This page describes the functions of xTool Creative Space (XCS) and how to use it to operate xTool M1.

Minimum and recommended PC requirements

Obtain and install XCS

Quick start example

1. Select a language

2. Connect your device to XCS

3. Place a material

4. Open a project file, import an image, or create your design on XCS

5. Set the processing type, mode, and parameters

6. Start processing

Function description

• Shortcut keys
• Right-click menus
• Menus
• Project name
• Links
• Tools
• Canvas
• Canvas management
• Device settings
• Processing settings
• Start processing

Minimum and recommended PC requirements

Obtain and install XCS

Click Yes when you are asked "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" and then continue the installation as prompted.

Quick start example

1. Select a language

2. Connect xTool M1 to XCS

3. Place a material

• Whether a material is supported depends on the device model, power of the laser module, processing mode, or other factors. For example, kraft paper can be processed only in blade cutting mode by xTool M1; and some thicker materials can be cut only by using the laser module of 20W.
• You can visit the xTool SELECTED online material center only when your computer has connected to the Internet.
• Parameter settings provided in the xTool SELECTED online material center are applicable only to the official xTool materials. For materials, of the same names, purchased from other manufacturers, the parameters settings recommended in the material center may not be the best choices.

4. Open a project file, import an image, or create your design on XCS

• Open a project file (supporting only .xcs files)

• Import an image

After importing an image, you can directly use the image or edit it to make your own design.

Fuzziness: This parameter is available only for the magic wind, indicating the range of pixel colors you delete at a time. The larger the value, the wider the color range, that is, the colors of the pixels to be deleted can be quite different; the smaller the value, the narrower the color range, that is, the colors of the pixels to be deleted are very similar.

• Create your design

You can insert a shape, enter a text, or draw vector paths on the canvas.

5. Set the processing type, mode, and parameters

Select each design element, set whether to process it, and set the processing type, mode, and parameters for it.

Note: For user-defined materials, you can set the power, speed, and pass parameters according to the settings recommended in the user manual. 

6. Start processing

Click Process to start processing.

On the Preview window, click Framing to preview the processing area on the material.

If the design elements are to be processed as expected in the expected area, click Start to start the processing

This is the general process of using XCS to create your works. For details of the functions of XCS, see Function description.

Function description

Menus

① Settings

• General

• • Unit: sets the unit for displaying the size and position of a design element
  • Auto-snapping: enables or disables the auto-snapping function of the canvas. The function is enabled by default.
    • When it is enabled, guides appear when you move an element on the canvas to help you align the element with another element or the grids.

• • • When it is disabled, no guide appears when you move an element. 

• • Precise vector path selection: By default, this function is disabled.

• • Imported image too large for the canvas: sets how to process an imported image that is too large for the canvas, including the following options:
    • Ask me every time: XCS asks you every time when you import an image that is too large for the canvas.

• • • Auto-scale it: XCS automatically scales an image that is too large for the canvas when you import it.

• • • Keep its size: XCS displays an image that is too large for the canvas in the original size when you import it.

• • Hot keys: You can click View to view all the hot keys supported by XCS.
  • Language: sets the language of the UIs
  • Software update: displays the software version and checks for later versions
  • About: displays information about the software
• Developer mode

Update the firmware anyway: click Start to open the firmware update tool. Currently, the firmware update tool is applicable only to xTool D1 and xTool D1 Pro to update its firmware to the latest version or a local firmware version.

② File

• New: creates a new project file
• Open project...: opens a local project file, supporting only .xcs files
• Import image...: import an image file. Currently, XCS supports the importing of only JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, SVG, DXF, and WEBP files.
• Save: saves all the changes to the project
• Save as: saves the project to another file 

Project name

It displays the name of the project.

Links

• Announcement: links to the announcement window of XCS, where you can find the latest announcement released
• Community: links to the XCS community, where you can find more information about XCS, share your projects, discuss with others, and get inspired
• Projects: links to the example project center, where you can find various example projects
• Support: links to the xTool support website, where you can find online help for xTool products
• Shop: links to the xTool online store, where you can purchase xTool products, accessories, and materials

Tools

Vertical toolbar

Image: click to import an image Insert: click and select to draw a basic shape Shape: click to insert a shape Text: click to insert a text Vector: click to draw a vector path Select: click to select one or more elements Hand: click to move the canvas by dragging it

• Image: click to image an image. Currently, XCS supports the importing of only JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, SVG, DXF, and WEBP files.

• • Filter: You can add a grid filter for the image.

• • Sharpness: With other settings unchanged, sharpness is related to the clarity of detail in an image.

• • Grayscale: The grayscale is related to the contrast of light and shade. Slide the block on the left to the middle to enhance the shade. Slide the block on the right to the middle to enhance the light.

