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Stained Glass Software

by Tim
(North Carolina)

I want to get a stained glass software package, but don't know which one. Glass Eye seems to be a good product but it is expensive and I don't know if the software has been updated.

What do you recommend.

Answer

Hi Tim,

I just went to the Dragonfly software site. Here is what they say about their newest version. "The current shipping version of Glass Eye 2000 is 3.1, released on January 15, 2007". That makes the latest version is one year old.

I know a lot of people that use Glass Eye. I have never heard anyone that didn't like it. Why don't you download the trial version and try it out. You get to try it for 30 days before you have to make the decision if you want to buy it. And...you get to keep the resizing software whether you buy or not.

Another software available is Pattern Wizard and Rapid Resizer. They are considerably cheaper than Glass Eye, but , as I understand, Pattern Wizard isn't as complex as Glass Eye. I use Rapid Resizer and find it exceptionally easy to use. I've had it for a long time and use it frequently. Both Wizard and Resizer have a decent free trial period. Pattern Wizard gives you 48 hours of use...that's actual use, not 2 days from the time you download it. Rapid Resizer gives you a 14 day (from the day you download it) free trial.

If I were you, I'd try both Glass Eye and Pattern Wizard and see which one meets your needs. They are both very good products and I would recommend either one.

Sue

Comments for
Stained Glass Software

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Feb 25, 2009
 No Further Comments Will be Accepted
by: Sue

No further comments will be accepted for this submission. It has run it's course and any further comments will only be detremental to the original question.

Thank you to everyone that contributed their thoughts on stained glass software.

Sue
Feb 23, 2009
 F/U on post from Jan. 16, 2009
by: Cathy Andersen

I received an email from Mike wilk the Owner of the GlassEye Program. I was first amazed that he read our posts and cared enough to figure out I had written the post and followed up with a letter to me. My dealings with the GlassEye service was indeed trying and involved more interactions that were apparently in their service record...but I was eventually given a new code to be able to get my program up and running once more. The program is a very essential tool in my glass studio and I was totally handicapped without it. Please read his note and give him credit for trying to set the record straight with us that he cares. His letter is included in the next post since we are limited to the size of our postings. Best to all!
Feb 22, 2009
 Glass Eye
by: Kristy

Hi all, When using the grid sometimes you have to take off the "foot" icon at the top toward I believe the right side of the page is where it is located. That is the sticky button which make the lines and "dots" join together. I have found if we turned it off and use the "arrow +" icon to add point or as you call then "dots" it works better. Yes do go the site and do the tutorials they are nice and work well. The program by no means is a bust if you know how to use it. But we do a lot of laser engraving in vector format which he has a add on to the professional one to do this, but it won't be able to do what AI CS2 does. Again let me say I really think for the crafter - non professional artist the program is good, but for stuff we do it really requires a more in depth program. When we hired our graphics person to help relieve some of the stresses on me in the studio I sat down and showed him the Glass Eye program. He ran it in 2 hours flat and new it all basically. Then he asked us why not use AI CS2 and since we added the laser engraver, plotter cutter ect. is was a better fit for us. If you have more question I will be happy to help. Kristy

Feb 21, 2009
 Glass Eye 2000 tutorial
by: Michael

Jeanne,

That video isn't a tutorial but a quick video demonstration of Glass Eye 2000. It is meant only as a brief introduction for someone who hasn't seen the software before.

There is a comprehensive tutorial at www.dfly.com/tutorial. There you'll find twenty lessons of hands-on training. I'm sure that if you went though all the lessons you'd become a real Glass Eye 2000 expert!
Feb 19, 2009
 Glass Eye
by: Jeanne

Hi Kristy - Thanks for your kind offer. After I had my little vent, I sat down and watched the tutorial once more. By the way - I have the Professional Verion. The one thing I have noticed from the tutorial is they draw the picture but provide very little background as to the different features of the program and where they are. You are pretty much left to hunt and peck for them yourself by using the help feature and trial and error. I was able to do a couple of cabinet door panel designs (I abandoned trying to use the grid as I had too many problems and I think that working with it was probably my biggest mistake). I had a few a-ha moments when looking at how other premade patterns were done (highlighted areas to cut and paste and saw all the small knots).

Again, I don't have any experience working with CAD programs. I think the tutorials could have been more detailed and informative. I'm a detailed kinda gal....

