STL bits?

[liquidguitars]

Yes you can trace it after the fact. import the STL and choose "outline" select the mill bit assign it to the paths.

[bergerud]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry you bought the wrong software for what you want to do. If you do not want to buy the DXF importer there is an option others have used. Search ai2mpc.

[aokweld101]

I have the dxf program and haven't used it yet. its been a little more than a year haven't had something to use it for I have all the programs except the 2.004 that's is next.. Santa didn't have it in his sled this year guess I'll have to get it on my own....

[626Pilot]

Thanks for the help, all of you. I think I can get it figured out now.

(I still think CW made a bad design decision)

[interloper]

I was still subscribed to this.
Back when I bought the wrong software, I was told somewhere to wait for a software sale during the month of September? Nothing. Then I emailed someone, and they told me October. I then waited for November.
Unfortunately, I've since abandoned my projects (paid for plans), using the CW, the above wrongly purchased software -pretty much my whole garage since.
You know how sensitive project workers can be, particularly when thrown off-guard. This thread might have been my last correspondence since.

I'm sure I'll return one day... After a nice, long regimen of Zoloft

I'm not blaming anyone but myself... It happens.

Edited: Some wording

[fwharris]

To make sure you get the latest sales updates sign up for the newsletter (bottom right side of this page)
http://www.carvewright.com/support-page/contact-us/

Also when on the CarveWright site look for the "special offers"...

[626Pilot]

I'm not blaming anyone but myself... It happens.

The pricing structure is set up to be tolerable for business, but to a hobbyist or someone who hasn't yet been able to make any revenue with their machine it can seem extortionate. CW could do a lot for customer goodwill by shipping the machine with the new Designer instead of making you pay $200 for that, and for charging a less crazy price to unlock features. ($200 per file format you want to import? What the...)

[lynnfrwd]

The pricing structure is set up to be tolerable for business, but to a hobbyist or someone who hasn't yet been able to make any revenue with their machine it can seem extortionate. CW could do a lot for customer goodwill by shipping the machine with the new Designer instead of making you pay $200 for that, and for charging a less crazy price to unlock features. ($200 per file format you want to import? What the...)

The pricing structure is set up, so that you can buy only what you need rather than forcing customers to buy the whole kit and caboodle, that they may never need or use. It allows for you to grow your system as your skills increase, as your projects demand and/or as your pocket book allows. Sales are almost monthly, so knowledgeable customer take advantage of these.

As for a per file format, the basic Designer allow .jpg, bitmap, .png, .mng, .gif & .xpm file formats at no additional costs. It is only STL & DXF that are an additional cost.

If you are trying to make revenue with your machine, then you are more than just a hobbyist...small business maybe. There are plenty of projects that can be done to generate revenue with just the basic software.

Everyone else has to pay $200 for Designer 2.0, as well, whether it is a direct purchase or part of a package deal, the price reflects the $200.

[interloper]

The pricing structure is set up to be tolerable for business, but to a hobbyist or someone who hasn't yet been able to make any revenue with their machine it can seem extortionate. CW could do a lot for customer goodwill by shipping the machine with the new Designer instead of making you pay $200 for that, and for charging a less crazy price to unlock features. ($200 per file format you want to import? What the...)

I guess to extend what you said^ the option to transfer or swap licenses for the intended software version would help (give a day at least??). That part I'll accept fault, as most people don't allow software returns anyway. But why not transfer?? They have licensing customer database down pretty good don't they? As for the cost, yes, it might be nice for someone who very rarely uses the machine to have a pay per-use function, or similar -at the very least?

Then again, it seems that if these were 30 bucks each, many would simply buy most, if not all versions. With that, the software designers would have the community and the feedback for their work. There are more people out there like me that would prefer to have full capabilities from the start (buying all software) and not have to deal with bumps in the road later. And with that, some software may never actually see any use. If prices aren't unreasonable, why not? Buying everything is fine for making me feel prepared for whatever it is I'm thinking of doing (if anything at all). Heck, allow me one project a month, but don't limit the software. That should very well separate the hobbyist from the business doer.

Nevertheless, by the time you invest in all these software version costs, you could realize that a G-code compatible machine can be had. With that de facto, so much existing and established software, designs, templates, etc. are readily available in the community. Some of which I probably already own and are compatible for all formats.
Those projects that were going to take me a year to finish anyway are being bumped further. I have to contemplate this. I've closed up my garage for 6 months as it is. I don't see spending another 200 bucks (totaling 400) to make a few gears for fun fun anymore. I simply won't get that much use out of it.

[interloper]

rather than forcing customers to buy the whole kit and caboodle, that they may never need or use. It allows for you to grow your system as your skills increase, as your projects demand and/or as your pocket book allows. Sales are almost monthly, so knowledgeable customer take advantage of these.

That's just the thing though. The different software suites aren't necessarily a linear learning path. Many are basically just different functions that people come across to need from time to time (in my situation anyway). This is a hobby machine for me, so in this case my pocket book allows what fun I'm going to get out of it. If I don't have the functionality to complete a simple task and these policies are stretched this much, there's not much else to contemplate. It's simply not worth it. It's unfortunate this is about the smallest hobby-sized CNC in the market, but the software has a highly business-oriented campaign going for it.

As for the sales, I checked daily for 3 months and eventually faded that behavior out

Edit: Suggestion if I may. Just C&P from above post:

As for the cost, yes, it might be nice for someone who very rarely uses the machine to have a pay per-use function, or similar -at the very least?

Heck, allow me one project a month, but don't limit the software. That should very well separate the hobbyist from the business doer