Schaeffer, Front panel Designers tips and tricks

factus10 · Joined: Jun 20, 2007 Posts: 158 Location: Buffalo, NY

Eric,

If all you have is FPD, do this:
- place a text object
- enter text on multiple lines
- use the enter to create space between your lines of text or use the text line height/spacing controls to manage the space

I did this with my Klee panel (a little bit of both). I'm pretty sure it saved some $.

The only challenge I really noticed was trying to space text out horizontally... that seemed harder to control but not impossible.

If you have Front Designer, you can do a whole lot of the design work in that then export it as HPGL objects. I think, but I'm not sure yet, that will save a bunch. I'll know for sure next week when I have time to test it out.

ericcoleridge · Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 889 Location: NYC

ericcoleridge · Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 889 Location: NYC

factus10 · Joined: Jun 20, 2007 Posts: 158 Location: Buffalo, NY

I have next week off from work and I'll be spending nearly the entire time assembling some of my projects (esp my Klee). One of the projects I'm going to work on is the panel for my MFOS mixer. I'll post full notes here, probably mid week.

Sound · Joined: Jun 06, 2006 Posts: 842 Audio files: 1

Hello,

Using the Front Designer 3.0 I have noticed that when you type a text label, and you have the font size say at 2,2mm, when you input the text, SOMETIMES, it changes to 2,18 or 2,4 or other measures Question

why? do it happen to you?

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

I want to have the scale around the pots of the panel I'm designing (what is the correct name for that??) to be similar to the DotCom format - is there a HPGL library online that has things like this in it so I can just import them into FPD, or do I have to draw them myself?

Sound · Joined: Jun 06, 2006 Posts: 842 Audio files: 1

If I understood your question, you can design all the front panel, also the scales around the pots with this software:

http://www.abacom-online.de/uk/html/body_frontdesigner.html

After it you import the file to the schaeffer front designer software.

Regards.

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

Thanks for the link!

I'm sorry, it's my fault because I phrased my post very badly - what I meant was does there exist a library of synth symbols and scales in the HPGL format for people who don't have something like Front Designer? It just seems 39 Euros is a lot of money if I just want to design scales!

slacker · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:34 pm Post subject:

I don't know if it's any good, but here's a free online scale creation tool that can do HPGL http://stiftsbogtrykkeriet.dk/~mcs/Scale.html.

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

Cheers for that, I'll give it a go.

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

Hi,is there a app that converts an EPS,Ai (illustrator) file to HPGL ,so that i can import in FPD?

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

I'd be interested in this too...

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

What kind of thickness do people go for when designing Euro modules? I notice that Fonik's FPD files are usually about 1.5mm, is there any wobble or give in the panel at that thickness?

Sound · Joined: Jun 06, 2006 Posts: 842 Audio files: 1

2mm is what uses Doepfer.

Although that 1.5mm is enough, 0.5mm more is a good improvement, the panel is much more robust.

Regards.

fonik · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:20 pm Post subject:

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

Here's my first attempt at a Euro style panel. As you can see it's basically Fonik's panel of his Chris MacDonald CV processor and Fonik's own LPG circuit with the resonance mod (Fonik, I hope you don't mind me adapting yours - if it's a problem then let me know).

Can anyone spot anything immeadiately wrong with this panel that I, as a first time FPDer, haven't noticed? I'm slightly concerned with the LPG's switches being so low down on the panel, although I think I might just get away with it.

I've used 7mm holes for the pots, but now I've printed it off on some paper I think it's going to be a tight squeeze getting alpha pots in there. I might up the diameter to 8mm to be on the safe side.

I've just bought some of these on my lunch break:
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Can you use alpha pots with these knobs? The knob seems very small...

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fonik · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:05 am Post subject:

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

Here's a link to the pots on Maplin's wesbite: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=19412 They look the same as the ones you use on your modules, do you think they are the same? How flat against the panel do you manage to get the knobs sitting?

It would be a shame if I couldn't get the switches vertical on the panel. I've put a switch up against the paper print-out and it will be very close with the mounting rail in. Do you think it's worth making the panel a couple of HP wider to be on the safe side?

One other thing: When I use FPD, the prices are all in US$, how do I make it give me the prices in Euros? I'm assuming I'll want to get the panal from Germany rather than the US...

fonik · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:47 am Post subject:

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

Although I don't have an alpha pot in front of me, the knob that I got from Maplin does seem very short. I can't imagine these one sitting against the panel in the same way yours do. Maybe if I use a bolt and sit the pot away from the panel a bit? Where do you get your knobs from?

Not having the pots side by side is a good idea I think. I think I will widen my panel, although it does mean doubling the size of it! It tricky trying to make the best use of panel space without over-crowding it.

fonik · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:33 am Post subject:

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

I got home and the knob didn't fit on the alpha pot.

Is this what you use:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=2994799#header The 6mm splined shaft?
And that fits on a regular alpha pot like this one?:
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I've decided to put the CV Processor and Dual LPG onto separate panels. I've attached a new panel design for the Dual LPG. I've decided to use the slower VTL5C4 and so have included Thomas White's mod as well. Does everything look in order? I've changed the text to 1.5mm as I'm using upper case letters rather than your lower case 2mm - do you think that'll be ok?

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fonik · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:11 am Post subject:

fonik · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:16 am Post subject:

i just reviewed the fpd-file.
check the datasheet of the switches you plan to use against the drilling size of you frontpanel! same applies to the jack sockets. these 8mm holes are for the cliff 1384(1) sockets.

LetterBeacon · Joined: Mar 18, 2008 Posts: 454 Location: London, UK

Thanks for taking the time to review my panel. Unfortunately I can't seem to find the measurement I need on the switch's datasheet, but I printed out the panel and it seems to fit through the hole.

I'm probably going to use the Cliff S6BB/PC sockets, I think according to the datasheet I need an 8.3mm panel cut out, so I'll revise the panel accordingly.

Oh and just so I'm 100% clear - when you say nurled pot you mean like the type I posted in my last post?

Thanks again for your time!