Feb 18, 2009
 Glass Eye Software
by: Kristy

Hi all, Glass eye like I said in my other comment is a good program just horrible at human relations.

Jeanne, I totaly understand, but your problem maybe the basic program. I found it to be just that basic enough to get you're feet wet, but not enough to really do anything else. To do the more intense patterns the professional plus program is what you need to have in my opinion or Adobe Illustrator CS2.

What are you trying to do in the basic program? Maybe I can help you out.

Take care Kristy
Feb 17, 2009
 I Have Never Had Success With Glass Eye
by: Jeanne

I have the basic version for 5 years now. I have never had success in getting it to do what I want it to do. When trying to draw something from scratch, I can never get it to go as well as I can with a pencil and paper. I don't find it to be very user friendly - maybe because I don't have a tech background in CAD software.

It has been a huge disappointment for me that I can't figure this program out without spending an unbelievable amount of time on it. I'm usually really good with things like this but they really stumped me.
Jan 16, 2009
 I Feel So Frustrated
by: Cathy Andersen

I see after one year nothing has really changed with the Glass Eye 2000 support staff. Let's see, My hard drive crashed, had to replace it then I ask for support to relicense it. It has been two months and 6 letters later and they still have not given me the solution to relicense my $460 program.

I bougth it three months before my computer crashed and they will not help. Yes, service is rude, often they do not return emails and if you call them (paying long distance fees since there is no toll free) they make the problem out to be mine and they just put me off. I definitely warn you to not waste your money. If they ever do pull through, I will update my comments.
Nov 04, 2008
 Disgruntled with Glass Eye Customer Service
by: Kristy

Hello,

I have the professional plus edition and really like the program.

The DOWN FALLS to GLASS EYE

The customer support person isn't all that nice and hangs up on customers when he doesn't want to talk any longer or is flustrated. When he does talk he is rude and condescending.

If you have a computer issue and you lose all your programs you have to go through them to get a new key....which is an additional $35 per key after the 1st year.

I had to go through them because I didn't use it for a few years to be able to get it on the computer again. Then our hard drive crashed and again we had to get a new key code. Then the laptop was dropped and the hard drive crashed again and YES we had to get another key code from them. As well as a lecture that we shouldn't buy crappy computers or old computers and spend $3000 or better on them.

At this point I don't have any choice but to pay the $35 FEE since our original designs are in the program.

I am also learning Adobe Illustrator CS2 which does the same thing only more advanced. But I do know as soon as the AI CS2 is learned we will be moveing 100% of our designs to it and pitching the Glass Eye program.

Jun 23, 2008
 Pattern Wizard Trial Experience
by: Al In Georgia

I seen that Glass Eye Standard Edition software was twice the cost of Pattern Wizard, and even at that, I was told by Glass Eye that the free trial download was the Professional Edition (I could be wrong on this, but I thought I heard it was the Professional Plus Edition - at 5 times the cost). So I would not be able to tell what features I would be getting with the Standard Edition. I light of this; I download the trial version of Pattern Wizard. I was amazed what I was able to do with it. I could open one of my free stained glass .jpg files, and trace it. I was also able to figure out how to use most of the features, some of which were a trick to find, but in the end there was noting I wanted to do that I could not do. I even found a trick of emailing my tracing to myself which converted their file extension to a jpg file that I could store and access. At this point I can not think of what more Glass Eye could do that I might want, but that does not mean I know everything. My next thought is to contact DragonFly and see if they will let me download their Standard Edition as a trial to use what I would actually be willing to pay. If not, I could be happy with Pattern Wizard.
Jan 22, 2008
 I purchased Glasseye software
by: Keith Robinson

Hello Tim, I have bought GlassEye software and can recommend it highly. I got the professional edition as I think it gives everything a non-professional would need. The next version up has features that only a commercial organisation would benefit from (in my opinion) I am a systems analyst by profession so was able to make a fairly qualified judgement. I wanted the abilty to use images as the basis for my designs. By superimposing a digital picture as the background when creating a cartoon and then using the software to 'draw over' it much is possible. I used it to copy the design from my Victoian Porch tiles. Mind you, when seeing the dog pattern that Sue created from a sketch of a dogs photo perhaps I should have saved my money! - still we cant all have natural talent!

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