• • Invert: You can invert the colors of a bitmap image. This function can be useful for the processing of some dark materials, such as engraving bitmap images on transparent or translucent acrylic, black slates, ruber, and mirrors. The engraving results can be improved by using this function.
    XCS supports color inverting of black-and-white, grayscale, and color bitmap images, as described in the following:
    • Black-and-white images: White pixels are inverted into black ones, and black ones are inverted into white ones.

• • • Grayscale images: Light pixels are inverted into dark ones, and dark ones are inverted into light ones.

• • • Color images: A color image is converted into a grayscale image first, and then light pixels are inverted into dark ones, and dark ones are inverted into light ones.

Note: For an image with a transparent or translucent background, the background is not inverted, and only the colors of the pixels in the image are inverted.

In addition to the preceding settings, you can further edit an image.

• • Magic wand: deletes the area you want to delete from the image

Fuzziness: This parameter is available only for the magic wind, indicating the range of pixel colors you delete at a time. The larger the value, the wider the color range, that is, the colors of the pixels to be deleted can be quite different; the smaller the value, the narrower the color range, that is, the colors of the pixels to be deleted are very similar.

• • Eraser: erases the area where you click from the image

Size: This parameter is available only for the eraser, indicating the size of the eraser. The larger the value, the larger the eraser.

• • Crop: keeps the area you select

• Insert: selected to draw a common shape. You can press Shift to draw a square, circle, or horizontal or vertical line.

• Shape: inserts a shape

• Text: inserts a text. The default text is HELLO. After inserting the text, you can change the words, set the font size, typeface, style, spacing, leading, and aligning mode. In addition, you can weld the character strings in a text.

Weld
This function is used to unite the character strings that overlap one another partially in a text. After being welded, the text becomes vector paths and the text setting panel is not displayed after you select it.

If no character strings overlap one another partially in the text, the text looks the same but becomes vector paths after you weld it, and the text setting panel is not displayed after you select it.

• Vector: selected to draw a vector path

You can press the Esc key or click any other menu to finish the drawing.

After drawing a vector path, you can double-click it to edit it as follows:

• • Double-click an anchor point to convert it to a rounded corner or back to a corner.
  • Drag an anchor to change the curvature.

• Select: selects one or more items

• Hand: selected to move the canvas by dragging the mouse.

Horizontal toolbar

Undo: cancels the last action Redo: performs the last action again Outline: adds an outline to an element Array: creates multiple copies of an element at a time Smart fill: duplicates a design element for multiple materials Group: groups two or more elements Ungroup: ungroups the grouped elements	Align: aligns two or more elements Arrange: arranges the order of an element Combine: combines two or more vector paths Reflect: reflects an element horizontally or vertically Position: sets the position of an element on the canvas by the x and y coordinates Size: displays or sets the size of an element Rotate: rotates an element by angle

• Undo: cancels the last action
• Redo: performs the last action again
• Outline: adds an outline to the elements. In addition to adding outlines for bitmaps, vector paths, and texts, you can add inner outlines for bitmaps with transparent backgrounds.

• Array: creates multiple copies of an element at a time and lays them out in grid or circular mode. Select an element, choose an array mode, and complete the settings.

• Smart fill: duplicates a design element for multiple materials, helping you process multiple materials at a time. Edit your design for one material, and then click Smart fill. The same design is generated for other materials.

• Group: groups two or more elements you've selected
• Ungroup: ungroups the elements you've grouped
• Align: aligns multiple elements

For example, to align the elements shown in the following figure.

• • Align left
  •  
  • Horizonral align center
  •  
  • Align right
  •  
  • Align top
  • 
  • Vertical align center
  • 
  • Align bottom

For example, to distribute the elements shown in the following figure.

• • Distribute horizontally
  • 
  • Distribute vertically

• Arrange: arranges the order of elements. You can bring an element to front or send it to back, or bring it forward or send it backward one layer by one layer.

For example, to arrange the elements shown in the following figure.

• • Bring forward
  • 
  • Bring to front
  • 
  • Send backward
  •  
  • Send to back

• Combine: combines two or more elements

When you unite the two elements:

When you subtract the two elements:

When you unite the two elements at overlap:

When you subtract the two elements at overlap:

• Reflect: reflects an element horizontally or vertically

When you reflect the element horizontally:

When you reflect the element vertically:

• Position: sets the position of an element on the canvas by the x and y coordinates. The point (0, 0) is in the upper left corner. By default, when you insert a shape or import an image, it is positioned in the upper middle of the canvas. The unit can be set in Settings.

• Size: displays or sets the size of an element. The unit can be set in Settings.

