DS pro to DSpro+

[Greenwing]

OK,
I am now trying to decide if it is worth purchaseing DS pro + Upgrade for my DS Pro

I do all my own designs. currently in DS Pro and other software.

The things I am looking for in DS Pro+ is the ability to add Drop shadows to lettering.

also I am intrested in the Vector digitizing does it works and could make life easier...?
(I know no auto program works great but would it be a way of getting an editable design???)

I have found pro to be Buggy but they say that is going to be better in version 9.

The price is steep $3000.00 but it is on sale for 50% so it would be $1500.00 and this includes a free upgrade to Version 9 when it comes out in the beginning of the year.

Any help or opionins would be welcome

oh yes one more thing Anyone Know how to remove underlaying stitches in a design.
lets say your laying one leaf design over another and you don't want the over lap.
Thanks

[Rod or Sharon]

Jerome,

Pro+ vs Pro is kind of like having a 4 wheel drive vechile....when ya need it ya just needs it!!

It also will depend on just how indepth and how much digitizing you do to justify the cost difference.

I can tell you this, when Sharon and I are out training someone on DS software and they don't have Pro+, you feel crippled when you are trying to show them what they can and/or cannot do with their software.

Drop shadows are nice and it's ability to eliminate stitches automatically on the crossover points no matter where you move the shadow to, is a neat feature. I like to refer to it as "chasing the shadow."

The abilility to create true vector objects can also be useful and yes, all of the vector options found in Pro+ does make life easier. You are correct in saying...." (I know no auto program works great but would it be a way of getting an editable design???)"........I have found that very few complex graphics are capable of being auto digitized where they can be used as is. In fact the majority of the "busy" graphics are a waste of time to even attempt to auto-digitize from.

Then....there are some graphics that really take to it and will surprise you!! In Pro+, it only takes a few seconds to find out and disgard the results if they are not worthy of editing. So...I guess the answer to your question is , yes, you definitly can get a good editable design with the Pro+ auto digitizing but, again, it solely is dependant on the quality of the graphic and it's complexity.

As an example, a portrait, like a graduation picture....will produce an absolute failure. Also vector files created for graphic art and/or for screenpriting, etc, will have layers of color that the computer will see and turn it all into stitches, layering stitches on top of stitches on top of stitches and will turn it into an editing nighmare.

Lastly, you said..."oh yes one more thing Anyone Know how to remove underlaying stitches in a design.
lets say your laying one leaf design over another and you don't want the over lap."

Yes there is, the quick way is if you have the "Subtract Element" tools in DS Pro. Just select the two overlapping elements(works on fills)in the Project Tree together, right click on the "Subtract Element" icon and set your overlap and then left click on the icon again and the overlapping stitches are gone. And then there is the manual way.....are we talking Expanded or Wireframe(cnd or ofm) designs here???

Is it worth the cost? If you really want to digitize and do a good job of it , save time and have all the bells and whistles at your disposal...yup...it's worth it. I personally would not want to be without any of the features Pro+ provides....I am spoiled now....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Gabi Kat]

I couldn't agree more. I had the money when I bought in '05 to get the plus, I'm kicking myself now. I'm a graphic designer so I'm able to create art to "fool" DS Pro, but I really want to upgrade soon to safe. So if you have the money now get the full package, you will always be happier in the long run an and learning/quality curve will be much faster. And quality is the market advantage.

Gabi
in Tucson

[Greenwing]

I undersatnd that have the top level of any thing is going to give you the most options.

However I am wondering if PRO+ has more functionality in the same features that pro & pro+ have in common.

Example: the feathered edge in Pro is ramdom NO choice no settings apart from it depth/durration.

In the other software I have used I could control this veriation, repeats patterns in Pro you can not...

Is it going to give this control or will I still have to do this in other software.

I am leaning toward the upgrade, I am just hoping here...

Thanks for your input,

I just truly wish there was more training information aval about DS.

AND NOT HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER $400.00 for training that rehashes the basics.

Thank you for the info on removing unwanted stitches (Rod) I will give that a try.