The Main ToolBar

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The Main ToolBar

This toolbar contains the most frequently used functions. It is located below the ToolsTabs.

From left to right this toolbar is organized in 5 groups of functions:

Working Mode

Position and Size

Block tools

View Options

Layers Visualization

 

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This is the Main ToolBar

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Working Mode group

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Working mode refers to the activity, which may include:

 

CATALOGS

ToolBar_Catalog

Insert Designs, Memory Blocks, Motifs and Images to the current Design

CREATE OBJECT

ToolBar_Create

Activate the OBJECT CREATION MODE (Objects Creation)

EDIT OBJECT

ToolBar_Edit

Activate the OBJECT EDITING MODE (Condensed Editing)

EDIT STITCHES

ToolBar_Stitches

Activate the STITCH EDITING MODE (Expanded Editing)

EDIT SEQUINS

ToolBar_Sequins

Activate the SEQUIN EDITING MODE (Expanded Editing)

EDIT BEADS

ToolBar_Beads

Activate the BLING BEADS EDITING MODE (Expanded Editing

 

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Note for users of previous versions: The Smart Design tool is now available as a panel you can open from the vertical tabs located at the right edge of the window

 

CATALOGS

ToolBar_Catalog

This tool offers a catalog view of several resources for the creation of embroidery designs.

Available tools depend on the software configuration.

Press on the arrow to unfold the list of tools

CREATE OBJECT

ToolBar_2

This function gathers the tools available to create an embroidery (and Bling, if the option is present) design.

Available tools depend on the software configuration.

Press on the arrow to unfold the list of tools

EDIT OBJECT

ToolBar 3

This tool allows you to select an object or block of objects for objects editing.

After selection, you can modify the geometry (expand, reduce, rotate, mirror, etc.) from the workspace and edit the fill properties from the context tooltabs or from the Object Inspector.

You can select any object type of any decoration specialty, including raster images, vector objects, embroidery objects or bling objects.

Press on the arrow to unfold the list of tools.

EDIT STITCHES (Expanded Editing)

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This tool activates the stitch editing mode.

You can edit individual stitches just selecting the stitch ends (move, delete, insert, etc), and you can also edit block of stitches (move, delete, add stitch effects, etc.)

Press on the arrow to unfold the block selection tools.

EDIT SEQUINS (Expanded Editing)

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This tool allows you to edit the sequins of the embroidery design.

You can edit individual sequins just selecting them (move, delete, etc), and you can also edit block of sequins.

Press on the arrow to unfold the block selection tools.

EDIT BEADS (Expanded Editing)

ToolBar_Beads

This tool activates the bling beads editing mode. It allows to edit individual beads: move, delete, insert, etc.

Size and Position group

Toolbar_Size-Postion

This group includes controls to display and edit the position and size of the selected object or block. Any time you select an object or define a block, these controls are updated to reflect the proper values. You can change the reference point used to define the position of the object or block using the small button at the left. The up/down spin buttons allows small adjustments. You can also directly write a value into the controls and press enter. The padlock toggle allows to activate / deactivate proportional sizing.

 

Block tools group

BlockToolbar

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Note for users of previous versions: This group contains all the commands that in previous versions were shown within the Block Menu

Scale / Mirror / Rotate

Block_Mirror-Scale-Rotate

Includes commands to

Adjust the size of a block with precision by defining a reference segment and setting a new desired length for it.

Rotate a block to any angle

Mirroring a block either horizontally or vertically

Rotate a block by fixed values (90, 180 and 270 degrees)

Combine Objects

ToolBar_CombineObjects

This set of commands allows you to combine two or more objects:

Simplify: Remove overlapped shapes to simplify the drawing process

Addition:Transform selected shapes into a single shape

Subtraction: Remove the overlapped top shape from the bottom shape

Intersection: Create a new object from the intersection of the shapes, removing the rest of the shapes

Exclusion: Exclude the overlapped part of the top shape from the bottom shape

Trim Shapes: Create a new object from the intersection of the shapes, keeping the rest of the shapes

Remove Overlap: Eliminates overlapping regions while maintaining a small margin. Especially useful for embroidery objects to avoid overstitching.

