Creating a "cuttable" outline

[Vinylman]

Hi everyone!
My name is Bob and I am a newbee here.
I could use some help if anyone can address this issue I would greatly appreciate it.

This question may have been asked before, I have a digital printer {Mimaki JV33} I want to print decals that will be laminated, then contour cut when run through a Mimaki plotter.

Is there a simple way to make a plotable outline around a graphic that I create in Xara5? This is necessary so that I can produce decals and other printed digital graphics for my sign company.

I am just getting started with the Xara5 program, and am EXTREMELY impressed with its' many creative options.

I have been working with Illustrator & photoshop for many years and know how to create the "contour cut" that I need in Illustrator. can this be accomplished with Xara?

thanks for any help you can provide.

[steve.ledger]

Hi Bob and Welcome to TG Forums.

Yes this is possible and very easy.

Basically requires the use of the shape editor (if you are knocking out an object from a photo) and the contour tool.

[Vinylman]

Sledger:
WOW!~

I have not tried out your suggestion yet, but it looks like it will do EXACTLY what I want. Thank you so very much for the brief but clear Tutorial here. I hope it will help others as well.

Hopefully i too can add some helpful replies in the near future to this GREAT forum.

[Rik]

Hi Sledger.

Fantastic.

I enjoyed following your instructions. With my level of experience, I certainly would not have thought of doing anything like that.

Brilliant.

Rik.

[darlawlor]

Hi Folks,

I am still trying to get my head around the contour cut scenario.

What format does the initial graphic have to be. What should the finish file be. Do I export it straight to my Roland Versaworks..............I am sinking here people ..............and fast

[phil]

See my reply on your other thread.

You can export from Xara as a jpg, tiff or pdf as a print only file (the eps export filter does not produce the correct results) but you cannot export directly to Versaworks with a cuttable contour which the RIP will recognise.

[steve.ledger]

For CADlink's SignLab and Gerber Edge (Omega), the cutline was exported as an .ai
From memory the same applied to Mimaki's RIP software (Raster Link Pro) via CorelDRAW.

I've never used Versaworks or Roland

[SignPig]

See my reply on your other thread.

You can export from Xara as a jpg, tiff or pdf as a print only file (the eps export filter does not produce the correct results) but you cannot export directly to Versaworks with a cuttable contour which the RIP will recognise.

Yes you can...

Step 1. In VersaWorks, double-click the 'A' or 'B' folder icon (top left of screen) or from the top menu > Edit > Queue A Settings.

Step 2. In the Queue settings dialogue, select 'Cut Controls' on the left.
Tick the 'Cut all paths' option.

Step 3. In Xara, draw a shape and add an outline to it in any colour. This outline will not print but it will be cut. The downside is that any outlines you have drawn for printing will be cut instead.

Export to VersaWorks as a Xara EPS. In VersaWorks your loaded graphic will have a marching ants (flashing dotted) line to show the cut-line.