cutting from x3?

[JJ]

Does anyone know if there's a way to cut directly from CorelDraw X3 yet?

My graphtec package came with Flexi-starter - and it came with a corel-plugin, but it pre-dates Corel X3, so its not suprise that its incompatable.

Flexi-starter is too basic for designing anything - so I have to use Corel to design, and export .plt files for importing in flexi. Sometimes it works well, but all too often it turns curves with 3 nodes (from Corel) into a whole bunch of straight segments that require a bunch of additional cleanup to make smooth again. Life would be simpler if I could cut directly from Corel.

thanks!
jj

 

[Techman]

you need a parallel printer port cutter to cut from corel. If you have such then you in the game. I have heard you can also use a USB printer port but I have no idea how that is set up.

 

[2NinerNiner2]

Here is the link for the Graphtec CE3000MKII Windows XP driver...I just installed it and did a print-preview and setup in Corel X3...looks as though it will work just fine...I have successfully cut directly from X3 to my Roland CAMM1 cutter with the Roland-supplied WinXP drivers so see no reason why this shouldn't work as well

http://www.graphteccorp.com/support/software/programs/ops662.htm

 

[JJ]

Awesome! I'll give it a shot now.

Thanks a lot :U Rock:

 

[JJ]

ok, so maybe you guys rock, but I don't.

I installed the driver... I can select the 3000MK2 as my "printer". It pulls up the controller. I can plot a test triangle... but when I hit cut, I can hear the plotter spool up and then goes silent. The screen says HPGL Error 1.

So, I'm close.. just have to work through a few details I guess.

 

[Shovelhead]

You should export as.........

an .AI oe .EPS anyway...not a .PLT.

 

[OldPaint]

in corel you need to make sure the object(or letters)HAVE A HAIRLINE outline.....if not corel cant send it to plotter.
ive been cuttin from corel since 1993.......all i use.

 

[learned the hard way]

Design in Corel. Then, instead of exporting as whatever, simply copy and paste into Flexi. Been working for me for years.

 

[Techman]

I cant understand why,, someone would pay huge amounts of money for a fancy dedicated software just to use it as a cutter driver....

When,, you could use Corel and get cocut pro and have something even better..

 

[learned the hard way]

VE lxi Expert came bundled with one of my cutters several years ago. I use it some, but I learned in Corel, so that is what I stick with mostly.

On another computer, I have Corel and CoCut.....it is a great setup, also.....definitely the better choice if you have to buy software that is not bundled with a cutter.

 

[JJ]

I finally figured it out. I have been using my plotter in HP-GL mode. In order to use it with the new drivers and Corel, I had to switch the command setting over to GP-GL. After that, I had no problems with cutting.


Techman - I didn't pay big bucks for fancy software only to cut from it.
I bought the budget startup kit from Graphtec, and it included a free copy of Flexi "Starter". Its fine for printing test and some basic shapes - but I don't find that it works well for much more than that.

Shovelhead - I tried .ai, .eps, and anything else that was listed as readable from flexitard. In some cases (ai) it would act as if it imported succesfully, but the screen was blank. In other cases (.eps) it would say "invalid file type", even though .eps was listed in the readable file types.
The only other one I could use was if I saved my corel drawing as a version 8. I could then import corel v8 into Flexi, but it was the same as with the plot file - curves were imported as a series of straight lines.

I'll take your advice and look at co-cut. Now that I can cut from Corel and flexi-starter, is there any reason to get co-cut? What features does it offer that aren't in my software?

Thanks

 

[chiselbit]

DESIGN IN COREL X3 and cut with Corel X3

I cant understand why,, someone would pay huge amounts of money for a fancy dedicated software just to use it as a cutter driver....

When,, you could use Corel and get cocut pro and have something even better..

Why use software that U are not familiar with, when U are familiar with Corel, use it to cut too.
I down loaded Graphtech Window driver for XP and I use Coreldraw to design and cut or contour with.
works great...

 

[chiselbit]

VE lxi Expert came bundled with one of my cutters several years ago. I use it some, but I learned in Corel, so that is what I stick with mostly.

On another computer, I have Corel and CoCut.....it is a great setup, also.....definitely the better choice if you have to buy software that is not bundled with a cutter.

