1 Preface 2 Installation
Contents
1. In the Layout gt Arrangement and distribute gt Align menu there are various alignment options The most commonly used setting is shown in the figure above Here the objects are also aligned vertically and horizontally along the center of the sign plate Press CTRL K to repeat the last alignment setting 15 2 Arrangement Elements are initially arranged depending on the chronological order of their creation l e if you create a rectangle first and a circle second the circle is in a higher layer than the rectangle The circle is in the layer above the rectangle The circle is in the layer below the rectangle If you want the circle to be below the rectangle the arrangement of objects must be changed The arrangement of individual objects can be changed using the following commands To Front Strg F Object is moved to the foreground To Back Strg B Object is moved to the background Forward Strg U Moves the object up one layer Backward Strg L Moves the object down one layer Reverse Strg M Reverses the order of layers www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 15 3 Guides A guide is a horizontal or vertical reference line for positioning objects To create a guide right click a position on the ruler where the guide should be placed If you move an object towards the guide the guide becomes magnetic and the object is aligned along this line You can2. Find already printed signs in the lower half of the window Select the desired file The preview can be helpful here Click the job once to select it and drag it back to the upper window Wait until the entire print job has come in and the message Holding job ripped appears behind the file name Press the right mouse button and select Print job or Print amp cut job in the context menu The printer begins printing the file www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 23 Graphic editing 23 1 Outlines and inlines Outline Inline CN ose Ar 0 00 Er 0 00 Pm Le E 0 00 E 10 00 lo 154 CS ON CI E F r r r F 100 e Cancel Outline and inline can be created simultaneously The outline checkboxes are on the left side of the smart bar the inline checkboxes are on the right side The color can be set separately The smart bar offers various options for configuring corners and stroke widths 23 2 Transformation The Transformation menu offers various options for warping a shape First select the object First click transformation in the transform menu Guin ARK iOS BEE KIA SS Bownding Box Perspektive Fit to globe cylinder flag circle You can now see various options in the smart bar Simply select a method Afterwards you will see control points along the object which you can drag using your mouse In the example below the perspec
3. 8 3 Rechteck sam 4 amp 379 vom DI 349 D a naad Ed joo lt k The smart bar lets you set the length width and rotation angle www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 8 4 Polygon x 7 61 5 S 0 yi 14 53 a 123 78 de pza 3 oo E ug 2 a K The smart bar lets you set the number of points rotation angle polygon radius corner radius and the side convexity 8 5 Star x 820 4 kel e sf 322 5 SZ om X y 14 293 4 nie 13501 Y K 123 4 ate ler The smart bar lets you set the number of points rotation angle star radius 1 2 and corner radius 1 2 a ke WW de E 2400 8 6 Arrow 2 E 43 s um Y Caen 4 How 4 Hom 4 oom 4 y 1343 H as m gt 280 Cam 4 ooo 4 The smart bar lets you set the arrow length shaft length arrow width shaft width rotation angle angle between shaft and tip forward and backward convexity and rounded tip angle 8 7 Fan mu 3 dao a Amz a C ha 4 Oks 4 yRe 4 The smart bar lets you set the number of points rotation angle star radius 1 2 and corner radius 1 2 8 8 Weed This tool makes it easier to weed texts and objects ES S Schliessen 8 9 Power weed Optimizes weeding of texts and objects Zuweisen 254 y a0 4 8 10 Border The Decorative border tool is used to create a border that encloses either the sign plate or the selected objects This tool
4. Go to File gt Import to import the files 14 Changing shapes and text Left click a shape to select it Control points appear on the selected shape You can change the shape s size by clicking and dragging a control point The jolene control points are available SignMax V9 1 Print Cut Pro Ohne Titel MAX E Edit Layout Arrange gege View Options Help bier eee x 000 ac 10000 Ze o om E GC SS SE yoo Hom 1000 4a Li Dn o Tae 14 1 Center eg gt 14 4 Rotation point Sy 14 3 Boundary point 14 2 Corner point Elli GEES K h Di gt Cel Y Mx Ck bh ah 70 ei el I A h KO 100 O nem a AORTA ADA Eee a eaea ea E ICA L S ad A gt mJ Bl Layer 14 1 Center point The center point allows you to change the position of your object Move the arrow over the center point until it because a double arrow Now drag the mouse move the object in the right position Release the mouse button once the object has the correct position 14 2 Corner point The corner point lets you make the shape smaller or larger while keeping the original shape Move the arrow over the corner point until it becomes a double arrow As soon as the arrow takes this shape you can drag the mouse to make it larger or smaller Release the mouse button once the object has the correct size 14 3 Boundary point The boundary point helps you to stretch o
5. 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 16 6 Export image The Export Image function lets you save a pictogram or an entire sign as a graphic file You can set the color and resolution In the next step you can specify the file name and image format TIFF JPG BMP Color depth Monochrome C Gray f Full color Resolution 300 Use Transparency 17 Print The File gt Print menu lets you get to the print function You can also press CTRL P or use the printer icon in the icon bar 17 1 Printer An OneNote 2010 senden Fax Horizontal overlap 0 00 y Vertical overlap 000 4 Kyocera FS C5200DN KX Roll width mm My Copies Separate colors Preview Here you can select the printer If Preview is checked you will see a print preview before printing which allows you to position and scale the draft www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 17 2 Basic settings Adobe PDF e An OneNote 2010 senden Fax Horizontal overlap Kyocera FS C5200DN KX Vertical overlap Microsoft XPS Document Writer Roll width mm i 4 Copies Separate colors Preview Copies Enter the quantity of signs badges you want Separate colors Some templates prohibition signs for example have separate colors For example prohibition signs have a pre printed red circle You only need to print the black layer Overlap These values are important if
