Software for Tracing an Image?

[rtbcomp]

Basically I want to manually trace part of a wiring diagram that I've scanned from a Haynes manual.

I need to be able to load the JPG, zoom in to the bit I want to trace, manually draw lines (shapes & text would be useful but not essential) and then save the bits I've drawn as a JPG.

I've tried Serif DrawPlus but it's a bit of sledgehammer to crack a walnut, and I run out of memory because the JPG is too large - about 200 MB.

Needs to run under Windows 7, 32 bit, Home Premium

 

[Kayos]

I'd use photoshop, import as a layer, create new layer and adjust opacity (say 75%) on the top layer then trace over it with the pen tool etc

Then remove the original layer and reset opacity, may need to merge or export the layer to get back to a jpg

 

[outofthefire]

gimp is free and very similar to photoshop

 

[rockweasel]

Open the drawing in Paint and crop it to the portion of the drawing you want to trace. That will reduce the file size.

You could also scale the drawing size down (say by 50℅) to further reduce the file size. Also done in Paint.

 

[Luke]

I've done exactly this with Microsoft Visio, but I don't think it will be too cheap to buy.

 

[eSCHEn]

Inkscape. Done this a million times with it. There's a "trace bitmap" tool built-in.

Works on pretty much all common OSs.

www.inkscape.org

Shout/PM if you have any questions.

 

[Barlidge]

Illustrator would be good for that, import it as an opaque background layer as Kayo describes above.

 

[rtbcomp]

Thanks for the input.

I've reduced the file size by converting from grey scale to binary - this has cleaned up the image too. Unfortunately it wouldn't load in DrawPLus, Inkscape or Gimp, without reducing the physical size of the image. I need to experiment with optimum size, the lines are very close together so I need as many pixels as I can get in so I can zoom as much as possible. Cropping the image isn't an option because some of the lines go from one edge to the other.

I used XnView for the above, nice & simple and will handle large files, but no layers and no drawing lines.

I haven't tried Visio or Illustrator - bit pricey for what I need, looks like Inkscape is going to be one to use, certainly the easiest of the trio.

 

[outofthefire]

Thanks for the input.

I've reduced the file size by converting from grey scale to binary - this has cleaned up the image too. Unfortunately it wouldn't load in DrawPLus, Inkscape or Gimp, without reducing the physical size of the image. I need to experiment with optimum size, the lines are very close together so I need as many pixels as I can get in so I can zoom as much as possible. Cropping the image isn't an option because some of the lines go from one edge to the other.

I used XnView for the above, nice & simple and will handle large files, but no layers and no drawing lines.

I haven't tried Visio or Illustrator - bit pricey for what I need, looks like Inkscape is going to be one to use, certainly the easiest of the trio.

If you're tracing over it do it at a lot lower resolution that will reduce the file size.

 

[outofthefire]

Stick with inkscape (i'd not heard of this program, thanks eSCEn) as well if you can, being a vector drawing package you'll be able to resize your image with no loss of quality. I'd also see if you can scan from within inkscape rather than scanning it and trying to import it.

 

[rtbcomp]

If you're tracing over it do it at a lot lower resolution that will reduce the file size.

I realise that, but I need the higher resolution to see what I'm doing, it's a very tightly drawn diagram

 

[outofthefire]

I realise that, but I need the higher resolution to see what I'm doing, it's a very tightly drawn diagram

Yes, but if you trace it with inkscape you don't need to see what you're doing with the original

 

[eSCHEn]

If you're struggling with the dimensions then I'm assuming it's rather large? In these cases (I'm looking at you OS 5K) then split the file into a grid of smaller images. Do each one separately, merge the resultant SVGs and then connect the nodes and you're done.

 

[rtbcomp]

Yes, but if you trace it with inkscape you don't need to see what you're doing with the original

Do you mean let Inkscape automatically trace the diagram? I'm manually tracing subsets of the whole diagram, I suppose it would be easier to let Inkscape trace the lot and then select the traces I wanted, but how accurate is Inkscape?
I've just using the "Trace" function, there are about 75,000 nodes and it's so slow it's painful, it would be quicker to manually trace the lines I needed.

If you're struggling with the dimensions then I'm assuming it's rather large? In these cases (I'm looking at you OS 5K) then split the file into a grid of smaller images. Do each one separately, merge the resultant SVGs and then connect the nodes and you're done.

The original image is A4, 17415 x 19814 pixels after cropping the margins off.

 

[ukracer]

You have pm mate.

 

[eSCHEn]

Accuracy-wise it's a crap shoot if I'm honest. Sometimes it'll do a very good job (and I suspect a wiring diagram would be one of those cases, hence its recommendation) but others it will take significant cleanup. Sometimes to the point of it'll be easier to do it from scratch. Like I say though, I suspect a wiring diagram will work quite well.

20K square is definitely big enough to screw the pooch. I'd be splitting into a 4 x 4 grid and seeing what a 5K square was like. From memory it's not so bad if the image is quantized sufficiently.

 

[rtbcomp]

@ukracer 's having a go at it with some software he's got, I'm reckoning that Inkscape will do it and agree it would be quicker to do the parts of the circuit manually. Basically I'm doing it to help on the Volvo forum as electrical problems aren't unknown on these vehicles . It will be a lot easier for people to follow if the relevant bits can be extracted from the rest of the clutter.

 

[penfold]

Do you mean let Inkscape automatically trace the diagram? I'm manually tracing subsets of the whole diagram, I suppose it would be easier to let Inkscape trace the lot and then select the traces I wanted, but how accurate is Inkscape?
I've just using the "Trace" function, there are about 75,000 nodes and it's so slow it's painful, it would be quicker to manually trace the lines I needed.



The original image is A4, 17415 x 19814 pixels after cropping the margins off.

Turn down the resolution, that's ~1600 dpi!!!! No wonder you're running out of memory on an average domestic PC. Even a detailed A4 diagram should not need more than 600 dpi and 300 dpi will be adequate for 95% of occasions.

 

[eSCHEn]

^^^^ wise advice.

 

[rtbcomp]

Turn down the resolution, that's ~1600 dpi!!!! No wonder you're running out of memory on an average domestic PC. Even a detailed A4 diagram should not need more than 600 dpi and 300 dpi will be adequate for 95% of occasions.

yeah I know - but it doesn't half look good on the screen, and you really do need to get close to read the text.