Vinyl Cutting Software

[OldPaint]

but the question was.....CUTTING VINYL...... software......so YES....... i can see why you need a $15k software program...as you are not CUTTING VINYL......and like i said in the cutting vinyl end, which i have done for over 20 years....COREL.....does all i needed everyday all day long........and never missed a beat. i have worked with all of the sign programs over the years......i had ARTS & LETTERS... while it was still a DOS program. i ran away from GERBER because it was so proprietary. chose ROLAND because of its compatibility to any program that used HPGL to plotter. and it was because of that, i could to the same thing with this equipment as the GERBER , for less money spent and do it just as well and even better with roland cause then i had ability to use ALL WINDOWS/ADOBE fonts to cut, rather then spend $300 a pop for each GERBER font.
i worked with FLEXI, SIGN LAB, CASMATE, PRO-CUT(older co-cut),INSPIRE, SIGN WIZARD...and yes that worthless GERBER GA 6.0..........And none did better then corel...FOR ME))))) at over 20 YEARS(from corel version 3 to X7).... of use......and productivity.....i wouldnt say it was a consumer grade product)))

 

[WildWestDesigns]

but the question was.....CUTTING VINYL...... software......so YES....... i can see why you need a $15k software program...as you are not CUTTING VINYL......and like i said in the cutting vinyl end, which i have done for over 20 years....COREL.....does all i needed everyday all day long.

Yes, I only mentioned what I did because you had asked was I "always that anal". I was trying to give a little background as to why I'm skewed the way that I am.

Most of my cutting vinyl has actually been (and still is) cutting out of Ai, and Inkscape (DRAW was in there until I no longer installed it on my computers, didn't much care for it; but don't think I'm saying it's a bad program, I just didn't take to it).

In my experience of cutting vinyl has been that it does it in the order of creation or in the order of layers, if sequencing was changed. If you are doing one at a time, I have never had a problem with anything. However, when you start to nest several, decently complex, not just a cut contour etc and it's cutting this object, then it travels 15 seconds to this object and then back over to that object for another 20 seconds (I'm exaggerating on the travel time), every time that you have a travel like that, moving the vinyl back and forth etc, that's when it can become problematic in my experience.

Now, some of that could actually due to the cutters that I have, so I can't rule the Rolands out.

Yes, you can manipulate everything within Corel and get everything to work, just like what's automated in the other programs, I'm not saying that you can't. It's the time involved to do that, is what I'm questioning if it's worth it or not (and that is along the lines of what I was talking about with the other software and why I'm skewed this way). But that's where the needs of the individual shop come in. If that's even an issue.

 

[J Hill Designs]

using rolands drivers out of corel IS a solution, its just not the most EFFICIENT one. does that pass the joe test?)))))))))))))

 

[player]

Old Paint and Old Printer should get along.

 

[OldPaint]

ok........sorry to inform those who say "using corel is more time consuming" i call b.s. on that....IT ISREALLY how proficient the operator is WITH COREL(or any particular program)and IAM VERY PROFICIENT and fast in corel))))))))))))))))
kie i said i have used almost all other sign programs at one time or another....and i can tell you MOST OF THEM took more time and steps to do what i do in corel ......QUICKLY. biggest piece a crap(and big money)was GERBER GA 6.0. I SPENT A COUPLE HOURS WITH IT.... and cussed the whole time..........made me feel like i was using VISTA)))) BEFORE IT CAME OUT))))
like i said AI..........is 2nd on that list.......so much for all the pull downs and ya got do it everytime...you ant to use it.
20+ years in corel........never had a problem with nesting/when what was cut before the other.....IN 20+ YEARS.. again i say..so it really cant ever been an issue .............
i started with corel version 3.0. work space was 30 inch x 30 inch. i still cut vinyl for 4 ft X 8 ft signs)))))))
back before vinyl.......i had compac "suitcase" computer. 5" green screen, keyboard was the cover for the screen and the 2 5 1/4 floppies)))) i would make pounce patterns on a 9 pin wide carriage traction feed printer. where the wife worked the would print those 14-15" traction papers that was a light green line and a darker green line.........i would use the back....to run pounce patterns)))))))))))))))))))SOOOOOOOOOOOO.... i know how to improvise......to save time.
COREL........... is all i ever will need.............

