Silhouette™ SD BETA Plug-In Available!

Andy

Hello All...

We have finished the Silhouette SD Plug-In to the point where you brave BETA testers can have a crack at it!



We are working on releasing MTC 3.3 to add in some Silhouette-only features, such as automated registration mark printing and the 8.5"x11" mat.

You can do print and cut with this version, there is just a little setting up to do. Please see this video:

http://www.screenr.com/cZj

IMPORTANT: There is an error in my wording when telling you how to cut after you have finished printing... please read this post here.

Please note that all the Print And Cut stuff in this plug-in will be automated with features going in to v3.3.0 of MTC. So, don't let the video scare you away :)

If you just want to cut... give it a shot. It should be pretty painless to set up. Remember to keep the mat in landscape mode to make things easier. Again, we are adding the Silhouette mat into 3.3.0 of MTC, so you will only have to work on the landscaped 12x12 for a little bit longer.

The Silhouette is an extremely accurate cutter. For instance, the cat in the video above has very fine whiskers -- so I thought I would challenge the Silhouette and see if it could cut them.



Not only did it nail the print and cut, all the whiskers are 100% in tact. Truly amazing for a 180$ cutter.

Thanks to Andy Bauer from http://www.thedigistreet.com/ for letting me use his cat illustration in this demo.

Download: http://www.make-the-cut.com/download.aspx
Get your Silhouette SD: Link

Did you all know that Chomas Creations makes a gel pen holder for the SIlhouette, and they have been doing it for almost a year and a half now? (and in 20 colors!) Click here for more information.

Good luck!
-andy.

Andy

bang!

nelda

It's here, it's here! I have a post on my very first cuts here: http://papercraftingwithnelda.blogspot.com/2011/05/first-cuts-with-new-silhouette-plug-in.html

Andy

NICE. thanks for posting that... I should have gave you guys a heads up :)

SandyMcC

Wow! The whiskers look amazing! Looking forward to giving this plug-in a test drive!

elliott37

Andy you rock!!!
Thank you so much!

elliott37

I just installed the plug in & did my first P&C in MTC. You're just absolutely awesome Andy !!!!!
So easy & the cut was perfect!

pigtailpat

Andy -

I have a couple of questions before I do my test run. I am not sure if I heard everything right in your vid. I get alot from watching more than hearing, so I want to make sure.

First, the 2 marks on the left - that is align "left"? and the other two marks on top - that is align top?

Also, will this work in 3.2.0, as I never did upgrade to the 3.2.1 (which was just a false positive virus thing difference)?? Or must I upgrade to the 3.2.1. before attempting the plugin install?

Lastly, how you finalized this, with Ann sick is beyond me. I hope Ann is doing better. Please keep us updated on her. I am very, very happy though you released this, as I have a very important card to do, and was waiting for this plug in to get moving.

Once I hear back, I will do my test run..

Pat

Andy

awesome! I am glad you figured it out... was a little nervous that it would be tough to do. :-ss

It will be much easier in v3.3 of MTC :-bd

Andy

First, the 2 marks on the left - that is align "left"? and the other two marks on top - that is align top?

yes

Also, will this work in 3.2.0, as I never did upgrade to the 3.2.1 (which was just a false positive virus thing difference)?? Or must I upgrade to the 3.2.1. before attempting the plugin install?

It should work -- there is really no difference between 3.2.0 and 3.2.1

Lastly, how you finalized this, with Ann sick is beyond me. I hope Ann is doing better. Please keep us updated on her.

She is doing much better -- She has been in bed resting and Jonas has been actually reall good... which is really odd for him. He is a crazy 3 year old. I hear most are.

Good luck!

pigtailpat

btt so that andy can see my post - we posted at same time.

Andy

I am fast!

pigtailpat

we must have esp - thanks so much I will do my dip......and let you know..

susan_ID2293

I can't wait for my Silhouette to get here now. This looks fantastic.

