Printing Templates with iOS/ iPadOS

Kgrishaber

I am new to embroidery and recently purchased your software. Using Bernina machine + IOS ipad. In a recent project, I need to print Dielines to cut the fabric to the correct shape and size. The instructions are telling me to “Open and print each dieline file using an embroidery software”. I’m trying to print the template but it says this feature is not available as it can’t guarantee print size (or something to that effect). Is there a workaround that I can print the shapes to embroider or am I missing something? Thank you for any help.

Katherine.

Matthias

Kgrishaber I’m trying to print the template but it says this feature is not available as it can’t guarantee print size (or something to that effect). Is there a workaround that I can print the shapes to embroider or am I missing something?

Hi Katherine, welcome and thanks for your question!

It takes luck to print real-sized templates with iOS / iPadOS as the system is adjusting the printout size. I didn't find any consistency, while paper size and printer model are some influencing factors. So I decided not to offer template printing - as I cannot guaranteer its correct sizing (like it's possible with StitchBuddy on macOS).

You can save the template or send it by mail and print the PDF from other apps. By using an iOS / iPadOS app (like Apple's Mail or Files) you'd still be in the same boat with no option to control the print size (but maybe you're lucky and it just fits). If you have access to a computer (Windows PC or Mac) you could use e.g. its mail program and adjust the printout size by setting a scaling percentage. Finding the right value (most likely 100%) would be try & error - including the grid makes it at least easier to check the real size.

I'm sorry for this inconvenience, but unfortunately there is no easy solution with AirPrint on Apple's mobile devices. Is it okay to change the discussion's title, reflecting the topic is related to iOS / iPadOS, only?

Kgrishaber

Matthias

Thanks for getting back to me. I will experiment then to see how to save the template. I use “Documents” app for printing garment patterns with success in “no” scaling so maybe that’s an option. I do have a MAC which I guess in hindsight I should have gone that route when I purchased but such is life. I rarely use the MAC anymore which is why I went with ipad version. Once I figure out how to save the template, I’m sure I’ll have success. No problem in changing the discussion thread title to reflect IOS. Thanks again for your help.

Kgrishaber

It was very easy to save the template in my “Documents” app so will test to ensure scaling is good. Based on other documents with scaling that I’ve saved to “Documents” app, then I expect success here too.

Matthias

Good to know and thanks for keeping us posted 🙂

Kgrishaber

Matthias

Hi Matthias - I did some testing with my IOS printer today. Normally when I print out sewing garment files (coming from many different designers), I use Readdle Documents app so was confident it would work. I use Documents app all the time to print out garment patterns. However, when I save the SB template to Documents app, I get same result whereby it’s printing reduced size. I tried doing same thing with garment pattern with the Documents app and it worked out fine. I don’t know why the garment designers’ pdf’s print properly to scale but not the SB templates (both using my ipad) on same printer. Bit of a mystery …. maybe they do something on their end to lock the scale…unfortunately I don’t know any designer to speak to them about this. So I resorted to sending the template to the Mac computer to print as you suggested which prints to proper scale. Thanks.

Matthias

Kgrishaber Bit of a mystery …. maybe they do something on their end to lock the scale…unfortunately I don’t know any designer to speak to them about this.

Too sad … I'd love to know their exact printing parameters, probably they are setting a DPI value ("dots per inch") which is corresponding to your printer setup. Unfortunately this value might vary for others.

Anyway, great you were able to solve (or bypass) the problem, and thanks again for sharing your experiences!

Kgrishaber

Hi Matthias now that IOS printing is printing to scale (yay), will there be an update to be able to print templates from the IOS SB app? Thank you. K.

Matthias

Kgrishaber now that IOS printing is printing to scale (yay), will there be an update to be able to print templates from the IOS SB app?

Good question! So far I saw this option (which is controlled by Apple) only for text-based content, not for images or PDFs - like StitchBuddy is composing. So user-specific scaling to real-size might still be unavailable…

But it is a good opportunity to evaluate if AirPrint is still behaving like it was years ago: Apple has changed a lot under the hood, and maybe printouts are respecting a defined resolution / size on all devices, now?

I made a note on my todo list, and the next beta testing of StitchBuddy HD on iOS / iPadOS will unlock the print option for templates: A public testing on various printers is essential, because in the past the printed templated could have been perfectly sized on one printer model, but totally off on another.

Thanks for bringing up this topic again!

Matthias

Matthias I made a note on my todo list, and the next beta testing of StitchBuddy HD on iOS / iPadOS will unlock the print option for templates: A public testing on various printers is essential, because in the past the printed templated could have been perfectly sized on one printer model, but totally off on another.

StitchBuddy HD 3.8.0 has just reached its beta testing, and printing templates was enabled for evaluation … Please refer to the corresponding discussion for information how to join the beta testing.

Kgrishaber

Matthias Thanks for your response. I've purchased a new MAC Mini and just downloaded the software (free version) for the MAC OS. Does the free version have full print functionality? When I print on the MAC, it's not giving me the correct size so before I purchase the software, I want to ensure that I can print my DL templates. Is the free version print functionality different than the paid version? Thank you for your help. K.

Matthias

Kgrishaber When I print on the MAC, it's not giving me the correct size

Did you check the (extended) print dialog for StitchBuddy‘s options? The free trial version has all print capabilities, and the print dialog is including options for template printing, backgrounds, 3D mode and more.

It might be necessary to toggle the print dialog from condensed to extended mode to view all options.

Kgrishaber

Great - this worked for me with the info you provided. I've now purchased the MAC OS version. Can you confirm that the IOS now has print capability too? I didn't have any luck but maybe it's my printer. Thanks again. K.

Matthias

Kgrishaber Can you confirm that the IOS now has print capability too?

First, thanks for your purchase, appreciating my work on StitchBuddy: you rock!

StitchBuddy HD 3.8.1 on iOS / iPadOS has the - still experimental - capability to print real-size templates. Why "experimental"? As I mentioned in this discussion, printouts were automatically resized by iOS in the past, but maybe this situation has changed over the years: I enabled template printing and in my environment it is matching the design's real size.

But unfortunately there is no way for me to test all possible printing scenarios, and I haven't received any feedback - good or bad - in neither the extensive beta phase nor since this feature is available to the public. Therefore I cannot guarantee that a template printing is correctly sized on iOS / iPadOS.

TL;DR: Feel free to use the "Share PDF" - "Template" option to print. I recommend to keep the grid enabled, so it's easier to double-check the correct sizing. And I'd appreciate any feedback, helping me to decide if this feature will remain or has to be removed, again.