6. We combine many years of experience with new ideas 1 Preface This user manual gives an overview of properties and processes available in SignMax in the Print amp Cut module and in the professional graphic editing module This documentation helps new users find their way and highlights special processes that improve efficiency SignMax has a wide range of functions Feel free to experiment with the software Copyright notes The information contained in this manual was collected and authored by the company MAX Systems It serves for informational purposes only and may not be changed or expanded by third parties MAX Systems takes no responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies this document might contain We are thankful for any hints suggestions and comments Authored and designed by MAX Systems GmbH Am Bauhof 12 D 27442 Gnarrenburg Germany Phone 49 4763 94595 0 Fax 49 4763 94595 11 E Mail info maxsystems eu Internet www maxsystems eu 2 Installation Please observe the installation manual on the software DVD the USB stick Not following these instructions may result in the software s behaving abnormally www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 Contents VETADO o o iio pias 1 An E AOI AA PP e PE PO OU OPE PO PEO CO 1 EEN D APP E A 5 SEN ag e TE 5 EIEL OM EAI o PP A EE AT O A E E E E ea 5 Sn Woe 6 2 e e P E o oo 5 o INO SS EE 8 GEES O ES o O O
7. a rectangle Go to the Cut gt Contour Half Cut Object on off A flex cut line is now created from your shape 22 The print manager The Print amp Cut Manager was developed to facilitate archiving and control of your print jobs Here you can see ata glance which signs have already been produced and which are still missing A small preview helps you to immediately recognize the sign All settings made in the SignMax file remain the same and you can reproduce the sign in the same quality over and over again Simply click File gt Print amp Cut Select printing que Click Ok Your print job now goes to the Print amp Cut Manager Fite Layout Arrange Cut Transform image View Options Help See mec a 20603 3 100 00 Ho Goo Ze A as yi 9300 4 10200 10000 y S OE ofi ee 200 100 100 140 120 100 ES e 4 2208 29513 TACA AA D DL Eleliriclalx drucken MuhiMax 5PCi CMMYK Local e Setup push 4 Ce Add Remote Printing Queue FT Send Cut Data to Another Queue E ENS E Er 100 0 t 00 mal 0 0 gt z Fil Invisible Stroke None Layer Layer 1 Transparency None cra Ae eee e EES SR o CROCE L MS dain Oera www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 22 1 Print cut After you have given the command for printing and cutting in the Print amp Cut preview of the SignMax software
8. J Tool Options www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 Plotter Port Method Direct to port Remote spool Path Current COMM settings T Edit Baud rate Parity Data bits Stop bits gt Flow control Pay attention to the Connection tab Under Connect to select the correct connection for your plotter e g LPT1 for parallel or COM2 for serial For a USB connection select External DLL 20 3 Cutting with one color N Open the SignMax software and create your sign Click the scissors K in the toolbar The cut preview opens TAZA Now first click the poll the Plotter for Height and Width button You will then see the exact roll width green line www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 20 4 Cutting with multiple colors Create your sign with all the colors you want to plot In this example we want to plot a prohibition sign SR the toolbar The cut preview opens Click TIEFE Now first click the Check Plotter for Height and Width button You will see the exact roll width green line For easier applying click Registration Marks The Registration Marks window opens y KR Here click Default TDS GH Oa E A LS OA The registration marks are plotted for each color so that you can
9. A aX 6 e BE 6 ocean IE e EE 8 SAE E TORT EE A 8 SL SEA Dre SS aE EE 9 5 3 Text frame proper Sarceda 10 ATTA O TTR N POCA RPP oO E EE AS 11 S PEOC CMA e PP 11 O ZOOM TOOTS E 12 ANA A ee E SO EE 12 A A A 13 lt A 13 o nn O E e o UE o AA 13 Sn TES TN SU ee 13 E Oly IOI POCA o o o E A R E NE 14 E EE 14 SEET 14 oa FA 14 oo ios O ER o o on e 14 A o Mu E e e oo E O o ERA 14 A ee 14 o ra ON MANA E oo o PO E OOOO 15 o KE Val Mile rEg HOLY MaS rior dao tata 15 A e Ro E E E 15 PP o oo ea 15 GE EE elle ele e eee 15 10 ocan T00 E 15 hf TOGE TOFS Toko S arno lS EE 16 12 GINS FNG TOOS rincon ETETE EER a A nEn ARENT 16 E A e O E o E O E PES EE E AE E 16 www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 A E OOOO Pe ono O A 16 13 2 Using eigene leen 17 12 II Snape and E 17 14 1 Center nn A 17 ss A ntact eo a seeatueexncctelendwatadeoacoteie a ed iaoe ie 17 TAS e 8 1 gle Dd id 17 144 Rotation FO A Pm e e o e E E UU e oo 17 14 5 Making Changes from smart bar usina a 18 14 6 co oo alo TM UPS AUN EE 18 LA DODIG ICK ee 18 E A E Pe O E o O O OO e A 18 A A OI O E O OOO O E E 18 o Een 18 ee EE 19 o A E o e 19 e a A a 19 nn A e Pro Eo A 19 USR ee 20 A P P e e CO A 20 lago AAA testes E e pe E Eo Pz a 20 A o A 21 A A P ee E ee 21 EE 21 e 21 16 4 Importing other file formats E 21 LO O GE 21 io AMA II A AS 22 PP EE 22 A PP ee ee ne ee ee ee ee e
10. Install gt Plotter Driver in the menu bar Then select the plotter model and click Next InstallShield Wizard Selektieren Sie bitte die gewunschten Treiber die Sie installieren mochten Hersteller Ausgabegerate Max Meyer 236 K MultiM ax 305 MultiMax 6DS Multi ax 5Pci StudioM ax 6000 StudioMax 012 StudioM ax Q4 Studiok ax G6 StudioMax Z Series InstallShield g Zurtick wee Abbrechen 20 2 Configuring the plotter After having installed the plotter you still need to set up SignMax to work with your device To do so go to Cut gt Plotting defaults in the menu bar Here you can make some output settings Axis swap for example makes sure that objects are always rotated Check Weed border to give all objects a weed border Make sure that you click Save settings for all changes Click Setup next to the driver selection to set the driver a is Plot pm Selected driver StudioMax UA D Setup Cut to VPM I MultiMax 5PCi a D El 1 m Options Mirror M Sort Axis swap Weed border T Cut by color Pounce Banner Fill Stack copies Jog L J M Origin jog L Move S oo El Smoothing gt r Cut move 10 e htenee os Y move 10 000 E CS Medium C Sign blank Copies Copies 1 T Use driver copies Object start point Current C Bottom C To High Iw Selected c Lo C Right
