Pyxis Design Frequently Asked Questions

The design appears to be pixelated and the quality looks really poor. How can I improve the quality?

While the text and and all artwork will appear pixelated in the design view, the exported file will be high quality. Note that a small sampled version of the original is placed in the design area and not the original. However, when you export the final pdf, for example, the original image or imported pdf, will replace the version shown in the design view. Similarly with text; while a rasterised version is shown in design view, the vector font will replace that when exported as a pdf.

Which is better to export for print, image or pdf?

A pdf file will always be the highest quality. All objects drawn, and text will be exported as vectors which means the file size will be smaller and will also reproduce crisply if printed. When you export your design as an image, all content is rasterised (converted to pixels).

Is it possible to place a PDF in Pyxis Design

Yes, you can import a single page pdf or a range of pages from a multi-page pdf file. However, note that you can only export a design that contains a PDF as a pdf.

Can I use my system fonts?

No, you can only use the standard 14 pdf fonts for the time being. We will add an option to use your system fonts in a future update. 

When I change the text style, all text in the text box changes style too. Is this normal behaviour?

Yes, you will need a new text box for each text size, colour and font. 

Can I crop an image in Pyxis Design?

Yes, right click on the image and click Crop Image from the Pop-Up menu. Drag the handles of the crop box to the desired position and click the Crop button.

Can I crop a PDF file?

Yes, right click on the image and click Crop PDF. Then enter the relevant value in mm for Left, Right, Top or Bottom. Note that if the pdf file contains bleed, this value is placed in each of the crop fields. Note also that when you crop a PDF file, no content is removed, the Crop Box and Trim Box are adjusted. The Crop Box determines the viewable area of the Pdf file.

Can I install the application more than once?

Yes, subject to terms and conditions, the licence for most Pyxis applications, including Pyxis Design, entitles the user to install two instances of the application.

Is there a student discount?

Yes, please contact us for details.

How much does Pyxis Design cost?

Pyxis Design is available for a relatively small annual licence fee. See the Buy Now link for details. 

Is there a Mac version of Pyxis Design?

Yes.  In addition to Windows PC versions, several download variations are availabe for Apple Mac computers. These include versions for  OSX 10.6 and OSX 10.7+.

Can I add Custom Colours?

1. Yes.  Choose Add Custom Colour under the edit menu to open the Custom Colour Dialog.

Can I use two different cropped versions of an image within the application?

1. Yes. When you crop an image, the original is not changed. A cropped copy of the image is created using the cropping tool as the image bounds. So if you duplicate an image that you have imported within the application and then crop either the duplicate or the original, the other image will not be affected.

What is the Add Placeholder Text button used for?

1. When preparing a design, you can use 'dummy' text to fill any text boxes and then replace this with the actual text when it is available or you are happy with the look of your design.

Can I use Pyxis Design to create an 8 feet by 4 feet design?

1. Yes.  Note that large signs, for example, are usually created much smaller that the final printed sign. The printer will scale these up to the correct dimensions at print time. So to create artwork for an 8 x 4 sign, I would create a new document at 400mm x 200mm. Note that any text placed, or objects drawn within Pyxis Design are vectors and will scale to any size and still remain sharp. This is because these items are described by a mathematical formula. However, please ensure that images are of high enough quality to print well at the enlarged size. When you export your finished design as a pdf, the original image (whatever size that may be) is embedded into the pdf instead of the small image displayed within Pyxis Design.

Can a standard PDF be used for commercial printing?

1. Yes.  If there is no bleed in your artwork: in other words if there is no part of your artwork that extends to the edge of the design. A standard PDF is of the same high quality as the Commercial Print PDF except that the Standard PDF does not contain crop marks or bleed.