Integrated Lettering system
Since version 5.0 Studio uses its
own, integrated lettering system with interactive text insertion and editing.
Main
features
-
Interactive lettering directly in the Studio work area
- Multiple lines text support
- Vertical text support
- Support of True Type, Open Type and pre-digitized Embird Alphabets
- Paragraph alignment
- Sewing from center out
- Node-by-node adjustement of text baseline
- Characters, words and lines spacing
- Unicode characters supported
- 'Place on the other side' function
- Support of non-installed fonts and ZIP and RAR archives
Integerated lettering system in Studio allows to insert and edit
text directly in the work area of
Studio. Text can be created with Font Engine (True Type and Open Type fonts) or
with pre-digitized Alphabets. Alphabets are manually pre-digitized scalable embroidery fonts. They are
optional plug-in modules for Embird software. Most Embird alphabets are
digitized with satin (column) stitches, the rest are in outline (redwork) form.
Studio also allows to use Windows True Type and Open Type fonts. These fonts are
automatically converted into vector format of Studio and can be filled with plain
fill, motif fill or auto-column stitches and/or outlined with all types of outlines
available in Studio. Support of True Type and Open Type fonts in Studio requires
registered Font Engine, which is an optional plug-in for Embird software.
Left: predefined baselines combo box
Right: radio buttons for switching the editing mode
Lettering system in Studio allows
to work on top of the background image (template). Lettering supports multiline
text and adjustable baselines. Predefined text baselines include circle, lines
and spirals. All baselines can be transformed (moved, scaled, rotated and
slanted) as well as edited node-by-node. Baseline scaling allows to create
ellipse from circle. Baseline transformations can be done either with 'spider'
control on the work area, or with controls on the panel at the right side of the
screen. To switch beween baseline and characters editing modes, use the pop-up
menu accessible via right mouse button click or radio buttons (see above
picture).
Mode 1: baseline transformations: move, scale, rotate, slant |
Mode 2: baseline nodes editing |
Mode 3: characters transformations:
move,
scale, rotate, slant and baseline offset of individual characters |
Multiline text |
Mode 1 -
Baseline Transformations
This mode allows to modify
(especially move, scale and rotate) whole baseline at once. When moving the
baseline,
the text moves as well. Scaling baseline does not scale the text.
This operation must be performed separately either via characters
transformations or via controls on the right side panel. Baseline
transformations are performed with spider control similar to the spider controls
of inidividual characters (see Mode 3 below), with exeption of missing slider 2.
Mode 2 -
Baseline Node-by-Node Editing
Baseline is composed from straight
lines and bezier curves. User can add and delete baseline elements in a similar
way as when digitizing objects in Studio. In case of multiline text, all text
lines use the same shape of baseline which is copied from the top line
Shortcuts available in this mode:
-
ALT + new node creates a new
straight line on a baseline
-
CTRL + new node creates a new
straight line on a baseline, aligned to multiplication of 45 degrees
-
CTRL + movement of the main node
alignes this node to multiplication of 45 degrees with respect to previous
node
Mode
3 - Characters Transformations
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|
Studio allows to transform individual
characters or all characters at once (see below shortcuts).
Transformations are accessible via nodes of the spider control. Spider control serves to transform
characters in two axes (horizontal and vertical). As the text is placed
on the baseline and baseline can be curved in any direction, below
definitions refer to direction 'along' and 'perpendicular' to the baseline,
rather than horizontal and vertical. Nodes of the spider control are
numbered 1-8. Moving of nodes transforms character in a following way:
- Select character, move character
(adjust spacing)
- Slider to shift character above (below)
baseline
- Rotate
- Scale along the baseline
- Scale perpendiculary to the baseline
- Scale in both axis
- Slant along the baseline
- Slant perpendiculary to the baseline
|
Shortcuts
Following shortcuts can be applied
simultaneously with spider nodes movement:
-
SHIFT + movement of spider leg
adjusts the same spider legs on all characters at once
-
CTRL + scale node (4,5 or 6)
changes
size of character proportionally
-
SHIFT+CTRL can be combined
Controls
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|
Panel at the right-side of the screen contains main controls for
lettering adjustment. These controls are organized into 3 groups (tabs):
1. Text controls
2. Size and Transformation controls
3. Optional paths to font folders (not available for alphabets)
Use icons on top (marked by red arrow) to switch between the tabs.
The first tab Text Controls
contains following controls (from top to bottom): font combo box,
character table, Additional Spacing controls, button for
selection of next tab.
Use double click on the character table
to insert character that is difficult to type with keyboard to the text.
Use Additional Spacing controls to adjust spaces between characters,
whole words or lines, respectively. |
 |
|
Second tab Size
and Transformations contains Lettering Size controls
and Transformation controls.
Transformations include: rotation,
width, height, horizontal slant, vertical slant and distance from
baseline. These controls allow to define transformation with exact
numerical value in contrast to the 'spider' control, which is used for
a freehand transformation.
Transformation controls are applicable
only in mode 1 (baseline transformation) and mode 3 (characters
transformation). If mode 1 is selected, all parameters refer to the
baseline transformation. If mode 3 is selected, all parameters refer to
selected characters transformation.
Distance from baseline
and "All" option are available only for characters
transformation (mode 3). When "All" option is selected,
transformations are performed on all characters in the text. Below
example shows rotation performed on all characters at once.
|
 |
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Third tab is available only
for TrueType and OpenType fonts (i.e. not for pre-digitized alphabets).
Controls on this tab allow to specify paths to folders with
non-installed fonts.
Font Engine normally scans only fonts
installed in Windows. If you have other fonts stored on the hard drive,
specify paths to folders with these fonts and start font scanning (see
below Buttons chapter). Scanning process will include specified
folders.
Use "Search for fonts also in
ZIP and RAR archives" option to include/exclude compressed
archives from scanning process. |
Buttons
The meaning of buttons in the button bar is as
follows
 |
1. Cancel text mode, 2. Finish text mode
and put text in outline form to work area, 3. Same as 2 and generate
stitches. |
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Erase
current text. |
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Scan Windows for installed fonts.
You can also include folders with non-installed fonts and fonts zipped
in archives to the search. Use the tab at the right side of the screen
to specify paths to these folders. |
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Text alignment in paragraph: 1. Left, 2.
Center, 3. Right, 4. Justify. |
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1. Bold text, 2. Italic text, 3. Put text on the other side
of baseline. |
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Sewing order of text: 1. From left to right,
2. From center out, 3. From center out (without splitting words), 4.
From right
to left. |
 |
1. Autocolumn fill (as oposite to plain
fill), 2. Nearest points connection between characters, 3. Vertcial
text, 4. Help file, 5. Unicode character set |
Vertical text
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