TABLE OF CONTENTS

Registration Mark Failure in Silhouette Connect

Registration Mark reading failures in Silhouette Connect typically occur either from:

  • A conflict with the Silhouette Studio program running, or 
  • The page setup is incorrectly

Checking Silhouette Studio


Running multiple programs that attempt to connect to the Silhouette cutting machine simultaneously can cause potential connection or proper Registration Mark reading issues.


If the Silhouette Studio software is running:


  1. Close Silhouette Studio
  2. Exit the Silhouette Connect plug-in program
  3. Power off the Silhouette cutting machine
  4. Re-send the image from Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW to the Silhouette Connect plug-in
  5. Power on the Silhouette device

Checking Page Setup


Registration Mark reading failures in Silhouette Connect can occur if either:

  • You have forgotten to add a mat in the software, or 
  • You are not using a cutting mat 


The available cutting area decreases when you don’t use a mat, though the registration marks do not auto-adjust to this change. This results in the Silhouette machine's optic scanner looking in the wrong place for the printed Registration Marks.


Perform the following steps to check your setup:


  1. Exit the Silhouette Connect plug-in program
  2. Unload your mat/materials from the Silhouette cutting machine
  3. Power off the Silhouette device
  4. Re-send the image from Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW to the Silhouette Connect plug-in
  5. Power on the Silhouette device
  6. Load your mat/materials back into the Silhouette cutting machine
  7. Ensure that the registration marks are inside the cuttable area

Silhouette Connect Not Working with Sonoma

The Sonoma Mac OS is not currently fully compatible with Silhouette Connect. This may manifest itself in the Silhouette Connect program as follows:



We are working on an update now for full Sonoma compatibility. 


As we work to resolve this concern to provide full Sonoma compatibility, unfortunately, the only workaround to resolve this issue in the meantime would be to downgrade your Operating System from Sonoma to Ventura.


NOTE: Silhouette does not necessarily recommend downgrading your Operating System as this can impact many other programs and other data on your computer.


We encourage you to update your software once a newer version above 1.6.107 is posted at https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/software/sc. The next update should include a fix for this issue. we are working to provide this as soon as possible, but do not yet have a date we're able to project. 


We sincerely appreciate your continued patience in the meantime.




No Cut Lines in Silhouette Connect

Silhouette Connect will only recognize vector lines.

Imported Images


If you are attempting to send an image that is an imported raster file (such as a JPG or PNG file), the design will need to be converted into lines or traced within the Illustrator software. 

Drawn Images


If you are using a file with lines that have been drawn, select the lines to ensure they have been stroked so they are showing up properly.



Dashed Lines in Silhouette Connect

When you send lines to be cut through Silhouette Connect, all lines will be treated and cut as solid lines unless they are literally dashed line segments that have been drawn as dashed line segments (rather than a property assigned to the line).

Converting to Dashed Lines

In order to convert lines into dashed lines in Silhouette Connect:


  1. Select your line segments (by color or pre-defined layer)
  2. Click on the desired material type for the line/layer
  3. Double-click on the material type listed
  4. On the screen which allows you to define the cut conditions for that material type, select your line style from the drop-down list under the Cut Line Pattern section
  5. Optional: Hover over the line style in the drop-down menu and find an option to Edit in order to adjust the line segment lengths for the cut line pattern selected 
  6. Click on Save Changes



Fonts Not Showing in Silhouette Connect (CorelDRAW)

If some of your fonts are not showing up in the Silhouette Connect program, this would generally indicate that the fonts in question have not yet been converted to a path.

Converting Fonts to a Path


You can convert fonts to a path as follows:

  1. Open the original document in CorelDRAW
  2. Select all text objects
  3. Right-click > Convert to Curves
  4. Send the job through Silhouette Connect again



Rotation Display Issue in Silhouette Connect

Designs displayed on the 'Send to Silhouette' screen should be oriented exactly as they will be sent to your Silhouette cutting machine.


To resolve this:

  1. Ensure that during file setup in Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW, the page size does not exceed the mat size
  2. Ensure the design fits within the red-lined cut border that is displayed on-screen

 

This should correct the concern with the image being rotated improperly when sent to a Silhouette machine to cut.




"cpif_too_big" Error Message

When using Silhouette Connect, the message “cpif_too_big...” indicates that the source design contains a high volume of cut lines. The threshold to display this warning is set to more than 2500 individual cut lines.

 

The presence of the message either means:

  • The design is very large with a large number of lines, and the design is going to take quite some time to load, or 
  • The design is impossible for the cutting machine to process

Resolving the Error


You can resolve this error by selecting one of the error message options:


  • If “cpif_too_big_cancel” is selected, you can abandon the attempt in order to go back and turn off unwanted lines prior to sending the job again.
  • If “cpif_too_big_OK” is selected, you can continue to send the entire job to the Silhouette Connect plug-in, though it may take some time to do so.


Basically, the message is a reminder for you to go back and modify the design in Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW, most often by turning off or eliminating unwanted lines.


Since the Silhouette Connect program is not a design program, it expects the user to know how the design is constructed and the amount of lines that have been generated to be processed.