Embird FAQs
How can I turn off Embird's 30-day password reminder
Embird Manager Help/ Passwords, uncheck "Remind me need for password back-up every 30 days".
Downloading and using Embroidery Library's color change sheets.
Most home embroidery formats store thread colors, but commercial formats like .DST do not store color information. Commercial embroiderers usually have a sewn sample or a photograph of the sewn design to show to clients, and they don't care much about what colors their embroidery software shows on the screen.
Home embroiderers like to see the design on-screen, with "correct" colors. Fortunately, Embroidery Library and Embird cooperate, so you can download color change sheets for designs you have purchased and see them in correct colors in Embird. Almost all designs from Embroidery Library have color change sheets available. If you've purchased a design from emblibrary.com in .DST format, or any other design format, you can download the color change sheet so you can see correct colors in Embird.
- At emblibrary.com, select the design you purchased, then click "Printable without images".
- Use your browser's "File/ Save As" to download as a .TXT file to your computer, using the same primary name and folder as your design, so you'll end up with design.DST and design.TXT in the same folder.
- Double-click your design filename, and view the file in the correct colors in Embird.
- Click "Manager/ Color Palette/ Save As" and save as an EDR file with the same name, in the same folder. The .EDR file is what allows Windows Explorer and other programs to display colors correctly.
Here's how to download a Color Change Sheet from EmbLibrary.com
Clicking EmbLibrary Color Change Sheet
Click the Color Change Sheet, and you'll see
Click "Printable without images" and the thread list will be presented, on-screen. The view below shows the thread list. Click "Save Page As" and enter a file name and choose to save as a .TXT file.
The thread list (Color Change Information) is shown above. Now to save it using the same name as you used when you downloaded the design:
OK, done. Now double-click the embroidery filename and it should open in Embird, in the correct colors.
Note that there is header and footer information in the list, in addition to the color list you want. Embird seems to work fine with files that contain this header & footer information, but I prefer to open the file in any text editor (notepad) and delete the unnecessary information.
Great, we have the .DST design displayed in correct colors. Now, save the EDR file so Embird will automatically open the file using the correct colors.
You probably want to rename files with names like "430801.DST" and "430801.TXT" to a name more meaningful to you, as you store it in your embroidery filing system. Just be sure to rename both parts the same, maybe "Gift of the Gnome(emblib).DST" and "Gift of the Gnome(emblib).TXT"
My Desktop Icons are the wrong size, what can I do
Embird Manager "Options/ Iconizer Settings", set the Icon Size to 32 for the default icon size, or choose your preferred size.
Embird is set to verify file associations unless you modify the install defaults. This can cause the icons on your desktop (screen) to be moved. You can stop the behavior as described below.
Turning verify file associations "on" every month or so may help maintain correct file associations, if you have changed anything. After re-starting Embird, I suggest you set file associations "off" again.In Embird Manager "Options/ Iconizer Settings", Clear the box (make sure it's not checked) for "Verify these file associations when starting Embird".
Please see animated iconizer settings for more information.
File Associations
A file association is a link between a type of data file and the program that Windows uses to open or display it. It's how Windows knows what program to use to open a file, when you double-click a file in Windows Explorer. Windows evaluates the file name then looks up the file extension, to see what program is registered to handle that file extension. For example, you double-click a .TXT file and find yourself viewing something in Notepad, but you want .TXT files to be opened in Wordpad. You can change file associations by right-clicking any filename in Windows Explorer (My Computer), selecting "Open With", and if your desired program isn't displayed, you can Browse to find the program you want to associate with the extension. After this, when you double-click the file, the associated program will open the file.
Embird assists in assigning file associations, via Manager / Options/ Iconizer Settings and via Manager / Options/ Associate Extensions.
Associating Extensions via Embird:
Click Options/ Associate Extensions
Embird's screen for associating file extensions is displayed below. Your screen may not look the same.
Above is how Embird allows you to associate file extensions with whatever program you want to handle the file, when you double-click the file.
Below is how Windows handles the same thing.
Associating file extensions via Windows:
Right-click any file in Windows Explorer, then click "Open With", then "Choose Default Program".
