Embroidery pricing calculator / File viewer
Embroidery file viewer online
Upload a Tajima DST or Melco EXP file to inspect stitch paths, jumps, color-change stops, and bounding size. Parsing stays in this tab.
Open a DST or EXP file
Accepted formats: DST and EXP. Files stay in this browser tab — nothing is uploaded to a server.
How to use this embroidery file viewer online
Choose a DST or EXP file
Use the file picker or drop a .dst or .exp onto the work area. PES, JEF and other formats are not supported yet.
Read the stitch map
Solid lines are stitches. Dashed lines are jumps. Counts, color-change stops and width/height in millimetres and inches update from the file.
Adjust preview colors if needed
DST and EXP do not store thread brands or needle colors. Edit the preview swatches so blocks are easier to tell apart while you inspect the path.
Export or price from your own numbers
Download a PNG or SVG of the on-screen preview, or copy the stitch count into the pricing calculator as a job record. The calculator still needs your shop costs and markup — stitch count alone does not set a price.
Worked example from a sample DST
- A square path is encoded as four +50 unit stitches (5.0 mm each side) plus an end record.
- The viewer reports 4 stitches, 0 jumps, width 5.000 mm and height 5.000 mm (0.1969 in).
- A leading jump of +30 units before the same square adds 1 jump; stitch-path bounds still measure 5.000 mm on each side from the first stitched segment start.
- Changing a preview swatch never rewrites the file — colors are display-only.
Formats accepted
| Format | What you get |
|---|---|
| DST (Tajima) | Accepted. Stitch preview with jumps, color-change stops, counts and size. Sequin designs are not supported. |
| EXP (Melco) | Accepted. Stitch preview with jumps, trims, color changes, counts and size. |
| PES, JEF, VP3, others | Not supported in this viewer yet. |
See the limitations below for size caps and files that cannot be opened. For decoder details, use the technical reference linked under Sources.
Limitations
- Accepted formats: DST and EXP only.
- Files larger than 5 MB or with more than 500,000 commands are stopped so the tab stays responsive.
- Truncated or malformed stitch records, short DST headers, unknown EXP controls and sequin-mode DST files are not opened.
- Melco EXP has no mandatory end marker; reaching the end of the file is a normal stop.
- Editable preview colors cover a bounded palette; designs with many color stops reuse those swatches.
- PNG/SVG export captures the on-screen preview, not a machine-ready embroidery file.
Sources
Related tools on this site
Use the embroidery pricing calculator for cost-plus quotes from your own shop numbers. Related guides:Embroidery stitch count estimator, How to charge for embroidery.
Embroidery file viewer FAQ
Which embroidery file formats does this viewer open?
DST (Tajima) and EXP (Melco) only. PES, JEF, VP3 and similar formats show an unsupported message.
Are the thread colors from my machine file?
No. DST and EXP do not carry reliable original thread color metadata here. Preview colors are editable placeholders so you can tell color blocks apart while you inspect the path.
Does a clean preview mean the design is safe to sew?
No. This is a browser preview of the stitch path. It does not validate machine limits, fabric, density, underlay quality or hoop clearance. Always test on scrap before a customer garment.
Can stitch count from the viewer set my price?
You can copy the stitch count into the pricing calculator as a job record. The calculator still prices from the machine runtime, handling, shop cost, materials and markup you enter.