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Version 8...NO THANKS!!!

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IsItFasst

New Member
So I was considering buying some equipment that included a cutter, computer, and all kinds of software including Flexi 8. But after trying 8 I think I'll stick to 7. 8 seems more like a backwards step in time than a leap forward.

Problems:

-No automatic registration mark detection? In 7 I could hit "send" after laminating and the software was smart enough to know to look for the marks before cutting. 8 just seems to start cutting without looking for the marks. The manual says I have to set my machine to look for them before starting....I can't even find how to do that in my SP300V manual.

-No "easy weed boxes" around cut decals. I have gotten used to not having them on my print jobs but when cutting single color decals it made it quite a bit easier when weeding. I don't know why this option would be eliminated in new software?!?!? The horizontal and vertical cut lines just don't work near as good as the old boxes did.


About the only advantage I can see with 8 is some of the common tools used for printing is available as icons (like masking and contour cutting).

Am I missing something on seeing why the software has become LESS user friendly? Or maybe I'm just an idiot and didn't see the settings (since I only got to play around with it for a few hours).
 
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IsItFasst

New Member
Wow...I guess it was my first post. I know I had problems years ago getting my account to verify but I thought I had posted over here before. Maybe I had a different account at that time.

Anyway, I'm not sure what version of 8 he has but I know it isn't a newer version. I just know it was newer than 7 since it looked quite different than what I'm used to. In any case it was newer and that is why I was so disappointed as it seemed to be a step backwards for the reasons listed above.
 
L

LittleSnakey

New Member
Flexi 8 can do every thing you said it can't. Just take a couple minutes to get familiar with the product manager and you will start to like.
 
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IsItFasst

New Member
I spent a couple of hours trying to figure out these basic things that were easy to use in 7. Who knows what other problems will arise if I go through with the deal. If version 8 can do the 2 main problems I was having, please explain what I am missing so I can try it again before I make an offer.
 
T

trik

New Member
I have 8.1 and 8.5, the weed box is under options on the cut/plot box when you send the file to cut.

As for the print and registration mark search, it is also under options in the rip, you can have it just print, cut or both. Just use the help file in Flexi to find it, it is all there.
 
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IsItFasst

New Member
Thanks for the help all but what I am looking for definitely is not there. For plotting, there is the option for the box that goes around the entire job and vertical/horizontal cuts; but the easy weed box that cut a box around every item is missing.

And for the registration marks, it just starts cutting after putting the job in hold after printing. Before the PM would ask if it found the marks, then look for them, make alignment adjustments and then do the cut. No go on 8. I have used 7 for sever years so I know what I'm doing with it. But if these options are available in 8 they are WELL hidden as I spent hours trying to find them. They must be labeled something different than what I'm used to.

The help wasn't help to me as that was the first place I looked....it actually discouraged me because it essentially didn't say it could even be done.
 
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Finishline Signs

New Member
These are all settings and they are there. You just need to look for them. I have had all versions since 7.5. They all have a weed box option. If you go to workspace under file you can set it to Flexi 7 and everything will look like 7 did.
 
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Finishline Signs

New Member
Here is the easy weed box. Is this possably a FlexiPro only option?
 

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IsItFasst

New Member
Finishline Signs said:
Here is the easy weed box. Is this possably a FlexiPro only option?
Click to expand...

Must be.....I'm not crazy because that check box isn't there on the software he has. I have been using the software since 2001 so I knew what to look for. It is Pro but maybe they left that option out on earlier versions and brought it back later?
 
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IsItFasst

New Member
LittleSnakey....I need to send as a print job first then send as a cut job after I have added lamination? It will then find the crop marks before printing? If this is the case I guess I did miss that but still seems a little more complicated than my 7.6 version I am used to using.

I normally just send and HOLD in production manager. Then print only (with marks). Once I laminate I stick the material back in the machine and contour only and the machine automatically finds the marks, makes adjustments and starts cutting. This makes more sense to do it this way as your job is already in the PM.
 
