Embroidermodder

Embroidermodder

Embroidermodder 2 Start Screen
Developer(s)	Mark Pontius, Josh Varga and Jonathan Greig
Initial release	2004;21 years ago (2004)
Stable release	1.70 / January 6, 2012;13 years ago (2012-01-06)
Written in	C, C++ and JavaScript
Operating system	Linux, macOS and Microsoft Windows
Type	Vector graphics editor
License	v2: Zlib v1: GPL-2.0
Website	www.libembroidery.org

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	Unstable	No	Toyota Embroidery Format
.100	Unstable	No	Toyota Embroidery Format
.art	No	No	Bernina Embroidery Format
.bmc	No	No	Bitmap Cache Embroidery Format
.bro	Unstable	No	Bits & Volts Embroidery Format
.cnd	No	No	Melco Embroidery Format
.col	Unstable	Unstable	Embroidery Thread Color Format
.csd	Unstable	No	Singer Embroidery Format
.csv	Unstable	Unstable	Comma Separated Values
.dat	Unstable	No	Barudan Embroidery Format
.dem	No	No	Melco Embroidery Format
.dsb	Unstable	No	Barudan Embroidery Format
.dst	Unstable	Unstable	Tajima Embroidery Format
.dsz	Unstable	No	ZSK USA Embroidery Format
.dxf	No	No	Drawing Exchange Format
.edr	Unstable	Unstable	Embird Embroidery Format
.emd	Unstable	No	Elna Embroidery Format
.exp	Unstable	Unstable	Melco Embroidery Format
.exy	Unstable	No	Eltac Embroidery Format
.eys	No	No	Sierra Expanded Embroidery Format
.fxy	Unstable	No	Fortron Embroidery Format
.gc	No	No	Smoothie G-Code Format
.gnc	No	No	Great Notions Embroidery Format
.gt	Unstable	No	Gold Thread Embroidery Format
.hus	Unstable	Unstable	Husqvarna Viking Embroidery Format
.inb	Unstable	No	Inbro Embroidery Format
.inf	Unstable	Unstable	Embroidery Color Format
.jef	Unstable	Unstable	Janome Embroidery Format
.ksm	Unstable	Unstable	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.max	Unstable	Unstable	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.mit	Unstable	No	Mitsubishi Embroidery Format
.new	Unstable	No	Ameco Embroidery Format
.ofm	Unstable	No	Melco Embroidery Format
.pcd	Unstable	Unstable	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pcm	Unstable	No	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pcq	Unstable	Unstable	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pcs	Unstable	Unstable	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.pec	Unstable	Unstable	Brother Embroidery Format
.pel	No	No	Brother Embroidery Format
.pem	No	No	Brother Embroidery Format
.pes	Unstable	Unstable	Brother Embroidery Format
.phb	Unstable	No	Brother Embroidery Format
.phc	Unstable	No	Brother Embroidery Format
.plt	Unstable	Unstable	AutoCAD Plot Drawing
.rgb	Unstable	Unstable	RGB Embroidery Format
.sew	Unstable	Unstable	Janome Embroidery Format
.shv	Unstable	No	Husqvarna Viking Embroidery Format
.sst	Unstable	No	Sunstar Embroidery Format
.stx	Unstable	No	Data Stitch Embroidery Format
.svg	Unstable	Unstable	Scalable Vector Graphics
.t01	Unstable	No	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.t09	Unstable	No	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.tap	Unstable	Unstable	Happy Embroidery Format
.thr	Unstable	Unstable	ThredWorks Embroidery Format
.txt	No	Unstable	Text File
.u00	Unstable	No	Barudan Embroidery Format
.u01	No	No	Barudan Embroidery Format
.vip	Unstable	No	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.vp3	Unstable	Unstable	Pfaff Embroidery Format
.xxx	Unstable	Unstable	Singer Embroidery Format
.zsk	Unstable	No	ZSK USA Embroidery Format

References

1. "About - Embroidermodder".
2. New admin Josh Varga Archived 2013-10-16 at the Wayback Machine , Embroidermodder Discussion Forum, 2005-04-21
3. Linux Support Archived 2013-10-16 at the Wayback Machine , Embroidermodder Feature Requests Forum, 2012-07-21
4. Embroidermodder on Mac OS X, Twitter, 2013-06-24
5. Embroidermodder moves source to GitHub, GitHub, 2013-07-18
6. Embroidermation Test 2, Nina Paley Blog, 2013-07-19

External links

• Official website
• Embroidermodder on SourceForge
• Embroidermodder on GitHub