Main Menu - Text

The Text Menu is accessible only in selection/transform mode.

The following commands switch Studio to the lettering mode. There are two ways of how to create lettering in Studio: 1. Alphabets, 2. Font Engine text. Both methods use very similar user interface, but they work with different source of lettering.

Text inserts lettering from Embird Alphabets. Alphabets are pre-digitized Embird fonts that must be purchased separately. Click anywhere in the Work Area to define the start point of text. If you click on existing text, it will switch into editing mode. Otherwise, a new text creation begins. Program opens panels for selecting the alphabet and panels with parameters and layout settings. Finished lettering is placed into the Work Area of Studio. Lettering created in Studio is in vectors and it is resizable.

Font Engine Text inserts text from Embird Font Engine. Font Engine converts TrueType and OpenType fonts into embroidery designs automatically. Click anywhere in the work area to define the start point of text. If you click on existing text, it will switch into editing mode. Otherwise, a new text creation begins. Finished lettering is placed into the Work Area in vectors and it is resizable. Font Engine is included in Embird (no separate download), but its registration password must be purchased separately.

The difference between the Font Engine and the Alphabets is that Alphabets are pre-digitized fonts and Font Engine converts any True Type or Open Type font automatically. Although Font Engine uses advanced techniques in filling letters with satin stitches (auto-column), the result can sometimes differ from a human digitizer's approach.

The above commands allow you to create multi-line fonts by entering characters and automatically converting them to outlines and stitches. If you are digitizing a logo and there is no similar alphabet or font available, you may need to digitize the lettering manually using columns and connections.

Text with Selected Object as Baseline - same as Text command, but uses selected object in work area as a custom baseline. This allows to use existing object (fill, column or outline, for example) as a baseline for lettering. This command is useful when you want to draw baseline with freehand tool, or if you want to place text parallel to edge of existing object.

Font Engine Text with Selected Object as Baseline - same as Font Engine Text, but uses selected object in work area as a custom baseline.

Edit Text - editing of existing text. Select any part of existing text (letter or object) in work area or object inspector and use this command. It will switch Studio to lettering mode and open respective text for editing. When editing is finished, original text is replaced by the new one. If you have previously made some editing of text objects on node-by-node level, these changes are lost.

Convert Text to Normal Objects - objects like fills, columns and connections belonging to some text label are linked to this text label and marked by "Alphabets Text" label or "Font Engine Text" label in the object inspector window. If you do not want to edit text on lettering level anymore, you can convert it to normal objects with this command. Link to text is removed and it is possible to edit objects on node-by-node level.

The Import Baseline command allows you to import a baseline in the Embird Text Baseline *.etb file format. This command is intended for use with legacy baseline files created in Studio. The new font system allows you to store font sessions (including the baseline) in the main design file, in a separate font file, and to transfer fonts between designs using the copy and paste commands. Therefore, this command is provided for backward compatibility only.