Glass Eye 2000 Questions and Answers

[PiscesGlass]

I know that many of us use Glass Eye to create our designs and workable drawings.  I thought it would be nice to have a singular thread where people could point out the techniques that they use to create their stained glass patterns using Glass Eye.

I, to start off with, have the Standard version (cheapest..lol) which doesn't have all of the functionality or glass choices to work with, but I've managed to make do with it, as my feeling is that many of the glass choices I will change as I select glass from my stash anyway.

Sure would love to hear what people use for techniques, and I'll bet that it will help folks considering purchasing this product make their decision!

Cheers, De

[Rebecca]

I have had GlassEye for years.  (Lots of years.)  I started out with the cheapest version.  I later upgraded to the Professional Version.  It has a few nice-to-haves that the Standard doesn't, but the Standard will do just about everything you would ever want. 

Rebecca

[Kev]

It sure is fun to play with. I use it for things other than glass too when I need a design.

[JoanFrances]

I have used it to do construction drawings, floor plans and such.  Handy way to figure out furniture re-arranging too.  Easier than moving the things four or five times

[PiscesGlass]

In addition to importing photo's and taking bits and pieces of things I might want to draw realistically, I've also used it to create the (you won't believe this) Fire Escape Plan for the office I work for. LOL.  And it turned out quite well I might say. The Doctors were quite happy with it.

What say ye to the idea of using designer fabrics to design a piece for, ohh, lets say a matching something or other for a client?

De

[Kev]

Sounds like a plan to me.

[JoanFrances]

In addition to importing photo's and taking bits and pieces of things I might want to draw realistically, I've also used it to create the (you won't believe this) Fire Escape Plan for the office I work for. LOL.  And it turned out quite well I might say. The Doctors were quite happy with it.

What say ye to the idea of using designer fabrics to design a piece for, ohh, lets say a matching something or other for a client?

De

the fabric idea is how I did my grand daughters lamp.  It came from her crib quilt.

[ct4mom]

I guess I have a real block with this program. I put the trial on my new computer a few months ago (for the 4th time) and I just cant get it. I usually can figure things out , but this program is not letting me. I have had it on my list of things to get, but am afraid to spend the money if I cant do it. Maybe this thread will help me figure out what I am doing wrong.

[Kev]

What are you having difficulty with Di?

[Alan]

I found that the built in tutorial can be and actually is very useful - have you tried that?

[ct4mom]

everything Kev.  When I try to draw a line and go to the next step to say draw a curve I get a zillion lines that I dont want. All in all just a big mess. Like I say Kev I just dont get it.

[ct4mom]

yes Alan I did

[Lynn]

everything Kev.  When I try to draw a line and go to the next step to say draw a curve I get a zillion lines that I dont want. All in all just a big mess. Like I say Kev I just dont get it.

You are not alone.  I have not had good luck with the two times I have downloaded the trial version either.  I really wanted to sit down and figure it out this second time, given how much other folks seem to like it...but then the trial expired (my own fault, they give you plenty of time...I just got busy and couldn't sit down with it).  It just isn't intuitive for me.  I will try again when we get Windoze installed on our new computer (once we get it) and see how it works for me if I really sit down and try.

[Kev]

One thing to remember is when you are drawing a line, you have to double click the end point of the line where you want it to stop, so it will end..otherwise your just placing a point on the line  to continue on with adding more to the line.

This might be of assistance: http://www.dfly.com/video.html

[Audrey]

I downloaded the trial once and never had time to fool with it. Now that I have a new computer and am going on "permanent vacation" as of tomorrow, I will download it again when I have time, but you are scaring me, Di. I pick up things much better by watching than by reading.

[JoanFrances]

I had to sit with the instruction book in my lap and do each step to get the idea of how it worked.  There are parts of it I still haven't used, but some rainy day I will sit and play with those parts.  I am one of those once I have learned enough to get by with the software I don't go to the next level.  Computers and I don't think the same.  There have been times that the computer almost became a flying piece of equipment while I was trying to teach myself a new element of software.  But once I have done it once I am all set

[Rebecca]

As Kev said, double click to end a line and if it doesn't end you can right click and you get a list where you can pick "Accept" which will end the line.  When you right click you can also pick "Cancel" which will make the whole thing go away, or "Undo last knot" which is sometimes useful.  

When I first started, I clicked on "Draw" on the top tool bar.  The choices are "Curve," "Arc," "Square," et cetera.  I chose "Arc" and made a REAL mess.  "Arc" is for if you want to draw a section of a circle.  For anything else you need to choose "Curve."  If you want a straight line, you choose "Curve."  A straight line is a "Curve" with only two knots, one at each endpoint.  And if your curve doesn't look exactly like what you want, you can grab knots and move them or even add more knots and move them around.

Rebecca

[Kev]

You have to keep playing with it in order to get the hang of it. I think the thing most people have problems with is understanding the knots (dots).

Knots lock lines in place on the screen. When 2 lines come together, they must be locked together (click once on the junction of the lines with the white arrow, this will lock them). If 2 lines intersect, lock the point where they intersect. If you think of your drawing as a vessel with the intention of holding something inside, all the junctions and perimeters have to be locked shut or it will not hold the contents. In the same way with GE, if your object does not have all the junctions locked, or there are intersecting lines that have not been locked where they cross, the area cannot be filled with color. That in itself is the first clue..if you cannot color an area, it means you have knots not locked or missing. Sometimes when you have 2 lines very close together and you lock the knots, you will end up with double lines in a section between 2 knots...this will also prevent filling in an area with color. If after clicking on all your knots with the white arrow you cannot still color the area, then you probably have a double line somewhere. Go to the upper menu at the very top of the screen and select help - suggest...this will then bring up a small menu . Select what it is you wish to do and it will point out problem areas for you. To see if double lines are present, hit the + several times to zoom in on an area and it these lines are present, erase one of them. If you make a mistake, you can always hit the back arrow to undo what you just did. Hitting the "-" key will zoom out.

Unfortunately it won't allow me to capture a screen shot, and the pic I saved does not show the knots, so I added them in myself as colored dots so you wold see where they are.

[ct4mom]

Well at the moment I cant do anything. I used to be able to open glass eye and at least look around. I just tried and I cant even open without a license number.

[Kev]

Your trial must have expired.