When I save any design I have created in any avalable format [except .PES--DecoStudio will not save a file in any of the .PES formats with the exception of a very tiny file in .PES Ver. 1 -- there is a major software bug that has not been addressed and, apparently neither Corel nor Wilcom Support wish to discuss, but by being able to open a saved file (.EMB) in TrueSizer 2006 and save it there, albeit with screwed up colors) as a .PES file (any version 1 - 6) or to open a file saved in .DST format in Brother PE Design 7 and then save it as a .PES file  (version 7, 1 - 6 available as well) with a major amount of time spent changing colors back to those originally chosen], the colors are saved incorrectly.  What appears to happen is, regardless of the thread type I've chosen, regardless of how many colorways I make, DecoStudio converts all colors to their native DECO colors as shown in their colorway 1.  If my first stitched color was supposed to be pink, it is converted to the first color on DecoStudio's colorway = dark purple.  The second color, regardless of what it was supposed to be, is changed to the second color on the Deco colorway 1.  Even if I save my original pattern with the .EMB format, the next time I open that pattern, all the colors are screwed up and reassigned to Deco's color scheme in the order of appearance on colorway 1.  The ony way I have been able to actually stitch a design I create in DecoStudio is to print the design properties (which lists the colors in the order of stitching in the actual pattern without this change) and use that as a template when I stitch the pattern, substituting the correct colors from that information.  I have also tried editing the colorway 1 color scheme, deleting the Deco thread chart, and approximating the thread I use to match the colors in the colorway 1 Deco colors color by color.  Nothing works, even the last choice:  The colors are not assigned in the order of the colorway, so if dark purple is not the first color the program sews, it winds up changed to dark purple regardless.

I have emailed DecoStudio to explain that they have a software bug that makes this product COMMERCIALLY USELESS, but got the response that I needed to call support in Australia (long distance from the US) and that there would be a fee to talk to Support.  Well, no WAY--this program costs so much (and I already owned CorelDRAW X3 Graphics Studio) that they should be able to respond to a report of a software bug that makes their program commercially useless without socking it to the person who wishes to point this out to them.  I have, today, notified Corel Corporation of the situation.  I will be offering my Wilcom DecoStudio e1 for sale on eBay with a complete explanation of why I'm selling it--it is not a commercially viable product in its current programming.  Imagine customer reaction if you were to sell a design and the colors are all messed up in every format (including .EMB) and the .PES files are not readable by any machine that uses .PES.  In discussions with other users through this forum, I have been able to determine that everyone is having these same difficulties.  The fact that I can save a DecoStudio file as a .DST file and convert it to a .PES file (version 1 through 6) in TrueSizer proves to me there is a bug in DecoStudio's file conversion.

If anyone has any suggestion on how to save a design preserving your original colors (without the program reverting to its native DECO color pallete) please let me know.  I've read the Instruction Manual twice and have not been able to solve the problem of saved files having screwed up color schemes.

I think Corel Corporation abandoned Wings because they were including a graphics engine in their stand-alone programs.  The partnership with Wilcom was meant to be financially superior to continuing with the Wings partnership--more revenue coming from the initial version e1 than for updates to the Wings product as well.  However, if the Wicom DecoStudio bugs are not addressed, this is a commerically nonviable product. 

You obviously did not read my entire post--and I don't own anyone an apology and don't appreciate being called an "ass".

I said that the only way I could get a machine readable .PES file (there is a programming error and I am not the only one who has this problem) with saving to .PES Versions 2-6 and the only way I can use an .EMB file (when what my machine reads), is to convert it to another file format(.DST is one that can be read--there are others, just not the one I need  = .PES).  When I save any design file first as .EMB, the next time I open it, the colors are all screwed up. PERIOD.  No apology owed to anyone--that's what happens.  I don't need help like this, it is condescending and insulting.

Sharon L. Sandell, MD

Please, don't respond again--once was enough for me.  I agreed to the TOS rules when I signed up here, or I'd say a lot more.

P.P.S.

Brendon,

Please read also the last post under DecoStudio, PES FILE from a "more experienced" user who confirms my assertion that there is a bug in the DecoStudio software with regard to .PES file saves.  I do understand the difference between the file types, despite what a condescending poster wrote here.  I am simply trying to get a usable file for home use--but you should know that I bought this program second hand from someone who had already discovered it was not a commercially viable product and SHE was in business to sell her designs.

I just noticed your post under .PES files

I appreciate it that a more experienced user is saying that she talked to Wilcom and confirmed that there is a bug in the software with regard to saving .PES files (actually the program saves a .PES file, just not one that is usable).  I'm posting your other response on this thread as well, so the people who think I don't know what I'm talking about can read it:

"I talked to my friend in Wilcom Support. Yes, there's a bug with PES format in DecoStudio. But until Wilcom can fix it, you can use conguero01's workaround above, specifically:
- save the design as Design Files ES 2006 (*.EMB)
- open in TrueSizer
- save as PES

If I hear of a nicer workaround (or a fix???), I'll let you guys know.

As for Colorways, you can add your own (e.g. Madeira Rayon 40) in the "Modify Thread Chart" dialog. And the issue with your colors changing during conversion isn't a bug, so don't worry too much about that (see my response in your other thread).  Cheers!"

Before anyone from Wilcom calls me, please check with your own support people -- if this is true, you should already be aware of this problem and, I restate, this makes DecoStudio commercially nonviable.

