profiles for a printer after upgrading to Flexi 10. A couple weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Steph Stamm, an SAi Merchant Member on this forum, at the ISA convention in Las Vegas and I really do feel comfortable with contacting them should there be any questions we need.

 

[GAC05]

I think the difference is that when this happens in Illustrator or Corel they pop up an error on import telling you that there is a font issue so you can address it.
Flexi seems to "fix" it for you without letting you know it has been "fixed".

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Custom_Grafx]

If you have Illustrator, a really good way to 'fix' the file before any production, is to do what VectorDoctor suggested not too long ago if I remember correctly - it works well.

You place the pdf into illy - illy does a good job of displaying a pdf correctly when it is imported correctly. You then go to flatten transparency and check the "convert font to outlines" box. This is amazing not only because it works, but because it even works if you don't have the font on your system.

 

[visual800]

flexi user here for almost 12-13 years love it! Flexi does nothing to you that you dont deseve (dont take that as an insult)

files with fonts not turned into outlines is always a prob. Its not flexis fault, and illy will do the same thing. If your file starts out with crap you will end up with crap to deal with.

I think we are all use to what we learned on. I despise gerber composer, others thinks it rocks

 

[WildWestDesigns]

files with fonts not turned into outlines is always a prob. Its not flexis fault, and illy will do the same thing.

I think the biggest issue is that not that they do it, but that Flexi doesn't warn you that it's going to do it. When that happens, you might never know that it happened. I know that the programs that I use from CS5 that deal with this will alert me that a machine may or may not have the right font. However, my embroidery software does not, that's why I always ask for text converted to curves (or outlines depending on the software) when I get asked for the file format.

The issue is just compounded when the person you ar getting the file from doesn't know how to convert the text or doesn't have the software to convert it and they have to go back to the original supplier of the artwork.