V9 versus V7 files - question

[Marcelle]

My V7 will not open a V9 file and when I try to save a V9 file as a V7 file it says formatting will be lost.

My dilemma is as follows:

I am presently finishing up a website to sell designs (including OFM format files).

1. Will purchasers that have V7 not be able to use a file I creat in V9?

2. If I save an OFM file in V7 from the V9 software will all the neat new formatting features still save with the file so that the purchaser benefits from them.

3. Depending on the answer to #2, without using DS will OS V7 be able to load and stitch a V9 file?

4. Will I need to offer file formats in both V9 and V7 on my website?

I am very confused about this. I haven't loaded DS9 or OS9 on my Amaya computer because I wanted to be comfortable with DS9 before I did that. I have been using DS9 since Tuesday on another computer and have had questions like these pop into my head.

Any comments and help would be appreciated.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Marcelle,
With respect to DS v7 and v9 .OFM formats...
A v7 .OFM file can easily be opened in v9.
A v9 .OFM file cannot be read by v7. Simply because when v7 was being created by it's developers, they had no clue what v9 would be like in the future. This scenario has been the same for all new released versions over the years.

If you are using v9 and save your file as a v7, YES, certain features that are exclusive to v9 will be lost in the conversion back to v7. Otherwise it couldn't be considered a v7 file.

Your options at this point...
If you are using v9 for all your digitizing, then offer your customers two file formats:
1) the original v9 .OFM file, and
2) an .EXP version of the same file.

The expanded (.exp) version will contain all of the v9 features that you digitized and can be opened by any version of DS and run by virtually all embroidery machines. However an .exp file only contains three command types: stitch coordinates, color change and trim commands. That is all that's needed by an embroidery machine to do it's magic. But if a customer of yours needs to edit the design, this will be problematic depending on their knowledge of editing and software level.

If you know your customer is using v7 software and requires an original v7 .OFM file, then you, as the digitizer, should use DS v7 to create the file.
I believe you can have both v7 and v9 on your computer. You should install them in different folders and you can only open one version at a time.
Know this, other software companies have the same dilemma with updated versions of their software as well. This could be considered a downside to new technology. Not everything will be flawlessly backwards compatible.

Ed Orantes

[Barbara]

I have a question concerning installing V7 and V9 on same computer. When you install V9 isn't the dongle written over with the new V9 information? If that is true, how can you operate two versions? Anyone know the answer?

Barbara

In San Antonio

[Marcelle]

Ed,

Is there any way to preserve the original colors in an EXP file?

I have so often wished for an ofm file when purchasing designs. I pretty much just purchase PES then I can use it on my old Brother home embroidery machine too. PES retains the colors so I don't have all that to change. Sometimes I want to change some colors but if there are 20 colors and they all have to be changed it gets time consuming.

Looks like it is V9 plus V7 or EXP. As you described looking back is difficult for software. But I really do like progress.

Thanks for your comments.

[Wishes]

Barbara,
Normally an newer version of a software will overwrite onto the older version. As far as V9, Melco has designed it to write into a Melco file. V7 is written to Melco Embroidery Systems so they end up in a different place and your dongle can open both. Be careful to only open V7 only or V9 only. They won't work if you open them at the same time.
Margaret

[Barbara]

Margaret,
Thank you so much for the information. You're the first to finally respond to my question. Great information. Also, maybe you know whether a parellel port to USB converter will work with Melco software. I have the old parellely port dongle and purchased a converter but it doesn't work. I wasn't sure if I needed a specific kind or perhaps I had done something wrong. Thanks again for your help.

Barbara

In San Antonio

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Just so you know, the software isn't written to the dongle. Just like the key to your car, the dongle only allows the software to turn on. The software files are written to your hard drive but has a "default" file path to a particular folder. Yes, it's true. Melco has changed this "default" to a different folder for 2009 so if all you do is let the software load itself, it will be in a different folder.

Marcelle,
.EXP files do not contain, nor will hold, any color data. Only stitch coordinates, colorchange and trim commands. That is all. Your Brother PES software was designed to work with your Brother machine. Design Shop was meant to work with the Amaya. If you so choose to work with a cross between either of those, then you will have more work on your hands to accomplish what you want to do. Such as changing colors for the screen.
Remember this,... All embroidery machines are color blind. The don't care what color they sew with, only what needle they sew with. Therefore to have the correct colors on the screen of your computer is just for that warm and fuzzy feeling. Even if a logo has a specific list of colors, they could change if you sew the same design on two different color shirts.
Hope this helps.
Ed Orantes

[Wishes]

Barbara,
I can't answer you quesstion. I am not that computer savey but Melco should be able to help.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Barbara,
If you happen to have a Parallel Port Dongle and would like to switch to a USB Dongle, I believe Melco will do this for you for $50 per dongle. This is more for their time programming the dongle and shipping rather than for only the dongle itself.
The software dept. at Melco should be able to answer all of your dongle questions.
Ed

[Barbara]

Ed,

Thanks for the information. I will call first thing Monday. I wish Melco would make this information readily available to it's customers rather than having to pull it out of them. What would we do without the help of this great user' group? Thanks again!

Barbara

In San Antonio

[levelbest]

Makes you kind of glad the group is here eh [img]smile.gif[/img] Sorry I didn't answer sooner but we also did the dongle exchance a few years back.

Thanks Ed - btw, that avatar cracks me up everytime I see it.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

John,
What I don't like about the USB dongles is that they stick out as far as they do. Not really a problem when they are in the rear of the computer but many a customer like to stick them right up there in the front of the machine (against my advice). What I don't like about the parallel port dongles is that they don't make PC's with parallel ports anymore. What you gonna' do??

Yeah, I feel the same about the Avatar. Cracks me up too. Momma always used to call me her little monkey. And of course, because of my age, the glasses are necessary.
Ed

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Hey Barbara and everyone else,
I've been notified that Melco will, in fact, be closed on Monday due to NObama. Uh.... I mean President's Day.
Sorry about the Freudian slip.

[Greenwing]

That is not funny and not appreciated.

[levelbest]

Ed:

Best idea for the USB dongles is to get a desktop hub. Not only does it keep them out of the front of the machine but makes the zip drives easier to access if you need to use them.

I agree with you that the front is not a good place to put them.

JOHN