What happens to your PCS file
Every needle point lands in the same place in the U01 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 | Dropped, as U01 has none |
| Size and density | Unchanged |
Thread colours
PCS stores real colours, and U01 has nowhere to keep them. The stops survive and the colours do not. Print the run sheet and keep it with the file.
Long moves
PCS stores absolute positions, while U01 moves up to 12.7 mm per record. Longer moves are split into a chain of jumps.
Trims
U01 has a real trim command, so cuts carry across as cuts.
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 .u01 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 U01
U01 is the Barudan format. It has a 256 byte header, then three bytes per record, and it selects needles by number rather than storing colours.
The U01 file is for Barudan commercial machines. Barudan machines.
Hoopbench steps through needles 1 to 15 in order for each colour stop. Remap them on the machine if your threads are set up differently.