Craft Robo, Mac and Silhouette Studio Software

[Fuschia]

I use Inkscape a lot, but still use Robomaster for simple designs and always take the designs into Robo to cut. Never got on with cutting from Inkscape.

[Angel13]

Hi All

There is another Update for the Silhouette Studio software which can be found on the Silhouette website, this version is 1.0.32, I don't know whether this is the Autotracing update or not; I'm still using my Inscape for designing and cutting.......

[Lucille]

I'm sticking with Inkscape as well, as I'm concerned about getting stuck with a load of .studio files that I can't use with any other software and they suddenly decided to start charging for the software and if I use any of my GSD files with this software and accidentaly save them, I then can't use them with RM.

[GillT]

I'm interested that some use Inkscape to cut and others stick with Robomaster. May I ask why? I think I have read (somewhere here) about juddering belts whilst cutting in Inkscape, but as I haven't really explored that yet, can't be certain. I'll probably have a go with all options before finding my own way around it all, but it sure helps if someone else has made the mistakes before I do ;-) I will probably have no trouble inventing a few new ones!!

I must record all of what works for me though, or else when I come to use it again I'll have forgotten. I joke about wanting to do everything perfectly in the next five minutes but there is at least a germ of truth in there somewhere, too.

I'm planning on cutting my way through a fun weekend

Gill

[DJG]

You can do sooo much more with Inkscape and it cuts smoother from there as well. When I make a file I make a GSD as well so that anyone who wants to can cut it from Robomaster if they prefer but I cut mine from Inkscape

[Lucille]

I think you will find a lot of us use both RM and Inkscape, I know I use RM for everything it will do, then I use Inkscape for everything else.

Inkscape does so much more. Once you understand what you can achieve with the commands it is quick and easy to make anything.

I think one mistake people make is the WOW factor when they see something, I don't think like that, my first reaction is how did they do that and break it down it to the various elements, eg is it welded or did they cut that hole. Once you can see things like that you will be surprised how even the most complicated design is in fact very easy to make. It could take a long time, but that doesn't mean it's hard.

[Angel13]

I'm interested that some use Inkscape to cut and others stick with Robomaster. May I ask why? I think I have read (somewhere here) about juddering belts whilst cutting in Inkscape, but as I haven't really explored that yet, can't be certain. I'll probably have a go with all options before finding my own way around it all, but it sure helps if someone else has made the mistakes before I do ;-) I will probably have no trouble inventing a few new ones!!

I must record all of what works for me though, or else when I come to use it again I'll have forgotten. I joke about wanting to do everything perfectly in the next five minutes but there is at least a germ of truth in there somewhere, too.

I'm planning on cutting my way through a fun weekend

Gill

Being a Silhouette owner I must say that I'm staying with my Inkscape for now until they iron out all the glitches that exsist in the Studio programme, but I'm sure that once the anormalies are fixed then its the nearest to the capabilities that is available in the Inkscape Free software. And you do not have juddering problems when cutting a design from Inkscape, it gives a smoother faster cut and you don't have the nuisance of removing nodes to get a smoother cut........

[pesco]

...What a lot of Silhouette owners are doing at the moment is downloading files via their Robomaster software and then importing into the Silhouette Studio software, so that means at the moment we have 2 version of the same files........

Unfortunately I, a Silhouette owner who has paid upfront for the privelege of being able to download unlimited images from SA, am now prevented from doing so by SA. Why???

Apparently it is because I have chosen to continue downloading images via RoboMaster, which SA now say is an older version, yet I was able to download images the day before using the same software.

For goodness sake I only purchased my QKSilhouette SD with enclosed RoboMaster 5.1 software from QVC earlier this year, and already it seems it is not fit for purpose!!! All this on top of of around 6 weeks when I could not access my library, seemingly because I had downloaded 2 dodgy images from the SA site.

I also thought I had upgraded to the 5.3 version of the software, but I don't know how I can check this.

Not unexpectedly SA have offered what seems to be their stock solution to all customers' problems, which invariably seems to involve downloading stuff from their site, which I now believe may well benefit them but may well be against the interests of their customers. In my own experience, I found that following their advice, which included removing RoboMaster from my Computer and installing their software, did not fix the problems, but did create further problems for my computer, and worst of all resulted in the unwanted removal of RoboMaster installed template and thumbnail files from my computer without my knowledge or approval, which was certainly against my wishes.

They state:

" This error indicates you are still running the older ROBO Master software program. This error may be bypassed if you use our new Silhouette Studio program, which you may download for free at www**. ........................... You may then recover all of your previously purchased images into this new program as directed at www**. ............

If you wish to continue to access the online store through the older ROBO Master program, you will need to download the new store update found at www**. ................. and then recover your images through the "my account" options in the store."

