Hello

[susan]

Hello has anybody been on the yahoo scal if so what do you think about being able to convert wishblade file to a scla file
it seems a bit complecated but I am going to persevear with it.
Susan

[CBJPL31]

It's way beyond my comprehension but my husband is a structural designer so I think he might have a little more knowledge or at least the brains to figure it out! lol I hope to have him look at the program they listed over there to see if he can figure it out and if he can help me understand how to do it so I at least know if it's something I would be interested in.

[susan]

Hi I copied this from the yahoo group I am still trying may be your husband can make some sense of it if he does please enlighten me.
Susan



Sure Cuts Alot can import (read) an .sgv file.

The Cricut can 'read' a .cut file.

SCA can 'read' TTF files (font files, also sometimes known as dingbat files).

SCA can also 'read' a .sgv file via importing the file.

These are different 'file formats' just like a .jpeg file is a different format than a .gif or .ti file (but maybe that's not a really great comparison because neither Cricut nor SCA can 'read' .jpeg, .gif nor .tif.

DSS can 'create' a .cut file which the Cricut can read.

Got that? <smile!>

Now enters a 'free' software called "Inkscape". Inkscape can read .jpg, .gif and I think .tif files. Here's where it gets interesting: By opening up a .jpg or .gif or .tif file within Inkscape, you can then 'trace' that image, save it as a .sgv file and then 'import' that file into SCA which can then 'read' the file.

Which means, any image in the .jpeg or .gif or .tif file format can be brought into Inkscape, traced, saved as .sgv and the opened in SCA and cut on your Cricut!

(Wow! Sure hope I got that right! If not, someone else feel free to jump in here!)

Shari

[CBJPL31]

I'll let you know. He's so busy that it might take him a day or two to get a chance to look at it though.

[Cynthia]

I have absolutely NO idea what you all are talking about...but hey...it sounds good!

[ChristineH]

Thank you for posting this, I downloaded inkscape earlier today so Im going to see if I can figure this out, so much for scrapping tonight

[M.Newton]

I hope somebody can figure this out because I have so many GSD files.
If somebody knows how to convert them to DXF, then you open them in Illustrator and save them as SVG.
It would be wonderful!

[Aussiepat]

Okay girls I know I am a techno dinosour but are you speaking English???

[sboz]

AussiePat,

Hey! I wrote that message on the yahoo message board and I barely understand it myself! Ha! Ha! (I'm a dinosaur, so maybe that explains it.)

In short, I was touting the benefits of SCA (Sure Cuts A Lot) over just using the cartridges that we can purchase from Provo Craft. Part of the comprehension of my post is probably due to all the abbreviations I used for the various programs and file types - I worried about that after I posted the message!

SCA = Sure Cuts A Lot
DSS = Provo Craft's Design Studio Software

SCA offers so much in such a small package! (This is a tribute to the designer(s) of SCA! Basically speaking, SCA opens a pathway for us to use our bugs to 'cut'. The firmware upgrade that you can get when you download just the trial version of Design Studio Software (DSS) opened that pathway! Caveat here: You don't need the full version of DSS to use SCA, all you need is the free trial version.

SCA opened the door. A free program, Inkscape, completes the door. (Adobe Illustrator ($$) also completes the door and there is one more $$ program but I can't think of it right now.) If you happen to have a graphics program like Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, even just Windows Paint (which comes pre-installed on your Windows computer) it is an added benefit.

I am very familiar with Paint Shop Pro but I do not have the most current version of this program - so I am saying you don't have to have the newest & best graphics program to gain that added benefit.

I cannot address what Adobe Illustrator can do. I know it is a whiz bang program that costs a lot of $$ and can do just about anything. But, because of the $$ that it costs, I don't have it. No offense meant to anyone that does have it is intended.

I am not very familiar with Inkscape (yet!) but I think Inkscape can do much, if not more in some cases, than some of the graphics programs I mentioned above. The 'key' with the free Inkscape program is this: You can save a file in .svg file format. This is the file format you NEED to bring your item into SCA. (FREE is good in my thinking!)

1. With a graphics program, you can bring in any image (and I mean ANY image), manipulate it, rotate it, multiply it, whatever you want. After playing with your image, save it as .jpg, or .bmp or .gif.

2. Open your image within Inkscape.

3. Trace it. (There's a tutorial someplace that explains how to 'trace'..........) Here's the tutorial: http://www.ilovecraftrobo.com/Tutorials ... Tutorials/

4. Save it as a .svg file.

5. Open SCA.

6. Go to "File", then "Import" and bring in the image you just save in Inkscape.

7. Place it where you want it on the SCA page, resize it, rotate it - whatever you want.

8. Cut it.

Attached is a dingbat that I manipulated in Paint Shop Pro. I duplicated it. Rotated it. Saved it as a .jpg. Brought it into Inkscape. Traced it. Saved it as a .svg file. Brought it into SCA. Resized it. Then cut it.

Lots of steps, yes. Benefits are worth it. By the way, you can also 'weld' letters in your graphics program and following the steps outlined above (viola!) you can now have 'welded' words in SCA.

Below is 1) the original dingbat I started with - came from "Border Corners2" (http://www.fontfinder.ws/search.html?se ... +corners+2); 2) the same dingbat after I manipulated it in Paint Shop Pro; 3) After I traced it in Inkscape (the .svg file); 4) The final design showing in SCA - next post from me as we can only attach 3 images per post.

Shari

[sboz]

cont'd. showing last image referred to in my post.