Embroidermodder

What is it?

This program was started by Mark Pontius in 2004, and is an ongoing development that is open to anyone who wishes to contribute. The program (and it's sourcecode) is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation.

Where to get it?

Download the latest version, either source files or Windows executable.

Features

• Runs under Windows.
• Sourcecode (Visual C++) available.
• Reads/Writes Tajima .DST file format, which is compatible with most every commercial and vendor's software available.
• Also reads/writes Excel .CSV file format for hand editing using Excel or a text editor.
• Allows scaling designs to any size (not just +/- 20% like some software).
• Shows the design on-screen, with unlimited zoom to get up close and personal with any stitch. Zoom to actual size, fit to screen, selection, or just in/out. Scrollbars allow panning around the design.
• Multiple documents can be open, and each document may have multiple view windows, each at different zooms to allow fine detail editing, while still getting the big picture.
• Print design at actual size.
• Displays statistics like max/min/average stitch length, number of colors, etc.
• Select, move, insert, or delete either stitches, lines, or selection.
• Double click in select mode to select a region (stitches between Jumps or color changes).
• Cut/Copy/Paste selection
• Cursor left/right steps selection point though individual stitches.
• Add text using any windows font.
• Toggle display of Jump stitches (as black dash-dot lines).
• Display updates are very fast using a combination of direct screen draw with efficient clipping and background rendering.
• Optional Debug mode (compile time option) with additional display and break capability, such as monitoring the background render progress in the status bar.

Screenshots:

Previous Screenshots:

• Version 1.5 screenshot showing statistics display.

Release Notes

Version 1.59 (6/24/2004) Getting close to the end of the Alpha phase.

• Points/Lines modes; Select, Move, Insert, Delete modes.
• Toggle display of jump stitches on/off.
• Add text using windows fonts. Currently only Running Stitch Outline options are available, but see screenshot above for ideas of what's to come soon.
• Note: If the imported design doesn't specify colors (.DST files don't), then random colors will be assigned. If you don't like them, reload it. Or, save to .CSV and edit the colors there, where you can specify any color in RGB, with optional description and thread partnumber. When you load the .CSV, you will have your colors. Something better is on the to-do list.

Future Expansion

• More file formats (anybody have descriptions of formats?) PES may be my next embroidery format. DXF (Autocad) is a non-embroidery format one I've been looking at to allow the use of powerful CAD editing features..
• More realistic display allowing you to guage scaling effect on density, anti-aliasing for wide views and 3D shading to show depth.
• Adjustment to stitch density (both stitchlength and line-to-line).
• Simpler user interface. Much functionality is there, but some things are a bit awkward to do.
• Easy thread color selection (by screen color, or from a thread manufacturer database?), along with some default palettes.
• Automatic design splitting for the Husqvarna PLUS hoop (One reason I wrote this program in the first place... so I can stitch the DRAGON design from the Husqvarna website on my Rose machine).
• Editing and adding to designs both as individual stitches and as shapes or regions. This will involve a very powerful fill engine. Convert stitches into lines and shapes, then modify the lines to be a satin stitch, or fill the shape with a customizable pattern.
• More text rendering options, such as fills, underlay, colors, optimizing jumpstitches, etc.
• Free rotate of selection.

References

Embroidery file formats:

• www.wotsit.org (Wotsit's Format, the programmer's resource) - Contains a few sketchy embroidery format descriptions: DST, EXP, PES/PCS, and KSM.
• Autocad DXF Reference - not an embroidery format, but likely a useful vector format.
• List of formats from Buzz Tools - Especially, I want to find a format that includes color information (VIP is one).
• Pfaff PCD2 File Format by Kenneth Porter.
• tajima.rtf or here - Decoded file format of Tajima .DST.
• A few of my source files (not necessarily current) showing reading and writing of file formats: dst.cpp, dst.h, csv.cpp, csv.h. Also here's a couple other files that define some useful structures and routines: pattern.cpp, pattern.h, helpers.cpp, helpers.h. I'd recommend downloading the latest release source package if you want to compile them, or even use part of the code in your own software. These files are made availalbe under GPL (GNU General Public License).
• Samples: dragon.csv - example of a design file in the CSV format. Open as a text file or use Excel to view as a spreadsheet.

