What happens to your PCS file
Every needle point lands in the same place in the JEF file as in the PCS file, and Hoopbench reads the new file back to prove it before you save it. The details below are what actually changes between these two formats.
| Stitch positions | Identical, to 0.1 mm |
|---|---|
| Colour stops | Same number, same order |
| Thread colours | Matched to the Janome chart |
| Size and density | Unchanged |
Thread colours
PCS stores real colours, and JEF needs a thread from a fixed chart. Each colour moves to the nearest in the Janome chart, so close shades can land on the same or a slightly different thread.
Long moves
PCS stores absolute positions, while JEF moves up to 12.7 mm per record. Longer moves are split into a chain of jumps.
Trims
JEF has no trim record. Trims are dropped from the file and the machine cuts when a jump is long enough, usually about 3 mm or more.
Before you stitch
- Open the .pcs file above and watch it sew, so you know the file is sound and in the order you expect.
- Choose your hoop under Hoop fit. The check uses the design's real size, not the file's header.
- Download the .jef file, and stitch a test piece on matching fabric and stabiliser.
Converting doesn't resize a design or change its density. If a design needs to be much bigger or smaller, use digitising software, as stretching stitches without recalculating them can leave gaps or heavy spots.
About PCS
PCS is an older Pfaff format. Unlike most formats, it stores the absolute position of each stitch, in units of 0.06 mm rather than the usual 0.1 mm.
Trims. Rounding to 0.1 mm can also move a stitch by a tiny fraction of a millimetre when you convert away from it.
About JEF
JEF is the Janome format. Its header records the hoop it expects, the stitch count, and a colour for each stop as a slot in a fixed Janome thread list.
The JEF file is for Janome machines, and Elna machines that read JEF. Any Janome or Elna machine that reads JEF.
If you need a cut after a very short jump, a JEF machine may not make it. Inspect the jumps before you run it.