** Had to remove actual URL's to enable my post to be submitted

Apparently CA have also just advised that they will no longer be providing support for RoboMaster after around the end of December, but as I am not sure what this means, or what the implications of this decision might be, I am concerned as to whether this may result in a Hobson's choice of Silhouette Studio or nothing. If this is the case, what are the consequences of this likely to be for customers, particularly if in the meantime they manage to persuade great numbers of customers and potential customer to download Silhouette Studio software from their site.

I presume Craft Robo owners who operate with RoboMaster software will find themselves in a similar situation anytime soon, but could anyone let me know where I could access a RoboMaster 5.3 upgrade which does not involve going through Silhouette America.

I would appreciate receiving any constructive thoughts, information or advice others might have about this matter.

...I'm sticking with Inkscape as well, as I'm concerned about getting stuck with a load of .studio files that I can't use with any other software and they suddenly decided to start charging for the software and if I use any of my GSD files with this software and accidentaly save them, I then can't use them with RM.

I can really understand the reservations and concerns you have expressed about the files, and SA's intentions regarding their future plans towards their customers, particularly if they manage to succeed in cornering the buying market firstly with their 'free' designs and now with their 'free' software. I recall someone writing "but hey what do you want for nothing it's early days" and thinking 'yes but nothing is for nothing'.

I was also alarmed to hear recently that SA are trying to control what their customers do with the images they produce from the designs they have bought and downloaded. I just hope that a member of another group is correct when she demonstrated legal cases which appear to show that such copyright claims have no legal standing, and have not been supported in law.

It was good to hear that Inkscape is available to enable people to cut the images. people already have installed on their computers. I had hoped to have already started with Angel's Inkscape tuition, but unfortunately due to the problems I had with my computer after the downloading the dodgy images, and after following SA's less than useless advice, my computer became unreliable for a while. Then some unexpected family commitments became a priority, but hopefully I will be able to focus my attention to discovering the benefits of Inkscape quite soon.

[Lucille]

I'm sorry to read what has happened to you and your software, but I can't say I'm surprised. Being the first in the UK to have a CR and joining the only support group around a the time which was the WishBlade group, the WB's which were rebadged CR's were sold and supported by Graphtec America and I remember very well how their customers were treated in the beginning even the 'text' options was blocked to them, they were completely dependant on GA who appear to want people to have these machines but only be able to use them with files they have to buy and the journey of the Wishblade, which has gone full circle via Zyron and then QuickKutz and now it is back in the hands of GA and re-badged as the Silhouette, that is why I do not trust that this software will stay free or worst case as happened to the original WB owners who were left with machines and no software support, they have been struggling and one step behind us here in the UK when it came to software ever since, even now they can't use our RM 5.1.

There is no RM 5.3 unless that is what GA are offering as a free download until the end of November, I don't recall seeing it mentioned on their site that it was 5.3.

As of the new year all CraftRobo's are to be rebadged as Silhouette machines, so that is the end of the name CraftRobo, I really hope that GUK don't adopt all the ethics of GA.

[pesco]

Thanks for your response Lucille, and for your information about the RM software.

I thought I had seen something about a version 5.3, and know I certainly considered downloading whatever it was that I saw, but perhaps it was something on the SA site. I will try to trace back to what I saw, and will have a look at the GA site, although I have the feeling that I have also seen something whereby GA have been suggesting Silhouette Studio should be downloaded. Alternatively I have been so upset by not only my own experiences with SA, but also the experiences of others, which I have read online. Maybe I have been dreaming about the problems.

As you have had the fortune/misfortune to have lived through the CR/Sil etc in its various guises I wonder if you could comment on the following.

I decided to see what would happen if I tried to open up the RoboMaster work area whilst disconnected from the internet. Much to my relief it opened up, went on to show the contents of my library, changed the size of a design I selected, and although I didn't actually do a cut, it went through the various steps in preparation for a cut. I have interpreted this to possibly mean that everything I need to make a cut is already contained within my computer.

Spurred on by this success I repeated the process using Silhouette Studio. Again the work area opened up, and much to my absolute surprise the Library also opened up and I was also able to select a design then manipulate it, and even ungroup a design and fill each part with different colours.

At first I wondered if the SS library was able to access the RM library, but then I noticed each library contained different quantities of designs which is the true situation. I am at a loss to understand this, why is the SS library available offline, and given that template and thumbnail files are supposedly not stored on a purchaser's computer.

I will try cutting from both tomorrow, and if this proves to be successful, I will begin feel there may be less to worry about, but do you think that what I appear to have at present can remain, no matter what SA decides to do.

[dozyrosy]

You can still - for the time being at least - download RoboMaster v5.3 from the Silhouette site from here. As far as I can see this version still allows you access to their download shop. If it doesn't, then download the store update as they've already suggested.

You should be able to find which software version you have by looking under Help->About...

You have the option of recovering any lost download files via your online account (see their FAQ).

