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XCS Editor Function Overview (V2.0 Beta)
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XCS Editor Function Overview (V2.0 Beta)
Updated Apr 12,2024
Welcome to xTool Creative Space (XCS) 2.0 Beta!

This page will guide you through the UI and functions of XCS 2.0 Beta.

If you use it for the first time, you can follow the beginners' guide to create a
project and get familiar with the layout of the project window.

For details about the pages, menus, tools, and setting panels, continue reading.

UI navigation
Main toolbar
The main toolbar appears on all pages, allowing you to:
1. Go to the homepage
2. Create a project
3. See all the opened tabs, including the projects and xTool Projects page. You can
create or close projects here. You can open a maximum of six projects at the same
time.
4. Check for software updates
5. Set the software functions
6. Close XCS
7. Open the message center where you can find all the messages
8. View the task list
9. Minimize the window
10. Maximize or resize the window
11. Close the window

Homepage
On the homepage, you can:
1. Log in to your xTool account. Some functions, such as xArt and Cloud services,
may require you to log in.
2. Go to the homepage. When you are using your Cloud space, you can click to go
back to the homepage.
3. Open your Cloud space. To use the Cloud services, you need to log in to your
xTool account.
4. Open the xTool Projects center, where you can find various projects created by
xTool users. You can use them or get inspired.
5. Go to the xTool online shop to find more information about xTool machines and
accessories.
6. Open a project from a local disk of your computer. Only XCS files are supported.
7. Click to create a project.
8. Click to create a project.
9. Click to open a project that interests you.

Project page
Toolbar

Main menu

File
New: creates a new project file
Open project: opens a project file for a local drive, supporting only XCS files
Import image: imports an image file. Currently, XCS supports the importing of only
JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, SVG, DXF, and WEBP files.
Close: closes the current project tab
Save: saves all the changes to the project
Save as: saves the project as another file
Rename: names the project
Export as SVG: exports all the objects on the canvas as an SVG file
Edit
Undo: cancels the last action
Redo: performs the last canceled action again
Copy: copies the selected object(s) on the canvas
Paste: pastes the copied object(s) on the canvas
Cut: cuts the selected object(s) on the canvas
Delete:deletes the selected object(s) on the canvas
Select All: selects all the objects on the canvas
Help
Help center: goes to the xTool support center
User guide: opens the beginners' guide
Settings
Opens the XCS settings window

Left side bar

Image: click to import an image. Currently, XCS supports the importing of only JPG,
JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, SVG, DXF, and WEBP files.
Text: click to enter a text
Line, Rectangle, Circle: click to draw a line, rectangle, or circle
Vector: click to draw a vector
Shape: click to insert a shape
xArt: click to generate an image by text or image. Login to your xTool account is
required.
Applications: click to generate an array or code, or to use the smart fill function
Canvas panel

You can add, rename, or delete canvases on the canvas panel.

Layer and object list

You can manage layers and objects on the layer and object list panel.

Right settings panel

The right settings panel includes the Object and Processing tabs.

Processing: The Processing tab varies according to xTool machine. You can set the
processing mode, material, and processing path here.

Object: The Object tab varies according to the object you've selected. You can edit
images, texts, and vectors by using the design functions here.

Processing preview page

On the processing preview page, you can play the whole processing process as a
video clip. You can include the trajectory of the laser module in the preview and
set the play speed. Alternatively, you can drag the progress bar to view the
process.

Function description
Software settings
You can open the software settings window in either of the following ways:

On the homepage, choose Settings on the main toolbar.

On the project page, choose Settings from the main menu.

General settings

Unit: sets the unit for displaying the size and position of a design element
Language: sets the language of the UIs
Auto-snapping: enables or disables the auto-snapping function of the canvas. The
function is enabled by default.
Precise vector path selection: By default, this function is disabled.
When this function is disabled, you can select a vector path by clicking on the
selection box of it. The selections boxes of multiple vector paths, however, may
overlap, causing difficulty in selecting the target vector path.

As shown in the following figure, it is difficult to select the purple line because
it is located within the selection box of another line.

When this function is enabled, no selection box is provided for vector paths. You
need to move the mouse pointer close to a line to select it. In this way, you can
select a vector path without selection box interfering.
As shown in the following figure, you can select a line by moving the mouse pointer
close to it and then clicking.

