File sources

There are two types of embroidery file format:

File type

Function

Design

Design files, also known as ‘outline’ or 'all-in-one' files, usually contain digitized shapes and lines, selected stitch types and stitch values and effects.

Machine

Machine files, also known as ‘stitch’ files, generally contain stitches and machine functions and are only suited to specific embroidery machines.

Design types

While embroidery files are broadly classified as ‘design’ (outline) or ‘machine’ (stitch), Hatch Embroidery internally tags files as belonging to one of four types – native design (A), imported outlines (B), processed stitches (C), or imported stitches (D). These are summarized as follows:

Grade

Source

Description

Native design

Native EMB designs as well as ART and JAN files are all ‘Grade A’ design formats read and written by the software. They are called ‘Grade A’ because they contain a complete set of design information in a single file – object outlines, properties, stitches, thread colors, thumbnail image, and comments. It goes without saying that only Grade A files provide 100% perfect scaling and transformation.

Imported outlines

Designs read from an outline format such as GNC and saved in ART / EMB / JAN format. Such designs cannot be read directly by the software but once converted, they are treated as Grade B designs.

Processed stitches

Designs read from machine files – EXP, DST, PES, etc – where stitches have been converted to objects.

Imported stitches

Designs read from machine files, where outlines may or may not have been ‘recognized’, but stitches have not been regenerated through stitch processing. Note, however, that if you change a stitch design – e.g. add a lettering object – the status changes to ‘Processed Stitches’ even though the imported stitches may not have been regenerated.

For information about the source of an embroidery file, refer to the Design tab of the Design Information docker.