Here is what I am having a hard time understanding and could using clarification.
I made text into individual Objects "Game On." I ran the objects through the simulator to see how it came out and then organized the paths so it read left to right. Then I arranged the objects into three different methods.
Union
Combined
Group
So here is where my questions begins. If you run all three methods together through the simulator you end up with three different results, but I have no idea why.
GROUPED: When I grouped the objects it looks perfect. There are no trailing threads from one object to the next needing trimmed.
COMBINED: Messy trailing threads and it starts on the object letter "A" and then zips on over the letter object "O".
UNION: VERY Messy with trailing threads and oddly it starts on the letter "O" and then zips over to the letter object "A.
I am wanting for find something that explains how to organize all the different components and need to know when I should use groups, verses combined or union. Note, I did not use auto-route, and I am trying to understand the basic principal. I am attaching screen shots to show examples.
So I guess I am wondering, do I just break all objects apart and group the heck out of them?
Without having access to the original svg file, there will be some guesswork - so here goes
Assuming each character is s closed path
Grouped: Can be done in order to organize any number of objects of any type. It is visually similar as if the objects was put in a separate layer. Use Ctrl+Enter to "enter group" (manipulate single objects within the group) and Ctrl+backspace (or just click an object not part of the group) to get out of group.
Combined: Combine path. If it change visually, you may have some parts of letters that overlaps other letters.
Union : No use here. I may explain this as a binary operation, two input paths and you get one different pat as a result. It's not what you think, Union works for overlapping parts - if done correctly, you should end up with a resulting path of the areas where the two paths directly overlapped. The letters shouldn't overlap and therefore this function should be of no use in this case.
Thank you for the explanation, especially regarding Union. I am not sure I fully understand the explanation of Combined. If all things are the same, when would I use Combined verses Grouped?
You definitely don't want to combine or union the letters. In order to be able to define a stitch path, it is best practice to keep disconnected shapes separate. Therefore grouping is your only option. Otherwise you have no influence on which path stitches first and you'll get bad jump stitches.
Grr Fail. The group one ended up telling my machine to stop at each trim. Now there are no stops in the command, but only trim. Trim tells my machine to stop. So in this case it may mean I need to use Union or Combination.
I need help. In the file I am attaching I working with the Grouped layer only. I went to attached Commands to and removed the Trim threads after each letter and left it on the last letter that would be stitched out. I was hoping that would work, but it didnt.
@Kaaleen what seems to be the issue is that I have stroke & fill included for each object. The stroke goes correctly, but then when it goes to fill it gets all jumbled up. What I want is for it to do the stroke and fill one object at a time, then jump stitch to the next.
I can get the jump stitch by taking off the stroke. But why will it not do it with the stroke included? Same goes for if I do the stroke and no fill. The issue might be that I am treating the object as one item, and can only see one time "path" when in reality a stroke path is almost like its own object and fill is like its own object.
1. Try not to use fill and stroke on the same objects. Embroidery has a natural push and pull effect on the fabric. So when it finishes the fill and stitches the stroke afterwards, you may need to make small adjustments to the stroke. So it is better to plan those in separate paths right away.
2. Jumps and Trims and such.
2a. Machine. Much of the handling also depends on your machine settings. Many machines have settings that will make them cut jump stitches longer than a specific length automatically. The maximum stitch length most machines would allow is 12mm (or slightly above). So everything above this value will be cut automatically
2b. Ink/Stitch also has various settings to influence behavior (if not overwritten by the machine settings). First have a look at the preferences in the Ink/Stitch menu. There you can define a minimum stitch length for jump stitches. Everything below will be treated as a normal stitch, everything longer will be treated as a jump stitch. This setting influences also when lock stitches are used. You could set the minimum jump stitch length to 12 if you like. So, jump stitch is every stitch that is longer than the minimum jump stitch length from one object to an other. When you use the trim setting for an element, the jump stitch will be cut by the machine (if the machine allows for it, not every machine does).
3. Be aware of the order in which the design is stitched out. You can for example change the order in the layers and objects panel. Ink/Stitch will use the path objects from bottom to top. So when you want a fill and a stroke, you first place the g with a fill and then the g with a stroke. Remember, the stroke start and end will be defined by where the path starts and ends. Break the path open at one point to have full control if you not already have. Fill start and end can be controlled by fill stitch start and end commands. You may observe different results when you use the params simulator or the real simulator. Please do not use the params simulator when you try to see the exact result, the other one is of much better use for that.
@kaaleen - can you take a look at this file. It is a group of 11 objects. I opened and closed the nodes where I wanted each object to connect by jump stitch and it is still not working, but I just do not understand why?
Also if I draw in another box with bezier I get a totally different result, and some of the objects will connect. I am confused.
Embroidery and InkStitch Organizing Objects: Grouped Objects Union
Inkscape.org
Here is what I am having a hard time understanding and could using clarification.
I made text into individual Objects "Game On." I ran the objects through the simulator to see how it came out and then organized the paths so it read left to right. Then I arranged the objects into three different methods.
