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This section addresses some of the most common problems encountered with the NiceCut series software. If you cannot find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact technical support at international@comnet-network.co.jp

• Illustrator 10 Support
• Protect Error
• No New Menus
• Plotting problems
• Using NiceCut

Illustrator 10 Support

Q:  Can I use NiceCut and NiceCut Pro with Illustrator 10?

A:  Yes! Comnet has released NiceCut Pro for Illustrator 10, available as a free update for all current users. To download the update, please visit our downloads page.

Protect Error

Q:  When I start Illustrator, a message appears saying I am running an Unlicensed version of NiceCut or NiceCut Professional edition.

A:  Whenever a protect error occurs, make sure your protection key is firmly connected to the appropriate port (USB or ASB-2 on Macintosh, Parallel port in Windows). If it is firmly connected to the appropriate port and the error message still appears, please contact Comnet's Support department.

No New Menus

Q: Illustrator starts, but the NiceCut menus and tools do not appear. Where are they?

A: Most of the time, one of two things has occured:

1. It is possible the software was not installed correctly. Try re-installing your version of NiceCut.
2. In Illustrator, open File > Preferences > Plug-ins and Scratch Disk, and confirm the plug-in folder is the same folder as where your version of NiceCut is saved.

In depth answer: Installing software from the NiceCut series places a plug-in in Illustrator’s plug-ins folder. If the PlotEngineWinX.aip or PlotEngineMacX (where X is 7, 8, or 9) file is not in your Plug-in folder, then Illustrator will not know NiceCut exists. The 7, 8 and 9 correspond to which version of Illustrator the plug-in requires.

Plotting Output Issues

Q: After pushing the Plot button, "Serial Port cannot be opened" error is displayed.

A: There are three possible solutions:

1. The Port field of the Plotter Setup menu does not match the port used by your plotter.
2. On Macintosh computers, confirm that the Apple talk port and the plotter port are not the same.
3. If you are using Windows NT, 2000, or Windows XP, then you may have installed the wrong version of NiceCut or NiceCut Pro. To check this, in Illustrator's help menu, open About Plug-ins, and look for PlotterEngineWin.aip. If it doesn't include an NT or 2000 in the name, then you need to re-install NiceCut Pro. Please email us for details.

Q: Plotter does not respond after pressing "Plot" button.
    Computer locks after pressing the "Plot" button.
    After pressing the "Plot" button, my plotter displays an error message.

A: Each of these issues have a variety of causes. Please try the following:

1. Confirm the plotter is connected appropriately to your computer.
2. Check your configuration in the Plotter Setup menu. Particularly, the plotter language setting. If the language setting in NiceCut does not match the plotter's language setting, NiceCut cannot plot your artwork. See your plotter manufacturer's manual for how to change the language setting on your plotter.
3. Is the cable connecting the plotter to your computer the one recommended by the plotter manufacturer? If not, then plotting may not work properly. Contact your plotter manufacturer if you are not sure.

Q: Output data is larger or smaller than expected.

A: The step size set in the plotter setup menu may not match the step size of your plotter. Verify your plotter's step size and change NiceCut's settings to match.

Questions about NiceCut's operation

Q: After making plotter output data, I changed my artwork in Illustrator. After pressing the "Undo" button, and canceling my plotting data, the changes I made to my artwork disappeared too. Why?

A: When you create plotting data using NiceCut, a new layer is automatically created with the plotter data. If you make changes to your artwork on that layer and then "Undo" the plotting data, your changes will be erased along with the plotting data. If you want to change your artwork after creating Plotting Data, make sure your changes are made on the artwork layer.

Q: Even though I've checked Relative plotting, when I plot separate colors they aren't in the right position. What's up?

A: Only check the Relati. box after selecting All in the color separation table. Then, return to the color separation table and choose Separate. Order matters -- if you choose Separate before checking the Relati. box, you will be setting one color relative to itself, not relative all the plotting data or the entire image.

Q: Even when switching the origin between left and right, the output doesn't change.

A: The left and right origin setting only affects the Preview window in NiceCut. To change the origin from left to right (or vice-versa) on your plotter, consult your plotter's manual.

Appendix: Cutting and Printing plotters.

Although performance and configuration varies between plotters, if NiceCut is not behaving normally, you may need to change the mode on your plotting device.

1. Set your plotting device to cut mode.
2. If you have previously printed in print mode and then try to print again from the NiceCut series but cannot, try turning off and then turning on your plotter. Similarly, when changing from printing to cutting, you should again turn off and then turn on your plotter.