Has it been discussed to add an option under Seamly2D => Preferences to control the default selection for the file format for the “Export Layout (EL)” dialog, or alternatively just remember the last selection?
Currently, svg is preselected and it is quite tedious to switch to whatever you need every time (pdf in my case). I also tend to forget it quite often and then I have go back and re-select the desired pattern pieces to get my PDF file 
I don’t believe so, but a pretty simple addition to make. If we wanted we could get a bit more elegant and add both. I could add a user default format and a checkbox "Use last Export format ". If the “last used” is checked - use that, otherwise use the user default. Lacking either of those 2, it would default to SVG.
Since there are several export dialogs I would use a user default or last used preference format where appropriate.
Ok… I’m gonna bite my tongue. As usual this wiil not be as simple as it should be. To do it right I’m going to put the export "format’ combobox in it’s own class, so I can use it in the Export (Save layout) dialog as well as the Preferences dialog. That way if any chages are made to the available export types, the changes only have to be made in one place.
Also, one caveat to having a prefered export format - is that if it’s set to PDF tiled (either as a pref default or last used) , it won’t be available in some cases… in which case it will again probably default to SVG - which is the 1st item in the drop down.
Just need to run through and test everything again tonight, but I should have a default and last used export format working. Woo hoo.
First here’s the added pref options - I redid the “configurations” page (which I renamed “General”… there’s now an “Editing”, “File Handling”, and “Language” tabs. In the file handling there is now a last used checkbox and dropdown box for the available export options.
Note
So now if you export from either piece or layout mode the file type will be default set in the prefs- unless the last used is checked - more on that…
Note how the layout dialog contains the PDF - tiled format.
Things get a bit different when exporting the draft blocks, as only “image” formats are available options, and it uses the standard system file dialog. If the default format is one of the image formats, the file type will default to the pattern name + default file type:
So as far as the last used format type… the last used format is only for the current session - it resets to Null each time the app us run. Which means the last used format is empty until you save an export. In which case if last used is checked, the 1st time through will use the default set in the prefs, and if that was not (re)set it will default to SVG.
This will be a nice little addition.
Oh, wow! @Douglas. Yes, I think this will really be amazing. Especially if we will be able to export directly from the Piece mode directly to PDF. I can’t wait to try that 
That’s already been there… just can’t do the tiled PDF. I haven’t looked that close, so I’m not sure why. Both the piece and layout screens are basically a list of pattern pieces, the layout being constrained to a (paper) size… and they both use the same export routine, just that the piece mode removes the tiled option. Just guessing it’s because in piece mode the paper or workspace is HUGE, and there would be a lot of empty pages. But then again the size could be constrained to the “bounding rectangle” of just the pieces. Maybe something to look at.
That being said… can one not just print a PDF and have the OS printer device tile it vs Seamly exporting a tiled PDF… or basically a multipage PDF?
Yes…
One will need something that will place the margins, cut lines (with scissors icon) and grid/page numbers for tiled pdf. And some sort of background grid of the pages so that one can manually place the pattern pieces to the best advantage & paper saving. But this is definitely a very good 1st step that I’m really excited about
Made a few changes… to simplify the code and for consistency, I changed the Export Draft blocks to use the same Export dialog as the Pattern Pieces and Layout. Also added PDF, EPS, PS, and TIF as formats for draft block exports.
The other change I made is the last used format is saved if the Use last format is checked.
Pushed an update to add a default export file format feature.
With that being said… and after delving just a bit deeper into the printing / exporting of layouts - I find the whole layout thing a bit convoluted. Besides some of the “unit” related issues with margins we’ve discussed elsewhere,… why is there a Print & Print Tiled PDF, and a Print Preview & Print Preview tiled PDF? There is no difference between a PDF and “Tiled” PDF… a tiled PDF being nothing more than a mullti-page PDF. You only need 1 Print dialog. Likewise if you want to print “tiled” just have a “Tiled” checkbox or button in the print options. In other words there only NEEDS to be a Print and Preview menu items.
