Why cant I see designs in PED Basic? I see this question quite often in responses to other questions which is why I'm creating a separate topic and not answering each and every person who asks. :)

PED Basic has a free upgrade to version 1.7 on the Brother USA site. Like I keep saying, it beats me why PED Basic still ships with the software version 1.0 *rolls eyes* lol.

This software update allows you to view pes files created with most versions' software. For example, some sites will tell you that this file is V4 or Ver4.0 or Version 4.0 pes (or Ver5.0, Ver6.0, or lower versions, some sites will not mention the version at all, etc). I say "most versions" but I havent had a problem viewing ANY pes files, even those created with version 8 of PE-Design etc (digitising software)... now also note that a file can become corrupt DURING a download, which of course means you wont be able to view it no matter what you do, until you re-download a fresh file (here I'm talking the designs, not the update btw). If you dont have this update (1.7) installed then I believe the error was "no sewing data" when you tried to view a file in PED Basic, and which is a design created with a pes version higher than 4.0. .. If most of your files have this error, then its most likely you need to update your software. If only one or two of your designs have this error then I'm guessing that they were corrupted during the download, so go get them again. If you can remember where you got them lol.

Some notes about the download:

You do not have to register with the Brother USA site to download this update.

Ignore the fact that this update is dated 2005 *rolling eyes again about the software shipping STILL with version 1.0*... get it anyway. :)

http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public/us/us/en/dlf/dlfh/000000/000000/dlfh000072.html?reg=us&c=us&lang=en&prod=hf_basiceus&type2=47&os=63&flang=91&dlid=dlfh000072

(link may break after posting this msg so I'll try to add it again, or simply copy & paste it to a browser tab/address bar)

Dont bother reading the whole page, just scroll down to the bottom and DL the update. Save it to your desktop or to somewhere where you'll be able to find it to install. Simply double click the exe and install it. I mention this because if you read that entire page .. well, its a little daunting lol. Uninstall this.. do that.. dont bother, just double click the exe .. I did and my PED Basic works fine. However before this update I couldnt view pes files of version 6 and up (the "no sewing data" error). And since you cant view them in PED Basic without this update, you also cant transfer those designs to your card.

Sorry for such a long post, but I feel this is an important update for PED Basic users and have tried to explain why you need it as well as how to install it. Its such a simple fix and yet its buried in the Brother USA site.

I guess they made a gazillion copies of the software cd, and packaged them up, not thinking of future updates .. but seriously, it would be so helpful if they simply added a sticker to the package to tell you to go get the update as soon as you get home. There would be many less frustrated PED Basic customers lol.

Oh, as an afterthought: if you're wondering why you cant select a certain design to transfer to your card, you can view the design but it has a picture of a hoop with a line through it, then it means that that design is too large for your hoop.

I hope this post helps those Cuties having problems :) Dana xXx