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cestout
10-28-2014, 06:04 PM
Is there any way a design can be imported into 2D, traced, then shaped with 3D and then enhanced with Pattern Sculptor?
Clint

fwharris
10-28-2014, 06:27 PM
Start with the "import image for tracing", after tracing you can then use the 3D tools to build up the areas you want. When you feel you have it then do the group to make the pattern. After you have the pattern made you can then take it into Sculptor or the Pattern Editor to work with.

cestout
10-29-2014, 05:40 PM
How about if Sculptor is stand alone? I am running 2.07.
Clint

CW-HAL9000
10-29-2014, 08:37 PM
How about if Sculptor is stand alone? I am running 2.07.
Clint

Then its a $200 pattern.

Because you have to upgrade to 3.0

lynnfrwd
10-29-2014, 09:07 PM
No. Not if you have STL importer.

cestout
10-30-2014, 06:35 PM
Connie, is that no it is not a $200 pattern and I can use Sculptor to touch up patterns I create in 2.07 designer, or no I can't import my patterns into sculptor?
Clint

FWMiller
10-30-2014, 08:47 PM
It really shouldn't be this difficult. It's silly that every time a tool is upgraded or released a new non backwards compatible file format is created.

lynnfrwd
10-30-2014, 10:40 PM
If you have 3, sculptor will work as an integrated part of the software. If you don't have 3 then you need STL Importer and use sculptor as a stand alone.

The "hooks" were written in our current version (3). We will not go back and write new software in our old format. We have said this for a year and a half!

A pattern made with sculptor is backwards compatible for versions 1, 2 or 3, Mr Miller.

CW-HAL9000
10-31-2014, 12:52 AM
A pattern made with sculptor is backwards compatible for versions 1, 2 or 3, Mr Miller.

Not true because you cannot make a pattern (ptn) with sculptor so its is not backwards compatible with out stl importer. Also What clint is asking is can he make a pattern in 2.0 and then take it into sculptor and improve or work on it. I wonder the answer as well since I don't know if you can export to stl from 2.0 or pattern editor (if you have pattern editor). So I do not think clints question has still been answered. Finally because LHR says they wont make new stuff backwards compatible does not really mean (as least to many of us customers) that it is a good idea or one that we think is fair.

eelamb
10-31-2014, 06:24 AM
MPC files are not backward comp. But PTN files are. Problem is after 2 came out and 2d/3d most patterns posted are now MPC's. Before that most were PTN. Thus anyone on 1.187 can not open the MPC files.
As for Clint, he would have to export using PE into an STL to bring it into sculptor, then export from sculptor to stl to then read it again in designer 2.0. Sculptor would be strictly a stand alone program for him.

CW-HAL9000
10-31-2014, 08:35 AM
MPC files are not backward comp. But PTN files are. Problem is after 2 came out and 2d/3d most patterns posted are now MPC's. Before that most were PTN. Thus anyone on 1.187 can not open the MPC files.
As for Clint, he would have to export using PE into an STL to bring it into sculptor, then export from sculptor to stl to then read it again in designer 2.0. Sculptor would be strictly a stand alone program for him.

Thanks Eddie, someone finally answered the actual question. So in reality a person with 1.87 or 2.0 who wants to do what Clint wants needs the following: Designer, Pattern editor, STL importer, and Sculptor. So three modules and basic designer just to use Sculptor back and forth with designer. All this despite the fact that just last year Clint bought Designer 2.0.

lynnfrwd
10-31-2014, 09:18 AM
Thanks Eddie, someone finally answered the actual question. So in reality a person with 1.87 or 2.0 who wants to do what Clint wants needs the following: Designer, Pattern editor, STL importer, and Sculptor. So three modules and basic designer just to use Sculptor back and forth with designer. All this despite the fact that just last year Clint bought Designer 2.0.

I answered him a week ago. The only thing he would need to purchase to accomplish what he wants is Sculptor.


Because you already own STL Importer, you can use the Pattern Sculptor as a stand alone (until you are ready to upgrade to 3.0). From Pattern Sculptor, you will import the file, use the tools to make your changes, and then Export as an STL file. Use your STL Importer to then bring it into a Designer 2.07 format.

lynnfrwd
10-31-2014, 09:23 AM
Finally because LHR says they wont make new stuff backwards compatible does not really mean (as least to many of us customers) that it is a good idea or one that we think is fair.

Not "many of us customers". I only see two (maybe three) that are consistently whining about life not being "fair".

FWMiller
10-31-2014, 09:57 AM
The take it or leave it message LHR presents is what will keep Carvewright a niche product with limited growth opportunity. The cost gap between Carvewright and the alternatives that are not confined by proprietary file formats grows smaller by the day. If a company wants to grow market share the goal is usually to make things easier for the customer, not more complicated. I'd rather be in a position to be happy to hand over my money for a valuable upgrade than feel like my arm is being twisted and I've already got so much money tied up I have no practical alternative.

ktjwilliams
10-31-2014, 10:15 AM
Well Connie you don't see the PM's and E-Mails ... There are a few whom post their gripes here which generates numerous PM's n E-mails from others ,, Many are Senior Members and or Testers .. There are several other concerns with other software also ... Like MPC's,,, if you get one from 3.xx and you only have 2.XX you can't open it ... An MPC is an MPC ,, so basically there are 3 versions of designer, one not compatiable with the other although they all use MPC's .. If someone shares an MPC ,folks should be able to open and use em ... If there are features used that the receiver don't have like maybe center line, then he couldn't use the Centerline but could edit text to raster Etc ...

lynnfrwd
10-31-2014, 10:17 AM
The take it or leave it message LHR presents is what will keep Carvewright a niche product with limited growth opportunity. The cost gap between Carvewright and the alternatives that are not confined by proprietary file formats grows smaller by the day. If a company wants to grow market share the goal is usually to make things easier for the customer, not more complicated. I'd rather be in a position to be happy to hand over my money for a valuable upgrade than feel like my arm is being twisted and I've already got so much money tied up I have no practical alternative.

