Answers to the questions we are asked most often. Cannot find yours? Write to support@gettruenest.com.
About TrueNest Pro
What is TrueNest Pro?
A panel for Adobe Illustrator that nests your cut pieces on the vinyl sheet by their true shape. It reads the real cut line of every piece instead of the rectangle around it, so angled and irregular pieces slot together and more of them fit on each sheet.
Who is it for?
Professionals only: print shops, sign makers, wrap and decal shops, and makers of moto and powersports graphics kits. TrueNest Pro is sold to businesses, so please enter your company name at checkout.
Which computers and Illustrator versions are supported?
Adobe Illustrator 2020 (version 24) or later, on a Mac with macOS 11 Big Sur or later (Intel or Apple Silicon), or on a 64-bit Windows PC. You need an internet connection to activate, then at least once a week.
In which languages is the panel available?
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. By default it follows the language of Illustrator, and you can choose another one in the panel. Sizes can be shown in millimetres, centimetres or inches.
Preparing and nesting
How should my file be prepared?
- Each piece is one group: its artwork plus its cut line.
- The cut line is drawn with a spot colour swatch. The panel looks for CutContour by default. If your swatch has another name, type it exactly, capitals included, in More options > Cut spot color.
- The cut line is a real closed path, not text or an image, and it does not cross itself.
- If the whole kit sits in one big group, ungroup it once before nesting. Otherwise it is placed as a single piece.
- Save your file before nesting.
Does it rotate the pieces?
Yes. TrueNest Pro turns pieces to any angle that saves space, and never mirrors them. There is no setting to keep pieces upright, so take care with vinyl that has a direction, such as brushed, carbon or reflective films.
What about pieces with holes?
Nothing is ever placed inside a hole. If all the other cut lines of a piece lie inside its outer outline, the piece is nested by that outline, so other pieces can fit into its open hollows, like the inside of a U. If a cut line goes outside that outline, even a small one, the piece is nested as if a rubber band were stretched around all its cut lines: nothing goes into its hollows. When the panel has to retry a calculation several times, its last attempts nest pieces this way too. If they are really separate pieces, make one group per piece.
How long does nesting take?
You choose: 8 s for a quick look, 30 s (recommended for most kits) or 1 min for a large kit. A job that needs several sheets takes longer, because each sheet is calculated in turn. On a Windows PC, the very first run can take a few extra seconds to start.
What happens to my document?
Nothing moves until you click Apply: the layout is shown in the panel first. When you apply it, your original groups are moved and rotated onto the sheet (no copies are made), the active artboard becomes the first sheet, and any extra sheets are added below it. Cmd+Z on Mac or Ctrl+Z on Windows, as many times as needed, brings your file back.
Can it add my logo, the order number or registration marks?
Yes, in More options. Right after Apply, TrueNest Pro can sort cut lines and artwork onto a cut layer and a print layer, place up to three logos in the free spaces, print the order number with a cut frame around it, and add registration marks. Registration marks are in beta, with presets for Graphtec CE7000 / FC9000, Summa OPOS X (roll cutters) and Summa F Series (F1612): always check the first sheet before you print a run.
Plans, payment and cancellation
What are the plans?
Solo covers 1 computer and Studio covers 2. Both include every feature. With the monthly subscription at -50 %, Solo costs 29.99 EUR per month and Studio 49.99 EUR per month. Each subscription covers its own computers, so a second Solo subscription adds a second computer. For 2 computers, Studio costs less than two Solo subscriptions.
Is there a lifetime licence?
Yes. TrueNest Pro Lifetime is paid once and never expires: 499 EUR for 1 computer, 749 EUR for 2 or 999 EUR for 3, VAT included, with no monthly payment and nothing to cancel. It includes every update of the current major version, 3.x; a future major version, if we release one, may be sold separately, at a reduced price for lifetime customers. Computers work the same way as with a subscription, on the same licence key with the same e-mail address: see Licences and computers. You can buy it from the TrueNest Pro page or directly on its own page.
What do I receive after my order?
- The two installers: a .zxp file for Mac and a .zip file for Windows, to download right after your order. Cannot find them? Write to support@gettruenest.com and we send them to you.
- Your licence key, in a separate e-mail with the subject "Your TrueNest license key". This e-mail is in English.
I have not received my licence key
Check your spam folder and search your mailbox for "Your TrueNest license key". Still nothing? Write to support@gettruenest.com with your order number and the e-mail address used for the order.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes, from your customer account. Future payments stop, and your licence keeps working until the end of the period you have already paid for. Step by step: Manage or cancel your subscription.
Can I switch between Solo and Studio?
Yes. Write to support@gettruenest.com and we help you change plan. When you move from Studio to Solo, tell us which computer you stop using and we free it. To add a computer, you can also keep your plan and add a subscription with the same e-mail address.
Do I get new versions?
New versions are included while your subscription is active. With a lifetime licence, every update of the current major version, 3.x, is included. Updating keeps your licence and your settings: see the installation guide.
Free trial
Is there a free trial?
Yes. The free 7-day trial is the full version on 1 computer. No payment card is needed, and it stops by itself after 7 days with no automatic payment. One trial per e-mail address.
Can I keep my trial key when I subscribe?
Yes. Subscribe to Solo or Studio with the same e-mail address and your trial key becomes your full licence key. Order the trial on its own, not in the same cart as a paid plan.
Installation and licence
How do I install TrueNest Pro?
On Mac, install the .zxp file with Anastasiy's Extension Manager, or with the ZXP/UXP Installer from aescripts. On Windows, extract the .zip file and copy the TrueNest Pro folder into %APPDATA%\Adobe\CEP\extensions. Do not double-click the .zxp file on Windows. All the steps: Installation guide.
TrueNest Pro is not in the Illustrator menu Window > Extensions
Quit Illustrator completely and open it again (Cmd+Q on Mac, Alt+F4 on Windows). Closing your documents is not enough. If it is still missing, check the installation steps.
How many computers can I use?
Each subscription covers its own computers: Solo 1, Studio 2, multiplied by the quantity ordered. With the same e-mail address, your subscriptions add up on the same licence key, including a subscription taken on another of our stores that sells TrueNest Pro. A second Solo, or Solo in a quantity of 2, adds a second computer, Solo plus Studio covers 3, and Studio is the lower-priced way to get 2. A different user account on the same computer, or a renamed Windows PC, counts as another computer. Updating or reinstalling TrueNest Pro on the same computer does not. A lifetime licence adds 1, 2 or 3 computers in the same way, depending on the option chosen.
I changed computers
Write to support@gettruenest.com with your licence key. We free the old computer, then you activate the new one with the same key.
Can I work offline?
Yes, for about two weeks after the panel was last online. To be safe, open Illustrator and the panel with internet at least once a week.
My valid key is refused
Quit Illustrator completely and open it again, then try once more. This fixes most cases after an installation, an update or a renewal. The other licence messages are explained in Licences and computers.
Support
How do I contact support?
Write to support@gettruenest.com. For a quick answer, include a screenshot of the panel with the whole message, the version number shown at the top right of the panel, whether you use Mac or Windows, and your Illustrator version.