11. now be highlighted in blue e You can replace the text in the upper row e Click Serialization m Current Job Start Fass ip Set as Base O Zreemm Repeat 1 Cancel Base Number Character Base 00i La gt Hint Select any numeric or character portion of the Start value and click Set as Base Last Job Next value Fass 011 Set as Start Keep this value for next job e In the new dialogue select the part of the text to increase e Click Set as Base once e Under Increment set by how many times each badge should be incremented e Click OK e Now you will also see a data preview e Click OK to run the serialization B 1 150 a You can now browse through the badges in the lower right of the screen During printout you will be asked if you want to print all badges or only specifi c ones www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 18 2 Text replacement from file If you want to create badges using files from a data source proceed as follows Create data source This MUST be a TXT file You can either use a text editor to create the file or you export an Excel file In Excel go to File gt Save As Then select Text separated by tab txt as the file format Complete the layout for the badge Select the text to be replaced Click Layout gt Badges Number
12. of copies fi 50 H Max copies per page fi None jw Use plate Replaceable items text highlight text to be changed Color PRR RT y l Blank l Custom size Height 200 0C Width 420 00 m Margins Top 0 00 Bottom 0 00 Left 0 00 Right 0 00 Spacing Vertical 11 27 Horizontal 11 27 Group each badge Page preview Replacement data file C Users koretzko Desktop Beispiel ty Total number of pages 1150 EBE va TI cs Horizontal You do not need to enter anything for the number of copies This will result from the file Be sure to check the Use plate box Select the text to be changed in the window on the right Check the box for text file Click Browse to select the source file Click OK Now you will also see a data preview Click OK to run the serialization B 1 150 a You can now browse through the badges in the lower right of the screen During printout you will be asked if you want to print all badges or only specificones www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 Additional Functions This chapter describes additional functions of the SignMax v9 1 software that are available as upgrades You can add extensive editing functions for your fi les by purchasing add on modules such as Barcodes or Pro 19 Barcodes OQUO A tea In the Shape Tools bar sele
13. smart bar shows information such as position and size of the shape Here you can also easily change the size of an element text image pictogram etc by entering the corresponding value in the height or width field Proportional scaling is activated by default This means that changing one value also changes the other value proportionally Clicking the padlock icon next to the percentage value deactivates this function 3 3 Icon bar The icon bar has shortcuts to the software s primary functions Buttons can be added to and or removed from this toolbar 3 4 Toolbar The toolbar to the left of the workspace contains the main tools for creating and editing text and shapes Most of the tool buttons open other toolbars when clicked 3 5 Shop palette The color palette is located at the bottom of the workspace by default The default color palette contains all colors that are currently available for the workspace do JER dee eee eee 62 se 68 8 Fa al a El If you left click one of the color icons the color is selected for filling all currently selected shapes and as the default fill color for all new shapes To change the fill color of a shape without changing the default fill color proceed as follows Left click the desired color icon and drag it away from the default color palette If you move the cursor it looks as if it drags a color icon along Drag the cursor to the desired shape and release the mouse button A new color is ass
14. the A amp GU Manager opens automatically Your print job goes into the print list using the current file name File Edit Arrange Cut Transform Image View Options Help eee x 10202 20603 100 00 Zeg G 000 4 y 9900 Y 1020 41000 4 Objects 3 f29 811 281 219 men ECRL Tra Leet anr FAL File Queu Leme ee e e rr ss ENE 4056 Ss Mie SPC CMMYK 1 Show Print and Cut Previews v CA Status LA At driicken ziehen push pull KI Find Job on Page Move selected jobs to Copy selected jobs to laa gt DREI DD Lilelelelelk Create f Y A h D 0 i y on N Cut Cut by Color Print and Cut RIP Only Archive to disk amp N Generate Preview Image dr cken push Pl i Fil Invisible Stroke None Layer Layer 1 Transparency None Seil oo sj mi 9 ASESORA l ES dl E ggym Dei Wait until the entire print job has come in and the message Holding job ripped appears behind the file name Click the right mouse button and in the Print context menu select Print or Print amp Cut gt SignMax VP VPM MultiMax SPCi Datei r es Extras Ansicht Hilf i b i Gey O Kees MultiMax 5PCi 1 Eigenschaften Entfernen Umbenennen Job auf der Seite finden Erstellen Drucken Schneiden Schneiden nach Farbe Drucken und Schneiden Nur
15. their contours The substrate remains intact First select the objects to be cut Select Cut gt Contour Cut in the menu nside Dutside gt Vectors Bitmaps fl e A RI Guet Settings 7 Group objects Iw Bitmap frame e um D D io 0 00 3 Bleed amount 0 00 y Invert bitmap www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 21 2 Contour Cut images You can also use Contour Cut to cut out ported images For this simply follow the below instructions Here you can see three examples for cut lines added to an image In the first image you can see the cut lines for the image s rectangular borders In the second image the cut lines follow the image s contours In the third image the contour lines include the shade added to the image Import an image Images where the object is shown against a very bright background are best suited for this function This makes it easier for the software to decide how to cut the image Select an image In the Cut menu select Contour Cut Make sure that the Cut within bitmap on off button is activated Before you start a print amp cut job you first need to add the cut lines The Contour Cut option allows you to cut all signs pictograms texts and other shapes precisely along their contours The substrate remains intact First select the objects to be cut Select Cut gt Contour Cut in the menu P gt
