How to Create a .dst Embroidery File using Java

Question

I want to create a .dst embroidery file using Java. Are there any supporting libraries available? Or is it possible to convert any kind of image file to the .dst embroidery file format using Java?

Can anyone suggest any algorithms, encoding-decoding methods, etc?

Answer 1

I am the developer at Embroidermodder working on formats (the link mentioned by theJollySin). I don't have any Java code, but I can point you to some preliminary documentation of the format (http://www.achatina.de/sewing/main/TECHNICL.HTM).

What are you trying to create in DST? I can assist you with whatever issues you have getting your Java code running.

Answer 2

The short answer to your question is, no. There are currently no popular libraries for generating .dst embroidery files with Java. My guess is that you will have a lot more luck trying to convert other file types to the .dst formats. The only option there (that I know of) is Corel Draw.

In the end, the best solution I can think of is to use the Tajima Ambaasador website. You have to register, but I believe most of their design/DST services are free.

(After some searching around online I also found this website, which has some more free software and seems like the best place to start if you're looking for information.)

Answer 3

Yes. I've written exactly such a library for python and trancoded that to java. In standard Java the EmbMatrix class needs a minor tweak (literally 1 character) between android and Java (Matrix class vs. AffineTransform class) but it does fully fleshed out reading and writing of most major embroidery formats.

https://github.com/EmbroidePy/EmbroideryIO

As part of a parallel project I've also done a considerable amount of work documenting various formats for a wiki on the topic. Located here:

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Embroidery_format

Which also has all the technical details for DST file formats:

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Embroidery_format_DST

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As for the second part of the question, embroidery files are vector-like files which provide a series of commands to be issued to an embroidery machine. You cannot directly convert raster-based image files to embroidery because the pixel information does not directly convert to any sort of command structure.