FAQs
Why does my PES file show as 0 KB on my machine?
The USB stick is almost certainly exFAT. Reformat to FAT32 and re-copy. If the machine still rejects it, check the file is at the root of the stick, not inside a folder, and the name is 8 ASCII characters or fewer.
Which browsers does bisect support?
Anything Chromium-based (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, Opera) on desktop. Firefox works for editing but the 3D preview pop-out is degraded. Safari is mostly OK but has been known to drop large pastes — refresh the editor and retry if a paste vanishes.
Can I use my own fonts?
System fonts (whatever is installed on your computer) work via the Text tool with the Aa chip set to Native. Switch to Design to use the included embroidery-tuned font set. Custom embroidery font import is on the roadmap.
What's the difference between Native fonts and Design fonts?
- Native fonts are system or web fonts. bisect converts the outlines to fills at export time, the same way it would for any SVG path. They look like the font on screen but sew like a fill — fine for large lettering, fragile under ~10 mm.
- Design fonts are purpose-built embroidery fonts shipped with bisect. Each glyph is already a hand-tuned satin column (or a mix of column + fill). They sew cleanly down to roughly 5 mm and the Stitchability inspector will warn you when you're below the safe range.
How do I rotate a satin column?
The direction of stitches in a satin column is set by the two paths that define it — stitches always run perpendicular to the column's centre line. To change direction, redraw the column with the S tool, or Edit Points on the existing path and drag the nodes.
Why did my SVG outline become a thin running stitch?
On import, every stroke becomes a running outline (the default). For a heavier outline, select the shape and change the outline type to Satin (border) or Triple in the Properties panel.
How big can a design be?
The hoop you've picked is the cap — bisect won't let you export a design that doesn't fit. Above 250,000 stitches the design is refused regardless of hoop. Common causes: density set too high (spacing under 0.3 mm), tatami fills with zero offset, duplicate objects stacked on top of each other.
Does bisect run offline?
No. bisect is a web app. The editor itself loads once and works locally, but exports run on our server (stitch generation is heavy and we want to keep the in-browser app light).
Can I share a project with someone else?
Not yet. Project sharing is on the roadmap. For now, Export → JSON in the editor menu downloads the project as a file you can email, and the recipient can Import → JSON in their own bisect account.
What's the difference between Technical and Pretty view?
- Technical shows every needle position as a thin line, with jumps in red. This is the stitch truth — what the machine will actually do.
- Pretty scales each stitch to thread thickness so it looks closer to the sewn result. Use it to spot density problems by eye.
Neither is 3D — for that, click Preview in the top bar to open a detached 3D window.
My fill looks patchy in Pretty view — what gives?
Most likely the spacing value is too high. Default is 0.4 mm; values above 0.6 mm leave fabric showing through. Lower the spacing in the Stitch panel.
How does bisect price?
There's a free tier with limited exports per month, plus paid tiers that lift the cap and unlock additional formats. See pricing on the landing page.
Can I cancel?
Yes, anytime, from your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing month.
I found a bug — how do I report it?
Email dhodgins32@gmail.com with steps to reproduce. Screenshots are gold; videos are platinum.