[keith kalman]

I am trying to find out how to covert jpegs to a dxf file format. I tried some software and it seems to only translate the lines and no arcs or splines. This makes for an interesting file. Please let me know if anyone out there has a way to do this. I am not doing anything fancy, but I was interested in making some displays.

[Tom M]

kalman,

The only way I know of to convert ratser (.jpg, .bmp, etc) files into a vector based file (.dxf, .plt, etc) is by a tracing program. It is awfully difficult to successfully trace a mixed color image, but the smoother the outline, the better. The outlines are really all you want, but there should certainly be some way of maintaining curves, etc.

If you know how, post the image you are trying to convert. If it is a logo that has been professionally done, most places will have used a vcector-based program to do it.

Tom

[Andy Graves]

Open the file in Photoshop, Paint or some program that deals with Raster Graphics. Then play with the contrast to see if you can get the image real crisp on the outside edges of the image. You may want to convert to b&w first so that the program doesn’t have to deal with the color.

Then save the file and open with a Vector Based graphics program like Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. The newer versions of these programs have trace tools that will get you pretty close. You will then have to manually connect the nodes and make a closed shape. Fill with the color of your choice and you are done.

Sounds easy but it really is pretty hard to make this whole process work. It would probably be easier to spend you time finding a vector image that will work with your project.

[Mory Ludwick]

Kalman,

It is actually harder than it sounds. If you haven’t done it before, you will probably shoot yourself before its done. Off to the left of the main page of the forum on the Fab Net is an advertiser by the name of Frank Chlarson. He does graphics. He actually did our new logos. He also converted our logo into a DFX file. It was perfect and very reasonably priced. In the future, I will be using him to convert artwork into DFX files. It is a whole lot easier and a lot less stressful.

Mory

[Chris Yaughn]

Kalman,

I went down this path a while back. If you want to play with it yourself I think the free Coreldraw demo can help. I f you need to cut the thing soon, and right the first time, do what Mory said.

Chris

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