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View Full Version : Raster to Vector software



Paul Buhse
03-10-2005, 12:23 PM
Hello All,

Can anyone recommend user friendly software for converting scanned photographs to vector images? I'm researching the Algolab photo vector program and would like to hear from those who might have it or a similar program. I'm trying to avoid programs where you have to actually trace the image with a mouse. I have an Epilog laser and use the Corel 12 and Photograv software for my engravings. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul

Mike Chance in Iowa
03-10-2005, 12:42 PM
I've had nice luck with Vector Eye. You can download a trial copy from http://www.siame.com/Michel

Aaron Koehl
03-10-2005, 2:03 PM
I've had great success with CorelTrace. Remember raster to vector operations rely heavily on heuristics--thus it will always take tweaking the parameters slightly for each job.

Some users get really good at vectorizing raster images and the time is cut down considerably.

Rodne Gold
03-10-2005, 10:06 PM
You are searching for the holy grail, I have been involved in cad since 84 and have tried just about every program coming and going from megabuck systems developed to interpret plans to simple corel trace and a host of others. Nothing works perfectly.
You have to make a choice , either accept the jaggies , inaccuracies and often humungous file sizes and wost , the extra time it takes to machine, process or cut etc that the automatic programs produce, or you trace by hand and get small file sizes , the correct entites and reduced processing time. For anything but the quickest down and dirty type engraving , I hand trace. It becomes real quick after a bit of practice , often it takes me far less time to do that than to clean up the junk you get with automatic programs.

Roy Brewer
03-10-2005, 10:47 PM
>>>>>Can anyone recommend user friendly software for converting scanned photographs to vector images? <<<<<

Paul,

I'm curious as to why you want/need vectorized photographs. What is your output device? Are you just wanting posterization? A vectorized color photograph would typically have a larger file size than the bitmap, so not for filesize, right?

Matty McQuilkin
03-10-2005, 10:51 PM
I always use a program that is used for making vinyl signs .Flexi Sign or LXI both the same program.

It has the best vector conversion I have found. It has some neat features like auto clean up. Also you can manually clean up with a set of built in tools that make it a breeze to produce clean sharp vectors.