Working bitmaps with the Perspective tool

[steve.ledger]

I had occasion to use the perspective tool with a bitmap today and I must say I never realised how poorly the envelope tool works (or not) with bitmaps?
The results are blocky and pixelated.
For an application that boasts photo manipulation tools, this must surely be an oversight?
CorelDRAW does it fine with a nice smooth result.
Xtreme is quite disappointing with this function.
This is a fairly common requirement for mockup signage and other situations where perspective needs to be applied (placing a graphic on the face of an angle-shot monitor for example)

[haakoo]

Steve,
I think it has to do with the way CD handles the bitmap
When creating a bmc of your pic and apply the enveloppe it is much crisper

Hans

[steve.ledger]

Yes I think CorelDRAW resamples the image as the perspective is applied, whereas Xtreme does not. Pity.

Try a screenshot of your desktop and paste into Xtreme and run the perspective tool on that. You will see some pretty nasty blockiness and jaggy edges, especially on desktop icon text labels.
Try the same thing in CorelDRAW with the same image and the result is smooth without the jaggies.

It's a big difference that makes it a no show with Xtreme and perspective bitmaps.

[Albacore]

I think the mould tools are one of the poorest features in Xtreme Steve, so much so that if I have maps or anything like that to do I go straight into AI and I am talking vectors here as well as bitmaps. I know you call AI bloatware but it is surprising what you can do with it a quick use of the "Rise" mould in the Warp Tool and you are there.

[steve.ledger]

Peter I think you are right.

Here's an image to better explain what I was saying about applying perspective to screenshots in post#3 re: nasty blockiness and jaggies

[Albacore]

It is funny how the "Extrude Tool" doesn't have the jaggies!

[steve.ledger]

I'd assume the mould tool is still using the old rendering code originally created just for vectors.
The extrude tool has been recently reworked, where the mould tool hasn't.

[BobInce]

Yeah, it would be nice if moulded bitmaps were supersampled, at least in VHQ mode. In the meantime I supersample manually by exporting at a higher DPI and resizing down, but it's a bit of a pain.

I would prioritise a working bitmap-envelope above that though.