LXI 22 to 26 File Transfer Solution

Vinyl Express LXI has been SIGNWarehouse’s brand-name graphic design software for well over 20 years. Over the last decade or two, LXI has undergone some transitions. Older versions of LXI required installation discs and security keys (aka dongles) for installation and operation. The advent of cloud-based software saw the next major change in how LXI was delivered and experienced.  Now were’ in the next generation with LXI 26, which is built on new code. LXI26 offers a whole new GUI, and some cool new design tools. It also closes some gaps in the previous version, especially for those with print and cut workflows.

But, as with some transitions in the past, there are tradeoffs. One of those is backward compatibility. Although LXI 26 is backward compatible in terms of device drivers, it is not fully compatible with legacy *.VE files. This means older files cannot be directly opened or imported in the new version. But there is a workaround. And there is a 15-day free trial available for all new LXI 26 levels, so you can take your time and test the workaround before pulling the trigger. The solution is the good old export-import shuffle. If you’re still using LXI 12, 19, or 22 and want to bring your work into LXI26, this article is for you.

OVERVIEW: FILE IMPORT PROCESS

The File export/import process has been part of graphic design since before Google was born. Designers working in one application may need to share files with others in the production process. In such cases, a design might have to be converted to a standard file format before the next person in the workflow can import it and turn it into a sign, logo, poster, channel letter, or some other wonderful visual creation.

Owing to their singular role in the foundations of what used to be known as desktop publishing, the standard file formats for most sign-makers come from the house of Adobe. Even in an age where most sign makers use applications like LXI, SignLab, and Flexi, which are engineered for Sign-making, Adobe’s AI, eps, and PDF formats still bridge these gaps. This is the same solution that bridges the file compatibility gap between LXI 22 and 26. For the purposes of this article, we’ll refer to LXI 22, but the process is the same for all supported legacy versions of LXI. LXI’s legacy .VE files cannot be opened or imported in version 26, but a design can be exported from LXI 22 in an industry-standard file format, then imported into LXI 26. Here’s how it works.

Raster and Vector Export/Import Processes

The export/import process from legacy versions to LXI 26 differs slightly depending on the nature of the original design. Although LXI’s primary function is as a vector design application, most versions also support some raster design functions and features. This is especially true of the top-tier LXI RIP versions bundled with PrismJET printers. Vector and raster files are fundamentally different, so they use different bridge file formats. And, for designs that incorporate both raster and vector elements in designs for contour-cut stickers, there are a couple of extra steps. But, if you follow these steps and commit to the export/import process, you can continue using and refining your legacy designs in LXI 26.  

Vector Files Export/Import Process: EPS
Most designs created and cut from LXI are simple, spot-color vector graphics sent to cutting plotters. These designs are basically paths and solid-color fills, with the color of the object determined by the color of the vinyl loaded in the plotter. Bringing these designs from legacy versions into LXI 26 is pretty simple. 

• Open the file in the legacy software.
• Identify any font elements in the original design. Select these and click Arrange. From the drop-down menu, select Convert to Outlines.
• From the File menu, select File/Export.
• From the File/export pop-up window, click the arrow at the right corner of the Save as Type window and, from the drop-down menu, choose the export file format. Scroll down and select Encapsulated postscript (*.EPS) (FIG 1).
• Use the browse function to determine where to save the exported eps file. Rename it if necessary in the File Name window to convey the contents or nature of the design.
  Before saving, click to check the Selection Only box in the lower left corner. Uncheck to deselect Suppress options.
  

• Open LXI 26 and invert the export process.  From the File menu, select File/Import.
• Click the arrow in the Files of Type window to filter by type. Scroll down and select Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps *.pm) files. Browse to the location of the exported .EPS file and select it. Click Import to close the window and import the file.
• LXI 26 presents a cursor that allows you to determine where the imported file is placed on your layout. Click to place the new file.
• The EPS Options dialog box appears. Here, you can determine which filter to use to import the file. Click to select the Use EPS import filter. Then Click OK (FIG 2).

• The Custom Colors Assignment Preliminary dialog box appears. The first question is “Does the incoming file contain cut paths?” Click No. This is counter-intuitive, but since the graphic is a vector file, we don’t need to designate colors to identify cut paths. Clicking No bypasses the Assign Color to Cut Paths dialog boxes.
• You should see the same design that was exported from the legacy software. You can use the View menu to toggle fills on and off to check the integrity of the cut paths (FIG3). You can then send the design to your connected vinyl cutter to be cut, weeded, etc (FIG 3A).

Raster Files Export/Import Process | Converting Print & Cut Designs

The basics are the same for raster files, but the bridge file format is different. And, if you have a design that was created in LXI 22 with an applied contour-cut path, there are a couple of extra steps. 

• Open the file in LXI22. Convert any fonts to outlines, as noted above.
• If there are no contour-cut paths in the design, follow the steps listed above, but choose PDF as the export file format.
• If your design includes a bitmap image or element with an applied contour-cut effect, remove this first. Right-click on the element and, from the pop-up menu, select Clear Contour-cut (FIG4).  Then select all objects and export the file as a PDF document.
  

• Open LXI 26 and use the File/Import dialog to find the saved PDF file and import it. The cursor will appear, prompting you to designate a place on the layout for the imported graphics. Click to place the image.
• The PDF/SVG Options box appears. Here, you can check whether to import text as graphics or to support fonts and embedded fonts. Check Import Text as graphics.
• The  “Does the image have a cut path” dialog will appear. Click No, then click OK to complete the import.
• Any bitmap image elements for which the background pixels had been removed in v22 may appear in v26 with a black background where the original pixels had been masked. These can be removed using the LXI 26 Fluid Mask module.
• Click the object and from the top toolbar, click Image. From the drop-down menu, select Fluid Mask. Use the Fluid Mask module to remove the background pixels (FIG5).

• Click Save and Apply to return to the LXI26 workspace. The background pixels have been removed, and the original contour-cut path can be recreated.
• Click the object and, from the top toolbar, click Cut. From the drop-down menu, select Contour-Cut. Use the contour cut Smart bar to determine the offset and apply the new contour-cut path to the design (FIG 6). Be sure to select Inside/Outside at the left of the Smart Bar to apply the new path to the extracted bitmap file. Otherwise, the cut path will be applied to the mask.

• That’s it. Your print and cut design is now active in the new software and ready for output to the LXI26 VPM. Follow the instructions in Lesson 8 of our LXI26 Print and cut processes video tutorials to send the design to the appropriate queue for printing and contour-cutting.

That’s the supported process for carrying existing designs from legacy versions into LXI 26 for vinyl cutting and/or digital printing. There are some drawbacks, most notably having to convert fonts to outlines. This means the newly imported designs cannot be edited without recreating those elements in LXI26. If you’re not sure this will work for your sign or graphics business, follow Ronald Reagan’s advice and trust, but verify. Use any of the Download buttons on the LXI 26 Support Resources page to install any version of LXI 26 and take it for a test drive. Use the 15-day Free Trial to test the export/import process with your designs and test the output process with your devices. And by all means, if you hit an unexpected issue, Contact Us. Help is a phone call or mouse-click away.