Mathematics References

• An example of Relaxed Cubic Spline Interpolation that I'd like to adapt. I'd like to implement closed polygons with a Cyclic version.
• Point in Polygon - algorithm example for determining if a point is contained in a polygon.

Programming References

• MSDN, Microsoft Developer Network. The equivalent of man pages for Visual C++.

Embroidery Digitizing Techniques

• World of Digitizing has good details on all sorts of embroidery design techniques.
• Digitizing 101's free sample chapter on Underlay is a good read.

Sources of Embroidery files for testing

• Needlework Russia - a variety of free DST files to try.
• Embroidery Design Sharing at Buzz Tools - more free designs.
• AnnTheGran - Very large collection of free designs, well organized.

Other software available

Free

• eXXXterminator - File conversion program (from DST, EXP, ELA, KSM, PCS, PEC, PES, SEW, XXX; and into DST, EXP, PCS) - Freeware, Visual Basic, by Rudolph Veit, 1999.
• Atomizer - Splits a design into multiple sections (Reads and writes EXP only) - Freeware, Visual Basic, by Rudolph Veit, 1999.
• Kwik-Draw - Creates very simple outline drawings (Reads .KWK outline files, Writes .PCS) - Freeware, Visual Basic, bu Rudolph Veit, 1997.
• Pesview and EasyPEC - Converts from PES,PEC,PCS,DST,SEW into DST,PES or PES to PEC - Freeware, by Joachim Riedel.
• EMBCopy file viewer and manager (supports PES, PEC, PCS, DST, SEW) Postcard-ware, by Joachim Riedel, 2000.
• Ambassador Tajima DG/ML by Pulse - converts PSF,PCH,PES,PEC,SEW,EXP,CSD,XXX,DSZ,DST,DSB,JEF,PCM,PCS,PUM,ARC,HUS (and PXF,POF,PED,KWK outline formats). Freeware, 2004.
• PCD-CAT95 View and print catalogs 6 or 30 on a page (reads PCD, PCQ, PCS, KSM, PES, PEC, EXP, DST, SEW). Freeware by Gary Renolds, 2001.
• AVVIO95 View, minor edit of (PCS, PCQ, PCD) by Sergio Palini.
• ConvPCD (or ConvPCD) Dos command line program that converts PCD, PCQ binary to older format text version. Freeware (discontinued commercial software) by Roger Smith Software, 1994.
• pcd2TEXT Converts (PCD,PCQ,PCS) to older text version of those files. Dos command line. Freeware by LSI, 1996.
• dumppcd Dumps version 2 PCD,PCQ,PCS files to text. By Kenneth Porter.
• sortpcd Shuffles the colors around in a PCD,PCQ,or PCS file. By Kenneth Porter.
• Coats EDV Coats Embroidery Design Viewer, (reads NGS,MLS,DST,DSZ,DSB,SST,KSM,XXX,TAP,EXP,CND,STC and writes NGS,MLS,DST,DSZ,DSB,KSM,TAP,EXP,SST), with thread selection using Coats brand thread colors. Freeware, by Coats/Wings Systems, 2001.
• Image-Embroidery-0.1 - PERL program (with Sourcecode) for a DST file format reader/writer, by Kirk Baucom, Sep. 2003.

  Not so Free

• Embird - Converts, edits, resizes ($80) (time limited demo available). Extra plugins add digitizing ($150/$150), font conversions ($145), or Iconizer ($20).
• BuzzTools - BuzzTools ($99), BuzzXplore ($169), BuzzEdit ($189) (Reads/writes most formats, time limited demo available).
• WinDaisy - Digitizing ($289 and up) (design size limited demo available).
• PcdMore - Displays/Reads/Writes (pcd,pcq,pcs, pecs,pec). ($35) By David Shilvock. ( v0.99 Beta was freeware.)
• Drawings for Corel Draw 12 with DrawStitch ($1299). Digitizes and probably a lot of other stuff too for this price.
• Husqvarna/Viking - VIP Customizing Plus ($500), Reader/Writer($150), others. Reads/writes most formats, scales +/-20% without preserving stitch density, add shapes and text, combine designs, write to Viking cards, etc.