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LittleSnakey

New Member
What I do is send both jobs at the same time using the send as separate jobs box in the lower left of the pic I posted. When I send I usually have it hold rather than send now. Then it will add 2 jobs to the product manager the first is the print and has a .fjb the second is the cut and has .job
I also have it save the jobs when finished incase I need to print it again cause something gets messed up. Once job is completed then I delete files from product manager.

You can try to choose the send as a hybrid job (the box I have send as separate jobs chosen) and have it hold it before sending to go into the job to select the print only. I don't do it this way though it may be the way you are used to.

I never used version 7 to print with only cut.



IsItFasst said:
LittleSnakey....I need to send as a print job first then send as a cut job after I have added lamination? It will then find the crop marks before printing? If this is the case I guess I did miss that but still seems a little more complicated than my 7.6 version I am used to using.

I normally just send and HOLD in production manager. Then print only (with marks). Once I laminate I stick the material back in the machine and contour only and the machine automatically finds the marks, makes adjustments and starts cutting. This makes more sense to do it this way as your job is already in the PM.
Click to expand...
 
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IsItFasst

New Member
What I do is send both jobs at the same time using the send as separate jobs box in the lower left of the pic I posted.
Click to expand...

Interesting as it doesn't have this option. It has Send: Hybrid Job, Print Job Only, or Contour Job Only. Hopefully now you guys can see why I am so confused on everything. If things were as described in the examples above then I probably could have figured these things out on my own. I can only imagine that Flexi got a lot of complaints from previous users about missing options that they were used to so they were incorporated later on.

EDIT:

I did just figure this one out....I have to use the pull down menu for "registration marks" and select it. Within 7.6 you can just select print registration mark from the job when it is in "hold". I'm gonna try this out and see what happens.
 
GARY CULY

GARY CULY

New Member
well if the package price is right ..cant you use your flexi7 for all output like your doing now? use the new 8 version for a great design station? surely the design tools wont effect your brain so bad.
I have been through "upgrades" a few times .all with omega ,but the same thing occurs in all software ,new versions so far ive seen never "take things out" but usually move them,call them some other function ,etc.believe me ive pulled my hair out learning new software,,so bad i decided ill keep flexi 8.1? [i think it is] till it just wont work or i die. no more upgrades for me im old and cant learn quick anymore.i know that is MY problem ,but please dont slam tools because you dont know how to run them..just aint fair.
ITS SATURDAY AND IM VENTING
the pisser is a person comes on a message board and just starts slamming a product ,cause THEY dont know how to run it..you just as well could have asked .."im new to flexi 8 and having trouble finding the xxx and xxx functions. could someone familiar with this program PLEASE direct me to that command?" thank you for your time men...guy in a pickle.

a professional question will be answered by professional people most of the time here .....PLEASE and THANK YOU gets milage here also ...these guys owe no one anything on here..if they respond it is a blessing to those asking a question.lets dont take avantage of there hospitality ,willingness to pass along help to us ..
 
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IsItFasst

New Member
Gary...I hear ya. Just as you were venting, so was I.

Not sure why they changed some basic functions that worked well in the past. If you read the post above yours you will note that someone did walk me through one of the problems I was having. The new PM works totally different than the one I am used to. So different that it wasn't even explained how in the manual that it could do what I wanted it to. But thanks to great sites like these I was able to get it figured out.

But it still appears that the "Easy Weed" box was done away with a least for 8.1. Not a huge deal but I just hate it when companies eliminate something that works so well.

For the record, I LOVE Flexi-Sign since I have been using it since 2001. I can give tech support to others "blind" with 7.6 which is why I got so frustrated that something so simple is hidden (to a 7 user) in the newer version.
 
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Matthew Scher

New Member
Where is Easy Weed

Easy Weed was removed for the release of Flexi 8.0v1. The reason was because weed lines were introduced and deemed to be more useful for weeding text. There was an extended (several month) beta period with close to 100 users and not a single one noticed it missing. After the release there were some complaints and it was added back with the 8.5v1 release. Unfortunately, there is a nominal charge to go from 8.0 to 8.5 to get your Easy Weed back.

Occasionally, functions that seem minor are removed with new versions as a way to clean up the code. Most of these changes no one ever notices, but this was one exception that was added back based on your feedback.

Matt
 
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