Our shop has recently purchased an Edge and since I can't seem to get alot of time on it we are still trying to work "our" bugs out of it. Here are a few questions that I thought would be easier and more effectively answered on the BB.

1. When any colors are touching on my artwork should I be creating a bleed as if I was silk screening? If so, do I do that manually or can the program (Omega) do that for me?

2. I just printed a graphic using Spectratone colors and I had to use and replace the same cartridge several times for use with the different spectratone color. Is this normal or am I able to group my cartridge colors so that they are being economically used?

3. Do I have any power over the order of the colors as they print?

4. Does anyone know of another Bulletin Board that specializes or focuses on the Edge so that I can read up alot more.

2. There are times when you can manipulate the design and software to reduce the redundant loading of cartridges. Again, your knowledge and experience level will aid in when and what to do.

3. Yes. In OMEGA, use [CTRL+D] to get to the Print Order dialog box. In Plot [F11] will get you to the Print Option dialog box. Both of these areas will allow you to manipulate print order.

4. Yep! 4edgetalk.com

I encourage you to review the post on the 4EDGEtalk BB. Some of the things you may be struggling with might already be answered. It may also give you a heads up on known issues. Undoubtedly, there will still be questions that go unanswered.

I also would encourage you to take 15 to 30 minutes every day and 1) Review the OMEGA “Learning Guide” 2) Click on every option from each drop down menu item, then press [F1] to access “help” for that item and read up on that option. 3) Review the above two items again and again. There are many people who own this equipment and software, some who event frequent this board, who do much more work than they have to, or limit their capabilities because they never fully invested to learn the ins-n-out. Help yourself and break the cycle!

Good information. I have been in the Sign Industry for around ten years as a graphic artist but I am very new to the Omega Software and the Edge 1. We are a small shop of 3 people and I find it hard to allocate that small bit of time to working through the learning process even though I know it will save me time in the long run.

I appreciate your help and I plan to start working through the learning guide.

With those many years under your belt and having silk screening experience, my guess is that you will adept rather quickly relative to others I’ve been exposed to. If you get Sign Craft magazine, check out Mike Jackson’s article in the September/October issue. If you don’t, find someone who does, it will be worth the effort. He touches on some related areas to your inquiry. Also, I made a new post that goes into a little more detail of “efficient” use of cartridges in some circumstances. You can click here or find it with the topic of “EDGE Overprint tip (or how to take up bandwidth)”

[ September 26, 2001: Message edited by: Bob Gilliland ]