vector vexation

[dave milbut]

Is there any way to convert jpeg or tiff files to vector images?




not without either hand tracing or getting a program to auto-trace for you ... Adobe Streamline <http://www.adobe.com/products/streamline/main.html> does that I think...

[Josh Conley]

nope

[Burton Ogden]

Marita,

There are programs to convert bitmap images to vector images. For example, you could explore the links at:

<http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/bitmaptovector/index.htm>

Xaos Tools' Segmation can allow you to save as several vector formats, including AI (Adobe Illustrator 7), EPS, CGM, and several others. They claim WMF, but I can't seem to get that to work. Segmation hasn't been updated since the original release and, while it works well with my Photoshop 5.0.2, I doubt that it works with higher versions of Photoshop.

Other forum members have sought vector conversion as a solution to low quality enlargements of their bitmaps. Perhaps you simply need a better way of enlarging your bitmaps, such as Qimage, Genuine Fractals, or S-Spline.

Another program to look at is Focus Magic. You might want to download its demo and see how well it works on your images. Focus Magic can enlarge your image in a way that I think is nice.

I also have Genuine Fractals and use it for really big enlargements, but GF costs more than Focus Magic and works in a completely different way. Focus Magic can also Despeckle and Focus an image, so it has several uses. Focus Magic's deconvolution engine makes it unique among graphic utilities. For your purposes Focus Magic might be better than Genuine Fractals. Focus Magic comes in both a standalone version and a Photoshop plug-in.

<http://www.focusmagic.com>

-- Burton -- (not associated with any vendors mentioned)

[r_harvey]

For at least ten years, Corel Draw has included CorelTRACE, which is quite a good tracing program. The package also includes 500 excellent fonts. Unfortunately, it also includes Corel Draw.

Adobe Illustrator also offers a simple tracing tool that is useful for simpler tasks.

[Pierre Courtejoie]

[shameless plug]If you manage to find the issue 83 of Computer Arts magazine, you'll find a tutorial I made for such an effect in Photoshop, without any third party tools, and providing you a vector file. But don't expect a perfect result, it creates simplified shapes. [/shameless plug]

[Steve Eyrse]

>Is there any way to convert jpeg or tiff files to vector images? When I enlarge what I have, the effect is often grainy, and I'd like to make the pic clearer.
Not really for if you want to " cleanup " " make it tighter " and
then enlarge via vector. Well the work would take forever. Now what
you might try is to expand your TIFF files to a HUGE size. seting the
DPI to 1000 or more instead of the 72 which is the normal. Then you
will have a HUGE blury image. But then step it down in your viewer /
paint program to the size you would like. Also reset the DPI to say
300. See how that works.
]
What your doing is using the computer to extrapolate what the pixel
next to the one you want bigger should look like . And then using it
to do the same for reduction.

I've tried this off and on for various quick projects I've been
working on and it has been a help.

Steve E.