Are there going to be any specials if you want to go from DS7 Pro to MPD?

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Are there going to be any specials if you want to go from DS7 Pro to MPD?

There are no plans for any further promotional efforts between Livingsoft and MPD at this time.

There is a new version of MPD scheduled to be released this month that might meet the price preference your question suggests, though. MPD Basic is coming and it will cost - nothing. The software is free, you pay only for the patterns you take.

MPD Basic will come with four free fit check patterns and no other included patterns. It includes basic options that any paper pattern comes with (length, cuffs, basic collars, pockets, etc.), but without the more advanced design options or tools that come with MPD Standard or Pro.

For those looking for a super bargain, you can get the MPD fit, MPD design differences, and try MPD patterns - buying only as few or as many as you actually need. And, as Helen M. noted, you can always import your owned Dress Shop patterns, draft them using the MPD pattern drafting rules, and print them with no repurchase of those patterns required.

We hope the price for MPD Basic (FREE!) will persuade anyone with any interest to give it a try.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dress Shop,

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And, as Helen M. noted, you can always import your owned Dress Shop patterns, draft them using the MPD pattern drafting rules, and print them with no repurchase of those patterns required.

Are you saying that DS patterns can be imported into MPD Basic? There is a big difference between importing the patterns and opening a saved pattern. If you can import in basic, why not pro? Please explain exactly how you use DS patterns in MPD Basic.

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Are you saying that DS patterns can be imported into MPD Basic? There is a big difference between importing the patterns and opening a saved pattern. If you can import in basic, why not pro? Please explain exactly how you use DS patterns in MPD Basic.

The features provided in MPD Basic will be included in all versions of MPD. The ability to take Dress Shop patterns into MPD and have them drafted using MPD drafting rules and with MPD options and settings is not what we would describe as "opening a saved pattern", which suggests you will get exactly the same document. These are not word processor files that can be made identical. These are two similar but different pattern drafting programs and they do not necessarily produce exactly the same documents (patterns) even when they start with exactly the same measurements.

You CAN get the nearest MPD equivalent to all of your Dress Shop patterns. That feature has worked since MPD was released. Our efforts working with import and export have simply been to make that process easier and more convenient, bulk converting all of your owned Dress Shop patterns into the saved pattern file format that MPD uses. While we worked on that feature, some testers and customers asked if even more could be done. They asked if we could provide identical Dress Shop patterns, identical Dress Shop options, and identical Dress Shop tools. We looked at each of those requests and decided that those either could not or should not be provided, not if MPD was to offer different drafting approaches, different options, and different ways of specifying just how a pattern is defined. What we could provide was the nearest equivalent MPD pattern to each Dress Shop pattern that was already owned.

If you do not care for the term "import" for such an action, you are welcome to use whatever other term you like. We would prefer, though, that you not attempt to confuse other users of these products by promoting your own semantic theories about what might or might not be released at some later date. What is offered will be spelled out in detail when it is offered - when we all know exactly how it works and what it does. Customers will be able to try it out in the free demos that we always provide, insuring there is no confusion about what it does and how it works. Guessing how an unreleased feature will work at some future date is really not the best way to make a purchase you will be totally satisfied with.

MPD patterns are not identical to Dress Shop patterns. That is one of the major reasons that MPD exists today. Some customers asked for pattern improvements and enhancements. When those were done, other customers complained that a pattern that they had learned to work with and prefer had now been changed. One product just cannot provide both stable designs as well as improved designs. We struggled with that one for years and did not find an answer that satisfied everyone.

So, there are now two products. MPD patterns have continued to evolve (and hopefully improve) for over two years now, with new drafting ideas and drafting logic and different options that can be used to fine tune the fit. There is no crotch curve tool for MPD pants, for instance. We learned new ways of building that part of the pants patterns and got it working for more people without the need for the hand adjustments. Those that have a good fit in their Dress Shop pants may not like that change. But, those trying measurement driven pattern drafting for the first time will find faster success and a better fit with the MPD approach.

All princess line patterns were changed, most blouses and dresses with a fitted side seam were changed (no more waist offset adjustments), and armholes are handled differently. MPD patterns have evolved in many ways. And, they have benefited from years of tiny refinements that occurred during the extensive testing of every new pattern grouping as they were released.

The bottom line is that the patterns will be different. We believe that those that have tried both prefer the MPD patterns to the similar ones available in Dress Shop. You will have to judget that for yourself and use the patterns that work best for you. Dress Shop is still there and you can continue to use those patterns if you prefer them. Or, ask others that have used both products and see what they prefer.

The one thing you will not get, should you choose to move to MPD, is exactly the same patterns that you had in Dress Shop. For every Dress Shop pattern that you owned, you can get the nearest MPD equivalent. But MPD is NOT "Dress Shop 8". You will not have the same patterns with the same options, drafting in the same way. These are different programs and our use of the term "import" was intended to help make that clearer.

We do apologize for whatever confusion was caused by discussing that before you could actually see it.

I think it's wonderful that you will soon offer the free MPD (and pay only for the patterns you want!) Excellent idea! I'll keep watching your website. This is a great solution for me...I'm still really happy with my Dress Shop, but am not sure I want to spend more money on updating it when a potentially superior product is available...this way I can have my cake and eat it too! Yay!