• Rotate: rotate an element by angle. A positive value indicates rotating clockwise, and a negative one indicates rotating counterclockwise.

Canvas

Manage canvases

You can add, delete, or rename a canvas. A project file can include multiple canvases to store multiple design elements.

Zoon in/out the canvas

Device settings

Connect a device 

1. Use the USB cable to connect your device to your computer, and turn on your device.

2. Open XCS and click Connect Device.

Wait for XCS to search for available devices.

3. Select your device.

For details about how to connect your device to XCS in Wi-Fi or IP mode, see how to connect your device in Wi-Fi or IP mode. 

View device information and set its functions

After connecting a device to XCS, you can view operating information and set functions for it.

• Basic info

• • Device name: sets the name of your device
  • Laser model: displays the model of the laser module
  • Serial number: displays the serial number of your device
  • Firmware version: displays the firmware version of the device. You can click Check for updates to check for later versions and update the firmware.
  • Wi-Fi setting: sets the Wi-Fi name and password to set a Wi-Fi connection
• Working info

• • Working time: displays the total time the device processing materials
  • Operating times: displays the total number of times the device has been operated
  • Standby time: displays the total time the device is on standby
  • Work log: You can click Export to export the work log of the device.

• Setting

• • Cut pressure calibration: You can click Reset to restore the factory calibration settings or click Calibrate to execute cut pressure calibration. With cut pressure calibration, the blade cutting function can be improved. For details about the operation, see "How do I perform cut pressure calibration on xTool M1?"
  • Backlash: You can click Test to test the engraving deviation when the laser module moves in a reverse direction. 
  • Process what you draw: This is an offline function. The device can recognize what you draw and process it without connecting to XCS, and you can set how it works.
    • Laser engrave black patterns: engraves patterns that you draw in black
    • Laser cut black outline: cuts outlines that you draw in black
    • Laser cut red outline: cuts outlines that you draw in red
  • Export elements on the canvas as GCode: You can click Export to export all the content on the canvas as a GCode file. GCode files can be run on LightBurn.
  • Import GCode: You can click Import to import a GCode file from the local disk. GCode files applicable to your device, exported on LightBurn, can be imported on XCS.

• Working parameters

• • Fill light brightness: sets the brightness of the fill light for the camera
  • Time the fan continues to work: sets the time the exhaust fan continues to work after the machine stops processing

Processing settings

Note:

• If you use a material launched by xTool, you can select it from the material list and use the default parameter settings.
• If you use a material produced by another manufacturer, you can modify the parameters based on the settings recommended for xTool materials or your own tests.

General settings

① Processing type

② Material

If you use a material launched by xTool, select your material from the drop-down list box. If you use one purchased from another manufacturer, set it to User-defined material, and set the processing parameters based on those recommended for xTool materials or your own tests.

③ Thickness

If you use a user-defined material, you can click Auto-measure to enable XCS to measure the thickness of the material. If auto-measure fails, use a caliper to measure it and enter its thickness.

④ Height raised

If you have raised your material by using triangular prisms, select Triangular prism. 

⑤ Processing mode

Select an element and set the processing mode.

• Score: engraves only the outline of an element

• Engrave: engraves the fill of an element

• Cut: cuts the outline of an element

⑥ Output

Sets whether an element is to be processed

When you select an element and enable Output, the element is processed based on the parameter settings (processing mode, power, speed, and pass). When you disable Output, all the parameter settings for the element do not take effect, the selected element is not detected during framing or displayed in the Preview window, and the element will not be processed.

⑦ Power

Sets the power for engraving or cutting

⑧ Speed

Sets the speed at which engraving or cutting is to be performed

⑨ Pass

Sets the number of processing times

Additional parameters for image engraving

With the other settings unchanged, the output of an image on a wooden board varies according to image mode, as shown in the following figure. You can select a mode as required.

Sets the number of lines in one centimeter. This parameter determines the resolution of the image to be engraved.

⑬ Engraving mode

Start processing

After setting the parameters, click Process to start processing the material. 

The Preview window is displayed.

• Estimated time: displays the estimated time needed for completing the processing
• Framing: shows the area to be processed on the material 

Tips: 

If you can't preview the area to be processed clearly because the framing speed is too high or the light is too weak, you can modify the framing power and speed and then click Framing.

But note that setting the light power too high may leave some marks on the material or even get it burnt during framing. For materials that may easily get burnt, reduce the light power.

• Cancel: cancels the processing and goes back to the canvas
• Start: starts the processing

If the design elements are to be processed in the expected area, click Start to start the processing and wait for the processing to complete.

If you are to modify your design, you can also click Cancel to go back to the canvas.