I've only used the Blessed herbs cleanse and the ropes were soft and rubbery. I think this is because the pysllium which is the centre of the ropes remains jellyish, but also the digestive tabs that you take are meant make your organs ie liver, pancreas etc secrete and expel waste more, the tabs also includes slippery elm which provides extra lubrication and a herbal laxative.

I did read about someone whose ropes were dry and they had to yank them out but I think they were just doing the P & B shakes. I also did enemas to expel the toxins quicker and they also loosened and made my bm's more water based.

I think as long as you are having bms you should be on the right track. The problem I had with the P & B shakes is that they were moving so slowing through my colon that they were dry and so compacted that it was a strain to get them out.