Union
Combined
Group
So here is where my questions begins. If you run all three methods together through the simulator you end up with three different results, but I have no idea why.
GROUPED: When I grouped the objects it looks perfect. There are no trailing threads from one object to the next needing trimmed.
COMBINED: Messy trailing threads and it starts on the object letter "A" and then zips on over the letter object "O".
UNION: VERY Messy with trailing threads and oddly it starts on the letter "O" and then zips over to the letter object "A.
I am wanting for find something that explains how to organize all the different components and need to know when I should use groups, verses combined or union. Note, I did not use auto-route, and I am trying to understand the basic principal. I am attaching screen shots to show examples.
So I guess I am wondering, do I just break all objects apart and group the heck out of them?
Without having access to the original svg file, there will be some guesswork - so here goes
Assuming each character is s closed path
Grouped: Can be done in order to organize any number of objects of any type. It is visually similar as if the objects was put in a separate layer. Use Ctrl+Enter to "enter group" (manipulate single objects within the group) and Ctrl+backspace (or just click an object not part of the group) to get out of group.
Combined: Combine path. If it change visually, you may have some parts of letters that overlaps other letters.
Union : No use here. I may explain this as a binary operation, two input paths and you get one different pat as a result. It's not what you think, Union works for overlapping parts - if done correctly, you should end up with a resulting path of the areas where the two paths directly overlapped. The letters shouldn't overlap and therefore this function should be of no use in this case.
Thank you for the explanation, especially regarding Union. I am not sure I fully understand the explanation of Combined. If all things are the same, when would I use Combined verses Grouped?
Again thank you very much.
Here is a copy of the file, just incase.
You definitely don't want to combine or union the letters. In order to be able to define a stitch path, it is best practice to keep disconnected shapes separate. Therefore grouping is your only option. Otherwise you have no influence on which path stitches first and you'll get bad jump stitches.
Grr Fail. The group one ended up telling my machine to stop at each trim. Now there are no stops in the command, but only trim. Trim tells my machine to stop. So in this case it may mean I need to use Union or Combination.
What do you want to accomplish? You want the machine to trim the thread or just do a jump stitch?
Or does the machine perform a trim and you have to restart it manually?
I need help. In the file I am attaching I working with the Grouped layer only. I went to attached Commands to and removed the Trim threads after each letter and left it on the last letter that would be stitched out. I was hoping that would work, but it didnt.
@Kaaleen I am going to insert Jump Stitch where I removed the trim...Wait I do not see an option to include the jump stitch.
@Kaaleen what seems to be the issue is that I have stroke & fill included for each object. The stroke goes correctly, but then when it goes to fill it gets all jumbled up. What I want is for it to do the stroke and fill one object at a time, then jump stitch to the next.
I can get the jump stitch by taking off the stroke. But why will it not do it with the stroke included? Same goes for if I do the stroke and no fill. The issue might be that I am treating the object as one item, and can only see one time "path" when in reality a stroke path is almost like its own object and fill is like its own object.
1. Try not to use fill and stroke on the same objects. Embroidery has a natural push and pull effect on the fabric. So when it finishes the fill and stitches the stroke afterwards, you may need to make small adjustments to the stroke. So it is better to plan those in separate paths right away.
2. Jumps and Trims and such.
2a. Machine. Much of the handling also depends on your machine settings. Many machines have settings that will make them cut jump stitches longer than a specific length automatically. The maximum stitch length most machines would allow is 12mm (or slightly above). So everything above this value will be cut automatically
2b. Ink/Stitch also has various settings to influence behavior (if not overwritten by the machine settings). First have a look at the preferences in the Ink/Stitch menu. There you can define a minimum stitch length for jump stitches. Everything below will be treated as a normal stitch, everything longer will be treated as a jump stitch. This setting influences also when lock stitches are used. You could set the minimum jump stitch length to 12 if you like. So, jump stitch is every stitch that is longer than the minimum jump stitch length from one object to an other. When you use the trim setting for an element, the jump stitch will be cut by the machine (if the machine allows for it, not every machine does).
3. Be aware of the order in which the design is stitched out. You can for example change the order in the layers and objects panel. Ink/Stitch will use the path objects from bottom to top. So when you want a fill and a stroke, you first place the g with a fill and then the g with a stroke. Remember, the stroke start and end will be defined by where the path starts and ends. Break the path open at one point to have full control if you not already have. Fill start and end can be controlled by fill stitch start and end commands. You may observe different results when you use the params simulator or the real simulator. Please do not use the params simulator when you try to see the exact result, the other one is of much better use for that.
I hope this clears things up a bit?
Yes it does help. I can see why there is a huge learning curve.
@kaaleen - can you take a look at this file. It is a group of 11 objects. I opened and closed the nodes where I wanted each object to connect by jump stitch and it is still not working, but I just do not understand why?
Also if I draw in another box with bezier I get a totally different result, and some of the objects will connect. I am confused.
Can you define "not working"?
When I look at the paths, they all are open at two spots. When you only want one continuous line, you rather open them in only one spot.