software1

There has been quite a bit of discussion on the various lists regarding what software does what so here's my two cents worth

A very brief description of the various software packages for the home embroidery machine enthusiast. There may be some errors or omissions - please let me know so that I can correct them.

Product	Manufacturer	Formats - Comments
PC Designer	Pfaff	PCS (PC), PCM (Mac)
Creative Software 4 Parts Customizer Stitch Editor Digitizer Cross Stitcher	Pfaff	PCS, VIP Viewer, flips, mirrors etc. adds lettering. Modify stitch types, Split designs, Re-Color manual / semi auto digitizing auto / manual XS creator
???	Poem / Singer	CSD, XXX
PE Design 4 Parts :- Design Centre Layout & Edit File Utility Programmable Stitch Creator	Brother	PEL, PEM, PES, PEC semi auto design creation manual digitizing / lettering, combining etc read / write cards Create fills and lines
Wizard (similar to PED)	Bernina Deco	PEL, PEM, PES, PEC
Palette (similar to PED)	BabyLock (Brother clone)	PEL, PEM, PES, PEC
PE Scan	Brother Hand Scanner	PES, PEC
Scan Soft	Janome / New Home / Elna	SEW, ARR
Personalizer 2000 2 Parts: Easy Edit Easy Layout	Janome / New Home / Elna	SEW, ARR (Upgrade of Scansoft)
Customizer 2000	Janome / New Home / Elna	SEW, ARR (Similar to above but with read / write box)
Digitizer 2000 Full featured Digitizer	Janome / New Home / Elna	SEW, ARR (full digitising) - requires Personalizer or Customizer)
Customizer 10,000	Janome / New Home / Elna	JEF, MEM
Digitizer 10,000	Janome / New Home	Requires Customizer 10,000
Utilities	Janome / New Home / Elna	Smartfixer - repairs designs Easy Hoop - for multiple position hoops
System 5	Husqvarna / Viking (for D1)	HUS, CAN, SHV
Prof Embroidery System (Multi functional )	Husqvarna / Viking	HUS, CAN, SHV
Artista Designer	Bernina Artista	ART (plus all others)
?	Tajima (Industrial standard)	DST
EDS IV …xtreme	Melco (Industrial Standard)	EXP

These are either non format specific or have been created to fill a real or perceived gap in the features provided by the machine manufacturers. Where known, I have included a URL in the first entry of each manufacturer.

(Please send me details of others so I can add them, also any amendments (I don't have all these products so am guessing a bit on some) or any links I have got wrong

NOTE - I have included a few programs that are not Machine Embroidery but are allied to it in various ways.

