Cut2D Pro WhatsNew - Vectric LtdExtra Mirroring Options within the Linear Array Copy Form New options to enhance the way you can create array copies of an object have been added to

What's New in Cut2D Pro 8.5

A quick start guide for Cut2D Pro upgraders

Copyright © Vectric Ltd. Document V.1.0

Copyright © 2015 Vectric Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Page | 2

Contents

CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................... 2

OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................... 3

ENHANCED & EXTENDED DRAWING TOOLS .................................................................................. 4

NEW TOOLPATH FEATURES .......................................................................................................... 7

Job Setup Sheet Editor ........................................................................................................................ 8

ENHANCED & EXTENDED TOOLPATH FEATURES .......................................................................... 10

MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENTS ............................................................................................. 11


Overview

Welcome to the What’s New document for the latest version of Cut2D Pro. Please note that this

document is intended for existing Cut2D Pro customers who have recently upgraded to the latest

version. As such, it only includes details of the incremental changes and enhancements to the

previous version of the software. If you are new to Cut2D Pro then this document probably isn’t the

one for you. Instead please take the time to watch the extensive supporting tutorial videos provided

with Cut2D Pro to help you get started. Once you are up and running, you will find the Help->Help

Contents menu command will open a full electronic reference to every tool and feature in Cut2D

Pro.

This document is broadly divided into two sections focusing on the main areas of Cut2D Pro:

Drawing and Toolpaths. In each Section there are separate parts highlighting completely new tools,

and a summary of enhancements and extensions to existing tools that you should already be familiar

with. Finally, the Miscellaneous Improvements section documents the remaining minor changes that

have been made, usually in response to specific customer feedback, to improve work flow and fix

problems that have come to light since the previous release.


Enhanced & Extended Drawing Tools

This section details the improvements that have been made to features you will already be familiar

with from earlier versions of Cut2D Pro and includes the following:

Clipping Region for Bitmap Vector Fitting

Dimensioning and Snapping

Filleting Improvements

Extra Mirroring Options within the Linear Array Copy Form

Clipping Region for Bitmap Vector Fitting

When tracing a bitmap you can now select specific regions of the image

that you wish to trace. To do this, ensure the bitmap is selected whilst

in the Trace Bitmap Form and simply drag a box over the area you

intend to trace. When you hit the Preview button vectors will be fitted

only to areas of the Bitmap that are contained within the drag box area.

If no box is specified then vectors will be fitted to the entire image as

with previous versions of the software.

Dimensioning and Snapping

Further improvements have been made to the way you can create

dimensions in the software. Previously Dimensions could only be

snapped to vector geometry, you now have the ability to snap to guide lines as well as to the corners

of your current job limits.

Filleting Improvements

Filleting has now been improved so that the corner filleting no longer only works between two

straight line spans, you can now fillet between lines, arcs and (Bezier) curves allowing a lot more

design flexibility. As with the previous version these entities need to be part of a single joined vector

not separate entities. When a fillet is possible the fillet cursor will display a check-mark to show it’s

at a junction where a fillet can potentially be added, click to insert a fillet of the specified radius.

An additional enhancement is the ability to fillet across multiple vector spans if the fillet will not fit

on a single corner of two vector spans. In this case the software will look further along the shape and

see if it’s possible to fit a fillet of the specified radius. Please note than in the case of a fillet going

across more than one span if you de-fillet it (fillet cursor shows and X mark) then it will just extend it

with two straight lines, the software will not know what geometry was previously there. In this case

you should undo the command rather than use the de-fillet option.


Arc Span Vectors before Filleting Arc Span Vectors after Filleting

Extra Mirroring Options within the Linear Array Copy Form

New options to enhance the way you can create array copies of an object have been added to the

Linear Array (Block Copy) form. You now have the ability to mirror objects. This allows for more

advanced pattern making, by default the Symmetry… area of the form is set so there is no mirroring.

To alter the pattern you can simply click on of the four buttons (with the L shape) to step each

corner through its four possible orientations. These will work in a mini-grid of the first four corner

objects creates and then be propagated through the rest of the pattern based on the other settings.

Default Block Symmetry Form Pattern Created


Horizontal Symmetry Applied to Row Above Pattern Created

In addition to the Symmetry options you can also now move every other row or column by entering

values in the Row/Column Displacement… area of the form. For example entering a value for X will

move the objects on the second row over by that distance then row three will retain the original

position, row four will be moved and then every other row moved accordingly. Similarly entering a Y

value will move every other column up (for a positive value) or down (for a negative value) and then

again repeat this across the full array.

Row Displacement of 1 Pattern Created


New Toolpath Features

This latest version of Cut2D Pro adds new toolpath strategies and features, which are fully

documented in this section. These include:

Job Setup Sheet Editor

Job Setup Sheet Editor

The new Job Setup Sheet Editor is a gadget which enables you to personalise the existing Job Setup

Sheet. You can change the Vectric logo to your own logo, change the title, change the color of the

sheet and add or remove setup sheet information allowing you to take charge of how the set up

sheet looks.