Brendon,

I appreciate your call from Australia yesterday--but I never did receive the email you said you were going to send (it may have been filtered out by the server as spam--something that is happening with greater frequency).  The email that I was going to send to you came from Corel International as far as I can tell, and, in recreating my initial request for assistance with the .PES file format, I logged into the place where I regestered the Wilcom DecoStudio first.  This is the reply (note a couple of things, however:  I've replaced some personal information with "x"'s and, at the time of the writing I did not own PE Design 7, which product subsequently proved to me that my machine can read .PES formats 1-7 and is the about as advanced in that regard as Brother gets); note that I was told to make a long distance call and informed fees would apply--something I found totally outrageous when the problem is a bug in YOUR program considering the retail cost of that program):

1. Regarding renaming BAK files...
You can rename .BAK files in Vista using the windows explorer. Since you're changing the extension, you have to set up your explorer so it doesn't hide the extension, i.e.
- double-click Computer on your desktop
- press Alt key to bring up menu
- From the menu, do Tools->Folder Options->View
- untick "Hide extensions for known file types"
Then you can navigate to the backup file and "right-click->Rename" and change the "bak" to "emb".

2. Regarding PES V1.0 splitting -a -b -c

The software only splits really big designs into -a -b -c when saving PES V1.0. This is not a bug, this is a feature for people where their machines or software could only support 32000 stitches. I'm not familiar with your machine model, but if you're sure enough that it supports more than 32000 stitches, you can increase the number by changing a configuration file. Open the HOMECNV.INI in the BIN folder where you installed DecoStudio, look for "PES Settings", and change 32000 to something higher (or to 0, to prevent splitting entirely). For more info, see my post in: http://www.embroiderystartup.com/Forums/tabid/72/forumid/12/postid/1239/view/topic/Default.aspx

3. Regarding saving palettes

DecoStudio CAN save your palette as the default, so no, you don't have to recreate your palette every time you create a design, don't worry. When you create a new design, the software loads a template file "Normal.EMT", which contains colors. So, to change the default palette:

- create an empty new design

- edit the palette(s) as you like

- File->Save As

- Select "Templates (*.EMT)" from files of type

- Save on top of Normal.EMT

Then, the next time you create a new design, you should get your new palette.

4. Speeding up save as PES

I've never had my PC "lock up" saving stitch files, but if the file is large, naturally it can take a while. BUT I did find you can speed up saving A LOT by ensuring you have the correct Machine Format selected when you create the design. Unfortunately for you, "Brother" isn't listed in the machine formats. But, fortunately, you can create it yourself inside DecoStudio. The closest machine format to Brother is MELCO (this is important for you!).

- In Embroidery Mode, select "Machine->Select Machine Format..."

- Select "Melco" from the list (important!!!)

- Press Create... button

- Enter "Brother" into the Format Name (leave everything else as default)

- Press Save button

Next time you create a design, "Brother" will show up in the list of machine formats in the startup wizard. If you select the Brother machine format, your PES files will save faster.

I think that should just about solve all your problems.

Have fun!

- Delfius!

I'm sorry you wasted so much of your time in composing this.  My post was addressed to Brendon and was not intended to ask any of the questions that were already addressed over a month ago and was a documentation of the fact that they wanted me to call long distance and with a fee.  Corel and Wilcom are in a new partnership and don't yet have their efforts coordinated.  Having been a CorelDRAW user since Ver. 1 of that software suite, I went to them first for help when I discovered the software bug in DecoStudio.

The Wilcom DecoStudio e1 HAS A SOFTWARE BUG AND CANNOT SAVE A READABLE .PES FILE.  Wilcom Support has admitted as much and is working on a software fix which will result in an upgrade to the current software.  If you are not using .pes files, then you may think that they files DecoStudio is saving as .pes (1-6) are executable files.  They are not.  They are corrupt files.  The Ver. 1 happens to be the ONLY .pes file that will write a usable file, but it has to be tiny because of the very limitations you note.  My concern is that a commercial user may sell someone a .pes file that they do not know is corrupt and unusable.

My particular computer has critical files that are hidden and the manufactuer who has their own VISTA version that does not allow me to change the hidden file attribute.  I work around this by transferring the file to a computer running XP and change the file attributes there.  While your suggestion might work for some, it will not work for me (with regard to the .bak files).  Personally, I wish computer manufacturers would leave Windows alone, but it seems most "personalize" the versions they pre-install on new computers to suit their own purposes. 

I solved my color problems by creating a series of "dummy files" that have specific thread brands and colors assigned and have given each a name that allows me to recognize the color schemes.  When I need to use that specific set of colors, I open the correct "dummy" and then immediately use "save as" and use a new name so I don't corrupt my dummy file.  It works for me.  The problem with the .EMB format not saving colorways happened when I took the program off an older computer and reinstalled it on a new one (love the 3GB RAM on the new one) and forgot to check the "Save in native format" box under file properties--someone else already posted that tidbit and .EMB files now retain correct color.  I'm using more than one digitizing program and, sometimes, the cross-over gets confusing.

Wilcom AU has assured me that there is no charge for Support on its products (going back 2 versions or ahead two versions as I understand it from the US rep.) and, apparently Corel (the other half of this partnership) did not know that a month ago. 

Brother Commercial Division sent these to tidbits in email:

"I am not familiar with the Corel Wilcom software that the Tajima format (.dst) is the most universal embroidery language and it has the fewest translation errors.  If you set everything for .dst it should work."

"Yes, I did misunderstand your question.  This is software support for our industrial embroidery division.  We use BE-100 and Ethos software.  The PE software program is a home sewing software package offered by our home sewing division.  I am not familiar with PE software so I will not be able to answer your questions.  Please email your message to our home sewing division which is custsrv@brother.com ."

These responses were in response to my question regarding machine format used by their products.  I forwarded the entire discussion thread to the address provided, but have had no response to date.