And here's the Windows screen that permits file association:
Make sure there's a checkmark in "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file"- if that's what you want.
ZIP and RAR file compression and uncompression.
Embird allows you to uncompress files compressed in the ZIP or RAR file formats by either:- "permanently" uncompressing the files, or
- temporarily uncompressing them.
Both mechanisms assume the file is visible in Manager's Files window, near the bottom right.
It's best to "permanently" uncompress files that you will be working on, for ease of use and to allow Iconizer to display properly, while you're working with the files. You can compress them again after you've finished your work.
Permanent uncompressing
Temporary uncompressing
- Changes made to temporarily unzipped files may be lost, if you're not careful. The files are saved in the temporary location, but you may not realize this when you're looking for them.
- Commercial embroidery file types like .DST will probably display goofy colors when working with a temporarily unzipped file, because the associated color file isn't found (it's still zipped).
Nested Zips:
Using Windows' built-in ZIP file capabilities:
Files compressed in the ZIP format can be uncompressed using Windows' built-in capabilities. You don't need any third-party utility. For help on this Windows capability, enter "Zip compression" into Windows' Help and Support, and you should see
- Windows can compress and uncompress files compressed in the .ZIP file format, but not files zipped in the .RAR file format. (Note that Embird can uncompress RAR files).
- The RAR format offers a somewhat higher degree of compression, and is favored by geeks.
- Embird can uncompress RAR files, but you need Winrar to compress .RAR file types.
Please remember that most users of Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 don't need a commercial ZIP file handler since Windows has everything needed to zip and unzip files. Commercial ZIP file handlers offer more features, such as creating self-extracting files, handling other compression formats, etc.
PKWARE, Inc. is the creator of the ZIP standard for data compression and security. The .ZIP file format is now used by millions of users around the world. PKWARE introduced PKZIP in 1989, which quickly set the standard for compression on DOS, Windows, UNIX, Linux, iSeries, zSeries, and other platforms.
WinZIP actively marketed the ZIP file format.
WinRAR - Their site can be confusing, but I believe they have the best utility available for handling ZIP files. In addition, WinRAR can compress and uncompress .RAR files, which are more compact than a corresponding .ZIP file.
Finding Files or Folders I recently worked on
To see recent Files, click Embird Manager Middle Panel/ View History, or Alt+H.
To see recent Folders, click Embird Manager Show Folder History button, the down arrow.
Troubleshooting "My Iconizer is not working!"
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Registration, does Embird "know" that you have a license for Iconizer
- To verify that Embird has your Iconizer registration, click the "Red Key" icon in Embird Manager,
and make sure Embird thinks Iconizer is Registered. - If Iconizer is not registered, and you have the PASSWORD.KLC file that came with one of the two registration emails you received from Embird.com, copy the PASSWORD.KLC file to the folder where you installed Embird, and re-start Embird. It should self-register. Or, if you no longer have the file, just copy the registration password from the other email you received when you registered, and paste it into the white registration area.
- To verify that Embird has your Iconizer registration, click the "Red Key" icon in Embird Manager,
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Iconizer Settings, is Iconizer enabled for your file types
- In Embird Manager, select "Options > Iconizer Settings" menu and make sure that the Iconizer plug-in is enabled for your file types. See here.
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Is Windows Explorer set to display Thumbnails
- Windows Control Panel, Folder Options, View tab. Ensure that "Always show Icons, never thumbnails" is NOT checked.
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Is Windows set to display Medium, Large, or Extra Large icons
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The default Windows Explorer View of icons in Vista 32-bit is "Small Icons", but Iconizer requires Medium, Large, or Extra Large Icons.
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Are you using Windows Explorer 32-bit
Exit and Re-start Windows Explorer 32-bit and choose "View- Medium Icons" (or a larger view). Now, Windows Explorer should be displaying the contents of the FILES folder as thumbnails. Other programs that honor Windows' display mechanisms should also display thumbnails. Thumbnails are not shown for files
How can I recover Embird passwords
This procedure assumes you saved your password on your local computer or a removable media.Embird Manager "Help/ Passwords/ Recover", use the commands documented below. Or watch a Movie: Saving and Recovering Embird Passwords.
