How do I trace a picture in XaraX

[bcire68]

Can anyone help me to trace a picture in X? Thanks

[bcire68]

Can anyone help me to trace a picture in X? Thanks

[Mickie]

It really depends on what you want to trace. If it's a scanned line drawing, you can put the scan on a locked layer and draw on a layer above it. Or some people give the scan a transparency and draw on a layer under the scan.

You can also use the bitmap tracer (under utilities)but results vary according to the conmplexity of the bitmap.

If you can be more specific about what you are doing, I'm sure you'll get some good advice.

Mickie

WordStyleinc.com

[bcire68]

Thanks guys. Both of those suggestions sound like they would work well. I was trying to put a bitmap on the guides layer but was only coming up with the 4 squared sides. Thanks again for the tips.

[bcire68]

What I really wanted to do when I started all of this was to trace a map of the USA. I work in the Energy industry and I am always looking for a map of Electric Reagons or Natural Gas Pipelines, Power Generator Assets, etc.

What I was thinking was that I could create a Map with multiple layers that contain the various Transmission lines, Pipelines, Generators etc and that is easy to cut up into individual or a group of states.

The idea was to trace the states from a bitmap, so they could be devided into chunks and colored.

If anyone has any ideas on how to better accomplish this, I would be very open to suggestions.

Thanks again.

[Lottie]

Hi Bcire and Welcome

I'd recommend looking at 'Creating a Zoomable Flash Map with Xara X and Flash' by the inimitable Egg:
http://www.xaraxone.com/guest/guest02/index.htm

and this months' Workbook by the admirable Gary
http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook22/page_3.htm


Lottie

PS. I would also recommend exploring the rest of http://www.xaraxone.com.

[Mickie]

There are some things you need to trace. However, there are alot of line drawings out there of the states. I would begin with clipart of the states like the one I have attached and put your energy into the subsequent layers of pipelines etc.

Mickie

WordStyleinc.com

[Mickie]

John,

This one happened to be in an old collection from Corel Gallery.

Mickie

WordStyleinc.com

[bcire68]

Mickie,

This is a Godsend. Thank you so much. Now I have one final problem.

I need to be able to fill the individual states and each state is made up of several individual lines (once I ungrouped the drawing one time) I have had no difficulty grabing the individual lines that make up a state and cloning them, but I cant seem to remember how to join the ends together to make a single filable shape. I'm sure that I've seen how to do it on a tutorial somewhere, but I've forgotten where. Any help would be great.

Thanks again,
Eric

[Mickie]

Try this:
1. ungroup
2. select the continental US then combine shapes/add shapes. (arrange menu)
3. break shapes. (arrange menu)
4. It will now look like a solid shape but there is actually one solid shape above the pieces.
5. select the solid shape and delete it.

You should now have most of the states separated. I notice that a few are still joined (Texas and New Mexico for example) so you might have to draw a line along the border and slice them individually.

Happy Xaraing...

Mickie

WordStyleinc.com