TrueType font troubles?

[MJ]

Hi all, I've been having major problems with using TrueType fonts and have been working with Mark and Gary at Melco. Using regular DesignShop Ver. 9, I create files using about 2" letters on an arc -- and over and over again, the files either will totally not load in AOS or if it does load, some of the letters will be there and others won't. Also, the underlay is not working like it's supposed to. I set it for 2 types of underlay, and some letters have underlay and some don't. I've sent these files to Melco and they say that yes, there is a definite problem with using these TrueType fonts and they don't know what the solution is. This is a MAJOR problem for me -- the only reason I purchased the XTS was to make large biker back patches! And I can't just choose a different font, because the clubs have to have the font they always use! Yes, I can convert to wireframe and do tons of "repairing", but that is not a solution for the long term and I don't have the time to do that with every order! I can make the file in my Brother digitizing software and then load it into AOS, but then it is no longer treating them as letters, it breaks the letters up into a bunch of smaller objects with tons of trims and other craziness that I have to go in and try to make it run more efficiently--which is also a nightmare. And I don't have the Pro version of DS, so I can't even use the Alphabet Editor! Anyone else run across these problems? Any advice? I'm freaking out and starting to wonder if I should regret making this big investment in the XTS or Melco! I've been reading all your posts for many, many months and have learned so much--I hope you can give some suggestions and encouragement! Thanks, MJ, Everything Embroidered

[YDCustom]

The TrueType fonts just sew crazily, at least in my experience! I have some fonts where, say, the vertical lines of a capital H are columns and have underlay and I can adjust column width but the horizontal bar in the center doesn't have underlay and I can't control it with column width. It's a pain in the behind!

The best solution I've come up with is to separately digitize an underlay for each letter fo the alphabet that I use the most, at my most common size, and save each of these as a file on my desktop (or wherever). Then I digitize the TT font and then copy and paste the underlays in, rather than using the auto-underlay. This way, I get consistent underlays on all of my letters and only have to do minimal tweaking to adjust size and sometimes alignment. It's far faster than messing with underlay each time I create a new file!

[MJ]

Thanks for your response! OK, that's a workaround that I'll keep in mind! Just to let everybody know, though, I'm aggressively pushing Melco to work these bugs out! This is just totally not acceptable and I'm going to stay on them about it! I'm thinking about asking them to upgrade me to Pro Version of DS, since it at least has an Alphabet Editor! We shouldn't be having such trouble with such a basic function of underlay on TrueType text! I could deal with it a little better if it was only the underlay issue -- but it does something to the file where AOS 10 crashes everytime and will not load the file! If others are having such trouble with TT fonts, I would certainly appreciate if everybody could start calling Melco and complaining. Maybe that will light a fire under them to fix this!

[GF]

Truetype fonts are a pixelated font and not a digitized font. BIG difference. No TT font will compare to a font that has been punched for embroidery.

[MJ]

Sorry for my previous ranting and raving! These glitches have me hitting a wall with everything I try to do and I can't get my jobs done.
Yes, that is very true, for sure, and I understand that totally -- comparing TT fonts to digitized fonts -- apples and oranges. But, I think for the cost of the software, it should at least work the way it's supposed to regarding underlay. And it shouldn't be corrupting the files so bad that they can't even be opened by AOS (Ver 10).

[GF]

Hi MJ, I can understand your frustration; is it possible the TT font file is "already" corrupted due to the incompatible format (punched v. vector)? I have V9 DS Pro and would be happy to try on my end to see if the same problem occurs.

Have you tried "saving as" in a different format other than Melco's? Worth a shot, right?

GF

[Posh LittleThings]

MJ,
I am there with you, I was just talking to my husband about it, I have issues with Design Shop PRO as it batch convertor DOES NOT work when converting to most embroidery formats, I have contacted Melco several times and their answer is that they know about all the issues and are working on it...it's been a year, I understand its not easy but we paid good money for this software and now I am going to have to buy another software to make up for these flaws, so how long more do we need to wait for having issues solved? I don't have nay issues with fonts, my version is great at it, however the issue you mention about the overlay I have it too, it depends on the mood of the software/machine sometimes is there, sometimes it disappears....and trust me it's not me.

[GF]

Can someone send me a file that explains the overlay issue you experience? I'm not understanding it. What happens if you take the underlay out?

GF

[MJ]

GF,
Well, I get the same problems with two different fonts. I can send you the .ttf font files if you wanted to see if you get the same results in DS Pro. I can also send a sample file of mine that shows the craziness with the underlays not doing what they're set to do. What's your email? Or how do I send a private message through this forum? Never did it before.
I'll have to try it with no underlay at all and see if that crashes the OS when loaded. I've tried changing the underlays to all the different types and what happens is some letters have underlay and some don't -- and not always the underlay you tell it to use!

[Greenwing]

The problem you all are having with TTF (TrueType Fonts)Ione that you will have with may fonts that are out there created for computer and printing use.
A true type font is a vector object and that is why they can be convered to stitches.

HOWEVER the reason they ca have problems overlays, bad underlay and just down right horrible stitching is that they are created using points just like our embroidery designs.
BUT because they are not intended for stitch angles, fills, or pathing that we need ing embroidery. they can be createds in a way that causes them to be great looking black letters but really poor embroidery.

There are true type font editors out there and you can use them to add the correct points that allow the fonts to stitch well, But it is a lot of work.
I have found if you just look for good source for purchased fonts they will help.
You truly do get what you pay for.
and Free fonts are just that free.
The software is not at fault.

Not in this case, at least.

[MJ]

Jerome, thanks so much for that great explanation! I have a question then -- is the Alphabet Editor in DS Pro (which I do not have) the same as a TT font editor?
And can anyone recommend a TTF editor?

[Greenwing]

No Unfortunatly not.

The editor I use to use was
Font Creator

http://www.high-logic.com/fontcreator.html

It can do almost everything.

But you will be out about $200.00

And then you have to play with it to find out ways you will need to create your lettering to produce good conversions to embroidery.

I found looking at the BAD letters more benificial then looking at the good.
it highlighted what not to do.

hope this helps


Jerome

[GF]

I agree with Jerome on this one. My thought is that when you pull in a TT font into DS, it's converting or "autodigitizing" (no such thing really) and there are way too many points, then you're adding more automated instructions like underlay, which might be the culprit causing the crash --- i.e. too many short stitches in one area, or too short and too long. I would like to see the software companies cease advertising their digitizing programs to claim automatic punching. My car is an automatic but it doesn't get me to my destination without some serious assistance on my part. I've yet to find a program that even almost automates digitizing correctly. Lettering is one of the items in embroidery that needs to be done well to look good -- and without a skilled digitizer manually programming the correct instructions for a clean route, the file is vulnerable to corruption and crashing the program, not to mention the jig your machine would be doing if it were to try and sew out the file.

GF

[MJ]

Thanks GF!
I'm getting a deeper understanding of how things work with TT fonts! Your explanation is very good! The way I learn is to find out how the logic of the application actually works from a computer/digitizing standpoint, since I have a background in computer programming (years ago though)! I really appreciate all the experts input on this--I guess I'm on the road to becoming a true digitizer, thanks to you all!