16. 6 Race Einstelns y I Objektaruppen M 1 70 3 Jbertillungsgrosse 0 60 E Bitmap invertieren m Vektoren Bitmaps cm o H j Iw InnentAussen EJ Iw Bitmaprahmen As soon as you click Assign a pop up window appears Schwarz Weiss Filter Grenzbereich e Mehr we Mobi Swe 0 255 Wektorisieren Setup LOGO Long Lines amp Curves y Ea Abbrechen In this window you need to set the monochrome filter This monochrome filter determines which parts of the image white background are ignored by the cut line You can already assess the result during setup since the created contour cut line is shown The contour cut line should be an exact copy of the object If you are not satisfied with the result repeat the process with a different value for the monochrome filter www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 21 3 Flex Cut Unlike the Contour Cut option the Flex Cut option does not just cut the foil but also cuts the substrate with a perforation cut Create a flex cut in the following manner Select the objects to be cut out Go to Cut gt Half Cut Set the spacing This specifies how far the cut is removed from the edges of the object or the objects The cut now has the same shape as your object If you want a cut that does not have the shape of the object but its own shape proceed as follows Create the shape to be cut out e g
17. F e Templates Clip Art Go To Clip Art Viewer Clip Art Categories Setup Blank Sie Sign Blank Object Then go to Menu gt Layout gt Size Move gt Mirror Here you can choose between vertical and horizontal www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 16 File functions 16 1 New Opens a new file 16 2 Open To merge files use import and select merge option Iw Don t show this message again OK The following message appears upon opening This is only a note that SignMax files can also be loaded into an existing project by using the import function Simply check the box next to Don t show this message Then you can open your file as usual 16 3 Save You can save all your created projects The files are saved in the MAX format Only SignMax can read this format If you want to use a pictogram in a different software you will need to export it 16 4 Importing other file formats As described in Section 13 2 Using your own graphics you can also use images in other formats such as PDF EPS and DXF in your version of SignMax 16 5 Export You can export your file into various other formats such as Al PDF EPS TXT CAD etc Adobe Illustrator a ps Za AN NR DesignCAD Line_Bogen dc2 DesignCAD Linie de2 Encapsulated PostScript eps ae pm Level 3 EPS eps www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax
18. I 9 Graphic edit tools A curve object has node points and control points The shape of the object can be changed Objects in curves can have any shape including straight or curved lines The node points in an object are the little squares that are shown along the object outline The line between two node points is called a segment Segments can be straight or curved objects Every node point has a control point for each curved segment that is connected to the node point Control points help you to adjust the bend of a segment Graphics Edit Tools 10 Scan tools Vector graphics unlike raster graphics are not based on a pixel grid where each pixel is assigned a color value but on an image description which exactly defines an object on which the image is based One crucial characteristic which is also an advantage compared to raster graphics is continuous and loss free scalability www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 11 Tools for strokes and fills The stroke tool lets you add an outline to vector objects There is a difference between the hairline and outline tools The hairline is an extremely thin line which is often used for cutting First select the object to which you want to add an outline Then click the tool in the toolbar In the smart bar you can now choose between hairline and outline For the outline you can select the stroke width color and shape of corners If
19. K Cancel www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 x The blank size dialogue opens if you select blank size in ae the Layout menu Orientation Portrait If Other is displayed under Current selection you can de enter the blank size manually under Dimensions Landscape rent salte o Under Origin selection you can set the origin for the rulers Custom v Dimensions Width Height 100 00 lt x 100 00 wn Material selection Default Y Resize objects proportionally F Show Shadow Reset to Square Advanced Cancel www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 5 Creating text To create a text please find the text tools in the toolbar on the left side SB Text on Screen kerning DE Spell check AB Underlined text 5 1 Creating text T To write text select Text tools in the toolbar menu After selecting the Text compse tool you have three options for configuring the text frame Click the workspace The input position for the text is specified When writing text the text frame adjusts to fit the text Drag text frame with pressed mouse button Sizing a frame using the mouse specifies the text frame fields When you write the text the text frame does not change and the text is
20. Rippen Auf Festplatte archivieren Erstelle Vorschaubild The printer begins to process the file www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 22 2 Reprinting archived jobs The Print amp Cut Manager saves your print jobs automatically and enables you to manage them efficiently The print jobs are saved with all settings and can be printed again when necessary E SignMax V9 1 Pr File Edit Layout Arange Cut Transform Image View Options Help Objects 3 s 1202 m mem Zum O 00 o FY 23811281 219 E 2 2 y 9900 E 10200 100 00 3 8 E PI Sen aa KE la IO cad rn Ve Leet lor Es ene Ven Maan C Ela Fie Queue Jobs Devices Tools View Help Mazo Ger 7 6 ect MatMax 5PCi CMMYK 1 e GEES Pd eo EN amp a o 0 1 1 1 an Status Print Mode Properties Remove Delete mee UTUCRCIL ziehen AN pull Find Job on Page Move selected jobs to Copy selected jobs to teal gt AA MIX lzi Create Print Cut Cut by Color Print and Cut RIP Only Archive to disk Generate Preview Image Copies Ties Duplicate Registration Off d 1 z 206 06 mm HI 102 05 mn 1 100 00 Rotate None v d 1 00 mm 7 7 0 00 mm D LU Fill Invisble Stroke None Layer Layer 1 Transparency None tlela 0 0 gt dain ASADA Jn AS is ojo D bayer a