Any files you download via Robo Master are definitely saved (as gst files) on your machines - see the Templates folder within your Silhouette one. AFAIK any designs that you already have downloaded can be accessed by Silhouette Studio, and will be converted to this new format. I suspect the Studio Library files are stored in the Studio Resources folder, but they may be encrypted in some way so it's not possible to check what's actually in there.

You can run both RM and Silhouette Studio on the same computer - just keep them in separate folders when you install.

It's normal practice to cease to support obsolete software after a defined period. This doesn't mean you can't continue to use it, just that it will no longer be updated, and if you have problems you may well be on your own. For example, many people are still using very old versions of our Craft Robo Robo Master without any issues.

And it's quite normal to have some copyright restrictions on images that software suppliers offer - usually this is to prevent people reselling the designs as their own creations. We also have such restrictions on many of the free designs that are uploaded to our forum on UKS.

There's really nothing to stop you carrying on using one or another versions of Robo Master and using either (or both of!) Inkscape and Silhouette Studion as well.

HTH, Rosemary

[Angel13]

Hi Pesco

At this moment in time I have Robomaster 2.60 version (which I have just discovered I can no longer access the online store or purchased templates, and it now offers a link to the new Silhouette updates)

I also have the 5.10 Robomaster version which I use for purchasing any new files and storing in my library of GSD files.

I also have the latest Silhouette Studio version 1.0.32 which still does not have the Autotracing update yet.

I remember that there was a Robomaster version 5.3 for some kind of update, but I never downloaded it because there was nothing wrong with V5.1.

It appears that a lot of people who had the GIFs problem had the V5.3 robomaster software.


I will continue to purchase any files via my Robomaster v5.1 which I can then open in the Studio software and save in the Studio format that can't be shared. I can open non-purchased GSD files using the Studio software but if I make alterations etc.....then the files can only be saved in the Studio format that can't be shared.......So for the designers of GSD files then the Studio software is not for you, thats why I will continue to use my Inkscape and 5.1 Robomaster software........



I also have Inkscape 0.47 and 0.48 on my PC......and 1 thing I just learnt, there was a recent update for v0.48 which I duly downloaded only to find that it changed the 0.47 version as well; so had to locate a 0.47 version and re-load it onto my PC.

[pesco]

Thanks for this Angela

Have you tried downloading images using RM 5.10 within the last few days?

I successfully downloaded images from SA on 28.10.10 but was prevented from doing so twice on 29.10.10.

My Silhouette came with a CD marked as 'Silhouette SD' also 'QuickKutz' and 'Craft Robo Graphtec Software 5.01' which suggests I installed the Graphtec version on my computer.

Do you know if this version '5.01' is the same as or different to your RM version '5.1'? If it is different can you tell me where I could get RM version 1.0 from?

Thanks for also mentioning the Robomaster version 5.3 update. I thought I had seen it somewhere, but can you remember whether it was for download from SA?

I know I considered downloading it, and suspect I went ahead and did so, but at the moment I don't know how I can check this.

This would have been around the time of the GIF problem, and after I had had followed SA's advice to overcome the problem by uninstalling RM and installing a download from their site. This didn't work, so I uninstalled it and reinstalled the software from the original CD that came with my Silhouette. I remember thinking I would be far safer sticking with RoboMaster.

Many thanks again.

[pesco]

Many thanks for all your information Rosemary

I checked Help->About... and UREEEKA, it would appear that I do have Version 5.3 which I must have downloaded from SA, probably around August September. I now wonder why they are claiming that I am running an older version, when it seems that others with even older versions can still download designs.

I have noted you mention downloading the store update, but I am really wary about doing so, because I have no way of knowing what is in their update, or why their version 5.3 is stopping me from downloading designs.

I will be writing to SA shortly, but because I am not greatly experienced with the Silhouette or computers I wanted to check out the experiences and views of others.

I do appreciate "It's normal practice to cease to support obsolete software after a defined period" but I cannot remember reading that their version 5.3 would be obsolete in a couple of months, or that it would prevent me from downloading designs - for which they have already been paid.

I also appreciate "it's quite normal to have some copyright restrictions on images", but information shared on a separate forum indicates that exagerrated claims are being made about the extent of control or protection copyright laws can provide to owners of designs. E.g. it is suggested that companies that have angel policies, are implying that they are relaxing controls that they do not really have.

My understanding is that owners of designs can take steps to ensure purchasers of 'raw' designs cannot sell such designs on as 'raw' designs, which seems to confirm what you mention - "usually this is to prevent people reselling the designs as their own creations". However it would appear that when designs are sold, control over how purchasers of designs choose to use them is relinquished.

As I have not read all the information shared I am not sure what the situation is for designs which are offered for free, but my own thoughts are that perhaps more control could be exerted over such designs as money has not changed hands.

[silverst170]

After reading all this thread I am going to presume that Silhouette only want you to use their files/templates you an buy from them is this right?