Yes - that worked to an extent. At least I don't have a zero length file now. I opened and traced, then saved to .dxf format. Opened the resulting .dxf in TurboCad and I get the image but in poor "condition". Just bits and pieces that only hints to the original. I'll try working with the trace option settings and hope this helps. I'm dealing with mostly lB&W ine drawings so I would think that they should be easy for InkScape to digest once properly adjusted and tweaked.

Horvath Andras <han@...2223...> wrote: Jerry Dunn wrote:

I can use the File->Open command and open a file in over 20 formats - raster or otherwise...I can also import just about any type of file but when I try to save to a .dxf format I get an empty file - unless I've added some lines from within InkScape - then only my additions are saved. The raster image I opened or imported is lost.

I'd like to use InkScape as a file converter - where I can open rasters and save to vectors. Is this possible? Why allow raster files to be opened or imported if they cant be retained?

The answer might be obvious, but I'm new to this...just built a CNC Wood Routing machine and was looking for a way to convert rasters (usually jpeg or gif) to .dxf so I can then convert them to the 'g-code' necessary to operate the router.

I've found and tried some apps dedicated to raster/vector conversion and they do work, but they don't allow any editing. InkScape would be perfect since I could open, modify and then (hopefully) save to .dxf

Possible?

Thanks -

If you open a raster image and only save it into some vector format, it won't be converted to vector. You have to "trace" it to get a vectorized graphic from a bitmap image.

You can do this by selecting the image in Inkscape, then choosing PATH menu / TRACE BITMAP (Shift+Alt+B). With the panel coming up you can fine-tune the settings, and then create a vector-based graphic from the image.

Then you can delete the bitmap and save the vector result.

Andras

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Could I get the typical trace option settings you use when tracing b/w images?

Horvath Andras <han@...2223...> wrote: Jerry Dunn wrote:

Yes - that worked to an extent. At least I don't have a zero length file now. I opened and traced, then saved to .dxf format. Opened the resulting .dxf in TurboCad and I get the image but in poor "condition". Just bits and pieces that only hints to the original. I'll try working with the trace option settings and hope this helps. I'm dealing with mostly lB&W ine drawings so I would think that they should be easy for InkScape to digest once properly adjusted and tweaked.

Actually i could get very good results in Inkscape by tracing bitmaps. B&W images give the best result. Eeven at low resolutions too.

I like Inkscape and its tracing capability. Helps me a lot ;)

I hope you can get along with it.

Cheers, Andras

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