how to convert png to shape ?

[David.P]

Kool and well done.

....on RISC OS

[David.P]

I could be wrong, but this is another example for a Vector Magic trace where no other tracer even comes remotely close (especially considering that this is a 1-click trace without any custom settings or tweaking):
https://kek.gg/i/54gN-R.png

Original Bitmap:
https://image.shutterstock.com/z/sto...-419876938.jpg

[Acorn]

Ok, here comes.... Image outliner on RISC OS.


Attachment 117637
Reversed mask from alpha channel. (Bitmap to be traced.)
Attachment 117638
Knots in traced image
Attachment 117639
Vector image in Acorn Draw format. (No antialising, so no cheating by smoothing the shape.)


Important value is the filesize in brackets on the bitmap and vector images. I am pretty sure that if you have gazillion shapes and thousands of knots after tracing a photograph, the resulting vector file will be many times bigger than the original bitmap image. In this case vector file is actually 3 times smaller and there is actual real-life gain other than a cool factor to be had for the tracing.

I wonder if Xara ever look back to Computer Concepts days with their !ArtWorks and RISC OS !Draw and sigh?

Acorn

[gwpriester]

The only thing I don't like about VectorMagic is the many of the shapes it traces are lines and not filled shapes. This is fine for Illustrator, but in Xara I have to select the line, select the Shape Tool, then press the Tab key once to find the first control point, and then (huff puff huff puff) press Enter to create the shape. I suggested years ago after I wrote a review of Vector Magic (back when they still had the free on-line beta) that Xara license VM to include in Designer Pro. At that time both Illustrator and CorelDRAW had better and more intuitive tracing features. This might even have been over 15 years ago. Obviously nothing came of it.

[David.P]

Sorry, for some strange reason those APNG files keep loosing their second frame. Here's that vector conversion result by Vector Magic again on a number of other image hosters, in order to find a file hoster that does not break APNG files:
https://picload.org/image/riarrwpl/animated5-bz.png
https://n38.imgup.net/animated5-2db8.png
http://img5.fotos-hochladen.net/uplo...7ma8otq9zn.png
http://i.cubeupload.com/Ov8glh.png

[handrawn]

there is actual real-life gain other than a cool factor to be had for the tracing

never did find out why this particular project had to be in vector

I wonder if Xara ever look back to Computer Concepts days with their !ArtWorks and RISC OS !Draw and sigh?

oh I think they might - so much simpler to write an efficient and flexible program in a 'cooperative multi-tasking' [non-peemptive] environment, quite apart from anything else....

[theinonen]

I checked that linked vector Magic example PNG and looks very good, but I can achieve just about similar result without Vector Magic using posterise before tracing, or simply by just decreasing colour depth of image without dithering. After that will trace pretty nicely and even better after getting rid of all gradients altogether.


Personally I use tracing for logos and similar that have only outlines and solid colour, as those will trace very cleanly. I am prepared to change my opinion after gradients are converted to fills and blends for the traced image.

Here is example of good use of tracing in my own opinion (Others can freely disagree, as there are different opinions almost as much as different people.) with logo of crappy Finnish hockey team:

[David.P]

Yes, that looks like a good trace. However, it is still somewhat difficult to really judge because of the crappy attachment function of the forum.

[David.P]

Again, I could be wrong, but I think that no other trace tool comes close to Vector Magic with a (one-click) trace like this:

https://picload.org/image/riaaprar/animated6.png (if it does not animate, view in Firefox)

(Here's the original bitmap)