Display vector fill: sets whether to display the fill of a vector when its
processing types is set to Engrave.
Hot keys: You can click View to view all the hot keys supported by XCS
Vector quality: sets the quality of vector paths, including the following options:
Optimal (ideal for patterns larger than 20 inches and allows for an average speed)
High (good for patterns of 10 to 20 inches and allows for a moderately faster
speed)
Medium (good for patterns smaller than 10 inches and allows for a fast speed)
The higher the quality, the lower the speed. If you need to edit complicated vector
paths, which may cause software lag, empty screen, or crashes, you can set the
quality to Medium to improve the performance of XCS. You don't have to worry much
about the processing results. In most of the cases, the differences in processing
results between the Medium and High quality are not observable. The processing
precision is observably reduced only when you scale a small vector path to a very
large one, for example, scale a 2-inch pattern to a 20-inch one.

File settings

Imported image too large for the canvas: sets how to process an imported image that
is too large for the canvas, including the following options:
Ask me every time: XCS asks you every time when you import an image that is too
large for the canvas.
Auto-scale it: XCS automatically scales an image that is too large for the canvas
when you import it.
Keep its size: XCS displays an image that is too large for the canvas in the
original size when you import it.
Precise DXF file parsing: sets whether to parse DXF files with new algorithms. The
new algorithms ensure better parsing results without line missing or deformation
and therefore use more PC memory. It is disabled by default. You are advised not to
enable this function when your DXF files are properly parsed on XCS.
DXF auto-close tolerance (mm): automatically closes paths, imported from a DXF
file, that include split points.
Custom parameter settings: allows you to export the processing parameter settings
you've saved before or import parameter settings into XCS from a local drive.
Developer mode

You can enter the developer mode to update the firmware of a machine forcibly.
Currently, the function is available only for xTool D1, D1 Pro, D1 Pro 2.0, and S1.

About XCS

You can find information about your XCS version, check for updates, and read the
privacy policy and terms of service.

Object editing
Using the left side bar, you can add an image, text, shape, vector path, image
generated by xArt, array, and duplicate object to a canvas. After adding objects,
you can edit them by using the Design panel on the right.

General editing
The general object editing functions are available for all types of objects.

Arrange objects
You need to arrange objects only when there is more than one object on the canvas.
You can set the stacking order of the objects, align them, and distribute them.

Set the stacking order

Bring to front: moves the selected object, group, or layer to the top of the
stacking order.
Send backward: moves the selected object, group, or layer backward one position in
the stacking order.
Bring forward: moves the selected object, group, or layer forward one position in
the stacking order.
Send to back: moves the selected object, group, or layer to the bottom of the
stacking order.
Align objects

Align left: aligns the left edges of the selected objects.

Horizontal align center: aligns the horizontal centers of the selected objects.
Align right: aligns the right edges of the selected objects.
Align top: aligns the tops of the selected objects.
Vertical align center: aligns the vertical centers of the selected objects.
Align bottom: aligns the bottoms of the selected objects.
Distribute objects

Distribute horizontally: spaces the selected objects evenly between the leftmost
and rightmost edges of the objects in the selection area in the horizontal
direction.

Distribute vertically: spaces the selected objects evenly between the leftmost and
rightmost edges of the objects in the selection area in the vertical direction.

Reflect an object
You can reflect an object as required.

Reflect horizontally: reflects the selected object using the horizontal center line
as the axis.

Reflect vertically: reflects the selected object using the vertical center line as
the axis.

Set the position of an object

You can set the position of an object precisely by entering the x and y coordinates
of its upper-left edge.

The unit can be set in Settings.

The position (0, 0) is in the upper-left corner of the canvas.

Set the size of an object

You can set the size of an object by entering its width and height. The aspect
ratio is locked when you insert or import an object into the canvas. You can click
the Lock aspect ratio icon to unlock the ratio.

Rotate an object
You can rotate an object by entering an angle. A positive value indicates rotating
clockwise, and a negative one indicates rotating counterclockwise.
Set the corner radius
You can modify a rectangle to a rounded one by entering a corner radius.

Create an outline of an object

You can create an outline for a bitmap, vector path, or text. In addition, you can
add an inner outline for a bitmap with a transparent background.

Group and ungroup objects

You can group two or more objects or ungroup them.

Bitmap image editing

Besides the general editing functions, there are design functions available only
for bitmap images. You can select an image to activate these functions.

