MatDesigner Glossary

This document provides a list of commonly used terms related to the Framing and the Wizard CMC and MatDesigner Software:

3pt Arc: CADD term - An arc that consists of three parts; beginning, middle, and end. The midpoint describes the apex of the curve.

Absolute Position: All dimensions are measured from the lower left corner of the mat, which represents 0,0. Therefore, an opening placed at 2,2 is actually located 2" from the bottom and 2" from the left (viewed from the back).

Activation Code: A number generated at Wizard that enables the software licensed to a specific PC to run on that machine.

Alignment: To move opening(s) in alignment with another opening, the edge of the mat, or the Guide Line.

Apply Changes: L-click to make changes take effect.

Backup: Where the blade plunges in on a cut. In computer terms, make an additional copy of saved mats on floppy.

BBS: Bulletin Board Service where you dial in and get corners directly downloaded into CPU. There is no charge for on-line service; diskettes are $25.00 per month (at press-time).
Bevel Cut: Generally refers to the angle (typically 45 degree) on the window opening of a Matboard cut by a mat cutter. When such a cut is made, the core of the Matboard is exposed. A standard bevel, which leaves the core of the Matboard showing around the window opening in front, is cut from the back of the Matboard. Unless otherwise specified, it is this cut that framers generally mean when they refer to the bevel. A 45 degree bevel cut exposes about 1/16th of an inch of the mat board core.
Bevel, Reverse Cut: If a mat is cut with a reverse bevel, the angle cut slants away from the surface of the Matboard so the Matboard core is not seen from the front. A reverse bevel is used when a visible bevel would be distracting. A reverse bevel is usually cut from the front; however, if the mat cutter head is reversed, this bevel also can be cut from the back.

Bezier Curve: A Bezier curve is a mathematically defined curve used in two-dimensional graphic applications. The curve is defined by four points: the initial position and the terminating position (which are called “anchors”) and two separate middle points (which are called “handles”). The shape of a Bezier curve can be altered by moving the handles.

Board: The Term "Board", when used by itself, refers to the CMC.

Boot: To start the computer; to turn it on.

Border: The area, of precisely definable width, between the outside edge of a mat and the edge of the cut that forms a window or cut opening in the mat; analogous to the margins on a document page.

Bottom Layer: The innermost opening on a multilayered mat.

CADD: Computer Aided Drafting and Design. Software to create your own designs for the Wizard to cut.
Calibration (Configuration): Increases/reduces traveling distance of blade; i.e., where head plunges in and where the blade comes out (backups and overcuts).

Chamfer: Angled line that joins two side together, such as in an Octagon. Number represents the length of the Chamfer. A bevel made to break the sharp edge of a cut.

CMC: Computerized Mat Cutter. The MatDesigner Software supports both the Wizard 5000 and 8000 computerized mat cutter systems.

Configuration: Adjusting values on the Configuration screen, such as backups and overcuts. Construction Points: CADD Term - The little X’s displayed on the screen, which designate the beginning and end of a segment in a drawing.

Continuous Line: CADD Term - The default drawing tool.

Corners: Corners are deducted from your Wizard as it cuts. For every 90 degrees the head turns, or for each time the head has to pick up and plunge in a different direction, it counts that as one corner.

Crosshair: In Multi, an arbitrary point set on the screen where you choose. A horizontal and vertical line will pass through this point to aid in placing openings. L-click on Crosshair and drag it or type coordinates to place it.

Customer Code: Six letter identifier for CPU and Board. Customer ID is located on Corners/License screen.

CutArt: A set of free form, ornamental, vector based openings that may be added to a mat design (the mat cutter's equivalent of Clip Art).

Cut Preview: The screen the MatDesigner displays when the user selects cut that allows a preview of the design to be cut. Selection cut from the Cut Preview initiates actually cutting of the design on the CMC.

daVinci: An optional feature set of MatDesigner that allows a user to design decorations and print on matboard and paper. daVinci supports background textures, clip art images, text captions, artwork visualization, and printing color on matboard.

Default: Set of characteristics used when computer is turned on, such as a two layers. DESIGN

ABBREVIATIONS:

RB= Reverse Bevel.

NP= Nameplate.

FR= French (stair).

OV= Open V-Groove.

KEY = An opening that goes through all mat layers in a nameplate design.

Dropout: The part of the matboard that is removed when a mat design is cut.

Editor: The part of the MatDesigner program used to create and/or change mat designs.

Excalibur: An older software program used to dial into the BBS.