Repeat Objects

Block_Repetitions

Contains commands to repeat the objects using different methods:

Duplicate: creates a copy of the object and position it at a fixed distance

Smart Duplicate: creates multiple copies of the object changing scale and rotation on the fly

Mirror Duplicate: creates a vertical/horizontal mirror copy of the selected object.

Repeat on Grid: creates multiple copies of the object placing them in rows and columns layout

Repeat on a Curve: creates multiple copies of a object placing the copies along a defined curve

Repeat as Kaleidoscope: creates copies of the object following a circular pattern while scaling and rotating the object

Offset Contour: creates copies of the object, outside or inside it, at configured distances from the

Group Objects

ToolBar_Group

Commands to create and manipulate groups of objects

Group: define a group including all the selected objects

Ungroup Objects: removes the group link. The objects will no longer form a group.

Branch: creates a special group with embroidery objects, connecting them in such a way that the group has a single defined entry and exit point.

The following commands appear when a branched group is selected

Explode: eliminates branching. The original objects will become ungrouped and disconnected.

Disconnect: disconnect the objects keeping the stitch sequence. The original objects will become ungrouped and disconnected but some additional underpath objects may appear to keep the stitch sequence as it was when the objects were branched.

The following command appears when a single object is selected or a branched group is selected

Disassemble Objects in Stitches: convert the object in simple stitches and eliminates the object. Object contour and properties are deleted. Just the object stitches remain.

Align Objects

Block_Align_Base

Commands to align objects among them or regarding the design boundary.

Align objects to each other: Top, Vertical middle, Bottom, Left, Horizontal middle, Right, Center

Align objects to design boundary: Top, Vertical Center, Bottom, Left, Horizontal Center, Right, Centered on design

Center at origin: all objects will be moved so as their centers will be at design origin (coordinate 0,0)

Change Order

Block_Order

Commands to modify the objects order within the design sequence. These commands do not modify the objects position (coordinates)

Back: the object will become the first object in the sequence, so it will be overlapped by any object located in the same place.

Move Backward: the object will move one position towards the top of the list.

Move Forward: the object will move one position towards the end of the list.

Front: the object will become the last object in the sequence, so it will overlap any object located in the same place.

 

Convert Object

Block_Convert

This menu contains several commands to convert object types. Different options are displayed depending on the selected object type.

For embroidery objects

Change Embroidery Object Type: Converts the object to another object type, for example, an Area object to a closed path object

Convert Object into Vector Object

Split Object: Breaks an object in 2 parts using a curve that you define.

Object Enviroment: Uses the selected object to surround any other overlapping object, by creating holes with a predefined margin

For bling objects

Convert Object into Vector Object

Split Object: Breaks an object in 2 parts using a curve that you define.

Disassemble Bling object in Beads: removes the bling object but keeps the beads generated for the object, as individual beads

Assemble Beads as Bling Pack: removes the bling object but keeps the beads generated for the object, as a bling pack

For vector objects

Convert Vector Object to Raster Image

Split Object: Breaks an object in 2 parts using a curve that you define.

Convert to Curves: Converts Auto-Shape vector objects into the primitive curves

For raster objects (pixel based images)

Convert Raster Image into Vector Objects: Creates vector objects by detecting the shapes in the raster images (Vectorizer tool)

View Options group

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View Mode

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It includes several graphic representation modes, such as:

Normal mode: All elements are drawn with lines of the same thickness

3D mode: Realistic 3D representation of the design

3D + Aux mode: Same as 3D mode, but it also shows the image used as reference for digitizing

Zoom Functions

ToolBar 17

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It includes most of the zoom modes, such as:

Dynamic Zoom

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Zooms to different Scales

etc.

