Raster to Vector

[Rhayes]

I am looking for a Raster to Vector conversion program to use with our AutoCAD Architecture 2008.? Does anyone have any recomendations.???

[skipsophrenic]

I just googled "Raster to vector conversion" in google and got these results.

 

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Raster+to+vector+conversion&meta=

 

Also have a look at this comparison on wikipedia

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_raster_to_vector_conversion_software

[Doove]

Adobe illustrator will save raster files as dwg files.

 

Beware though the two formats are at odds and I've yet to see any convincing conversion, you inevitably lose geometry.

 

The best way may be to import the raster image into autocad as a raster, scale it properly then trace over it with standard linework tools.

[rustysilo]

You might try searching the forum prior to posting as this question has been asked many a time.

[f700es]

I have said it before, this is the "Holy Grail" of the CAD world!

 

Dove: can you elaborate on this in Illustrator? I have v10 of Ill and I am not aware of this. Not doubting you but I might have missed this.

[Doove]

I have said it before, this is the "Holy Grail" of the CAD world!

 

Dove: can you elaborate on this in Illustrator? I have v10 of Ill and I am not aware of this. Not doubting you but I might have missed this.

 

I can't quite remember. In my last job I did this only about two or three times to test how good it was but although "ok" it didn't really save any time for our purpose, plus we were using scanned images of old drawings, and as you know old paper and cloth drawings stretch quite significantly over time thus making their scale unreliable.

 

I've never had Illustrator but I used to pop down to the reprographics dept and use one of their machines. I can't remember. I think I saved the raster as either a tiff or pdf then opened it in Illustrator then I THINK it was just a save as file format option - may have been dxf instead of dwg.

 

Try Illustrator's help.

 

Sorry I can't be more specific, but I ain't fibbing, it will do it.

[f700es]

I can't quite remember. In my last job I did this only about two or three times to test how good it was but although "ok" it didn't really save any time for our purpose, plus we were using scanned images of old drawings, and as you know old paper and cloth drawings stretch quite significantly over time thus making their scale unreliable.

 

I've never had Illustrator but I used to pop down to the reprographics dept and use one of their machines. I can't remember. I think I saved the raster as either a tiff or pdf then opened it in Illustrator then I THINK it was just a save as file format option - may have been dxf instead of dwg.

 

Try Illustrator's help.

 

Sorry I can't be more specific, but I ain't fibbing, it will do it.

 

I know that there is a "trace" command where you can kind-of trace a raster image and export the paths to a vector file. You can also open a PDF and export a DWG but I just can't remember a raster-to-vector command, but again I could be wrong (I usually am at lease a few times a day :wink: ).

I might have to ask the graphics guy down the hall.

[Doove]

I know that there is a "trace" command where you can kind-of trace a raster image and export the paths to a vector file.

 

...ah ... ahem ... erm, yes... ... trace.

 

Seriously though, that might well be it, after all the raster images we had were actually line drawings. Actually I think I found that advice on this forum somewhere. If I come across it I'll post the link.

 

As I said before though, I wasn't hugely impressed. We found it safer to scan the image, insert the raster, scale it up and actually manually trace the linework over the raster image then delete the image.

 

Donkey work but like all donkey work it has to be done and done with a little care if you want to make your life easier in the future.

 

cheers m'dears

[f700es]

No problem, I thought that was what you were talking about. You could always look at WinTopo. I tried it but was still not impressed.

Cheers

[CadKid]

wow i've totally forgotten difference b/t raster and vector.

been so long since i've taken that GIS class

[Coosbaylumber]

I have been using the freebie WinTopo by Softsoft of the U.K. It takes an image in BMP or JPG format (generally a hard B&W type done at a 200-250 DPI range) then converts in to itty bitty lines. They also have a Yahoo web forum if you get lost. It only exports to a DXF format for R-10 and later.

 

 

Wm.

[cadvision]

For the best raster eding software check out WiseImage from CSOFT or their other vertical products. Great leading software from Norway. I've been using it of over 10 years in one format or another. www.csoft.com