Exit: Quits the current program.

Fan: Fan in this context refers to arranging multiple mat cut openings in a curved radius around a focus point, as one fans a deck of cards.

File Extensions: *.wiz=Wizard file. *.wzz=old Multi file. *.wz2=new Multi file. *.vcd= VCADD file. *.wca=Wizard Cut Art.

Fillet: (1) A very thin molding used as an accent in framing inside another molding or liner. It is sometimes used under the glazing at the edge of the mat window opening. Some framers also refer to edge of an under mat (a thin border that shows around the artwork) as a fillet. (2) Any thick piece of paper or board or thin piece of wood glued to the molding rabbet to hold the glass away from an un-matted piece of artwork. Another term for “fillet” in this second usage is “spacer.”

French Lines: Lightly inked lines spaced at various intervals around a window opening on a French Mat.

French Mat: A mat with inked lines spaced at various intervals around a window opening. Often a watercolor wash is used between the lines to create a decorative panel. Colored powder pastels or chalk may be used in place of the watercolor wash.

Grid: In the Editor work space, the grid is a set of points displayed on screen to help place and align openings. The user can also select Snap to grid to snap opening to nearest grid-point.

Guide Lines: A feature of the Mat Designer and an extension of the crosshair alignment tool, the designer can now use an unlimited number of vertical and horizontal guidelines in the work area pane of the editor.

Horizontal: Right to Left, as in a “horizon”. The X axis is horizontal.

HPGL: Hewlett Packard Graphics Language, a subset of HP’s Printer Control Language. HPGL forms the basis of Wizard Graphics Language – the command language used by the Mat Designer software to communicate with the Driver Pak to control the mat cutter.

Identification Code: A coded number generated on a PC that identifies the PC and the software license a user has installed.

Inside Opening: The bottom mat or bottom layer.

Key Id: A unique number that identifies a specific bit key

LetterMat: Refers to Lettermat Text Font. A unique set of fonts, designed by Wizard, that are optimized for cutting on matboard.

License Id: A unique number that identifies a specific software license.

Matboard: A paper or rag board used over artwork to separate the artwork from the glass. Matboard generally is made up of three layers: the face paper, the core and the backing. Matboards come in a wide variety of thicknesses (plies), colors, textures and compositions, and many acid-free matboards are for conservation framing. Matboards can be carved, cut or painted to add decorative elements to the frame design. Various colors and textures can be stacked, spliced and combined in numerous ways. Matboard usually has a whitish material in the center so that a white line (bevel) shows when it is cut. However, some matboards also have black or colored cores, resulting in a colored bevel when they are cut. Cores may be the same color as the face paper or a contrasting color. Colored-core matboard expands the design possibilities for framers.

Mat Cutter: Equipment used to cut matboards. There are a wide variety of computerized and manual mat cutters on the market, including hand-held, straightedge, and circle and oval cutters. The primary components are a blade in a cutting head and some kind of guide device. In addition, several companies offer computer-operated mat cutters that can perform complex or volume mat cutting.

Matdesigner: The software program that controls the Wizard CMC, a program designed specifically to allow non-technical users to quickly design and cut complex mat designs.

Merge Openings: Refers to the software process that defines the perimeter of multiple overlapping openings in a mat design as one new continuous cut sequence around the periphery of the combined openings.

Multi: The Multi Opening User Interface.

Nesting: Applies to cutting two to several copies of a mat design from a single large piece of Matboard in a single cut sequence. (See also Tiling).

Netcorn: Software used to download corners via the Internet.

Notch: A small step that either cuts into the opening or out into the mat. Number represents length of Notch.

Offset: The reveal of the bottom mat board when one mat window is stacked on top of another. A typical offset between the top and bottom mat is 1/4".

Open V-groove: A channel cut into the mat that allows you to see the mat beneath it.

Opening Adjustment: Adjusts the size of the opening.

Outside Dimensions: The outside mat size; i.e., to fit in a frame.

Overcut: Where the blade pulls out of the matboard; the end of a cut.

Password: A password is required when using Excalibur to dial into BBS to access corners. Path File: A file that contains cut vector information in path string format.

Positioning: MULTI Opening User Interface - The mode used to place openings a specific distance from each other and/or from edge of mat.

Product Key: An electronic password provided by Wizard International with each CD that the user enters when the software is installed. The product key: 1) validates the user is entitled to install the software, 2) insures software is installed on the proper system, 3) provides the number of corners provided with the install, and 4) specifies which product components to install.

