Vectors

[jmerson]

Does anyone know of a good and reasonably priced program to make vectors from bit maps? I tried a program that claims to convert PDF to DXF files but there was so much garbage outside of the lines I was trying to convert, it made the drawing useless.
Thanks,

Jim

[jalessi]

Jim,

Please post what you would like converted.

Jeff...

[dertsap]

http://www.inkscape.org/

[jmerson]

Jeff,

Sorry about the late reply but I haven't had time to play lately. I have pdf files of carb. plates and air cleaner adapters that I want to cut from aluminum and I finally got it through my head the difference between pixels and vectors. The pdf is called bitmap and the dxf is vectors. I think there is cheap program to trace the perimeter of a pdf
drawing and convert it to vectors? Would you happen to know of one?

Thanks,

Jim

[jalessi]

Jim,

Inkscape will open a pdf and then all you need to do is export it as a eps file.

Its free by the way.

See attached link.

http://www.inkscape.org/download/?lang=en

You may need to join the vector if it has broken lines.

See attached link for instruction.

http://imagesbyheatherm.wordpress.co...the-node-tool/

Jeff...

[jmerson]

Jeff,

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't tried it out yet but I will.

Jim

[jmerson]

Now I have another problem. Every since I switched to Win 7 the Links on certain forums don't seem to work. I just tried to hook up with the Inkscape.org link and it goes to connect but nothing happens. I think it has to do with the HTTP protocol but I'm not smart enough to figure out which setting to change. You wouldn't happen to know what's wrong?

Thankd,

Jim

[dertsap]

i haven't made the switch to 7 yet , i think I'll wait until there is nothing left that is compatible with xp before i do , i like my lil comfort zone

I'd suggest googling inkscape and check out the site that way


.

[jalessi]

Jim,

I prefer using Chrome as my default browser verses Explorer, you may want to give it a spin.

http://www.google.com/chrome

Have a most awesome evening,

Jeff...

[jmerson]

derstap,
I had Vista and can't seem to remember why I switched now? It got so bad that I bought a new computer because it was about as cheap to buy a new one as to fix the problems with the old one and update to a different operating system. XP was on it's way out and the only one left was Win7.
I tried Inkscape but it is designed for Mac, so I'm still looking.
Thanks,
Jim

[Switcher]

You can run Inkscape on Windows.

I've been running Inkscape for almost 2-years (thanks dertsap ), on Win-XP, I'm running both 0.46 & 0.47 versions on the same PC.

I'm getting ready to install Inkscape 0.47 on my Windows-7 PC, I'll post again when finished.

[metalworkz]

Hello,
In addition to Inkscape there are several .bmp to .dxf converters available if you do a web search including Wintopo, Magic Tracer, etc. and most of them offer a free trial version that will function for say a 30 day period or a numbered amount of uses. Most of the small tracing programs are not very expensive but you should try them for free first. Keep in mind that some programs like VcarvePro from Vectric include a .bmp import and tracing utility along with all the other great tools and you might want to download the trial version if you need more than just tracing abilities at a great price. Of course the Inkscape program and Wintopo free version are great options if you only need the additional .bmp tracing and converting to vectors ability.