Designs can be saved into many different formats. The Conversion Preference allows you to adjust some parameters when you save in those different formats.
The file format itself may have inherent limitations on the number of colors or stitches, such as the 16 color limit in .PCS. But there are also machine limitations too. Older machines that use the .PES format had limits of 100 colors, whereas the newer ones can go to 127. To help you save files correctly for your machine, there are options for some formats, such as .PES.
PES Files have to support two distinct machine types, and also have different data for the support of card reader/writers that many .PES machines required. Let’s look at the .PES options more closely.
“Use version 5 and later for real threads.” This setting exists because the version 5 of the Palette/PE-Design software, which invented the .PES file, added support for real thread colors. This was a wonderful addition for this format. However, if you own an earlier version of the software, and you want to use files created in Embrilliance, then you need to leave this set to “Force version 1.” The reason is simple: The old software simply cannot open those version 5 files.
The machine specific settings are for machines like the Ellegante, which takes the 180 x 300 hoop (while other machines may not be able to accept this hoop, so why write a file for it.) Or the multi-needle machines that have their embroidery field rotated to a landscape position. So a 200x300 or a 300x200 field, while technically the same size, have different rotational parameters.
Certainly you know if you have a multi-needle machine, or require the use of older software to write your card. If not, or if you are distributing these designs, please just leave the settings as-is. The program actually finds a Lowest Common Denominator in the format that it will output, making the file available to the widest range of users.
DST and EXP Files have a different type of information contained in them where it pertains to jump stitches. Rather, those formats have to have some number of “Jump” commands in a row before they will cycle their thread trimmer. When making a DST file, and converting from something else, these jump commands need to be translated. As machines differ in setup for the number of commands needed to cycle the trimmers, we offer this setting in the conversion preferences.
DST files also have the ability to place themselves anywhere in the hoop. By default the program will center designs when opening and saving, however users of commercial machines may require this to be turned off. Use the checkboxes ‘Center on open’ and ‘Center on save’ for this purpose.
Some commercial embroidery machines do not automatically return the needle to the start of the design. The option Return To Origin will add these commands to the end of a DST file.