Help and documentation | BETA Cutting Room

User manual

Cutting-room manual

Step-by-step help for the floor screens: orders and rolls import, spreading, tracking, re-cuts and the sewing hand-off.

Help inside the app

The app has a Help tab with the same information, available offline. Every command-line tool also explains itself: run beta-marker --help or beta-pattern --help.

Technical documents

These documents are in the source code. Links open the public repository.

BETA Marker overview (external site)What the marker engine does, how it is built and where each part lives.marker/README.md
Specification (external site)Data formats, garment rules, units and the validator.marker/SPEC.md
Cutting-room module status (external site)All 14 cutting-room modules: what works, what is tested and what is still missing.marker/docs/CUTTING-ROOM-STATUS.md
Benchmark method (external site)Every benchmark rule, assumption, result and command.marker/docs/benchmarks.md
Quality report (external site)End-to-end test of version 0.4 with findings.marker/docs/QA-2026-10-19.md
Market and research notes (external site)What other systems do, with sources, and the plan for version 0.4.marker/docs/V04-RESEARCH.md
Desktop app report (external site)How the Windows app is built and tested.marker/apps/desktop/DESKTOP_REPORT.md
App and server build (external site)How to build the app and run the server.marker/apps/web/README.md
Contributing (external site)How to propose changes and what each change needs.CONTRIBUTING.md

Common questions

Do I need an internet connection?

No. The desktop app and the server work offline. Install and update from a USB drive if you need to.

Which pattern files can I open?

DXF-AAMA and ASTM pattern files, BETA pattern files, and a supported subset of Seamly2D files. Test a few of your own styles first, because each CAD writes DXF a little differently.

Can it drive my plotter or cutter?

It writes PLT/HPGL and 1:1 PDF for plotters, and a generic ISO file for cutters. Profiles for specific machines are not certified yet. Plot a 1,000 mm test line and check it before production.

Is BETA better than my current CAD?

We do not know yet, and we do not claim it. On the public Lectra data, results depend on the time allowed and the size of the marker, and BETA loses on many tasks. See the benchmark, and send us your markers for a comparison on your styles.

What does it cost?

The software is free and open source. You pay only for your own hardware, and for any support or training you choose to buy from someone.

Which languages are supported?

English today. Hindi and Tamil are planned.

Help us improve

BETA is young and not perfect yet. We need your help to improve it. A short note is enough.