Do you have to put the paper in a particular place on the mat before cutting? (sort of like trying to find the right spot with the Cricut)

Also, can use use the same sheet twice - for example for a box, I would like to "cut" (actually score) the inner lines first with an embossing blade and then change blades and cut the outline with a cutting blade.

Andy

You just have to put the paper in the upper right-hand corner. YOu can even put it on crooked -- since it uses 3 point registration, it will cut perfectly every time.

It's NOTHING like the cricut... it just "works"

Yes, you can cut the same sheet twice

lvanorio

I noticed when I opened up the cut screen that my blade offset is checked, but in your video it is not. My reg marks are flashing and my file looks great. So do I need to uncheck the blade offset or leave it selected?

Thanks for this fantastic too!

pigtailpat

having trouble andy - I am attaching my file. I reads, but not cut the image, is widely off. I also show the blade offset. When you say upper right, place paper all the way even covering the arrow on the mat? Also align paper by which marks on the left of the machine, the one closer to left or the one closer to right?

juliefes

The Silhouette SD plugin cuts to the old Blue Craft Robo. However, I cannot get my CR to read the registration marks.

nelda

I think someone told me (here) that the older CR could cut from Sil Studio but could not read the reg marks from it either. If so, it must be a difference/problem with the CR itself.

Andy

ok -- i need to get how far away the corner of the paper is from the knife

Andy

ah ok

lisa_anderson771

THANK YOU ANDY!!! And Ann of course for giving him the time to do this.

Adonijah

WooHoo!! Thanks, Andy, you rock!!

juliefes

I never had much luck with any print and cut with Craft Robo, so no big deal for me. I don't do much with print and cuts anyway. I am curious if anyone with a blue or pink Wishblade is able to do print and cut from the Silhouette SD plugin, or at least cut directly to these cutters using WYSIWYG.

SandyMcC

I will be happy to try that out. I have both.

pigtailpat

Andy -

I figured out what I was doing wrong. The registration marks MUST BE ON THE LAYER that will be cut! Duh! Working great. The only weird thing is, the mat completely ejects when it is done, and I am left with screen on the machine that says "unload media" like the machine doesn't know it is already gone, so I have to press the button and then it goes through the motions of ejecting no paper. Tracking enhancing is not checked. Love the control over speed you got on the plugin - very nice!!

Pat

pigtailpat

Julie -

what mode are you printing to on the printer?? If you are using a heavy cardstock driver to your printer, use the plain paper drop down in the driver, even though you got cardstock in the printer. For some reason, my sil DOES NOT like the way my printer puts ink on the paper when cardstock is selected from the printer driver. Experiment with different settings on your printer driver.

Pat

juliefes

I am using regular printer paper as usual

Pauletmc

I have an older Craft Robo, the CC200-20 and it cuts perfectly, no problems with it detecting the registration marks with the new plug-in. I could get it to cut OK before with the printer driver and lot's of realigning but this is brilliant! YAY!!! Andy.

mothergoose10407

Yay! Thanks Andy!

Andy

I have an older Craft Robo, the CC200-20 and it cuts perfectly, no problems with it detecting the registration marks with the new plug-in. I could get it to cut OK before with the printer driver and lot's of realigning but this is brilliant! YAY!!! Andy.

well, that's pretty darn awesome

pigtailpat

My computer crashed, so I got logged out of the webinar, one last question and then I have to turn in (will view in the morning), under what circumstances we would WANT to put with the outlines showing? I'm a little confused as to when we want them, and when we don't want them.

I am SOOOO excited now that I understand how to do this with .mtc.

Andy should I spread the word now while it is still in beta, or what till 3.3?

Pat

Andy

When you print, you son't want outlines... only in the beta. In 3.3, it won't matter.

You can tell people there is a beta if you want... the more the merrier

SandyMcC

I have an older Craft Robo, the CC200-20 and it cuts perfectly, no problems with it detecting the registration marks with the new plug-in. I could get it to cut OK before with the printer driver and lot's of realigning but this is brilliant! YAY!!! Andy.

That's great news! That tells me the pink WB should also work.

