funtime software

[dozyrosy]

My main impression was that most of the "new" options shown were just different or "idiot proofed" ways of doing things that most of our existing software packages could do anyway - for example the charm option Lucille mentioned is only an automated weld.

I was impressed more by the apparent power of good demos as persuasive salesmanship than anything else!! Don't get me wrong - the software is pretty powerful and from what I've seen of DM, a lot easier it use, but I don't believe that people should rush into buying it without careful consideration of what exactly they're going to get for their money. And if Lucille's mention of memory requirements is accurate then I'm absolutely appalled!

Rosemary

[DJG]

I agree with you about the charm Lucille. But I like the new vectorisation and being able to weld in a frame is much easier.

[Pete]

I may be missing the point, and I must say I've not seen funtime, but for a good cheap option for designing and using welds, etc i can recommend Serif Drawplus. It does all you need for Robo(I think) and saves to dxf. Its about a tenner for an early version from serif download site. I have had a version in one form or another for years, and have just started using it for robo. I can chuck DM out of the window now. I must say though that I have not managed to do a print and cut in it yet, only shapes. My few in my gallery (except the filigree) were done in it
Pete

[LesleyN]

I may be missing the point, and I must say I've not seen funtime, but for a good cheap option for designing and using welds, etc i can recommend Serif Drawplus. It does all you need for Robo(I think) and saves to dxf. Its about a tenner for an early version from serif download site. I have had a version in one form or another for years, and have just started using it for robo. I can chuck DM out of the window now. I must say though that I have not managed to do a print and cut in it yet, only shapes. My few in my gallery (except the filigree) were done in it
Pete

Pete, if you already have DM it might be worth trying to cut your DXFs via it rather than Robomaster. I have found that DXFs from the new version of Inkscape cut smoother via DM, so that might apply to your SerifDrawplus DXFs too.

[Lucille]

I agree with you about the charm Lucille. But I like the new vectorisation and being able to weld in a frame is much easier.

I've been told the vectorisation isn't new it is the same as in the current version, but I haven't checked that out yet. As far as I've been told in simple terms the only new stuff apart from the look of it, is the charm and the 3d something or other.

I bought it about a month ago and have to confess I'm not finding learning it at all easy, so when I want something I do it in Inkscape and then import it into Funtime I find it too frustrating to learn the program when I want to make something to use now.

Most of the commands have completely different names to anything else I've used, that alone is driving me nuts and the help files seem to have been written for an earlier version, because I sure as heck can't find the same buttons on my program.

Also I have 2 gig of memory and while doing a tutorial for welding text to a frame, as soon as it welded everything the program crashed, so if it had been something I wanted to cut I would have had to start from the beginning and I had to keep clicking on the zoom page button, because when I move something from one area to another the design fragmented and I couldn't make out what on earth I was doing.

[DJG]

Lucille in Funtime (not the new one) you can't weld directly to a frame but you can in the new one

[Lucille]

Not according to the tutorial I was doing, it isn't a frame like we can do with the other software DM, Inkscape, Illustrator etc but it is welding to a frame using rectangles, when I did the weld the program crashed.

I've just found something else, I'm waiting for an answer to as well. When I do vertical text in Inkscape, to weld a word to the edge of a card. In Inkscape there is an option to space the letters an equal distance apart, there doesn't seem to be a way to do this in FT unless you do it manually with a grid.

All I'm doing at the moment is learning how to do in FT the technique tutorials we have here on UKS.

Do you want me to keep you updated on how I get on?

[DJG]

Not according to the tutorial I was doing, it isn't a frame like we can do with the other software DM, Inkscape, Illustrator etc but it is welding to a frame using rectangles, when I did the weld the program crashed.

I've just found something else, I'm waiting for an answer to as well. When I do vertical text in Inkscape, to weld a word to the edge of a card. In Inkscape there is an option to space the letters an equal distance apart, there doesn't seem to be a way to do this in FT unless you do it manually with a grid.

All I'm doing at the moment is learning how to do in FT the technique tutorials we have here on UKS.

Do you want me to keep you updated on how I get on?

Yes please Lucille. You are right about the rectangles, in the new version you can weld them similar to how it's done in inkscape. I just wish you could bring a jpg into ink 0.47 I can do it with o.46 but 0.47 just keeps closing I've keep downloading the latest one to see if it will work but no luck so far

[traceyjp1]

i have asked on there forum what file formats will the new FUNTIME SCRAPBOOKING DELUXE software open? will it now be able to open all files. if it could then that would be great.

[Lucille]

Yes please Lucille. You are right about the rectangles, in the new version you can weld them similar to how it's done in inkscape. I just wish you could bring a jpg into ink 0.47 I can do it with o.46 but 0.47 just keeps closing I've keep downloading the latest one to see if it will work but no luck so far

I know... it is such a pain, they have had a problem with the builds, but that has been fixed, we even lost the spiro for a couple of weeks, but that is back now and I've checked about the jpeg problem it is still on the list of things to fix.

[DJG]

I know... it is such a pain, they have had a problem with the builds, but that has been fixed, we even lost the spiro for a couple of weeks, but that is back now and I've checked about the jpeg problem it is still on the list of things to fix.

Thanks Lucille, have you got a link to the page about the fixes please?

[Lucille]

I get the newsletter from the guys who fix the bugs, not that I can understand a lot of what they talk about, I some how signed up for it when I first started going there

There is an Inkscape forum here you can discuss things and ask questions like any other forum, might see you over there some time

To report a bug you click on the in the Help menu, then you have to scroll about, read everything and work your way through to the bug reports, it is easier to look and see for your self than me try to explain it all. I've got used to it now, but at first it was a bit scary

[DJG]

I get the newsletter from the guys who fix the bugs, not that I can understand a lot of what they talk about, I some how signed up for it when I first started going there

There is an Inkscape forum here you can discuss things and ask questions like any other forum, might see you over there some time

To report a bug you click on the in the Help menu, then you have to scroll about, read everything and work your way through to the bug reports, it is easier to look and see for your self than me try to explain it all. I've got used to it now, but at first it was a bit scary

Thanks Lucille, off to have a look


They must be having a problem with the website as it just say's page not found. I'll try again later

[Lucille]

I've just tested it and it is working now, but it was a bit strange instead of going straight into the forum, it went to a search page, so I just found Inkscape forum on the list and clicked on that, perhaps my link is a bit iffy.

[DJG]

Sorry I still can't get on it. Never mind