I knew there was a reason I initially brought up just exporting a PDF and then tiling it when printing… For 1, if you export as a tiled PDF, it will be specific to (your) printer with the page size & margins. If you sent me a tiled PDF, I would probably have issues getting it to print properly to scale. On the other hand if you send me a PDF, I can tile it correctly to scale when I print - given having software that has the capability to tile. I’m a bit spoiled as I’ve used Corel Draw for decades and use it to tile print - I’m actually surprised at the lack of print functions in a lot of software. PDF’s though are unique though in the sense it’s document format, not an image format - so you can have multipage or “tiled” files, where you can’t create a tiled PNG or JPG, etc. You could print those that way, but you can’t save them that way. That’s why the margins are only available when exporting a Tiled PDF, as it’s the only format that’s breaking the full image into printer specific pages.
You already can… we just can’t export a “tiled” PDF from there - yet. I just have to unravel the code a bit more. But here’s a thought - not sure if it would be useful or not… in testing the exports I noticed that if you export from piece mode it only prints the pieces checked to include in a layout… so I was kinda thinking - would it be of use to have the option to export each piece to a separate page in a multipage PDF?
No, I don’t think so. People have many bits & pieces of pattern that don’t suite every gament that they make from that pattern. For example, short sleeves, full sleeves, bell sleeves & different types of collars, all in the pattern and nicely detailed. But they only want to actually include one of them in their pattern. So this is where checking & unchecking the pattern pieces some in. So please don’t change that.
As for printing each piece on a separate page… would it be possible to take a multi-page pdf to the Preview Pdf as we currently do from the Layout?
What I’m hoping to do is to bypass the Layout part completely, because it don’t really make good use of paper. I want to be able to place my pattern pieces in an area, myself, placing them in such a way that I can maximise paper saving. I already do this in Inkscape, so for me it’s not an issue, but for other users, it gets really frustrating when a pattern that should fit on only 1 or 2 pages needs to be spread out over 4 pages in Layout. I have patterns, generated in Layout, that cover 36 pages. After editing in Preview, I get them down to 24. When I export to .svg & lay them out myself, The only take 16 pages.
I don’t know if I’m hoping for too much, but with everything that has been done and the ablities of QT that you have found, I see hope for eliminating the Layout mode totally, eventually Perhaps one can use that board for nesting - later.
Hmmm… For my plan to work, I need the pattern pieces to have no background fill (the white).
Is there a way that I can remove it?
Do you mean to export a tiled PDF from piece mode? And then preview that in the print prview?
Yes. It would be possible…
Agreed. It’s partly why I said the whole layout - export - printing is so convoluted. The functions are all tied together as a layout, where they really should be separate functions. There is some separation now with being to export blocks or pieces, but it needs more work to fully separate the functions. In other words you should be able to export / print / preview which ever mode scene (or board as you refer to them) you are working in.
There would be if I add a piece option to set the seam allowance “hatching” or background.
Yes, that’s what I’m thinking. I tested exporting as a PDF and then from Acrobat Reader, printing as a tiled poster, but that puts the file name & date on every page. If it wasn’t for this, it would work fine.
I’m wondering… What if we could make a block the size of the fabric (doesn’t have to be fabric size, it could be the completed layout size) in the mode scene/board, without having to create it in drawing mode/board?
Hmmm… Yes. At the moment, the seam allowance has hatching & a clear background.
Anyway, I’m really excited about these changes. Thank you very much 
And there’s no way to turn those options off? Corel’s print allows you check whether you want the filename and / or page numbers on each page.
This is another thing I don’t get why the layout got this way. I don’t get why you have to define the layout paper sizes and margins before creating a layout? You should be able to define a fabric size, with selvage, is it open or on the fold, does it have a nap, etc… THEN when you PRINT, PLOT, CUT, EXPORT PDF the layout you define a paper or output size and whether you’re tiling it.
Yes, and I haven’t forgotten the clear background issue with over lapping pieces… which by adding hatching and color attributes for the piece could resolve this issue. We could also make it so pieces can’t overlap, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
glad to see that you are finally able to pay attention to this area (printing et cetera)
I think we should leave the overlap alone. I often use it to check certain things which I can’t do now
Of course you know I have an answer.
We make it an option you can toggle.
LOL, great compromise 