Job Setup Sheet Editor The Job Setup Sheet Editor is a gadget which enables you to personalise

the existing Job Setup Sheet that you can generate from the Toolpaths

Menu. You can access the gadget from the Gadgets drop down menu.

Change Logo

To change the logo from the default Vectric logo, press the Browse.. button. This will open a dialog

box enabling you to search your local computer for images to select. Images in landscape are better

suited as they will be scaled down to W165 x H52 pixels. Images must either be JPG, PNG or GIF file

format.

Title

To change the default title of “Job Setup Sheet”, enter the desired title in the edit box.

Color options

There are two options to change the color of the Header &

Footer blocks, you can either:

1. Point and click the mouse in the colored edit box, this

will bring up the color selector, select a color and then

click anywhere outside of the selector to accept this.

2. Type a colors hex value directly into the edit box.


Add or Remove Setup Sheet Information

Each of the 5 sections of the Job Sheet can either be

included or removed to display as much information as

required. The image to the left, represents a default Job

Sheet which includes the following 5 sections:

Job Layout

Job Notes

Material Setup

Toolpaths Summary

Individual Toolpath Summaries

Restore to default sheet

Upon first successful run of this gadget, it will detect if

you have already created a modified version of the Job

Setup Sheet within the public gadgets directory, if so it

will backup this Gadget so you could, if required restore it

at a later date. If no modified gadget is found, it will

backup the software default “Job Setup Sheet” so you

have a copy if you want to revert back to the standard

layout at a later date.


Enhanced & Extended Toolpath Features



Deleting All Toolpaths

Undo Deleting All Toolpaths

Increased Preview Simulation Resolution

Deleting All Toolpaths

Enhancements have been made to the way you can delete toolpaths. Right click on a toolpath and

the delete option draws out further options, enabling you to Delete the Selected Toolpath, Delete All

Invisible Toolpaths, Delete All Visible Toolpaths and Delete All, making the deleting process quicker.

Undo Deleting All Toolpaths

With the improved deleting toolpath options now available, we have also added the ability to

undo/redo toolpath deletion.

Increased Preview Simulation Resolution

We have enhanced the Quality of the Toolpath Simulations whereby there are now five options to

choose from. The default Standard Quality will run your toolpath simulation the fastest, but done at

a rate that provides you with the minimal amount of pixel quality within the resolution. Each of the

further options will increase simulation running time but improve the pixel quality in the preview.


Miscellaneous Improvements



Animating The 3D View

SVG Import

SketchUp 2016

Option for Specifying Number of Entries in Recently Opened List

Animating The 3D View

When working within the 3D view, movements between the four set viewing directions in the 3D

view are now animated. This means you’ll see a transition of movement when you select a new

direction to go from Along X, Along Y, Along Z or Isometric. On some computers this may impact

performance so it is possible to toggle this setting to revert to the old behaviour. To switch this

on/off, go to the Edit Menu and select Options , under the 3D View Settings click on Animate

Camera Moves and select Yes or No from the drop down arrow as appropriate.

SVG Import

SVG files can now be imported into Cut2D Pro using the Import Vectors from a File icon or File -

Import - Import Vectors option from the drop-down menu. This function will only import standard

vector objects from an SVG file and is unable to import text entities so these will be ignored. To

import all data from an SVG file the text/number would need to be converted to curves in a design

program before export.

SketchUp 2016

The direct 2D import for *.skp (native SketchUp software files) has now been updated to support the

SketchUp 2016 file format. Vector data from this file type can be imported through the Import

Vectors from a File icon or the File - Import - Import Vectors option from the drop-down menu.

Option for Specifying Number of Entries in Recently Opened List

You now have the option to increase the number of Recently Opened Files in the list on the left hand

pane of the start-up screen; previously this was limited to only showing the most recent four files. To

alter this value, click on the Edit drop-down menu and choose Options , scroll down the list and

look for the “Recent File List Size” value, found under General Settings. Change the value to increase

or reduce the number of items shown. Note that this will not take effect until you have exited and

re-started the software. Initially there will not be any more entries after you re-start the software

until you have either opened or saved more files to populate it further. In addition make sure not to

pick a value too large to fit all the entries onto your monitor screen and still access the other links.


Gadget Shortcuts

It is now possible to set a shortcut to run a chosen gadget from the list of gadgets. To set the gadget

shortcuts select the Gadget Shortcuts button from the Gadgets menu.

You may then assign one of the predefined shortcut keys to run a chosen gadget. The available

shortcut keys are Ctrl and a function key.

Documents

Cut2D Pro WhatsNew - Vectric LtdExtra Mirroring Options within the Linear Array Copy Form New options to enhance the way you can create array copies of an object have been added to