What is a polygon?

A “polygon” is another name for a patch. A “Polygon error” indicates an error in the project making it impossible for the program to reconstruct first the blocks, and then the quilts, in order to display the project for you. If you receive this error message when opening a project, then that project file is unrecoverable. You will need to start over.

When you save the project, it is saving computer code, as does any program. When reopening the project, that computer code recreates the graphic designs you see on the screen. But an error in the project can make it impossible for the program to reconstruct everything. It may be a block error, for in order to display any quilt, the program must first be able to display all of the blocks.

Possible causes of polygon errors

  • One line in a closed patch (in PolyDraw) which figure-eights in a loop.
  • Lines or patches which extend out beyond the block edge.
  • Lines or blocks (or motifs) which have been dragged off the block or quilt onto the white area of the screen.
  • Lines on top of each other. This can easily happen in EasyDraw if you have cloned block lines and did not delete lines that could end up sitting on top of each other.

Possible safeguards to avoid a polygon error

  • Add your drawing to the Sketchbook in several stages, as you work.
  • Anytime you draw blocks it is a good idea to add those block drawings to My Library, just in case a project will not open.
  • You can also save Layouts (quilts without blocks or fabrics) in the Layout Library.
  • Back up special projects (giving them different names) at stages during designing. That way, should something happen to the project file, you will not need to start designing from scratch.
  • Never “store” blocks or patches on the white area to the quilt’s right. This “empty” space should be left empty. Dragging blocks or patches onto this space can cause an error in reopening the project.

Polygon errors are rare — we have never experienced this ourselves, and we are in and out of thousands of projects each year. But it can happen.