- Question:
What are some helpful tips for scaling?
Answer:
Melco Sizer allows you to scale and transform designs in any way that you
desire, but when doing so please remember the following important tips.
This will help ensure that all of your designs are of good quality and
maintain your satisfaction.
Scaling Designs
To maintain good design quality when scaling or re-sizing designs, it is
important to remember three basic factors. The quality of the design, the
detail in the design itself, and the format type of the design. Melco
Sizer will adjust the stitch count of the different areas as the size
becomes larger or smaller in ALL formats of files.
1. Quality of the design itself is important. If the stitching in the
design is of poor quality, the scaling is going to be less than
desirable. How undesirable it is can also depend on the amount of times
you scale it. Generally, with .EXP, .DST and all home formats,
attempting to scale large percentages is going to produce varying
results. For example, it is very difficult to reduce a jacket back
design (a design originally digitizing to fit on the back of a jacket)
to cap size (small enough to fit on a baseball cap). Again, this depends
on the quality of the stitches and the detail in the design. This also
holds true when attempting to scale a cap design to fit on a jacket
back.
2. The detail in a design may also determine how much it can be
scaled. A small logo design with an outline done in a walk or a bean
stitch can loose its look when scaled to a larger size. In this case,
the outline may need to be changed to a small column stitch to make the
design appeal to the eye. A large design with a column outline when
scaled to a smaller size may need to have the column changed to a walk.
A design with areas in a fill that are cut outs or holes when scaled
to a smaller size can become so small the cut outs are lost.
3. Generally, designs in Melco .CND or .OFM formats will scale better
in larger percentages than .EXP, .DST and home formats. Designs created
with Melco software, such as EDS IV, save all the design data in a
single 'all-in-one' file with the extension .OFM. This file type stores
object outlines and properties, such as pattern fill, decorative
stitches, thread colors, and much more. Only native .OFM files contain
this complete set of design information to the full extent, and
therefore only native .OFM files give 100% perfect scaling.
Transforming Designs
When using the Transformation feature of the Melco Sizer program, keep in
mind that certain distortion of the stitching can produce some undesirable
results. This is caused by stitches that are forced to cross each other or
change to different angles than what was intended in the original design.
Bunching of the stitching can occur due to pushing stitches into each
other, or holes can occur due to pulling the stitches away from each
other. Examine each transformation as it is done to insure that the
stitching that results from the transformation is exactly as it should be.
- Question:
Will Melco Sizer run on Windows 95?
Answer:
Melco Sizer is not compatible with Windows 95. Melco Sizer can run on
Windows 98, NT, 2000, and Millennium (ME).
- Question:
Is Melco Sizer compatible with the Virtual PC program for Macintosh
Computers?
Answer:
Melco Sizer does not support the Virtual PC program for Macintosh.
- Question:
Will Melco Sizer save designs larger than the Pfaff 120 hoop?
Answer:
At this time, Melco Sizer does not support large Pfaff hoops. Please check
back periodically for updates.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer come with a cable to connect the computer to the Pfaff
machine?
Answer:
Melco Sizer is a stand-alone program and does not come with any connecting
cables. Please contact your local dealer for information on connecting
your computer to your machine.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer come with Digitizing?
Answer:
Melco Sizer is primarily for scaling and combining designs and does not
contain any digitizing features.
- Question:
Do I have to own a store to buy Melco Sizer?
Answer:
Melco Sizer was developed with the home embroiderer in mind. You do not
need to have a store or own a business to purchase Melco Sizer.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer have the capability to “split” designs?
Answer:
Melco Sizer does not give you the capability of splitting designs
manually. Splitting occurs automatically for the following machines: Pfaff
(.pcs) – file splits if exceeds 16 colors or 14,000 stitches Poem/Singer
(.csd) – file splits if exceeds 14 colors Singer (xxx) – file splits
on some combination of colors and stitches; will split design if file
exceeds hoop limit Viking (.hus) – option to split if more then 12
colors or 30,000 stitches; will split design if file exceeds hoop limit
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer read/write the Janome .jef format?
Answer:
At this time, Melco Sizer does not support the .jef format. However, Melco
Sizer does read/write the .sew format. Please check back periodically for
updates.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer read/write the Artista .art format?
Answer:
At this time Melco Sizer does not support the .art format. Please check
back periodically for updates.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer read/write the new brother PES version 4.0?
Answer:
With the update download located at www.melco-service.com/sizer, Melco Sizer can
read/write the PES 4.0 format.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer have font and monogramming capabilities?
Answer:
Melco Sizer is primarily for scaling and combining designs and does not
contain lettering, font, or monogramming capabilities. Our new software
package, Melco Letera, is a keyboard lettering package including all the
functions of Melco Sizer.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer perform batch conversion?
Answer:
Melco Sizer does not have batch conversion capabilities.
- Question:
Will Melco Sizer read/write designs in the old Stellar 1 format?
Answer:
Melco Sizer does not support the “premier” format that is used by the
Stellar machines.