21. contours Permit inner contours Extent of offset Extent of miter Contour colors Saved settings www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 23 6 Special effects Plug in Many useful additional tools plug ins are available in the PRO version All the special effects a graphic designer needs today We have integrated some of the most popular plug ins into SignMax You no longer need to use multiple applications for such effects SignMax has all the graphic tools you need to add a wow effect to your graphics Szene VA Pint Cato File dit Layout Arrange Cut Transform Image View Options Help Cip Group Hi 12 333 50 060 de Ah DH xi 4 ER Sue Le PS g ovas y b 3st image Mode T i Options D de Bevel Bots 3 X AA mp Le AA Easy Color Adjustments D gt Color Adjustments ES 4 gt 5 19 4 2 3 x 3 D 35 DG Filters nr D D 4 Alpha Channel Eye Candy 4000 r Bevel Boss Chrome ehdi Corona Mehdi 2 r Gradient Glow Shadowlab wi Gil kikil D a A ez y Ig n a x Mi i D o D gt oo e J L e A h h II 6 m E EI KE v 2 ao AN 4 Fil imsble Stroke None Layer Layer 1 Trarmperency None E 190 e 2 emee e aea ee ae an ta a nE ea E Ea EIS e ae ae ae N E al dml JW sl A Omg C Ebene 1 24 Keyboard shortcuts Using keyboard shortcuts can make work much easier for experi
22. ct the option Barcode Tt w AR Auto Value SignMax EI Bun y Code 128 sl Kie gt invert Close Then you can set the properties of the barcode in the smart bar First you should specify the barcode type e g Code 128 Enter the barcode value into the Value fi eld The current QR code is also available now Click the three point button J next to the Value fi eld to see another menu where you can set the barcode caption options Secci Copton Fests i a jw Use caption Caption Font Properties jw Barcode value is caption Font Caption text Coa Style SignMax fi 2 pt Y Normal Caption position I Bold Below Left x E f Italic Click OK to confirm Cancel Then click Apply The arrow cursor now changes to a text cursor Move the cursor to the position where you want to place the barcode and confirm once by clicking the left mouse button Double click a barcode to change an already created barcode You can simply change the value and click Assign 20 Plotting SignMax supports a number of plotters Please observe that only vector objects can be cut All objects you create with SignMax even cliparts are vector objects www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 20 1 Installing a plotter driver To install a plotter driver go to File gt
23. e to zoom in or out Zoom in Drag a box around the area you want to zoom in on Zoom out Zooms out Zoom to selected objects Zooms in on the selected objects Zoom to Sign blank Centers the sign plate at the center of the screen Previous view Switches to the previous zoom level Pan state Move the view in all directions using the mouse Zoom percentage Select the percentage for the zoom factor 7 Weld tools Combining two objects into one curve object with the same outline A source object welds with a target object to create a new object that has the filling and outline attributes of the target object www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 3 Shape tools DOUCE ege ces CES The Shapes button from the toolbar lets you create different shapes Left click a shape Now move the cursor to the position in the workspace where you want to create the shape Hold the left mouse button and drag the shape to the correct size Afterwards you can use the smart bar to change the properties of the shape If you later want to change the properties of a shape double click the shape 20 97 al The X and Y fields in the smart bar show the position in the workspace Xe i This is not relevant for most users or 13 43 4 8 1 Circle men 16 72 e 1 31 O yi 5 74 e O 3 You can use the smart bar to set the radius 8 2 Rectangle The smart bar does not allow editing
24. edit guides by right clicking a guide or by using the Options gt Guides menu Right clicking the workspace opens the Edit Guides dialogue The following steps create a vertical guide Edit Guides T Add parallel line at normal Lock guides offset Cancel Label Font Right click the workspace to open the Edit Guides dialogue Set the alignment of the guide to vertical Specify the coordinates for Point 1 Click Add The created guide runs through the displayed points The guides function as described below Right click a ruler to create a guide Click and hold Shift a selected object and right click the object s handles to create guides not when editing vector shapes To add guides when editing nodes press Shift and right click the node Open the Edit Guides dialogue by right clicking the workspace when no objects are selected Open the Edit Guides dialogue via Options gt Guides gt Edit Guides When dragging the position of a guide press Shift to limit the guide to the next larger step size of the ruler To remove a guide press Shift and right click the guide when no objects are selected Use the guides to align your objects along the center point or the boundary points of the sign plate along the guides 15 4 Grouping objects The Group function is used to combine multiple objects into one object This ensures that no parts of the object are left behind when the ob
25. ee 22 AP o A e o PCS PUE ENE E OLE e o E a 23 Kee ee E cect A A AA a 24 RP 25 le Ee die Lee e e pi E eee ee eee 25 18 2 Text replacement from Te 27 o ege EE AEE Ea 28 Re ut o AE E o o Un E O EEN E 28 20 1 Installing a ploter GVO sssrinin aa iaa nak AA ANEA iana ETa Eai aia ESTER OPERER 29 20 2 EE EIERE eege 29 A tee ee 30 20A CONRO WIR UUDE COO nooo do os 31 20 5 Weed und Power Weed 32 www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 A A o n 32 a E Bo ato JU E O IP En A a 32 a E ee e ET E ips 33 PARS e E 34 A ceanatooteetars 34 PEA LG OI PCC A E e seem tet eee 35 22 2 Reprinting archived jobs venoso ooo iaa 36 Ello o e Ao PP o e A A AA E ae 37 AR E o o 57 232 AAS FON VAIO ee E E E E E A 3 SR E e Die E 37 e ele EE 38 e e 38 23 0 Special effects PIUOA EE 39 24 Keyboard SON OIE erstes 39 AS e o o e O ou o E A EP 40 www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 3 Controls Se SignMax V9 1 Print Cut Pro Ohne MAX e ve saa x 10772 joo 18594 2 100 00 Ze a nam Hi en 4 10000 Fy le le lola lx LG MELLA LI ll vo 9 4 al nl J Cl Ebene 1 3 1 Menu bar The menu bar is similar to the one found in other applications 3 2 Smart bar The smart bar is a special toolbar in SignMax which contains context specific controls depending on the type of process If you select a shape the
