Signlab 8 - Making A Bitmap From A Vectored File

[gabagoo]

I have a logo with a gradient in it that was created in illustrator. I generally do all my work in Signlab for cutting and setting up vinyl cut and print jobs. I use Flexi for the printing end, however I am not as accomplished in the software so do everything in Signlab and export as an eps to that work station.

This logo when sent as an eps file completely transforms from what it should look like, once it imports into Flexi. I have seen this before so I decided to render to bitmap in Signlab. This job is not very big so I made them 300 dpi. I then export image, and it sends it as a tif file although it gives me no options as to dpi, so assume that it goes out at 300 as I had made it. I import them to flexi and set them up and everything looks good. There is a problem though, and I have never seen this before. The copy that runs along the bottom of the bitmap has all the rounded letters cut off at the point where a straight letter would be.... so basically the "O" has a squared bottom. I suppose I could put a clear or white box around the vectored file before converting it to a bitmap, but why should I? Is this a known issue for Signlab? or am I doing this incorrectly?

 

[oksigns]

So if I'm understanding correctly, your artwork, once flattened in to a Tif, is being cut off?

While I don't use Signlab or Flexi, this is normal behavior when you choose to save an EPS file as a raster. You should have an option to "maintain" or "keep" the original working artboard to prevent cropping or even the reverse is seen more commonly when EPS files are saved, all shapes are "observed" and flattened regardless of the artboard.

So it sounds like you are working outside of the effective artboard, BUT your solution is a valid workaround to this; create an empty box around the effective work to ensure everything is being "observed" when flattened, but your software producing this vector artwork should have EPS output preferences/settings.

 

[gabagoo]

you might be correct. I have seen keep original but never knew it was meant for this issue.

i will try that ty

 

[gabagoo]

OK the save original did nothing but there was another option that says add margin, and that works. I learnt something new today.

 

[d fleming]

There you go. I have been working in SL for quite some time. Just had to re-install it to my desktop station, getting to where I can do it in my sleep but I still learn new tricks all the time. Just a nosy question, why not print from signlab using vpm? You might get a kick out of attached pic. Found it cleaning out old boxes the other day.

 

[gabagoo]

There you go. I have been working in SL for quite some time. Just had to re-install it to my desktop station, getting to where I can do it in my sleep but I still learn new tricks all the time. Just a nosy question, why not print from signlab using vpm? You might get a kick out of attached pic. Found it cleaning out old boxes the other day.

haha I have my 3.5" disks too!!! I still use that oild font book it came with. I don't have this computer set up with the printer, but I don't have the print package either....but what does VPM stand for?

 

[d fleming]

haha I have my 3.5" disks too!!! I still use that oild font book it came with. I don't have this computer set up with the printer, but I don't have the print package either....but what does VPM stand for?

Visual Production manager. Comes with print package.