Sewsnazzy

My Silhouette SD should be here by the end of the week. I can't wait to try it!

lvanorio

I just cut this cute cute Butterfly from the LD Rise & Shine Graphic Set. OMG it was right on. I even cut out another body with antennas and the spots on the wings to add dimension. It was so easy and the Sil cut it like a dream. No problems with the reg marks. Picture below, but it isn't the greatest, had to use my Android camera on my phone couldn't find my camera. Now can use all those great SVGs and graphics from LD with MTC
Thanks Andy this is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pat_indiana

I have an old blue WB. I downloaded the plug-in and just put a circle on my mat. When I went to cut the Sil SD beta is showing up but the box says not connected even though my WB is on. Am I doing something (or not doing something) wrong? The last cutter I used MTC with was my KNK.

nelda

Picture below, but it isn't the greatest....

picture, picture, where is the picture??

Andy

yeah -- pictures!! We want them :)

lvanorio

I don't know what happened this is the 3rd time I have tried to upload. Think the forum has got haunts tonight.

Here is my picture!!! Hopefully

lvanorio

One more time, it will not upload. Never had this problem before, ughhh

Was the name

lvanorio

I have an old blue WB. I downloaded the plug-in and just put a circle on my mat. When I went to cut the Sil SD beta is showing up but the box says not connected even though my WB is on. Am I doing something (or not doing something) wrong? The last cutter I used MTC with was my KNK.

Make sure you plug it into the same port that u used before. Hook everything up 1st then turn it on. Select the Sil SD from the "Cut with Menu". That is the only thing that I can think of that may cause it not to see it. It isn't in the same port u used before.

pat_indiana

I never have unhooked my WB (I've been cutting with MTC by "printing" if that would matter) so it's still in the same port. I guess in the large scheme of things since I can "print" my cuts & I hardly ever would do a PNC it's not a big deal but now I'm curious LOL!

lvanorio

I never have unhooked my WB (I've been cutting with MTC by "printing" if that would matter) so it's still in the same port. I guess in the large scheme of things since I can "print" my cuts & I hardly ever would do a PNC it's not a big deal but now I'm curious LOL!

Ok click on print in your print menu and make sure that you select a real printer HP, Canon whatever you use to print. Make sure landscape is selected in MTC and on the printer you select. Then click the cut icon and see if your circle shows on the screen now with flashing reg marks or if you get the same message that the Sil isn't connected.

pat_indiana

still got the not connected message

lvanorio

Pat, I'm sorry I don't know what it could be then. Does anyone else have any ideas??????? to assist Pat_indiana.

Berryone

Did You Try a ReBoot?

juliefes

If you have a Wishblade, try installing and cutting first from Create and Cut. Then make sure you follow the instructions that Andy mentioned in the screencast. It won't cut if you have the mat in portrait mode. Select a printer and make sure it is in landscape, as well as putting the virtual mat in MTC in landscape. For some reason it won't work in portrait mode.

I was wondering if my Craft Robo 100 even works in Robomaster, so I tried a print and cut from there. The cut was way off in that software, too. I think that is why I have never liked print and cut project. Must be something wrong with my machine. Cutting from MTC I did manage to get it to recognize 1 of my registration marks, but it failed to find all three.

Andy

It won't cut if you have the mat in portrait mode.

Yes it will -- you just have to work on the right-side of the mat.

This doesn't help with PNCs though since MTC currently only prints the left side of the mat in Portrait mode. That is being worked out in the next version.

Andy

OK -- Jin caught a wording mistake in the video. I was rushing because you have a 5 minute time limit when using Screenr.

When you are going to start cutting I say "Make sure everything is hidden except what you are going to cut"

What should have been said: "Make sure everything is hidden except what you are going to cut and the registration points you placed on your mat."

In the video you can see that when I hide all the layers, I go back and unhide the bottom cut lines... my registration points are on that layer as well.

This is an extremely important step... I will probably have to redo the video. This is causing a lot of confusion.

gale

thank you, Andy!! I may wait for 3.3 to come out since I'm a little less than bright but if I get really ambitious I might just give the beta plug-in a try.