26. enced PC users We have listed the most important keyboard shortcuts here If there is a keyboard shortcut for a command you can see this in the menu The keyboard shortcut is shown next to the command F3 Select all F6 Shrink view F7 Zoom object selection F8 Sign plate view CTRL K Align CTRL G Group CTRL P Print CTRL Z Undo CTRL C Copy CTRL A Select all CTRL X Cut CTRL V Insert CTRL D Duplicate ALT G Ungroup ALT S Show color fill on off ALT Instant replay www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 25 Installing fonts For using new fonts with SignMax or after installing new fonts in Windows Copy the font files into the Windows font directory C Windows Fonts by default In the SignMax menu select the Install Fonts option to open the Install Fonts dialogue This dialogue is used to search and save the new fonts that have been copied to the hard drive Note Take care when saving fonts on a CD or another removable medium since this would require that the CD is inserted before you work with SignMax Schriften installieren r Ansehen in Iw Suchen nach TrueType OpenType Sch C SignMax SignMax 9 1 Print SSES nach Adaba Tena mite ITM Seo WSK rint Suchen LICTIGETT Mal A Schriftformate Iw Suchen nach Corel WFN Schriften IV Mit Unterverzeichnisse Suchen nach CADlink VEF Schriften gt ic
27. he interline spacing is also decreased since the text lines move closer to the lower margin 5 4 Text on screen kerning ASB AB This tool lets you quickly change the kerning letter spacing of an existing text This requires that you select the text field Then select the tool signMa You can now see various editing icons around the text Left square This square lets you move the text Circle under a letter If you move this control point to the right all letters to the right of this point are moved to the right Any others remain in place Right circle Moving this circle increases or decreases the space between individual letters 5 5 Spell check When editing a text click the Spell Check button to check the spelling of the currently selected text If no text is selected the entire text object is checked www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 To spell check all text objects in the workspace select the Spell Check option in the Text Tools menu Spell Checker Context Sign ax Word not found Suggestions Sign ax Add Cancel Replace Replace All Change to i Ignore Sigma i Ignore All Verity Main dictionary Amerikanisches Englisch a User dictionary Default ulx y 6 Zoom tools Zoom Tools The Zoom Tools bar contains functions for zooming in and out Tip You can use the scroll wheel on your mous
28. igned to the shape The following images illustrate the described process www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 BEER eel ere A fa eee 2ebSs LJ aa ello er gt ll N Click a color icon and Drag the icon onto Release the mouse drag it away from the the object button once palette the cursor is over the object 3 6 Job palette The job palette is located at the right side of the window and displays all colors that are currently used in the workspace By default the job palette shows the color preview which lists all colors currently used in the workspace 4 Blank size The blank size is the representation of the area to be printed or cut The dimensions of the blank size are usually configured first so that the positions of images and texts can be shown The Blank Size dialogue is used to adjust the dimensions and alignment of the blank size This way you can check the position of the objects in the workspace before starting a print or cut process r Ongin s lection Onentation k Ce Portrait Te CO Landscape Current selection Custom r Dimensions width Height i 100 00 ae 100 00 E mm E m Material selection Default e L Resize objects proportionally Show Shadow Reset to Square Advanced o
29. in the smart bar to open the dialogue Text Frame Properties C Free width p O ax 60 55 f C Free height 1126 11 Ze Fixed height xl e ad K ES e 13 54 y 2228 Margins Absolute C Percentage ES ES om H E 0 00 E Auto spacing Select the button Settings to open the dialogue Auto Spacing Auto Spacing Equal spacing C Weighted spacing Top bottom margin size l Gi of interline spacing Extra bottom weighting E AA 0 0 GE of interline spacing cancel Hinweis To use the control fields Auto Spacing the text must be create with the option Frame text compose tool www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 Equal spacing Equal spacing sets the same space between any two lines of text If Top bottom margin size is set to less than 100 of the line space the margins are decreased and the space between the text lines increases If the value is set to more than 100 however the margins increase and the space between the lines decreases Weighted spacing Selecting Weighted spacing allows you to vary the interline spacing If you increase Extra bottom weighting to more than 100 the lower margin also increases so that lower text lines in the text box move upwards If you set Extra bottom weighting to less than 100 the bottom margin is decreased and t
