CompuServe Thread

#Scanned Drawings

7 messages in this thread
#28556From: Scott VeixJan 14, 1992 8:33 AM
We have an HP ScanJet and am attempting to be able to scan drawings in and get some type of usable format into AutoCAD. What I've been running into is that the scanned image can be converted from its original *.TIF format into a *.PCX Paintbrush format. Then I found a program called PCXDXB that converts a PCX file into a DXB file that can be pulled up into AutoCAD. What I end up with is just a mass of hatch-like lines that make up the image, not lines as lines and circles as circle…etc. Everything is just a mass of hatching lines. Does anyone know of a program that can recognize a line as a line and a circle as a circle and all (don't need the text) so that if I scanned a box, I would end up with four lines in an AutoCAD drawing? We have found this to be nice going into Word Perfect, but my main goal is to make it so we can import some geometry into AutoCAD. ANY help here would be GREATLY appriciated…….Thanx, Scott
#28603From: Dave Byrnes [AEC TM]Jan 14, 1992 2:23 PM
Scott – I moved your message to Section 8, which is where we try to keep the applications messages. You can do it, but you'll have to spend some money <g>. Arbor Image Corp has a version of their "Draftsman" software designed to work with page scanners like your Scanjet, and it will convert PCX to DXB. It costs something like $595. Also, American Small Business Computing has a package called Scanpro that does the same thing; it lists for, I believe, $495. I don't know the program you tried, but one reason you might be getting lots of little line segments instead of continuous lines is that the original was scanned slightly askew. The original lines must be dead straight with most scanners in order to come through as a single line. And this one might not even recognized arcs or circles. Draftsman does. Dave
#28757From: Scott VeixJan 15, 1992 1:44 PM
Dave: Got some good spec's on the programs you mentioned or company names and addresses? I'd like to go for a program to do this but it'll be later in the year and I need as much info and justification as possible to push it through. Thanx for the info, Scott
#28776From: Dave Byrnes [AEC TM]Jan 15, 1992 2:42 PM
Scott – sure, here ya go: DRAFTSMAN SCANPRO Arbor Image Corp American Small Business Computers 230 Collingwood, Ste 250 One American Way Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Pryor, OK 74361 Phone: 313.741.8700 Phone: 918.825.4844 Fax: 313.741.8806 Fax: 918.825.6359 Dave
#28931From: Scott VeixJan 16, 1992 9:45 AM
Dave: Thanx for the info. It'll help me out tremendously. Scott
#28646From: Darrell KnightJan 14, 1992 5:44 PM
Yes, we have a program called Vectory, which allows you to take a TIFF file and convert it to a DXB file. It recognises lines, polylines, arcs, circles and converts them to AutoCAD entities. Different line thicknesses can be set up into different layers, pre-processing of raster (cleaning up gaps, unjoining joined raster lines etc) is also included. You can selectively vectorise different parts of your raster file, eliminate text vectorisation, mask out areas, vectorise bit by bit etc. It costs $1,995 list price and I can send you a demo disk Darrell Knight Rasterex USA 1-800-648-7249
#28756From: Scott VeixJan 15, 1992 1:42 PM
Darrell: Sounds good and I'd really like to see a demo disk but it will be a little while (mid year) before we have money for more software. We kinda dipped into the '92 till in '91 so we have to back off a little in early '92. Thanx for the reply, Scott