Hello, we are evaluating software this weekend to drive a brand new Ruida cutter. We have run into an issue or two and have found answers (not good ones), but after an hour of research nada on how to set the mode of a layer to “cut” like is seen in so many of the videos. Documentation has been no help. At this point we are ready to move on, but thought we might post here in case someone could provide an answer before we gave up.
Thanks
There is no function in Lightburn that is labeled as “cut”. The options for a vector image are line, fill, and fill + line. If you are wanting to cut you would use the line option and set speed and power to achieve the cut based upon thickness and material being cut.
what kinda file do you try to cut then? Like above the cut mode = line mode, fill = engrave if you have a vector file that is…
Then why do I see “cut” selected as the layer mode in how-to videos?
If you import a vector graphic you get the 3 mode options - line, fill and line + fill which outlines your filled objects after filling. If you import a raster image you get just the image option. If you double click the specific layer you will get options for engraving such as dither, gray scale etc.
The names were changed some time after the video was produced. LightBurn is a small company, and they have not had the time resources to re do the videos.
Cut is now Line, and Scan is now Fill. The functions are the same, just the names have changed, because we constantly had people asking, “but what if I just want to make a line, but not cut it?”
Thanks, I can understand about the remaking videos, but there is no excuse for failing to update documentation particularly for such a fundamental change to terminology. We spent over an hour trying to trying to figure this out. Cost me more than what they charge. 
https://github.com/LightBurnSoftware/Documentation/blob/master/Layers.md
Well we spent over an hour asking the question "…but what if I just want to cut?”. We thought it was a categorization just like “image” that would result in different setting for the layer. In all we spent over 3 hours troubleshooting this problem and others for maybe nothing because one of them so disrupts are work flow we may not use the application. 
We are in the process of updating the documentation, but it takes a significant amount of time. Our webpage has a direct link to it:
I would recommend starting here:
https://lightburnsoftware.github.io/NewDocs/BeginnerWalkthrough.html
For what it’s worth, LightBurn is two developers, and two part time support staff, not a monstrous company with massive resources at our disposal.
In my reply I linked you to the documentation the application took me to from the menu Help > Online documentation. Are you saying the menu option inside they current version takes the user to old documentation that has not been updated?
I’m saying we are in the process of rewriting it, and it is still not complete, so the software doesn’t point at it yet.
We’re trying to be helpful here. You can accept and take advantage of that help if you like.
No your not. Anthony was a help your just making excuses. You don’t seem to care you wasted 3 hours of my day today casing down unexpected and undocumented behaviors.
if you feel that three hours is too much time to “waste” in learning a new skill and new software , then perhaps laser work is not the best choice for you. it can eat up days , not hours , and be quite frustrating , but the end results are worth the investment.
just as a heads up, there are many thousands of users here who have successfully mastered Lightburn, with the help of Oz and the small development team.
They are very even-handed and assist everyone even when they are abusive or intellectually challenged, but please don’t expect the rest of us to jump in and assist if you decide to keep up this tone.
if you want to see how civil, kind , well mannered and educated the members of this forum are, you may want set aside a few hours to read through some of the posts.
it would be time well spent.
this is just one person’s opinion. please don’t feel the need to respond.
Unrespectful.
I don’t “feel”, it is a waste time to have to chase down undocumented issues and you trying the “shame” me for pointing that out only alienates potential customers and hurts LightBurn and yourself. Keep in mind when evaluating software, it’s not just about how the software functions it is about how it is supported and this interaction has revealed much.
Well James, why are you wasting even more of your precious time by continuing to add your comments to this forum?
If I can help some else avoid wasting “precious” time then others have befitted. BTW really condescending of you, as you continue to make my point about alienating customers.
I have been a member of this forum from day 1, and have owned LightBurn from day one as well. I read every post on the forum to further my knowledge, and I can say with absolute certainty you are the ONLY potential customer that has reacted in such an entitled manner as you have demonstrated. You were given the opportunity to evaluate a fantastic piece of software for FREE, and have been offered FREE support to help evaluate said software. Your reaction has been to express anger because you could not figure out the simplest of operations. I for one think LightBurn would be dodging a support nightmare if they do not have to deal with you as a customer.
