Which comes first, the CP or the CP artwork?

[Bartman]

I was just wondering about what process folks are using to design their CP artwork.  Are you building a CP then designing artwork around it?  Do you have issues with everything lining up?  Or do you design and print your artwork and use that as the guide for cutting out your CP?

Also, if you are using a CP overlay from mamemarquees or the like, what are you cutting out your holes in the overlay with?  A hole saw, hobby knife, etc?    Or do you pre drill the holes in the MDF and then apply and route the overlay with a flush trimming bit?

Thanks
Bart

[csa3d]

I started with artwork mockup, in layers which could be easily moved around.  I then made my CP.  Unless you've got a bunch of room or are really good, you should probably anticipate making minor changes on the fly.  I did.

After my CP was cut, I traced all my holes onto a large sheet of paper, used a compass to find the middle of each circle, and then am going back into my PDF to move my layers around slightly to fit.  This is my plan of action for this weekend, I think this should work out well.  I can't imagine it would have worked for me working the other way.

-csa

[rockin_rick]

Based on the research I've done here...

I think that the usual and best way is to design your CP, design your artwork, create drill plot from artwork, have drill plot printed by printer (at least, or get both the plot and actual art), drill CP top to match from plot.  Drilling the top first is usually a no-no, as it is next to impossible to get the artwork to match up perfectly.  Even if you measure and tweak your file, the printing process may not be exact, and everything may be a little off.  Just because your file says the dimensions are the same as your drilled top, you may end up with a print that is still off slightly.

Rick

[superbigjay]

Like rockin_rick said, doing your artwork before building the CP is easier.
Especially if you have some "borders" for your joysticks/trackball/buttons.

Jay 

[csa3d]

... so anyone else tried my method?  Ha.  I think I'm gonna try scanning in my tracing and using that as a guide instead.  The compass thing seems like there's more room for error.

In light of how I worked, I can agree that artwork first is probably best if used directly as a guide.

[Bartman]

Thanks for the info.  Seems to make sense to get your artwork layed out and use it as a guide for the CP.

[DeLuSioNal29]

The guy over at ArcadeParadise.org said that he cut the holes out on the control panel itself first, printed the overlay out and then shined a light in the control panel so that he could line it up to cut out the holes.  I guess it depends on what situation you are in.

For me, I had planned on having someone cut out a control panel for me that was custom designed.  Then I could design and put on the overlay myself.  To accomplish this, I had planned on printing out a low rez copy on my printer and using the "flashlight" method to line it up.  Once I'm OK with the dimensions, I can have it professionally printed.

[rockin_rick]

The issue is not so much getting it lined up properly, but rather ensuring that the print process creates artwork that is scaled exactly so that 1" on your program/file = 1" on the print.  With a cut before print method, your print can't have any errors in scaling at all.  For instance, if it only prints 0.01" 'bigger' per inch (IOW if you have a 1" diam circle in the file, and the print makes the circle 1.01" diam) that doesn't sound bad until you add up the error across the print, and that 0.01" error ends up being 1/4" off at the other end of a 25" CPO.  If you have any button outlines or text or whatever that keys into the position of the button (and thus hole), it would be very noticable.  Especially if it's a printed ring around the button, or say a button 'halo'.

If you do the print first (and/or get the drill plot), then you take this variability out of the equation.  Getting a drill plot from the same printer would ensure that any scaling effects/issues that the printer may have will be the same from the plot to the art.  This means that even though your file may say the distance between two holes is (say) 20.50", and the printer prints 0.01" per inch bigger, then the distance on the print would be 20.705".  If you drill first to the 20.50" spec, you'd be 0.205" off.  If you get the drill plot from the same printer, then it would show the holes as being 20.705" apart.  Drill to that, and then the art matches.  Then use the light method to line it up if you desire.

Good luck,
Rick

[SavannahLion]

Is it a possibility that the art program might not be absolutely exact? ie, could twips be coming into play? According to Wiki's  measurements, 15 twips would probably put you off by about 0.01 of an inch. Of course, I must've seen about twenty different measurements for a twip every time I encounter it.

I don't really use any art programs beyond that of GIMP, so it might be a silly question.