Design Master - Should I or Shouldn't I

[**Shirley**]

Hi everyone. I know there has been a lot of threads on design master, but now that everyone has had time to get to grips with it could you give your honest opinion as to whether I should buy it. I know there is another software called funtime and don't know if that is a better one or not.

Also anyone that had problems with Design Master - did you get it sorted out ok?

I use inkscape at present. I would like to get into designing templates seriously.

Thanks,
Shirley

[Lindyloulou]

I really like the software and have found it quite easy to use and more user friendly than Inkscape. My biggest problem with it is it's lack of export facility. To convert files to a GSD format to share with the non DM owners here is a bit hit and miss. The only way I can do it is to capture the image and turn it into a jpeg to import in the robo software and trace around with auto trace. This is a bit hit and miss as the more complex the design the more rubbish the GSD looks in comparison to the GRA, maybe I am too fussy, but I seem to spend longer tidying up the GSD than it took me to draw it into DM in the first place. Still I am still working on it so I may get better.

Lynne

[gemsmember]

I have just got mine and had terrible trouble installing it - it kept crashing my PC - I phoned graphtec who said I need to update my PC - but that didn't help - in the end I decided to uninstall the bit that was on there and - hey presto - it continued to install instead and now is working. It also took over my com port which houses another dongle for a different software, so I had to mess about with that one, but fingers crossed all is now well. I suspect the problem was because I do have several security devices for different programmes and I think there was a conflict between them.

Sue

[elwoodsusanm]

I'd be interested to know as well! Do I take the plunge?

[JennyAnne]

I much prefer DM to Inkscape - find it easier to use, it cuts better and the manual's really informative. I didn't have any problems with installation.

Jenny

[**Shirley**]

Thanks everyone. Does sound good but alot of people seem to be having problems installing and it's that that's puting me offf!

Shirley

[silverst170]

I do think this is a matter of choice here we or most of us have used inkscape now for a long time and have gotton to grips with that and it worls well for what you need to do.
However i have the knk elements and the software for that is brilliant similar to dm but has all capabliltys, i could never grasp lattice in inkscape but i can do no hassell with knk studio.

hope this helps


tina x

[**Shirley**]

Thanks Tina, What is KNK like for welding and matting?

Shirley

[silverst170]

brilliant and you can now buy the knkge version and it cut straight to robo

its very similar to dm


x

[Janet1]

I do think this is a matter of choice here we or most of us have used inkscape now for a long time and have gotton to grips with that and it worls well for what you need to do.
However i have the knk elements and the software for that is brilliant similar to dm but has all capabliltys, i could never grasp lattice in inkscape but i can do no hassell with knk studio.

hope this helps


tina x

Tina

Do you mind me asking how you are doing your lattice in KNK please. I have managed to do it but I'm sure that I'm making more of a meal of it than I need to.

Thanks
Janet

[silverst170]

yes pm me janet

[**Shirley**]

Can anyone give me a clue as to where I can buy the KNK Software please.

Thanks

Shirley

[silverst170]

sharon the scrapbooklady sells it and shes a sponser, you need the ge version if you want to cut to robo other wise you will hae to go through inkscape to make gsd


tina x

[**Shirley**]

Thanks Tina, Away to have a look now.

Shirley

[NikiB]

My BF's mum is looking to get a Robo with the DM software, she's not very PC literate and so I know I'm going to be called upon to help out, but that's going to be difficult without having the software so I may have to look at buying it

Just wish I could get a trial version to see if I can do everything in it that I can manage to do in Inkscape. Have been using that for over a year now and so can pretty much figure out all I want to do in it with a bit of trial and error