Embroidermodder Explained

Embroidermodder
Developer:	Mark Pontius, Josh Varga and Jonathan Greig
Latest Release Version:	1.70
Programming Language:	C, C++ and JavaScript
Operating System:	Linux, macOS and Microsoft Windows
Genre:	Vector graphics editor
License:	v2: Zlib v1: GPL-2.0

Embroidermodder is a free machine embroidery software tool that supports a variety of formats and allows the user to add custom modifications to their embroidery designs.

History

Embroidermodder 1 was started by Mark Pontius in 2004 while staying up all night with his son in his first couple months.^[1] When Mark returned to his day job, he lacked the time to continue the project. Mark made the decision to focus on his family and work, and in 2005, Mark gave full control of the project to Josh Varga so that Embroidermodder could continue its growth.^[2]

Embroidermodder 2 was conceived in mid 2011 when Jonathan Greig and Josh Varga discussed the possibility of making a cross-platform version. It runs on Linux,^[3] macOS,^[4] Microsoft Windows.

The Embroidermodder website and downloads are hosted on SourceForge. On July 18, 2013, The Embroidermodder 2 Source was moved to GitHub.^[5]

Embroidermodder 1 features

Runs under Microsoft Windows.
Source code (Visual C++) available.
Reads/Writes Tajima .dst file format, which is compatible with most every commercial and vendor's software available.
Also reads/writes Excel .csv file format for hand editing using Excel or a text editor.
Allows scaling designs to any size (not just +/- 20% like some software).
Shows the design on-screen, with unlimited zoom to get up close and personal with any stitch. Zoom to actual size, fit to screen, selection, or just in/out. Scrollbars allow panning around the design.
Multiple documents can be open, and each document may have multiple view windows, each at different zooms to allow fine detail editing, while still getting the big picture.
Print design at actual size.
Displays statistics like max/min/average stitch length, number of colors, etc.
Select, move, insert, or delete either stitches, lines, or selection.
Double click in select mode to select a region (stitches between Jumps or color changes).
Cut/Copy/Paste selection.
Cursor left/right steps selection point though individual stitches.
Add text using any windows font.
Toggle display of Jump stitches (as black dash-dot lines).
Display updates are very fast using a combination of direct screen draw with efficient clipping and background rendering.
Optional Debug mode (compile time option) with additional display and break capability, such as monitoring the background render progress in the status bar.

Embroidermodder 2 features

Runs under Linux,^[3] macOS,^[4] Microsoft Windows and Raspberry Pi.
CAD/CAM graphical user interface.
Source code (Qt4/Qt5 C++) available.
Undo/Redo functionality.
Reads over 45 different embroidery formats.
Also reads/writes Excel .csv file format for hand editing using Excel or a text editor or generating the .csv data from an external program such as Mathematica.^[6]
Cut, copy, and paste selection between multiple documents.
Scripting API.
Add text using any installed system font.
Customizable icon themes.

libembroidery

One of the byproducts of Embroidermodder 2 was the creation of libembroidery library. libembroidery is written in C. It supports reading and writing of a variety of embroidery formats, and several vector formats which are not commonly used in embroidery.

The formats are as such (last updated January 2017):

'Stable' = Yes, supported and is considered stable.'Unstable' = Yes, supported but may be unstable.No = Not supported.

Format	Read	Write	Description
.10o			Toyota Embroidery Format
.100			Toyota Embroidery Format
.art			Bernina Embroidery Format
.bmc			Bitmap Cache Embroidery Format
.bro			Bits & Volts Embroidery Format
.cnd			Melco Embroidery Format
.col			Embroidery Thread Color Format
.csd			Singer Embroidery Format
.csv			Comma Separated Values
.dat			Barudan Embroidery Format
.dem			Melco Embroidery Format
.dsb			Barudan Embroidery Format
.dst			Tajima Embroidery Format
.dsz			ZSK USA Embroidery Format
.dxf			Drawing Exchange Format
.edr			Embird Embroidery Format
.emd			Elna Embroidery Format
.exp			Melco Embroidery Format
.exy			Eltac Embroidery Format
.eys			Sierra Expanded Embroidery Format
.fxy			Fortron Embroidery Format
.gc			Smoothie G-Code Format
.gnc			Great Notions Embroidery Format
.gt			Gold Thread Embroidery Format
.hus			Husqvarna Viking Embroidery Format
.inb			Inbro Embroidery Format
.inf			Embroidery Color Format
.jef			Janome Embroidery Format
.ksm			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.max			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.mit			Mitsubishi Embroidery Format
.new			Ameco Embroidery Format
.ofm			Melco Embroidery Format
.pcd			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pcm			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pcq			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pcs			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pec			Brother Embroidery Format
.pel			Brother Embroidery Format
.pem			Brother Embroidery Format
.pes			Brother Embroidery Format
.phb			Brother Embroidery Format
.phc			Brother Embroidery Format
.plt			AutoCAD Plot Drawing
.rgb			RGB Embroidery Format
.sew			Janome Embroidery Format
.shv			Husqvarna Viking Embroidery Format
.sst			Sunstar Embroidery Format
.stx			Data Stitch Embroidery Format
.svg			Scalable Vector Graphics
.t01			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.t09			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.tap			Happy Embroidery Format
.thr			ThredWorks Embroidery Format
.txt			Text File
.u00			Barudan Embroidery Format
.u01			Barudan Embroidery Format
.vip			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.vp3			Pfaff Embroidery Format
.xxx			Singer Embroidery Format
.zsk			ZSK USA Embroidery Format

Notes and References

Web site: About - Embroidermodder.
http://sourceforge.net/p/embroidermodder/discussion/372927/thread/227622cd/#a7ee New admin Josh Varga
http://sourceforge.net/p/embroidermodder/feature-requests/3/#a140 Linux Support
https://twitter.com/bitcraftlab/status/348939482520752129 Embroidermodder on Mac OS X
https://github.com/Embroidermodder Embroidermodder moves source to GitHub
http://blog.ninapaley.com/2013/07/19/embroidermation-test-2/ Embroidermation Test 2