Use this driver for XP and U can use Corel to cut with too.
Good Luck
http://www.graphteccorp.com/support/software/programs/ops662.htm

 

[fatpinfield]

Is it possible a similar technique will work on a Gerber Embosstrack?

 

[OldPaint]

no...GERBER GOTCHA.....most of their stuff will only work with their programs.......and i think they connect to serial port not printer port.

 

[Techman]

Why use software that U are not familiar with, when U are familiar with Corel, use it to cut too.

Because using Cocut is like the spice added to dinner. Dinner may be good without it, but the spice makes it so much nicer. Plus,, you only spend about 10 mins installing it and getting the idea to run Corel with Cocut. Just click on the icon and away you go..

Believe me. I really like it, I really like that I have NEVER had to call tech support or I wouldn't give testimony about it..

The typical Cocut Pro user goes through several stages.

1. Total disbelief that Cocut program has the benefits that justify getting it. And listening to those who really have no idea about it.
2 Rhetorical (and sometimes expressions of disbelief) derisive questioning at the first look.
3. Taking the introductory demo tour and and reluctantly think to take a second look.
4. Taking a Leap or Faith and buying the program.
5. Being highly impressed by the results and starts to anticipate being a very happy user.
6. Becoming a Power user and trying to persuade or encourage friends to take a look for themselves and NOT listen to those who really do not know..
7. Being ignored and ridiculed by friends who think you can’t possibly be this happy.
8. After a year of watching and listening to the good work,, your admiring friends ask how does Cocut pro work.
9. You telling them (again) about the good operation and ease.
10. Those friends reluctantly taking the introductory demo program.
11. The above cycle starts all over again with the new Cocut user.

 

[fatpinfield]

CoCut

I couldn't agree more. I've been using Cocut with Corel 11 on a Summa D620 at work. Now I just got an old Gerber and all I want is to get Cocut instead of the Flexi I have now.

 

[2NinerNiner2]

To reiterate JJ's question, what SPECIFICALLY are some of the benefits that you get from Co-Cut. None are ever mentioned.

 

[Techman]

To reiterate JJ's question, what SPECIFICALLY are some of the benefits that you get from Co-Cut. None are ever mentioned.

Quite frankly. If he had Cocut Pro none of this thread would've appeared. Thats the benefit of Cocut. No hassle setup and cut.

First of all. Al you have to do is cick the Icon. and the cut dialog comes up. There you can select any number of extra goodies you may wish to use. But more importantly. Cocut will preevent you from ruining your job from missing some step. For example. You may have missed a weld line. Cocut will ask you if you wish to weld it. You may art that is not vectored correctly. Cocut will not cut it until you fix it. You may wish to place your object onto another area of the vinyl. The preview screen allows you to do that. You can set you pressure and speeds and copy count there. You can choose to cut just one segment of that job too. The best thing is to get the 30 day trial and see for yourself.

You may have a piece too big for your material. Cocut wil ltell you and ask if you want to panel it and where. you can start a cut job and then go back using your machine.

Cocut automats the cutting process so complete that you will not worry about making any mistakes.

And then, you may wish to put in some power weed lines. That means you can set weed lines so you can weed with the power technique. IF you ever saw a power weed technique used correctly then you wil lunderstand just how good this is. Imagine stripping out weeds about as fast as you can pull it out.

You may wish to cut by color. Cocut will help you select which one to cut. You may wish to add in some registration marks, or you may wish to change a hairline to an outline.

Then you have tiling, paneling and contouring. Imagine drawing one object and then having Cocut auto set it so it cuts those multiple pieces with no waste. No need to copy and paste a layout.

You may wish to pause the cutter between each peice to check allignment, or reset an origin.

All I can say is. Cocut Pro with Corel will allow you to oerate your rig just as though you had one of those high priced dedicated sign proggies. Its not just another driver. If any of you observed the job manager from one of those high priced proggies then you will know what Cocut is doing. Its a complete job manager.

 

[ncpdfsb]

question??

will the above driver links work with any plotter? i would love to intergrate corel x3 and plot/cut with my panther plotter. has anybody had issues with windows xp pro and driver compatibility?