importing bitmaps

[kjackswood]

Anyone know how to take a clip art file and save it in a way that can be used in the V-carve software?
In order to select the necessary vectors.
-Ken

[jeb2cav]

Hi Ken,

The general steps are:

1. Import the bitmap for tracing - this is a File Operation in the Drawing Tools.

Import the Bitmap for Tracing Tool

If you go to the Layers tool, you'll find you now have a Bitmap Layer. If you disable that, the picture you imported will be hidden.

Import the Bitmap for Tracing Tool

2. I am in the habit of either renaming the default Layer 1 or creating a new layer before I run the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool. I'm also in the habit of giving it a color other than black.

Import the Bitmap for Tracing Tool

Now I'll follow this with another post as the maximum number of attachments on this forum is 3.

[jeb2cav]

Continuing from previous post...

4. Next select the picture (click on it) and then select the Fit Vectors to Bitmap Tool.

Fit Vectors to Bitmap Tool

You can read about the Fit Vectors to Bitmap Tool - tool choices in the VCarve Pro documentation. This is not installed automatically with the software, but the full pdf file is on the software DVD. I copied this to my computer in a convenient place and use it quite heavily.

This will generate vectors that can then be selected to generate toolpaths. Because they are vectors, you can move them, delete some/all - any vector operation. One thing I've found myself doing is actually deleting some vectors as the detail isn't necessary, and actually results in an outcome with a cutting tool that I don't want, or need.

Remember that the vectors generated by running the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool will be in whatever layer you have active in the Drawing Tools. So, if you had the Bitmap Layer active, the vectors will also be in the Bitmap Layer. Not a big deal, but it can be confusing when first starting to use VCarve and not recognizing the concept of Layers - so you disable the Bitmap Layer so you can "see" the vectors generated and it all "disappears".

For this discussion, I used a simple graphic of a bee...

bee graphic.png

Bee Source Graphic

(5.04 KiB) Not downloaded yet

And got these vectors using the default settings in the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool...

Bee Vector.png

Vectors from Graphic

(5.67 KiB) Not downloaded yet

Hope this is the help you were looking for

[jeb2cav]

Whoops - these are the vectors obtained from the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool use...

Vector from BMP File.png

The Real Vectors from Source Graphic!

(1.39 KiB) Not downloaded yet

[Tim Owens]

It depends on where you get the clipart file.
Vcarve needs to be able to import the vectors you are using (ie a usable file format).
For instance if you are trying to use word clipart. The normal format is not readable by vcarve.
You would have to load it into a word doc then convert the doc to a pdf by saving it.
Vcave can import pdfs and it will then come right into the Vcarve.

Tim

[kjackswood]

Thank you Joe and Tim,
This is a good forum. Very helpfull

Thanks again.

[Dash]

I have tried to import a bitmap and even saved the drawing as an eps file and i still cannot get vectors on the drawing....AAAHHHHH. Please explain again how to take a simple bit map and get the vectors so the machine to cut the pic. I have played with the pic (It is a pic of cowboy boots) and all I can come up with is the vectors will show to cut some of the fine designs of the boot. I do not want this. All I want is the outline of the boot....

[jeb2cav]

Hi,

Are you sure the picture/bitmap is selected - before you click on the Fit Vectors to Bitmap Tool? Click on the pic so that the resizing handles are visible, then click on the Fit Vectors to Bitmap Tool.

[Dash]

Hello there....Yes tried that and made sure the handles were on....no luck,,, now lettering in my sign is missing....This stuff is hard but, I am not this dumb....

[Dash]

I took the pic and made a simple drawing for cutting by itself and it worked fine. I re-read your earlier posts and downloaded the pdf files you had mentioned. Needless to say I saved the pdf files to my desktop...Very helpful documents!!! I can now understand bitmap layers and how to use them. I know you learned all this the hard way and I and I am sure many others are very thankful you did. You are very helpful and I for one, appreciate it.
David