This message was posted by Jeff on AmayaUsers.com. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY VIA EMAIL. Instead, respond to the thread on the WEBSITE by clicking here: http://www.amayausers.com/boards/ultimatebb.php?/topic/3/122.html#000006 I think to say you are going to use a 6X zoom in all cases would also mean you would have to have consistently the same size of graphic and always the same size of resultant design. A really simple design may not require any zoom, particularly if the graphic supplied is very large. Many times I have seen graphic files that are not a 1 to 1 ratio of the finished product. Unless you re-size every graphic to the same size I do not know how you would achieve using the same zoom level in all cases. This of course excludes vector graphics as it is already outlines ready to add stitches to, but zooming in to see how the stitches lay when you have layers or areas close together is sometimes needed. But, I do agree to try and use a level that you do not try and put 10 pounds of thread into a 5 pound bucket. I have seen designs where there will be 3 to 5 very close together stitches then a trim or a move to another 3 to 5 stitches trying to make detail of some sort. When sewn it causes thread breaks, and when worn cannot be seen anyway. People who make lettering so small you have to get right up on it to read it is crazy. I do not understand doing that? What good is the embroidery if the you have to be 2 feet or less from it to read it or understand the graphic of it? I have been told by many of the old timers to try and make logos on shirts readable at the normal distance of conversation between people. I would think that this would hold true for details as well. The amount of points used to define an outline should probably be as few as possible just to save time and make it easier to see the outline. Depending on the object type, points to define outlines should not produce a difference in how many stitches are generated, or produce short stitches depending on the amount of points used. This may also be dependant on the software being used? What seems to cause unwanted short stitches in Design Shop more than anything else is where Input and Output points are placed in shapes for fills or complex columns. The use of and the sequence of Curve Points and Straight Points used in curved areas of columns can produce differences in stitches as well. This is due to the way the math is done when generating stitches and the differences in the math when using straights and curves. Generally, and I say generally, when making Column 1 objects using a curve, then a straight, then a curve, and alternating them seems to produce the best results in Design Shop. This is especially true when making small lettering. Years ago, the Column 1 tool would put a stitch at every wire frame point along the sides of a column. So, if you were making small lettering, and used a lot of points to make curves etc. this could make the density of the column too high and adjusting the column density in the software parameters would have no effect. This was changed a few years ago so that no matter how many points are used along the sides of a column the area is filled with stitches according to the density selected and the stitch type selected. Perhaps other software works differently? Jeff Banks =========================================================== The AmayaUsers Mailing List Website: http://www.amayausers.com Discussion Board: http://www.amayausers.com/boards Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://www.amayausers.com/list ===========================================================