Manufacturer	Product	Format	Brief outline of features
Buzz Tools	Buzz Catalog	All but ART* * convert From ART, not to it	Catalog viewing and printing, Design Unzipping, Batch Format conversion, Text file creation, can correct some faulty designs http://www.buzztools.com/
Buzz Tools	Buzz Edit	All but ART*	Design Editor (Flips, Mirrors etc) Resizing, stitch and colour editor
Buzz Tools	BuzzXplore	Most	Enhanced Buzz Catalog but in a format similar to Windows Explorer® Two versions - Embroidery and Cross Stitch
Great Notions	SmartSizer	Most	Design Combining, Colour Editing, Flips, Mirrors, resizing Format Conversion http://www.greatnotions.com/ also http://www.amazingdesigns.com
Great Notions	SmartSizer Gold	Most	As for Smartsizer but with enhanced colour edit features, also batch format conversion
Great Notions	SmartSizer Express	All?	Add on to Gold - full featured design and stitch editor,
Great Notions	Magic Box / Amazing Box	Most	Software / hardware combination Multi format card reader / flashcard writer - for people with more than one brand of machine.
Great Notions	Click n Stitch		Auto Digitizing program
Balarad	Embird Plus	Most	Design management, Unzipper, Format converter, create BMP/JPG from designs, Design, point & colour editor, splitter / joiner , thread catalogs http://www.balarad.sk/
Balarad	Sfumato	NA	Plug in for Embird Plus which creates a variable density stipple pattern from an image file
Balarad	Fonts	NA	Plug ins for Embird Plus - provides for adding text to designs - Fonts seperately purchaceable
Balarad	Iconizer	NA	Plug in for Embird Plus - interacts with Windows Explorer to make design icons small thumbnails of the designs
Husq / Viking	Resize Plus	Most	Resizing with stitch re-count http://www.embroiderynetworks.com/
Husq / Viking	3D Convert & Sort	Most	Similar to SmartSizer Gold
Husq / Viking	Cross Stitcher	Most	Development of Uli's Cross Stitch program - extensive XS creation tools,
Husq / Viking	CD Editor	HUS	Design Editor (Comes with CD DesignCatalog)
Rudolf Veit	Atomizer	EXP	Design Splitter (freebie) Rudolf has some other free software http://hometown.aol.com/beacoqui/index.html
Rudolf Veit	Exxxterminator		Format converter utility (freebie) mainly for Pfaff users
Rudolf Veit	Kwik Draw	PCS	Creates simple geometric shape designs
Uli Tessel	Kruez (Cross Stitch)	KRZ PCS	Simple, easy to use XS creator freebie (no longer available)
Fulford Software	Turbo Cross	Most	Full featured Cross Stitch creator - inc. clip gallery http://www.turbocross.co.uk/
Fulford Software	Easy Cross	NA	Counted Cross Stitch Pattern Creator
knitandsew	PEDS		PEDesign (& clones) simulator - does away with need to have read / write box connected. http://www.knitandsew.demon.nl/index.htm
knitandsew	PES2Card	PEC, PES, HUS, SHV	Software / hardware combination Card reader / writer for high capacity cards Utility functions available as a free download http://www.knitandsew.demon.nl/index.htm
Sewing Room	Easy View	SEW	Viewer for Janome Designs http://www.sewingroom.com
Johchims Freebies	EMBCopy	PES	Design management / cataloguing http://www.lorissa.de/
Joachims Freebies	PES View	PEC, PES, PCS, DST	Quick design viewer and format converter
Joachims Freebies	EasyPEC	PES	Converts PES files to earlier version PEC
Needleheads	Stitch Shop		Professional Digitising Software http://www.needleheads.com/
OESD	Simon Jnr	?	Basic features editor / re-sizer? http://www.embroideryonline.com/
OESD	Sizing Magician	ART	Resizing utility for ART designs - provided free with OESD catalogue CD
Cactus Punch	LetterEZ	?	Professional Lettering Software for digitising standard fonts. http://www.cactus-punch.com/
Echidna	Easy Sizer	Import / Export most formats	Design Editor and re-Sizer- http://www.echidnasewing.com.au
Echidna	Easy Lettering	As for Easy Sizer	Lettering Software
Echidna	Easy Writer	SEW	Software / hardware Card writer (single design) for Janome 8000,9000,5000,5700 users
Thredworks	Thred		Digitising Program, similar to Pfaff
?	Autodigitizer		Automatic Digitising program
Origins Software	Origins	most	Fully featured Auto (and manual) digitising Software http://www.ostsoftware.com
Cybertex	Win Stitch	NA	Counted Cross Stitch Design Creator http://www.sharewarejunkies.com/8zwd9/winstitch.htm
?	Patternmaker ME		Cross Stitch Design Creator ?
M&R Technologies	PC Stitch	NA	Low cost Counted Cross Stitch Design Creator
Compucraft	Stitch Craft Gold		Counted Cross Stitch Design Creator
RoboStitch	RoboStitch	most	fully featured Auto Digitizing Program http://www.robostitch.com
Dakota	Dakota Sizer		Design Editing and Resizing
Bri Ton Leap thru BabyLock	Designers Gallery	most except ART	Design management and editing Utilities. Thumbnails, format conversion, create pictures from designs, create basting, .....Add on Utilities include Colour Sequencer, DensityWorks, SizeWorks, Hoopworks (auto design splitting) and Project advisor http://www.babylock.com
Bernina	Artista Cross Stitch add-on		optional add-on for Artista Version 3
Pulse	Pulse Publisher		Embroidery Catalog Creator http://www.pulsemicro.com
Melco	Sizer	Most	Resizing / Editing program www.melco.com
Melco	Letera	Most	Lettering Software

JASC	Paint Shop Pro		Shareware Graphics program allowing for picture file format conversion, picture retouching, resizing etc. available from shareware dealers, Computer Magazine CDs etc,