Magic wand
You can select Magic wand to delete an area from the image. The parameter Fuzziness
works with the magic wand, indicating the range of pixel colors you delete at a
time. The larger the value, the wider the color range, that is, the colors of the
pixels to be deleted can be quite different; the smaller the value, the narrower
the color range, that is, the colors of the pixels to be deleted are very similar.

Eraser
You can select Eraser to erase a part from the image. The parameter Size works with
the erase, including the size of the eraser. The larger the value, the larger the
area you erase at a click.

Crop
You can select Crop to keep an area and discard those not selected.

Trace image
You can convert a bitmap image into a vector by using the Trace image function.

Fuzziness threshold: indicates the range of pixel colors for generating vector
paths. The larger the value, the wider the color range, that is, the colors of the
pixels used to generate the vector paths can be quite different. The smaller the
value, the narrower the color range, that is, the colors of the pixels used to
generate the vector paths are very similar. Setting range: 0–255

Denoising: removes the noise of the image. Pixels with a color value lower than the
one you set will not be used to generate vector paths. Setting range: 0–100
Smoothness: sets the smoothness of the vector paths to be generated. The larger the
value, the smoother the transition between neighboring pixels. Setting range: 0–1

If you are converting an image with many details, you can enable the Layering by
color function. When it is enabled, the vector paths generated are layered by
color, and then you can ungroup them and edit each layer.

Add a filter
You can add a filter for your image. The following options are provided: original,
grid, sketch, comic 1, comic 2, embossment, and black-and-white. For embossment,
you can set the strength.

Set sharpness
With other settings unchanged, sharpness is related to the clarity of details in an
image. The larger value you set, the details are clearer.

Set grayscale
The grayscale is related to the contrast of light and shade. Slide the block on the
left to the right to enhance the shade. Slide the block on the right to the left to
enhance the light.

Invert the color

You can invert the colors of a bitmap image. This function can be useful for the
processing of some dark materials, such as engraving bitmap images on transparent
or translucent acrylic, black slates, ruber, and mirrors. The engraving results can
be improved by using this function.
XCS supports color inverting of black-and-white, grayscale, and color bitmap
images, as described in the following:

Black-and-white images: White pixels are inverted into black ones, and black ones
are inverted into white ones.

Grayscale images: Light pixels are inverted into dark ones, and dark ones are
inverted into light ones.

Color images: A color image is converted into a grayscale image first, and then
light pixels are inverted into dark ones, and dark ones are inverted into light
ones.

Note: For an image with a transparent or translucent background, the background is

not inverted, and only the colors of the pixels in the image are inverted.

Create a clipping mask

You can shape a bitmap image with a vector path by making a clipping mask.

(1) Select the bitmap image and vector path.

(2) Click Create mask.

(3) Move the image to the mask.

(4) Click Done.

Text editing
Besides the general editing functions, there are design functions available only
for texts. You can enter and select a text to activate these functions.

Rotate
You can rotate the text after you move the mouse pointer close to the Rotate icon
and the pointer changes to a double-arrow curve.

Curve
You can curve the text by dragging the control on the right.

Typeface
You can select a typeface from the xTool selected or system typefaces.

Attribute
You can set the style or weight of a text.

Size
You can set the size of a text by entering a value. The following is a reference.

Spacing
You can set the amount of space between letters.

Leading
You can set the amount of space between lines of text.

Align
You can align the left edge of a text with the left margin, the right edge with the
right margin, or center a text.
Weld
This function is used to unite the character strings that overlap one another
partially in a text. After being welded, the text becomes vector paths and the text
setting panel is not displayed after you select it.

If no character strings overlap one another partially in the text, the text looks
the same but becomes vector paths after you weld it, and the text setting panel is
not displayed after you select it.

Vector editing
Besides the general editing functions, there are design functions available only
for vectors. You can draw or insert and select a vector to activate these
functions.

Align
You can select a node to align it with the canvas, or select two or more nodes to
align them.

Align a node with the canvas.

For example:

Select two or more nodes to align them.

Set node position

You can set the position of a node precisely by entering the x and y coordinates.
The unit can be set in Settings.

The position (0, 0) is in the upper-left corner of the canvas.

Set node type

You can select one or more nodes and set their node types.

Sharp corner

Perfect symmetry
Total asymmetry

Angled symmetry

After editing the nodes, click Done.

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