How to Use the View Menu Options in DRAWings PRO XII

The View menu provides a powerful set of tools to customize your workspace, control how you see your design, and use aids that improve your digitizing accuracy. You can access these options by clicking the View icon on the main toolbar or by navigating to the View menu at the top of the screen.

This guide will walk you through each of the available options.

1. Toggling Between Stitches and Artwork View

This option allows you to switch between viewing the final stitch information and the underlying vector artwork of your design.

• Stitches View (Enabled): When turned on, you see the individual stitches exactly as they will be sewn. This is the default and most common view.
• Artwork View (Disabled): When turned off, all stitch information is hidden, and you see only the basic shapes and colors that make up your design. This is useful for editing the core objects without the distraction of thousands of stitches.

How to use: Click on the “Stitches” option in the View menu to toggle it on or off.

Useful Tip: You can quickly switch between these two views by pressing the G key on your keyboard.

2. Using the Crosshair for Alignment

The Crosshair is a simple but effective alignment tool that follows your mouse cursor across the design area.

• Function: It provides continuous vertical and horizontal lines that span the entire workspace, helping you to accurately align and position different items in your design relative to each other.

How to use: Enable the “Crosshair” option in the View menu to turn it on. Click it again to turn it off.

3. 3D Preview and Stitch Points View

These options control the realism of your stitch display.

• 3D Preview: When enabled, the software provides a realistic, three-dimensional rendering of the stitches, simulating the look of actual thread. This helps you visualize the final embroidered result.
• Stitch Points View: When 3D Preview is disabled, the stitches appear as thin, computer-generated lines. You can then enable “Stitch Points” to see the exact needle penetration points, which appear as small round dots on the design.

How to use: Click the “3D Preview” option to toggle the realistic view on or off. When it’s off, you can then enable “Stitch Points”.

Useful Tip: Press the P key on your keyboard to quickly toggle the 3D Preview on and off.

4. Analyzing Density with Thickness View

The Thickness View is a diagnostic tool that helps you identify areas with multiple overlapping layers of stitches, which can cause thread breaks or a stiff, bulky final product.

• How it works: This view uses a color-coded overlay to show stitch density.
  • Green: Areas with no overlapping stitches.
  • Orange and Red: Areas with multiple overlapping layers. The darker the color, the more layers of stitches are stacked in that area.

How to use: Enable the “Thickness View” option to analyze your design’s density. Disable it to return to the normal view.

5. Adjusting the 3D Light Direction

When using the 3D Preview, you can change the direction of the virtual light source. This alters the shadows and highlights on the stitches, which can help you better inspect the texture and details of your design.

How to use:

1. Ensure you are in 3D Preview mode.
2. In the View menu, locate the Light Direction control.
3. Click and drag the control handle to adjust the light’s angle until you achieve the desired visual effect.

6. Customizing User Interface (UI) Colors

DRAWings PRO XII allows you to personalize the colors of the workspace to your liking.

How to use:

1. In the View menu, find the UI component you wish to change (e.g., background, grid).
2. Click on the color swatch next to its name.
3. In the color selection window, choose your desired color and adjust its brightness and transparency level as needed.

7. Displaying Helper Tools: Grid, Guidelines, and Hoop

These visual aids can be toggled on or off to assist you during the digitizing process.

• Grid: Overlays a grid on your design area, useful for symmetrical designs and precise object placement.
• Guidelines: These are lines you can manually place on your workspace for custom alignment points.
• Hoop: Shows or hides the outline of the selected embroidery hoop, ensuring your design stays within the sewing area.

How to use: Simply click on the “Grid,” “Guidelines,” or “Hoop” options in the View menu to toggle their visibility. You may want to hide them for a clearer, unobstructed view of the design.

8. Using the Snap to Grid/Guidelines Feature

When the Grid or Guidelines are visible, you can enable the “Snap” function to make your cursor “jump” to the nearest line as you move your mouse.

• Function: This ensures perfect alignment and precision when creating or moving nodes and objects. You would turn this on for precise movements and turn it off when you need more free-form control.

How to use:

1. Make sure either the Grid or Guidelines are visible.
2. In the View menu, enable “Snap to Grid” or “Snap to Guidelines” to activate the feature.

Enjoy creating with DRAWings PRO XII!