What happens to your U01 file
Every needle point lands in the same place in the PES file as in the U01 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 | Choose them first |
| Size and density | Unchanged |
Thread colours
U01 stores no colours, and PES needs one for each stop. Hoopbench starts with stand-in colours, so set your own under Colour stops before you download. Each becomes the nearest thread in the Brother and Baby Lock chart.
Long moves
PES can move 204.7 mm in one record and U01 only 12.7 mm, so everything fits. Chains of jumps from the U01 file stay as jumps.
Trims
PES marks moves with a trim flag, so each trimmed move carries across. Brother machines cut on these moves, depending on the machine's own settings.
Before you stitch
- Open the .u01 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.
- Pick your thread colours under Colour stops, because U01 doesn't hold them.
- Download the .pes 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 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.
Thread colours and names. Which thread sits on which needle is set up at the machine.
About PES
PES is the Brother and Baby Lock format and probably the most common home embroidery file. Inside it is a PEC block, which is the part the machine actually sews, and in newer versions a list of exact thread colours for design software.
The PES file is for Brother and Baby Lock home machines, and many other machines and programs that accept it. Any Brother or Baby Lock machine. Hoopbench writes PES version 6, and version 1 if very old software needs it.
Brother machines only have a few hoop sizes, and a design that overhangs the hoop usually will not load. Check the size before you transfer it.