File Management

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There are various ways of making front panel files as well as macro databases and scripts for editing front panels available to other users, or of managing them internally.
Export of front panel files to other formats

You can use File > Export to export your front panel design as a DXF, STEP, SVG or PDF file. Select the desired export format from the "file type" drop-down list.

•DXF file: Exports a 2D .dxf file of your front panel. This allows you to insert your front panels into other CAD designs, for example, or work on them for other purposes using a CAD program or a program for editing vector graphics.
•STEP file: Exports a 3D model of your front panel in .stp format. This can be further processed in CAD programs, for example. Note: Engraving elements are not exported to the STEP files.
•SVG file: Particularly suitable for further processing in a vector graphics program.
•PDF file: File format for file exchanges always with true-to-original representation.

An explanation of different vector graphic formats is provided here. Please note that the main focus in DXF format is only on the geometric information of a line (CAD-specific). This means that DXF and SVG exports of the same front panel may vary when subsequently imported into an appropriate editing program (for example, Corel Draw or Inkscape) with regard to the associated line widths.
Shopping carts as "project files"

The ordering module in "Front Panel Designer" is not only the hub for your online orders. You can also simply save a shopping cart you have put together for continued or future use, without it being connected to an order.

Up to version 3.5.1, the carts were directly referred to as project files (*. FPP), and can continue to be loaded.
Migrating and backing up macro databases

Users can easily exchange supplied standard and user-created databases, each containing a collection of macros , with each other. To do this, you need only save the exchanged database files locally and manage them accordingly in the settings (see "Integrating other catalogs" in the "Macro Manager" chapter).

In the dialog box "Integrate databases" (see the entry "Integrating other catalogs"), you can see the locations of all of the previously integrated databases.

The database supplied for the standard catalog can be found in the "Front Panel Designer" installation folder.

The database supplied for the user catalog can be found in that folder assigned to your user account for program-specific application data ("AppData"). The following procedure can be used for all supported versions of Windows:

•Open Explorer (e.g. Windows key + e)
•%appdata%\frontdesign in the command line before pressing Return or select
•The "UserMacros.fml" file is in the folder which opens

In the dialog box "Integrate databases" (see the entry "Integrating other catalogs"), you can see the locations of all of the previously integrated databases.

The "Macros.fml" database supplied for the standard catalog can be found within the FrontDesign folder in share/FrontDesign, in the default installation therefore at /opt/FrontDesign/share/FrontDesign.

The "UserMacros.fml" database supplied for the user catalog can be found in your home directory ("~") in the subfolder "FrontDesign". Please note that the above directories may not be displayed in your file manager depending on the default settings.

In the dialog box "Integrate databases" (see the entry "Integrating other catalogs"), you can see the locations of all of the previously integrated databases.

The "Macros.fml" database supplied for the standard catalog can be found inside the application bundle in the subfolder Contents/Resources. You can get there in the Finder by opening the folder where Front Panel Designer is located (usually "Programs"), clicking the FrontDesign program icon with the right mouse button, and selecting "Show Package Contents" from the context menu.

The "UserMacros.fml" database supplied for the user catalog can be found in your home directory ("~") in the subfolder "FrontDesign". Please note that the above directories may not be displayed in your file manager depending on the default settings.

Please also use this information to include your user databases in your backup.

User scripts for editing front panels

User scripts for software-controlled direct editing of front panels, which can be managed and edited in the scripting window , are stored at the following location:

•Windows: %APPDATA%\FrontDesign\Scripts
•Mac: $HOME/.FrontDesign/Scripts
•Linux: $HOME/.FrontDesign/Scripts