- Question:
Can Melco Sizer reduce designs smaller than the 20% guaranteed by Dakota
Collectibles?
Answer:
Melco Sizer will allow sizing greater than 20%. However, Melco does not
approve of going past the digitizer’s recommendations. These
recommendations are set by the digitizers depending on digitizing
techniques and equipment.
- Question:
Can I use Melco Sizer with EDSIII or is it a separate program?
Answer:
Melco Sizer is a stand-alone program that can be used along with EDSIII.
- Question:
Will Melco Sizer access designs from programs other than embroidery
programs?
Answer:
Melco Sizer will only open the embroidery design formats listed on
www.melco-service.com/sizer. Graphic files can not be opened in Melco Sizer.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer retain pattern fills when scaling designs?
Answer:
Melco Sizer does retain pattern fills when scaling.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer require a dongle?
Answer:
Melco Sizer does not require a dongle. An access code is included with the
software and is required when loading Melco Sizer.
- Question:
If I buy a new computer, do I need a new access code?
Answer:
No, a new access code is not needed. Just install Melco Sizer on your new
computer and use your original access code.
- Question:
Does purchasing Melco Sizer from a vendor other then Melco void future
update downloads?
Answer:
No, ALL updates are available from the Melco Sizer WEB site and are
available to all who have purchased Melco Sizer.
- Question:
Can I order Melco Sizer over the phone?
Answer:
Yes. You can call Melco Customer Service at 1-800-877-4272 to order Melco
Sizer by phone.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer have a limited number of installs?
Answer:
No. You can install Melco Sizer as many times as needed. However, the
program will not run if the Melco Sizer CD is not in the CD ROM holder.
- Question:
Is there a demo version of Melco Sizer I can try before I purchase?
Answer:
Yes. You can download a demo version of Melco Sizer at
www.melco-service.com/sizer.
- Question:
Can you change colors to see how the design will sew out?
Answer:
With Melco Sizer, changing colors is simple. Melco Sizer also includes
thread charts from the major thread suppliers.
- Question:
Can Melco Sizer save designs to a graphic file (such as .jpg)?
Answer:
Melco Sizer will only save designs to the embroidery formats listed on
www.melco-service.com/sizer. Melco Sizer does not save graphic files.
- Question:
Will Melco Sizer work with the Amazing Box?
Answer:
Yes. You can scale your designs in Melco Sizer and save to a format that
the Amazing Box software can open. Then you can open your design in the
Amazing Box software and write the design to the embroidery card.
- Question:
How can I locate the Melco Sizer Tutorials?
Answer:
Click on the Help menu at the top of the page. Then click on Tutorial. You
will automatically go to the tutorial section of Melco Sizer where you can
choose from four different lessons.
- Question:
Can I edit designs in Melco Sizer such as delete color sections, add color
changes, edit by stitch point, or cut out a portion of a design to be used
in another design?
Answer:
These capabilities are editing functions found in editing software. Since
Melco Sizer is primarily for scaling and combining designs, none of these
editing functions are available.
- Question:
How can I become a dealer for Melco Sizer?
Answer:
If you are interested in carrying Melco Sizer as one of your retail
products, go to www.melco-service.com/sizer and click on the Dealer’s Page
button. Next click on contact us and fill out the information form. A
Melco Sizer expert will then follow up with you about becoming a dealer
for Melco Sizer.
- Question:
How can I print the instructions for Melco Sizer?
Answer:
You can print out the entire HTML Help System by following the
instructions below: 1. Click on the “Contents” tab. 2. Select the top
level folder (i.e. “Edit Menu”), to select just click on it to
highlight. 3. Right click and chose “Print” or click on the
“Print” button at the top. 4. Click in the circle next to “Print
selected heading and all subtopics”. 5. Do this for each folder.
- Question:
Will I be able to open large hoop designs or multi-hoop designs in Melco
Sizer so I can decrease the size to fit a regular hoop?
Answer:
Yes, you can open large and multi-hoop designs with Melco Sizer to reduce
the design size.
- Question:
Where can I find the designs that come with Melco Sizer?
Answer:
The designs are automatically stored on the C: in the Designs folder when
Melco Sizer is installed, unless you specify another location.
- Question:
Does Melco Sizer allow you to change size by % or only by click and drag?
Answer:
Melco Sizer allows you to scale designs by both % or by the click and drag
feature.
- Question:
Will Melco Sizer read/write the old Melco EXP format on Melco formatted
diskettes used with the Superstar and Starlet machines?
Answer:
Melco Sizer will read/write the Melco expanded format. However, your
computer must have a floppy drive controller that is capable of
reading/writing the Melco format disk to make a disk for a Superstar or
Starlet machine. The are 2 ways a Melco EXP or CND file can be
distributed. On a DOS disk (most common) or on a Melco Formatted disk. The
older Superstar and Starlet machines read ONLY Melco Formatted disks.
- Question:
Can I convert .exp designs to .cnd designs?
Answer:
No, Melco Sizer will NOT convert .exp data designs to .cnd designs. ALL
home formats are .exp data.
