Topic
Interface
Quick tips and guides from the Kinetic Carving knowledge base, most read first.
23 guides
- Interface4 min read
How do Document Variables work in VCarve Pro & Aspire for parametric sign making and reusable job templates?
Document Variables let you define named values in one place and reference them in the calculation boxes of your toolpath forms: depths, dimensions and...
- Interface2 min read
How do I duplicate a layer, drag layers into a new order, and hide layers that are empty on this sheet? (12.5 layer tools)
Three layer features arrived together: a Duplicate command, drag and drop ordering, and a Layer Filter. All three live in the Layers tab and the layer list. 1...
- Interface2 min read
How do I edit individual sheets in a multi-sheet job, and duplicate a sheet complete with its contents? (12.5)
Select one or more sheets on the Sheet Management Tab and choose edit to open the Edit Sheet form. It comes in Single Sided, Double Sided, and Rotary variants...
- Interface2 min read
How do I make template files for jobs I run over and over - and copy work between files?
A template is a file saved with everything that never changes: job size for your standard blank, layers, border and margin vectors, registration marks...
- Interface2 min read
How do I print my design at actual size on paper to use as a template?
The built-in Print command is not a scale printer. The official documentation states that the printed view is always scaled to exactly fit the selected page...
- Interface3 min read
How do I save my own vectors and 3D pieces as a clipart library I can reuse?
The Clipart tab is not just for the bundled art. It can browse YOUR folders. Anything you use twice (logos, borders, star fields, flourishes, proven 3D...
- Interface3 min read
How do I use guide lines and the snap grid in the 3D view, and why couldn't I see my snap grid? (12.5)
Guide lines and the snap grid used to be 2D view features. In 12.5 both are visible and usable in the 3D view, so drawing and node editing there can snap the...
- Interface5 min read
How do I use VCarve Pro & Aspire's keyboard shortcuts to work faster?
Learning the keyboard shortcuts speeds up your workflow. The most-used operations have dedicated keys. The full official list is under Help Keyboard Shortcuts...
- Interface5 min read
How do Layers work in VCarve Pro & Aspire for organizing vectors and controlling visibility during design and toolpath creation?
Layers organize your artwork into named groups that can be shown, hidden, locked, colored or selected together. Vectors, bitmaps and the grayscale previews of...
- Interface6 min read
How do snap settings, grid, and guide lines work in VCarve Pro & Aspire, and how do I configure them for accurate design work?
The snapping system is what makes precise vector drawing possible. Without it, placing endpoints, aligning shapes and connecting vectors accurately would take...
- Interface5 min read
How do the Transform Objects tools work in VCarve Pro & Aspire: Move, Scale, Rotate, Mirror, and the Transform mode keyboard shortcuts?
The Drawing tab has tools for precisely moving, scaling, rotating and mirroring vectors, bitmaps and the grayscale previews of 3D components. Knowing when to...
- Interface4 min read
How does the Aspire interface work in version 12 and: panels, level dropdown, View Control, orthographic view, and View Toolbar?
Since version 12, Aspire has a modern interface that combines drawing and 3D modeling tools in a single panel. This guide covers the key interface elements...
- Interface2 min read
How does the built-in Job Templates feature work: Save As Template and .crvt/.crv3dt files?
Job Templates are a dedicated feature for storing frequently used job dimensions, machine settings, and optionally geometry in a special template file:.crvt...
- Interface3 min read
How does the VCarve Pro & Aspire Interactive Selection Mode work for moving, scaling, and rotating objects precisely?
The Interactive Selection Mode gives you direct mouse-based control over the position, size and rotation of vectors (and components in Aspire) using visible...
- Interface3 min read
How does the VCarve Pro & Aspire Measure Tool work, and how do I use the dimension annotation tool?
The Measure tool and the Dimensions tool give you two ways to measure and annotate distances in the 2D view. Open it with Ctrl+M (the Measure tool form), or...
- Interface2 min read
Sheets or layers: what is the difference, and which one should I use to organize my job?
A layer sorts objects inside one piece of material. Vectors, bitmaps and component previews are assigned to layers, and everything on a layer can be selected...
- Interface2 min read
Views and output reference: 2D view controls, the View Toolbar, exporting a PDF of your design, and what every file type is
Pan: click-drag with the tool active (Esc cancels), or just middle-mouse drag / Ctrl+right-drag any time. Zoom Interactive: mouse wheel (or Shift +...
- Interface3 min read
What are the best practices for organizing a complex Aspire project with many components, layers, and toolpaths?
Large Aspire projects (complex signs, multi-element reliefs, production jobs) can become very hard to manage without deliberate organization. These practices...
- Interface2 min read
What is Increment and Save, and how should I version my files while designing?
File Increment and Save saves your file with an automatically incrementing number: if the file name ends in an underscore or hyphen followed by a number, that...
- Interface2 min read
Where did the Undo, Redo and Save buttons go, and how do I get a panel back after it popped out or disappeared?
In version 12 and newer the row of file icons (new file, save, undo, redo) is hidden by default. Nothing is broken. One setting switches the row back on. 1...
- Interface2 min read
Where do I change program settings: interface, 3D view, toolpath preferences, and warning prompts? (Options dialog)
Edit ▸ Options. Important: many choices only take effect after you exit and restart the software. Controls what the program remembers between sessions: Save...
- Interface3 min read
Where is everything in the menus? A tour of File, Edit, Model, Machine, Toolpaths, View, Gadgets, and Help, plus the right-click menus
New, New from template, Open, Close, Save, Save As, Save As Template, and the sleeper hit Increment and Save: if the filename ends in an underscore or hyphen...
- Interface2 min read
Why is my 3D view or toolpath preview black / garbled?
This is a graphics-stack problem, not file corruption: 1. Update the graphics driver first. Get it from the GPU maker's site (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel), not just...