What sign software does everyone use?

[Gary1]

I'm in the market for some new sign software in the future. Just wondering what everyone is using. I'm currently using Anagraph DesignArt.

Signlab 10, Omega 6.0, Illy CS4 Rasterlink 6

 

[yukon]

Flexi Pro Cloud is our main design & cut program, Versaworks for Printing, Illustrator CC & Photoshop CC

 

[TomK]

Flexi 10.5 as the main design and print. Photoshop CS5 for more elaborate design help. CorelDRAW X5 for sublimation

Just curious why you use Corel for your sub work and not the other programs you use for design?

 

[Jackpine]

I use Corel Draw X6 and print from Ciberprint.

 

[Benny360]

SAI Flexi Cloud and Illustrator CC & Photoshop CC

for printing and cutting i use Flexi Production Manager

 

[mmblarg]

Just curious why you use Corel for your sub work and not the other programs you use for design?

To be honest, that's just how it was set up when I was hired - personally never questioned it. I think part of it is that we use JDS for all of our support (and we've had multiple occasions where something crashed horribly and the JDS tech set everything back up for us) so it might be out of loyalty or because they are most familiar with Corel as appose to Flexi? No idea really, hah

 

[Dzignpro]

Regarding no multiple pages, there is multiple layers however.

I have a question regarding flexi's Fill/Stroke Editor. I just noticed that the wireframe check box is almost completely hidden. I can still check it though to get it to work. Anybody know of a fix? I tried resetting to defaults with Preferences Manager which in like over a decade is the first time I tried that little program without Flexi running. I'm still running vs. 8.1 and won't be upgrading for quite some time. I'm using the latest version of Win 10

 

[Dzignpro]

I use Illustrator to design in. I was using Flexi for Mac to cut but my 19 year old Power Mac finally died. So I brought over an idle PC and am in the process of installing VinylMaster Cut 4.0. I'm going to love it because it's more than just a bridge program. You can create from it as well which is going to come in handy when I forget to weld a group of letters or forget something in the file as I can create fonts and bring in clip art. It's really a light design package and for $59 can't beat the price. It works with XP through Windows 10.

I like the filters for applying 3D to text in the demo I tried. They wanted 700 dlls several years ago. Considering trying it.

 

[Dzignpro]

There is an extension called "InkCut" that allows Inkscape to directly send to cutters. I know it works on my Roland. However, I've only ever used it on Linux, but I do believe that it is cross platform and even multi-arch (it appears to work on the Pi as well).

On Linux, can also setup cutters as printers and use things like hpgl protocol and that too will "print" (or cut in this case) without having InkCut. InkCut just provides more functionality.

With Extensions, Inkscape is really pretty powerful. More so then what a lot of people think.

I'm going to try this with Win 10 if possible. How do you get to the "Inkcut" feature once in the program?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

On Windows, you'll need to have python and pip installed and download some files using pip(including InkCut). That should also give you a stand alone version as well as the plugin for Inkscape.

If you go this route of using Python, during the installation of Python, make sure to check to "Put on PATH".

Inkcut - CodeLV

www.codelv.com

 

[Bradley Signs]

Corel Draw X8, I won't use anything else.

Hey there! I was just looking at that. Is it fairly easy to use to run your plotter with, and is there a way to see what plotters it works with?
I haven't found much online about the details...
Thanx.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Hey there! I was just looking at that. Is it fairly easy to use to run your plotter with, and is there a way to see what plotters it works with?
I haven't found much online about the details...
Thanx.

Easiest way is to make sure your Windows drivers for your cutter are installed. In Corel, with a project opened go to File -> Print and see if it will allow you to send to your cutter. At one point, I think Corel messed with something that lost this ability with later versions (unless I'm misremembering, which is possible at my age), I don't know if X8 was affected or not.

Depending on if your cutter uses RAW HPGL as it's language, there is a work around for that, at least with Linux (which for me is a good thing) to still be able to cut directly from your vector program, but not all cutters use that language. I know this works for my Rolands (unless Roland has changed that, which is possible, mine are getting kinda old).

 

[McDonald Signs]

Gerber Omega for smaller cut Vinyl and CorelDraw X7 for Larger Cut Vinyl and Printing

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I use a pencil and paper for design work. Once the details are worked out and I know where I'm going, I build a file using Illustrator/Photoshop. I output file types as needed for production (my vendors will usually specify what the want). For simple cut vinyl jobs that we do in-house, I output to Cutting Master to drive a Graphtec plotter.
CorelDraw is another excellent program, and CorelDraw Suite is a bit cheaper than Aodobe CC. But Adobe CC is more of a graphic design industry standard, includes other excellent programs (Photoshop is the industry leading bitmap program, and Acrobat Pro DC is indispensable), and seems to be more robust. For years I used both, but eventually decided just to use AI once the novelty wore off. Like I said, I do my creative thinking with a pencil and paper (or in my head), and building digital files is just a mundane task.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I use a pencil and paper for design work.

Like I said, I do my creative thinking with a pencil and paper (or in my head), and building digital files is just a mundane task.

I used to be more like that. Started off on the ole drafting table, then would scan it in and build in a program. Then when Wacom had the Inkling(don't know if they still do), I would do it on paper, but it would already have a digital scan of it. Now, I usually start off sketching in the program (I actually do my sketching in Blender using grease pencil.

Now about the only time that I do it the old fashioned way is if I just want to start doing it there (actually started getting back into doing animation that way first) or it was actually more convenient for me to do it the ole fashioned way.

 

[Bradley Signs]

Easiest way is to make sure your Windows drivers for your cutter are installed. In Corel, with a project opened go to File -> Print and see if it will allow you to send to your cutter. At one point, I think Corel messed with something that lost this ability with later versions (unless I'm misremembering, which is possible at my age), I don't know if X8 was affected or not.

Depending on if your cutter uses RAW HPGL as it's language, there is a work around for that, at least with Linux (which for me is a good thing) to still be able to cut directly from your vector program, but not all cutters use that language. I know this works for my Rolands (unless Roland has changed that, which is possible, mine are getting kinda old).

Thnax.

 

[Craig Keller]

StoneCut Plus or Pro by Das it's great

 

[John Miller]

I use anagraph for vinyl cutting, been doing it since the early 80s. Corel for design. I don't believe there is anything ana can't do in simple vinyl output. We run it on a win10 computer.