Frequently Asked Questions

Thread Handling

By default embroidery files include some internal colors with no possibility to save extended information, some like DST or EXP don't hold any color information at all. StitchBuddy supports multiple vendor thread charts to pick colors, and these were saved to an additional file (same name as the design, file extension ".threads").

These ".threads" files were introduced in 2009, with some disadvantages like cluttering your folders, and complicating file operations like renaming or duplicating designs, especially in StitchBuddy HD. In addition changes of the external thread chart were effecting all designs with the same name, and I was looking for a different way to handle external colors. Unfortunately a very promising approach was not compatible with iCloud synchronization.

Starting with StitchBuddy v2.18.0 (macOS and iOS) external thread information is stored directly with the corresponding design without any additional file. The original vendor's file format remains unchanged, but all StitchBuddy products (incl. Quick Look plugin and Automator actions) can handle the extended information. The following steps ensure a smooth migration:

• On macOS a corresponding ".threads" file is migrated when a design is opened: Its information is incorporated in all designs with the same name, afterwards the ".threads" file is deleted
• On iOS all ".threads" files are migrated in the background when content of the app's document folder changes (locally or in iCloud): Color information is incorporated in all designs with the same name, afterwards the ".threads" file is deleted. Files in other folders are not considered
• New color information has priority about a potentially existing ".threads" file
• If no new color information exists, but a ".threads" file is found, its information is considered.