If by "make things easier" you mean free, then I disagree with your business model.

No one is twisting your arm to buy additional software, that is why we do not force a purchase of ALL software. It is modular, so you don't have to pay for something you will not use. It is modular, so you can add to your licenses as your pocket book allows, your skill levels increase or your projects dictate.

I do realize I'm not being very PC on here, but sometimes PC is over-rated and enough is enough. Your dissatisfaction has been duly noted.

If you feel the upgrade or add-on software is valuable, you are more than welcome to purchase it, but if you do not, we are not forcing you to buy it. There is no need for this constant bashing of LHR by people that will probably NOT purchase it anyway.

Chris77089
10-31-2014, 10:55 AM
Well Connie you don't see the PM's and E-Mails ... There are a few whom post their gripes here which generates numerous PM's n E-mails from others ,, Many are Senior Members and or Testers .. There are several other concerns with other software also ... Like MPC's,,, if you get one from 3.xx and you only have 2.XX you can't open it ... An MPC is an MPC ,, so basically there are 3 versions of designer, one not compatiable with the other although they all use MPC's .. If someone shares an MPC ,folks should be able to open and use em ... If there are features used that the receiver don't have like maybe center line, then he couldn't use the Centerline but could edit text to raster Etc ...

The reason that the files are not backwards compatible is because there are new features added that were not in the original code and the older version will not know what to do with the new instructions. An MPC is the the storage container for the instructions and code and each version of designer has different tools that can be used to fill that file. There are similar things happening in the cell phone world where apps can be updated or upgraded to not function on an older firmware version of some phones but will work on newer ones. The file type remain the same yet it is the instructions and code that have to be interpreted that change. Many other programs limit what versions of Windows they can run on yet they are still EXE files.

cestout
10-31-2014, 11:00 AM
Thank you Ed, I never noticed the "Export to STL" before.
Connie, I am not complaining, I am just seeing how I can improve my software arsenal only as much as I need to (as a opposed to want to). I would prefer LHR to stay in business, and looking at the competition - price, value, and difficulty level: CarveWright is still the best choice. Now if we had done the SoCal Wood Working show, my situation might be different.
Connie, your situation remind me of 1st level management in the phone company - a buffer between the workers and upper management.
Clint

lynnfrwd
10-31-2014, 11:12 AM
Thank you Ed, I never noticed the "Export to STL" before.
Connie, I am not complaining, I am just seeing how I can improve my software arsenal only as much as I need to (as a opposed to want to). I would prefer LHR to stay in business, and looking at the competition - price, value, and difficulty level: CarveWright is still the best choice. Now if we had done the SoCal Wood Working show, my situation might be different.
Connie, your situation remind me of 1st level management in the phone company - a buffer between the workers and upper management.
Clint

You were never included in my complainers list, Clint. I understand you are just trying to figure out how you can use it.

I am trying to come up with a simple, if you have this, then you can do that chart...

DickB
10-31-2014, 11:26 AM
Like MPC's,,, if you get one from 3.xx and you only have 2.XX you can't open it ... An MPC is an MPC ,, so basically there are 3 versions of designer, one not compatiable with the other although they all use MPC's .. If someone shares an MPC ,folks should be able to open and use em ... If there are features used that the receiver don't have like maybe center line, then he couldn't use the Centerline but could edit text to raster Etc ...
I guess I don't see how that could work. What for example would Designer 1 do with a Designer 2 mpc that used Decorate With Text? Flatten it out? Throw it away? Or what about the v-carve feature Designer 3? In many cases I think there wouldn't be much of an mpc left.

This type of software behaviour is not uncommon in the software industry. The software versions are upward compatible - you can open a Designer 1 project in Designer 3, you can open a Word 2003 document in Word 2007. But you are correct in that they are not backwards compatible. When you use a feature in the later version that is not in the earlier version, it's pretty tough to do.

CW-HAL9000
10-31-2014, 06:20 PM
you can open a Word 2003 document in Word 2007. But you are correct in that they are not backwards compatible. When you use a feature in the later version that is not in the earlier version, it's pretty tough to do.

Not so, all versions of word have a save as feature that allows you to save it in the older formats. I fully understand mpc's not being backwards compatible but the modules should at least work with out additional modules necessary and should work with at least the last few versions of basic designer, version 2 was a year old to the month when version 3 came out and there really was not enough new stuff to not qualify as more than just an update to 2 rather than a whole new version. The big problem really is sculptor being called a stand alone when it really is not. It requires either version 3, or stl importer and pattern editor to be fully useful.

lynnfrwd
10-31-2014, 07:19 PM
If you do not have a CW, you can use Sculptor for your cnc. Thus,...stand alone.