Now what do????????

[oldjoe]

I may be wrong but someone else should check this out.
I have some Christmas presents that I was going to carve. I planned on buying them from Vector Art 3D spendy but I was going to have to, well I picked out the pattern I wanted and when I looked for the CC version it was not listed just the STL, VA3D, and the Artcam versions were available.
Now what do I do. On Friday when I pick out what I was going to use it was still there. Sounds like a conspiracy. :(
Can't do this can't do that are we still living in a democracy?? Why can't they just sell both types.
Okay done whining I will find away to work around my dilema.

[HighTechOkie]

Install 1.123 to its own folder and purchase the files. Not the best solution, as you will be locked into 1.123 for that project, but you could keep on carving that way.

[JimmieJames]

If you go to the patterns depot on the carvewrite site you need to click on the VectorArt under Vendors on the right and the patterns you want should be in there somewhere

[JimmieJames]

I mean on the left side of the web page
If you go to the patterns depot on the carvewrite site you need to click on the VectorArt under Vendors on the right and the patterns you want should be in there somewhere

[oldjoe]

I did not want to upgrade yet anyway but I have read that I will lose my centerline text until I can call CW to get it reregistered. So I guess I am kind of dead in the water today anyway. I have a plan but not sure it will work so let me know if this will work.
I am running Vista on my laptop. If I were to set up Designer in one of my other user profiles and take my current version off the Public list. Or would I be better off doing it on a totally different computer? I don't know if this makes any sence or not. Just have to figure out how it will all work out in the scheme of things.

[newcarver]

I guess with the recent coral of patterns by va3d and lhr, it seems they wish to have all the sales through them. Seeing as i will NOT be upgrading simply to satisfy their needs. I guess the vendors who go through them will also NOT be getting my business. I will search out other sites selling patterns who do not require me to upgrade to purchase patterns. As the sites that are not on the cw site are not selling through them, I guess their business shall increase by 1 more buyer at this point.

[Gary Koval]

You know normally if a computer gets screwed up around here it's usually me that does it. Well I jumped right in and upgraded to ver.1.123, before I waited and read up on it. Anyway I have not experienced a problem with "Centerline" when I upgraded, other than following prompts, when I upgraded, (see attachments). I have "Centerline" used it this morning and cut a project no problem today. But I sure hope LHR gets any bugs worked out A.S.A.P.

[oldjoe]

thanks Gary I guess I may just cross my finger and go for it,
One note I received an email from Vectorart 3D and this is what it said
I pasted this from the newsletter so I would not mess it up

CarveWright PTN Files
The PTN file format for the CarveWright and CompuCarve machines is now available exclusively through the Pattern Depot on the CarveWright website. You can purchase Vector Art 3D individual models and also our collections in the PTN format only, from here: http://www.carvewright.com/store/pattern.php (http://www.carvewright.com/store/pattern.php)

We will have a couple of new announcements before Christmas so look out for those in the next couple of weeks. For next year we already have a lot planned and look forward to improving the site in every way into 2008. Thanks for your continued interest in our products and remember to email info@vectorart3d.com (http://us.f624.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=info@vectorart3d.com) if you have questions, comments or suggestions. Lastly we wish you all a Happy Holiday season wherever you are!

I wonder what they have in store for us now. Maybe a newer version coming,
I hope it was okay to post this

[JOHNB]

i'm curious of whether va3d's other style (file formats=stl., rlf., v3m.?) of patterns are locked? it just seems to be ptn.s. what up with that? needless to say, i closed out of their mailing list.

[Durtdawber]

Ok guys, hopefully this will help several of you. The question that was posed was about what to buy fro VA3D now that they don't offer the .ptn files in an "unlocked" format. Here is a suggested way around the issue.

The link below is for a freeware program called Image Analyzer. It can read .stl files and automatically create a gray scale depth map that can be edited with any graphics program. You just open the .stl file then click on the snapshot button to create a picture of the .stl and a depth map. The other nice thing is that you can position the .stl image however you want before hitting snapshot.

So, the answer to the question is...buy the .stl files from VA3D and create your own depth map (which is just a gray scale image). Import this file into Designer and you have a .ptn ready to go.

http://meesoft.logicnet.dk/Analyzer/

[NetHog]

Ok guys, hopefully this will help several of you. The question that was posed was about what to buy fro VA3D now that they don't offer the .ptn files in an "unlocked" format. Here is a suggested way around the issue.

The link below is for a freeware program called Image Analyzer. It can read .stl files and automatically create a gray scale depth map that can be edited with any graphics program. You just open the .stl file then click on the snapshot button to create a picture of the .stl and a depth map. The other nice thing is that you can position the .stl image however you want before hitting snapshot.

So, the answer to the question is...buy the .stl files from VA3D and create your own depth map (which is just a gray scale image). Import this file into Designer and you have a .ptn ready to go.

http://meesoft.logicnet.dk/Analyzer/

Great tip. What is the STL format anyway? (I need to do some digging ;) )

[JimmieJames]

I did not want to upgrade yet anyway but I have read that I will lose my centerline text until I can call CW to get it reregistered. So I guess I am kind of dead in the water today anyway. I have a plan but not sure it will work so let me know if this will work.
I am running Vista on my laptop. If I were to set up Designer in one of my other user profiles and take my current version off the Public list. Or would I be better off doing it on a totally different computer? I don't know if this makes any sence or not. Just have to figure out how it will all work out in the scheme of things. after upgrading you need to registered 1.123,during the process It Had a part where you "reregistered" centerline and the editing program if you already have them I guess but you need to check the boxes to keep them I guess

[mtylerfl]

Great tip. What is the STL format anyway? (I need to do some digging ;) )

Hello,

STL is an acronym for "stereolithography" - a method to represent 3D surface geometry without any color or texture mapping.

[oldjoe]

You guys are just too smart for me. I just recently went from a folding rule to a tape measure and now computer lingo. I guess like I said earlier in this thread I am just going to go ahead and upgrade to another part of my computer then if I do lose my centerline when I design something I will just leave the lettering part out then write a separate program for just lettering. Of course I will be lettering blind on a blank board but where theres a will theres a way or a bunch of relatives you never knew you had.
Thanks to everyone for all your input and help on this and if anyone can see a problem of what I am going to do let me know.

[captainkidd]

Great tip. What is the STL format anyway? (I need to do some digging ;) )


An STL file is basically a triangulated mapping of a an object. If you created a 3D model in a CAD program that can export out an STL file there are generally an option for type of resolution. The tighter the resolution the more accurately the object will be represented in the triangulated mesh that the export will be. I am an RP Engineer which I do all the CAD modelling for our 2 Stereolithography machines.


B.KIdd

[TerryT]

I may be wrong but someone else should check this out.
I have some Christmas presents that I was going to carve. I planned on buying them from Vector Art 3D spendy but I was going to have to, well I picked out the pattern I wanted and when I looked for the CC version it was not listed just the STL, VA3D, and the Artcam versions were available.
Now what do I do. On Friday when I pick out what I was going to use it was still there. Sounds like a conspiracy. :(
Can't do this can't do that are we still living in a democracy?? Why can't they just sell both types.
Okay done whining I will find away to work around my dilema.

I tried durtdawbers suggestion and it works. At least with the free STL patterns from vector art 3D. If the patterns you purchase aren't any different you can buy whatyou want in the STL format and use them.

Terry