Details in Zoom Function

Grids

ToolBar 6

The Grid command controls the visibility of a set of small, equally spaced marks on the workspace. These marks allows you to accurately place objects within your design. You can control many aspects of the grid, such as the distance, mark shape, color, etc. Use the Grid button to turn on/off grid visibility.

Details in Grid Function

Guidelines

ToolBar 7

We call Guidelines to a set of auxiliary vertical and/or horizontal lines you can set to help with objects alignment and placement.

Details in Guidelines Function

Show/Hide design references

ToolBar 8B

We call references to the set of graphic elements that help you to understand the design on the workspace. You can show/hide (turn on/off) these elements.

Solid Vectors

Show vector objects with a solid color; otherwise the outline of the vector objects are displayed.

Show Marks

Show/Hide marks on the stitches ends  or needle penetrations (only on draft mode, not on simulation mode).

Show Stitches

Show/Hide the stitches. Sometimes complex designs with overlapped objects may require to temporarily hide stitches.

Show Objects

Show/Hide objects frame (geometry). Sometimes during the finishing stage it is convenient to view only the stitches.

Show Sequins

Show/Hide embroidery sequins (only on draft mode, not on simulation mode)

Show Connectors

Show/Hide thread connections between consecutive objects.

Show Commands

Show/Hide small thumbnails that represent the machine commands such as color change, thread trims, etc.

Show Design Start/End

Show/Hide small thumbnails that represent the start point and the end point of the design.

Show Bling

Show/Hide bling beads (only on draft mode, not on simulation mode).

Show Solid Bling

Show/Hide bling beads with solid colors; otherwise the outline of the beads are displayed (only on draft mode, not on simulation mode).

Show Insert Cursor (*)

Show/Hide the Insert cursor, this is the geometric position of the exit point of the object from which any new object will be inserted in the embroidery sequence

Show Cross (*)

Show/Hide the large cross cursor

Show Node Sequence (*)

Show/Hide an arrow symbol on each node indicating the nodes sequence,

Highlight Insert Cursor (*)

Highlight for a second the position of the Insert Cursor

Show all objects

Removes the "Hide" status set at the Document Map for all objects

(*) New features in version 23.20

Layers Visualization group

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What does each layer indicator mean?

Each layer indicator refers to a specific group of objects included in a design that belong to a particular decoration specialty:

Embroidery

It includes all embroidery objects of any type.

Bling

It includes all bling objects of any type.

Auxiliar

Auxiliary objects are raster images, vector images and vector elements (graphics) which are used as background or as references to create the designs objects over it, but they are not part of the final design.

Printing

Printing objects are raster images, vector images and vector elements (graphics) that will be used for screen-printing or digital printing (they are part of the final design).

Cutting

Cutting objects are vector elements (graphics) that will be used for cutting on vinyl and laser cutters (they are part of the final design).

Show/Hide a decoration layer

By pressing the indicator you can show (or hide) the layer on the Workspace.

Green indicator

The objects of the selected decoration specialty are displayed in the workspace.

Red indicator

The objects of the selected decoration specialty are not displayed in the workspace.

More decoration layer functions

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By pressing on the drop-down arrow to access the other available options:

Hide...

Hides all the objects of the selected layer (decoration specialty).

Lock...

This function blocks all the objects of the selected layer (Yellow indicator). The objects can be visible but the application won't allow you to select and edit any object of the selected decoration specialty. This feature is very useful when you are digitizing and do not want to move any object of this decoration type by mistake while you create or edit objects of other decoration specialties. Just press this function again to unlock these objects.

Hide all but...

This function makes exactly the opposite to the "Hide" function: it hides all the other layers (decoration specialties) keeping the selected layer as the only visible layer.

Lock all but...

This function makes exactly the opposite to the "Lock" function: it blocks all the other layers (decoration specialties) keeping the selected layer as the only unblocked layer.

 

Notes:

When the on-screen simulation (3D) is enabled, the auxiliary objects will become hidden as they are not part of the final design.

The changes on the status of these indicators will be also reflected on the Document Map. Blocked objects will appear grayed out. Hidden objects will not appear on the respective tab.