30. is available both in the Shape Tools menu and in the Layout menu To draw a border around a sign plate make sure nothing is selected Otherwise the border encloses the selected objects The smart bar lets you set the shape of corners colors border thickness and distance from the object Important If the border should follow the object you must click the Accept button 10 00 a Rahmen anpassen x po a oo 48 ep ES Y o wn 3 Schildfl che vl y ao JJe oo Fo Sohliessen www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 8 11 Registration marks The registration marks are plotted for each color so that you can use them when applying the foils You can use the mouse to move the registration marks 3 12 Multiple registration marks If you use Multiple registration marks you have the additional option of automatically positioning the registration marks F 1270 4 VER Default 3 Positi E Abstand 12 70 i va Gm 4 nonen BR d Sak S Schliessen 8 13 Ruler Help tool for creating rulers Lineal 1 see x 20000 40000 10000 Ax G 0 00 mee 320 967 57 022 ooo B S Za E E y 2953 ai 1099 4 100 00 T 8 14 Scale Auxiliary tool for creating scales potentiometer x00 sj Antangawinkel um Radius 0 00 4 Grundinie Strich Position DA Y 0 00 3 Endwinkel 180 00 fh Drehwinkel Starke 0 00 4 s Richtung Oben D
31. ject is moved All pictograms are also grouped Of course you can also ungroup objects 15 4 1 Grouping objects Select all objects you want to group by dragging a frame around the objects Then go to Menu gt Layout gt Group You can also press Ctrl G 15 4 2 Ungroup Select the grouped object Then go to Menu gt Layout gt Ungroup You can also press ALT G www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 15 5 Duplicate Instead of copying and pasting you can also duplicate objects Duplicated objects are inserted immediately Select all objects you want to duplicate by dragging a frame around all objects with the left mouse button You can find this function via Menu gt Layout gt Duplicate You can also press CTRL D 15 6 Create pattern layout The Array command is used to sort multiple copies into lines columns or sheets First you must select the object Then go to Menu gt Layout gt Array SES arid fio y ES 9 33 Total x 1 3 Close He ale elak vn co 4 Total Y 1 a PA Settings J First you can set the space between the copies 10 mm in this example Then set the number of copies via total X and total Y 15 7 Mirror Sometimes it is useful to mirror objects For example when printing on transparent foil Select all objects you want to mirror a SEA a frame around all objects Y gt 100 119 120 130 140 150 Goto
32. k Suchen nach URW BE Schriften Schriften Datenbank zuriicksetzen Zuric setzen Su ben nach Tt id Part UNO g E 0 5 ch iff eat Wane E Psion Q Schliessen www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11
33. limited by the text frame Press Shift and click the workspace This fits the text frame to the Blank Size www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 After starting with text compose you can change the following parameters Font Font height Font formatting All your installed The font height is specified in percent fonts are available specified in mililmeters kerning writing angle line mode Ja ah Zs sl sE A a mf 5 2 Text in preset frame As an extension to the Text tool the Frame text compose tool automatically adjusts the text frame to the blank size ABC The rectangular dashed line around the text is the text frame If you enter characters in a text frame the properties of the frame determine how the text is compressed stretched wrapped etc For example you can compress each line of text so that it is adjusted to the width of the text frame or you can expand the width and height of the text to fill the entire text frame Regardless of how the text frame was created the buttons Compress horizontally Compress vertically Line attributes and Frame properties are used to change how the text is fit into the frame You can do all of this in the text toolbox www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 5 3 Text frame properties Select the button frame properties
34. ob Next value Fass 011 Set as Start Keep this value for next job Effects E g mandatory sign with white color band on blue foil band 18 1 Continuous badges To create a continuous series e g Barrel 001 to Barrel 150 proceed as follows Complete the layout for the badge Select the text to be replaced Click Layout gt Badges Set the quantity under Number of copies In this example use 150 for 150 badges Be sure to check the Use plate box Select the text to be changed in the window on the right Click OK Anzahl der Kopien 150 Max Kopien pro Sete fi Kein D e Schidilache Ersetzbare Elemente Tex Farbe ES zu andemden T ext markieren Abstand individuelle Grosse Hohe 100 Breite 100 oc Druckrand Oben 0 00 Unten 0 00 Links 10 00 Rechts 0 00 Abstand Vertikal 1 27 Horizontal 1 27 1 Guuppiere jede Etikette Seitenanzanl 150 ERB EB D ao Lo oc F Horizontal www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 Text Substitution File Edit Fass 001 Ass 001 Im ss 001 HA sl Serialization Cancel Hints 7 Click on a single column header or single row label to enable serialization Click or Shift Click on headers or labels to select columns or rows for cut and paste operations e In the next window click the area circled in red All cells should
35. r to compress your object 14 4 Rotation point The rotation point is used to adjust the shape s angles Move the arrow over the rotation point Click and drag the rotation point The object is rotated in the direction you move your mouse Release the mouse button when the correct orientation has been achieved www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 14 5 Making changes from smart bar You can also change objects in the workspace from the smart bar For this you have to select the object with your mouse In the smart bar you can enter the height and width in millimeters If you change one value the other value changes in proportion to it 14 6 Proportional scaling This function is displayed by the padlock icon in the smart bar If proportional scaling is activated padlock is closed the side proportions remain the same because the second one is changed in proportion if you change a value in the smart bar 14 7 Double click You can double click a shape to see a special editing function You can change the object s outlines by clicking and dragging the control points In some cases the editing points behave like the points on the object Still the specific use of these editing points depends on the type of object For example compare double clicking a rectangle to double clicking a circle 15 Layout functions 15 1 Alignment as 2 ap RI oo D E E De WA q y h Al ing om
