Read on to learn how to pick the best file type for your next Silhouette project.
Silhouette Studio can work with different file formats including SVG, DXF, PNG, JPG, BMP, PDF, PES and TIFF files to create designs for your projects.
Not all file types can be opened and/or exported with every version of the software however. For example, you will need Silhouette Studio Designer Edition to open an SVG file, but Business Edition to export or save as an SVG.
The free version of Silhouette Studio can open .Studio files, PNG, JPEG and DXF file formats.
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) files can be useful for importing designs from other software programs, but they are not as versatile as SVG files. DXF files do not support layers, which can make them more challenging to work with when creating complex designs. When you open a DXF file in Silhouette Studio you will notice it's only the cut lines and not filled with color.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a raster-based file format that is commonly used for digital images. While PNG files can be imported into Silhouette Studio, they are not as versatile as SVG files. PNG files do not support layers, which can make it more difficult to work with complex designs. Additionally, PNG files can become pixelated when resized, which can affect the final product.
The advantage of PNG files over JPEGs is PNG files have a transparent background. Silhouette Studio can see this and will automatically put a cut line around the edge of the image. This makes PNG files perfect designs for Silhouette print and cut and printing projects including stickers and sublimation transfers. JPEG files would need to be traced to create the cut lines and remove the background.
With the Silhouette Studio Designer Edition upgrade you can open SVG files which open in Silhouette Studio with cut lines turned on.
SVG is a vector-based file format that allows you to create graphics that can be scaled without losing quality. This is particularly useful when creating designs that need to be resized, such as decals or stencils because they will not lose quality when scaled. Additionally, SVG files can be edited easily in Silhouette Studio, making them a great choice for designers who want to make changes to their designs before cutting or printing.
Another advantage of SVG files is that they support layers, which can be very useful when working on complex designs. Layers allow you to organize your design elements and make it easier to manipulate individual elements. This can be particularly useful when working on designs that have multiple colors or intricate details.
The Designer Edition Plus software version can open embroidery files including PES files. 
The Silhouette Studio Business Edition upgrade can open Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw files. It's also the only version of the software that can export PNG, JPEG, and SVG file types.
While Silhouette Studio supports multiple file formats, SVG is what I would consider the best file type for designing and for using in Silhouette Studio due to their automatic cut lines, layers, quality and their compatibility with a wide range of software programs.
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I have a lot of trouble exporting Illustrator designs to SVG and importing them in Silhouette Studio Designer Edition. Fonts are changed, line thickness is changed, and elements are superposed. I bought the Designer Edition line specifically for its ability to import vector graphics. Finally, I opted to export my Illustrator designs in high-resolution PNG (900 - 1200 DPI) and import them into Silhouette Studio to finalize and cut. If I knew I would have these problems, I didn't would buy the upgrade.
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa. Great information for those that need it but you have missed out one file type which I have mentioned to you previously, .gsd file format was the one used before silhouette studio came onto the market. However, Silhouette Studio can open .gsd files easily by either dragging and dropping or File>Open> etc. .gsd files also come complete with cut lines and dash/score lines, so no need for tracing. All of my cutting file designs are done and sold using .gsd format because it is universally used. You can read more about it here https://file.org/extension/gsd
ReplyDeleteThank you this was very interesting. When I started my cutting machine journey I bought a BossKut Gazelle, using Funtime Software which created WPC files, later I bought a Black Cat using the same software, at the time I did not think I would ever change so any files I bought were WPC. Then I discovered the Cameo's started with a three and recently bought a five as a retirement present. Now I have lots of WPC files that I can do nothing with as I cannot find a program that will change WPC into SVG. Did try exporting as a DXF but when I bring into Silhouette it either works or it doesn't. Can anybody suggest a way to change WPC to SVG, so I can keep using these files. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHi Maryanne. Have you tried Inkscape, it can open so many different formats including wpg (wordperfect graphics), so maybe it will be able to open wpc too? Hope that helps you.
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