What happens to your U01 file
Every needle point lands in the same place in the DST 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 | Neither file has any |
| Size and density | Unchanged |
Thread colours
Neither U01 nor DST stores thread colours, so there is nothing to lose. The stops carry over as stops, and you choose threads at the machine. The colours you set in Hoopbench are for the preview and the run sheet only.
Long moves
DST moves at most 12.1 mm per record, against 12.7 mm in U01. Longer moves are split into a chain of jumps, and a stitch longer than 12.1 mm becomes jumps followed by one stitch. Every needle point stays in the same place.
Trims
DST has no trim command. Trims are written as three small jumps, the signal that commercial machines recognise.
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 .dst 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 DST
DST is the file most digitisers deliver, because almost every commercial machine can sew it. It starts with a 512 byte text header holding the design name, stitch count and extents, followed by three bytes for every stitch.
The DST file is for commercial multi-needle machines from Tajima and most other makers, and some home machines. Sending a design to a shop, or keeping a master copy that any commercial machine can read.
Each record moves at most 12.1 mm, so a long move is written as a chain of jumps. Three or more jumps in a row is the usual signal for a trim, and many machines act on it.