Brother Scan n Cut - how to save SCAL file?

[kirk6400]

I'm a newbie. Just purchased the Brother Scan n Cut machine in order to complete a project heavy with words of different fonts and sizes. I was doing them all the old-fashioned manual way, and was excited when a friend said how easy my project could be completed if I had a cutting machine. Since I have a Brother sewing/embroidery machine and love all it can do, I wanted to stick with the Brother brand for the cutting device. I wasn't expecting the learning curve to be this intense.

I've watched several tutorials, landed on some that showcased the Inkscape free app but after playing around with it and doing some test cutouts, I wasn't all that impressed. It too, has a learning curve I wasn't thrilled with. I then found some videos on the SCAL4. So far, I like what I see. Very user friendly, and I'm impressed with all it can do.

So, I've watched some of the SCAL video tutorials but I haven't yet found a tutorial that explains how I'm supposed to save a file so that I can then use it in my Brother Scan n Cut machine. The method explained in the Inkscape tutorials had me going through a step to "union" the letters of my words, and then save the file as an .svg type. Then I could import the .svg file into Brother's Canvas web app to then save the .svg file as an .fcm file type, which is what the Brother device reads.

So, do I need to do the same thing in SCAL and union the letters before I save or can I simply save the text/words as an .svg file?

Thanks for the help. I really need to get up and running fast as I'm working on a project I need to have done before Easter. I was hoping the Scan N Cut machine was going to speed up creating my appliques but for 3 days I've been trying to learn the nuances of cutting fabric and using different fonts outside of the fonts in the device. I think the SCAL software will do the creating part of the words easily but I just need to know how I need to save the file.

Joyce

[kirk6400]

Since posting my initial question I have found that if I export my SCAL project as an .svg file type then I can import that into the Brother Canvas app and then convert that to an .fcm file. So now I'd like to know if there is a way to save the file in SCAL directly as an .svg rather than exporting it first?

I've also found that after exporting, I can convert the file directly in SCAL to an .fcm so that would indeed save me a step. I just don't understand why I have to export it as an .svg first and there doesn't seem to be a way to save it directly as that file type. Hoping someone can explain why that process is necessary.

Thanks again for your help.

Joyce

[PAUPAU]

you need to export the file from SCAL and save to flash drive. The SNC reads from the drive

[craftedge]

It is not required to save as SVG.
You should choose File -> Export and set the file type to FCM to export directly as a FCM file for your Brother ScanNCut machine and save it to your flash drive.

[pigtailpat]

Hello -

I want to export to .FCM for the purpose of importing the .fcm file into brother "simply applique" software.

So I drew a circle shape in SCAL from SCAL's basic library, then I DEFINITELY have it selected (ie the handles surround the shape) and I am DEFINITELY on the right layer. Then I hit export to .fcm and create a .fcm file.

BUT

when I go to import that file into simply applique, there is nothing there! It doesn't show as a circle.

What am I missing?

Pat

UPDATE: Nevermind, I finally got the simply applique software to "see" the fcm file. My investment in SCAL is the BEST, BEST, BEST thing I ever did. It's now helping me with embroidery!!!