 

[WildWestDesigns]

ok........sorry to inform those who say "using corel is more time consuming" i call b.s. on that....IT ISREALLY how proficient the operator is WITH COREL(or any particular program)and IAM VERY PROFICIENT and fast in corel))))))))))))))))
kie i said i have used almost all other sign programs at one time or another....and i can tell you MOST OF THEM took more time and steps to do what i do in corel ......QUICKLY. biggest piece a crap(and big money)was GERBER GA 6.0. I SPENT A COUPLE HOURS WITH IT.... and cussed the whole time..........made me feel like i was using VISTA)))) BEFORE IT CAME OUT))))

Ok, so if I'm getting this correctly Joe, it's all about how good a person is with a software? So that means that all the other software that you think is not good, it's because you (or the operator) aren't proficient in it? Each one of those can be just as good as Corel, given the right operator? That's what I'm getting from that statement above.


You know Joe, I've known people that were quick in a program to accomplish a task in 19 steps. They were really quick (they had to be, when it started that's how it had to be done) with those 19 steps. It became like muscle memory.

Yet, you show them a 3 or 4 step method to accomplish the same task (sometimes within the same program) and they are like deer in head lights. How quickly they are willing to adapt to change determines how quickly they either get the quicker (and I would argue more efficient) process or they don't.

Being proficient isn't necessarily the same as being efficient. Most people tend to use proficiency to get to efficiency, but what you learned to be proficient at, may not be the quickest way to do something or efficient way.

like i said AI..........is 2nd on that list.......so much for all the pull downs and ya got do it everytime...you ant to use it.

No, you don't have to every time.


I have found that programs that focus on specific tasks are generally better in those tasks then programs that have to be many different things to many different people. There are going to be little nuances that are missed. Those nuances typically make things easier and quicker, many not be necessary to have, but they do tend to make things easier and quicker

 

[OldPaint]

and some of those "nuances" of other programs..... are why i like corel BEST)))) corel dont have em.......as fror your dancing with words...efficient/proficient ......that is all it is.....but for your benifit.....i am BOTH in COREL)))))
again....i tried the OTHERS........ the only ones that came close to corel....CASMATE, SIGN WIZARD, SIGN LAB....i am also "efficient/proficient" in them)))))) BUT STILL GO BACK TO COREL ..for majority of VINYL CUTTING))))
also i build computers.......prefer AMD's TO INTEL......western digital hard drives ONLY... seagates are junk....so its preference.... in the end...

 

[WildWestDesigns]

efficient/proficient ......that is all it is.....but for your benifit

Proficient - competent or skilled in doing or using something.

Efficient - achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.


Achieving one doesn't mean you have achieved the other.


How many people here claim that you have to do more steps in Ai compared to DRAW for certain functions?

That would make DRAW more efficient then Ai, regardless of how proficient someone is in Ai (because they are still having to go through more steps then a DRAW user (rather or not the DRAW users are proficient in DRAW).

 

[J Hill Designs]

I agree that, for me, coreldraw is more efficient than AI, due to my proficiency

however, there are far more efficient cutting programs than using rolands driver to cut from corel.

/end

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I agree that, for me, coreldraw is more efficient than AI, due to my proficiency

Some things I did like more in DRAW from the get go. Especially with what I used more for when I was creating designs for embroidery, but I am far more proficient in Ai. Especially when I discovered Actions and assigning keyboard shortcuts to those, that helped a lot with the efficiency of the program. Especially with the drop down menu issue that Joe reference earlier.

however, there are far more efficient cutting programs than using rolands driver to cut from corel.

/end

That's really want I'm trying to get at. Ironically, I still cut out of Ai or Inkscape more often then not, but again it goes back to what I'm more comfortable with moreso then true efficiency.

 

[Old Printer]

If I could break into this "Ping" contest for a minute with a CoCut question.

I just got it barely up and running, learning to cut straight out of it first, then will learn the Corel plugin.

It is cutting the image two to three times right on top of each other. I have checked the drawing related stuff like a staked image or wrong line width, but there is just one hairline outline and it insists on cuting it several times. Any thoughts?

You two can go back to arguing now

Thanks, Dave

 

[Old Printer]

With the help of Wild West & Techman I was able to solve my double cutting problem. I was cutting from an outline, which is what I am used to doing in other software. I deleted the outline and filled the object/vector with a color and it worked perfectly.

Thanks for your help!

Dave