36. s aligned to the object along the coordinates 0 0 Instead of adjusting these coordinates you can set the angle and depth properties in the smart bar In the Style area on the smart bar you can select four different types of shadows Style xi 000 H Angle 0 00 d Cast M Outline a as E y 000 Depth ooo Dm J4 E foo Block shadows The block shadow adds an illusion of depth to the object Perspective shadow The perspective shadow creates an illusion of distance The furthest point of the shadow is a percentage of the shape size and is specified by the Cast value If the cast value is 50 for example the furthest point of the shadow is 50 smaller than the shape size Set the cast value to 100 i e 100 smaller than the shape size to let the shadow run to infinity Drop shadow The drop shadow is similar to the block shadow the space between the original shape and its shadow is not filled however Cast shadow The cast shadow creates the illusion of a light source so that objects throw a shadow on an imaginary surface 23 5 Objekt contour The Object Contour command in the transform menu is used to create a shape which matches the contours of the selected shapes You can set the Object contour so that the inner contours keep their original shapes or you can set a fixed shape without inner contours m Comer styles O O Fre 3 Mal 3 e A Defaut dE jw Group E Fill inner
37. the print job does not fit on one page The job is divided automatically The configured overlap will be on both pages Roll width This field is only shown for certain printers This allows you to select the width of the material to be printed SignMax will automatically select the optimal print orientation vertical or horizontal Setup Here you need to select if you want to process continuous material or Labels www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 Name USER 101 6 mmx 152 4 mm X New Delete Orientation Game Portrait T Miror Image ALE Landscape El Negative INAN Portrait 180 Landscape 180 2003 2011 Seagull Scientific Inc Authors of the BarTender label software Name USER 101 6 mmx 152 4 mm v Se Dele Orientation Effects 9 Portrait Mirror Image ALE Landscape Negative man Portrait 180 Landscape 180 Preset Nene 2003 2011 Seagull Scientific Inc Authors of the BarTender label software Effects E g mandatory sign with white color band on blue foil band www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 18 Serialization Ometo Start Fass Set as Base T Repeat In Cancel Character for fan Hint Selectany numeric or character portion of the Start value and cick Set as Base Last J
38. tive is changed For this move the control point circled in red Z Z i i f t q 4 A 1 The Fit text to path command transform menu is used to align a text shape along a vector graphics shape Each vector graphics shape is treated as a Path and each vector graphic is either a closed or an open path A closed path has a continuous uninterrupted contour such as a circle or square shape An open path is non continuous such as a straight line or a drawn curve The checkboxes of the smart bar are only slightly different depending on whether the text is aligned along a closed or an open path For a closed path there are buttons for the starting position that show if the text should begin on the left or the right the top or the bottom of the closed shape The first two buttons let you change the running direction The four on top determine the starting position The four lower ones are for alignment along the object at aj 2 Text to path distance Apply al pe SI al E el elo ela Gr 0 00 Close mm 23 3 Fit text to path www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 11 23 4 Shadow The Shadow option transform menu allows you to create quick shadow effects for one or multiple shapes After selecting the shadow type handles appear around the shape and you can edit the shadow properties from the smart bar By default the shadow i
39. use them when applying the foils Use the mouse to move the registration marks Click the se Sort Cut Order by Color button in the Cut Toolbox The Sort Cut Order by Color window opens Cancel www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 20 5 Weed und Power Weed KUKI Cake The Weed and Power Weed functions from the Shape Tools bar create additional weeding lines which make it easier for you to weed complex texts or shapes Click Assign after creating the lines 21 Print amp Cut SignMax uses the Print 8 Cut command for processing Print only and Print amp Cut jobs A Print amp Cut job contains at least one contour cut line so that the printed material can be cut along the contour lines with a foil plotter Therefore adhesive labels are often created with the Print amp Cut command If the Print amp Cut job is sent to a hybrid printer which supports the cut functions the printer will automatically trim the contour lines after printing Ka a Cut Pro A a p File Edit La Arrange ansform Image View Options Help E 164 15 E D aa i Hoo y vi 7675 4 D sa Op ze e ea E elo O 21 1 Contour Cut Before you start a print amp cut job you first need to add the cut lines The Contour Cut option allows you to cut all signs pictograms texts and other shapes precisely along
40. you click Save the current changes are saved as the default settings Now all new shapes will have this outline You also have the option to choose multiple color gradients and pattern fills 12 Ginsu Knife Tools The Ginsu Knife lets you separate vector objects and texts quickly and easily 13 Layout 13 1 Clipart Your SignMax software contains a symbol library with all common pictograms The pictograms are divided into DER OO blstkbitk aleja oo gt A a aa aa ralla RIA ai 4 gt of Bl Layer 1 To add a pictogram select the desired category Select the pictogram and click OK The text cursor appears on the workspace Now move the cursor to the correct position and click the left mouse button The pictogram has its original size when inserted lf you keep the left mouse button pressed and drag a frame you can specify the size when inserting the pictogram Note If there are no objects on the sign plate the sign plate is automatically adapted to the pictogram www maxsystems eu Tel 49 0 47 63 9 45 95 0 Fax 49 0 47 68 9 45 95 11 13 2 Using your own graphics Of course you can also use your own logos and graphics in SignMax Please observe that the best results can be achieved with vector graphics SignMax supports all standard image formats such as JPEG BMP TIF GIF PNG WMF You can also import CAD fi les You may not save AutoCAD as DWG instead use DXF
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