Radius: Half the diameter of a circle. The length and height of an arc.

Rail Dodge: A border piece of Matboard placed between the outside edge of the Matboard to be cut and the rails on the cutter. A rail dodger is used when a border smaller than the minimum border dimension is desired.

Registration Code: A number, generated by Wizard, that defines the Customer ID for a used CMC that has been sold to a new owner. Registration ID is also used to clear license specific information from the Windows Registry necessitating a new owner activate a new software license for their CMC software.
Relative Position: MULTI Opening User Interface - Position is set from a variable user set point, such as

Guide Line. An opening can then be placed in “relation” to the set point. Reset: Turns off power to motors on the board.

Reveal: The exposure of the surface of the bottom mat board when one mat window is stacked on top of another. A standard reveal between the top and bottom mat is 1/4".

Rotational Adjustment: Amount of rotation in the head.

Save: Save designs to a file. Use no punctuation, otherwise may not be able to retrieve saved designs later.

Shortcuts: Load a mat quickly using the Shortcut buttons.

Snap: CADD Term - HOLD down SHIFT key on keyboard, and click with the RIGHT mouse button at the same time.

Spline: In computer graphics, a spline is a curve that connects two or more specific points, or that is defined by two or more points. The term can also refer to the mathematical equation that defines such a curve. Consider the set of points in the illustration below. It is easy to envision a curve (red) that approximately connects the four points (blue). In the old days of mechanical drafting, a flexible metal or wooden strip (called a spline, and the term from which the present term derives) was used to construct approximate graphs such as this.

Spline curve. A computer can be used to test various curves, having known formulas, for an optimal “fit” for any finite set of points. In the example shown here, a near-perfect fit exists, and the curve has a relatively simple formula. Not all splines are this straightforward. But in theory, at least one spline curve can be found that approximates a continuous graph for any finite set of points.

Step: A small step that either cuts into the opening or out into the mat. Number represents length of Notch.

Straight Cut: A straight cut refers to a window opening cut straight up and down on a 90-degree angle so that no slanted bevel results.

System Id: A unique number that identifies a specific mat cutter system.

Tab: Press TAB Button on keyboard.

Template: A template is a mat design provided with the Mat Designer software in a special template library. Templates have a number of properties that are specific to the complexity of the template. Template parameters are defined by Wizard. These parameters may be modified by the user in the editor using the parameters screen or the editor’s CAD functions. Users cannot create new templates, but they can modify a template’s parameters and save the result as a mat design. Currently the Template Library has provisions for 9 groups of 15 templates each; however, not all of these possible library entries are populated. Tiling: Applies to cutting two to several copies of a mat design from a single large piece of Matboard in a single cut sequence. (See also Nesting).

Tracing: CADD Term - Puts cutting instructions in a certain layer for the Wizard to utilize to cut.

Truetype Fonts: An outline font technology developed jointly by Microsoft and Apple Computer. Because TrueType support is built into all Windows and Macintosh operating systems, anyone using these operating systems can create documents using TrueType fonts. Since being introduced in 1991, TrueType has quickly become the dominant font technology for everyday use. MatDesigner allows a user to attempt to cut any TrueType font, though the quality of the result is dependent on the design of the font and the size of the characters.

Unicode: A character set where each character is represented by two bytes. Unicode characters and strings aware also called wide characters and wide character strings. The first 256 Unicode characters map to the ANSI character set. The Windows operating systems support Unicode version UCS-2. Unicode is used to implement language independence.

Upper Rail: Encases chain and cable. Gantry travels between upper and lower rails.

Usb Cable: This is the cable that plugs from the USB Driver Pak into the USB Port on the back of the CPU.

Vertical/Horizontal Home: Where head will align before cutting mat, and where it will return after cutting mat.

Vertical: The Y axis. Up and down; i.e., a tree is vertical.

V-groove: Two close, facing bevels cut through a Matboard so they form a “V” when the board is taped back together. Abbreviated VG.

V-groove, Closed: A V-Groove cut in the surface of the matboard, not all the way through.

V-groove, Open: A V-Groove cut all the way through the matboard on both sides, so that the V-Groove has measurable width – the Open V-Groove shows a reveal to the next lower matboard layer.

Window: 1) The opening in a matboard to view the picture underneath; also referred to as the cut out. 2) A computer graphical user interface screen display in Microsoft Windows.

Work Space: The right pane of the screen in the MatDesigner Editor where a mat design is created.