Silver Bullet Cutters Forum

I really need to start converting mine to svg it really would make things far easier.

Me too.... I guess while I'm watching the Olympics each evening I should start doing that....

This is my first time posting here in a long while.

I got my Cougar about a year and a half ago. I bought it because I was sick of all the stuff going on with PC and because I owned MTC and heard good things about the Cougar there. Then, shortly after I got it, the atmosphere at the MTC forums changed and Andy and Ann signed a deal to supply MTC with the KNK machines and suddenly the Black Cat machine owners seemed to be less welcome on the board and questions about updates to the drivers for the Cougar would just be ignored and go unanswered.

Luckily, I got my machine up and running and the people on this forum helped me figure some things out and calibrate for print and cut etc. At that point, there was talk about a new software, designed especially for the BC machines, coming out of the UK, in the near future so I decided just to do what I already knew how to do, and wait for the new software before really trying to expand my use of my Cougar. Also lots of things came up in RL that kept me busy and not having as much time to do die cutting projects.

Now I am trying to get back into the die-cutting more and came looking to see what is happening but I can't find any mention of the new Blackcat specific software and I see in this thread that people with MTC are worried about switching files to SCAL ( which I don't have yet).
So I am wondering; if I want to start cutting more and making my own files what do I do? I can still use the MTC I have at least for now but do I need to buy SCAL too, or invest in Sign cut? Is the Blackcat software that was in the works now a dead project?
I do own Creative Suites 6 which includes Illustrator so (once I learn more of that) I can build SVG files in that but I will still need a program to cut them with I guess.

Can anyone give me an update on the state of programming to drive the Cougars?

Yes you can still use MTC to cut with your Cougar...or you can use SCAL3.....the software has been shelved.....Brandon has made such dramatic improvements in SCAL3 the other software is not needed!!! There is even a plugin now for Inkscape and Illustrator to send your files directly to SCAL3 from these programs without have to go between the 2.......

Penny where is the Illustrator plug in. I know it was in the works, I was working with Brandon, But I didn't know it had been released. There were some bugs in it, it wasn't working right.

I need to be reminded how to convert to eggs.

Granlin
Linda

Thanks Penny for your response. I guess a purchase of SCAL is in my future. I looked at both before purchasing the MTC but preferred the way MTC worked at that point...guess I backed the wrong horse.

Does anyone know if there is a version of SCAL for MACs ? I've switched to a MAC for my main computer but was still running the MTC on my laptop. It's easier to design on my main computer though but MTC wasn't available in a MAC version. It would make the SCAL purchase more palatable if I could use it with MAC. Guess I should take that question over to the SCAL section of this board.

YES the DO make a version of SCAL for Mac!!!!!

Hey Suzan...You know I would email Brandon directly and ask him if he can share it...I was thinking Dawn had shared the link for it.......perhaps I'm remembering incorrectly....but I KNOW it was discussed.......

Here's the link for the Inkscape Plugin......
http://www.craftedge.com/bin/SCAL3_InkscapePlugin.exe

Here's the discussion where it said there is also a Plugin for Illustrator......
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3407&p=67947&hilit=illustrator+plugin#p67947

You might want to email Craftedge Support and ask them for it....Brandon is VERY quick to respond!!!!

Yes there is both a windows and a Mac version. I use the Mac version all the time. It is very good!

Penny, I don't have the illustrator plugin

Gotcha....then Suzan I would email Craftedge directly........Brandon is very fast with responding!!!

Thank you Penny I know he is super fast. We actually got one working for CS5, but the hang up was something with CS6. I just had missed that topic