I downloaded Wintopo to convert my scanned plans from tif to dfx. It worked really good but during the process it does a thinning of all the lines. Now the lines are very thin and jagged and not complete. I have read you have to do a clean up of the images afterwards. I am trying to learn TurboCad in the process. After looking at the original scanned tif images up close i see the lines are also all broken and not clean drawn lines. Should i clean up the image before converting them or fix the ones already converted. At this point in time i am not interested using a cnc machine but want to be able to manipulate the drawings in TurboCad and print them out on my printer. Will the thinned lines be too thin for good printing?

What happens when you select an area, go to properties and set the pen width?

I have used several raster to vector converters, and have never found one that produces useable DXF output. I usualy instert the raster as an image in to my CAD (AutoCAD), and trace over it.

Skeeter_ca

The tiff lines are OK as are most raster files. The main raster clean up that you might want to do before converting is to erase cross hatching, the grain, and remove any black filled areas (just leaving its outline) before converting to DFX.

Fix the broken lines in CAD then you should be able to thicken the lines. I have been using raster to vectors for about 12 years now and none of them will convert to DXF without you having to do some reconstruction. Almost all of my model CAD files started out life as a scanned raster file. I usually do a complete reconstruction.

Gene

From what I read, you are doing wrong in my way of thoughts.

In a simplified manner, first off you need to set up your CAD system for line thicknesses based upon colors (and layers).

Then go to the thick line representing maybe the edge of the model surface and activate that.

Then look at the resulting DXF file, zoom into the little line segments SNAP to one, and then pan diagonally down to one further along the model surface and SNAP to it there and let the connect points feature draw a line. This line, when shoved through your plotter will then automatically come out thick, like .050"

Do same for interior lines, but use different color (or layer).

After you create a few of the new long line, the just erase off the helter-skelter little crooked lines from the DXF file that WinTopo created. It will bit by bit then reduce your file size.

Those little crooked lines are trying to create a line thickness by multistroking, and using your thinnest pen.

I work with 10-12 foot long scanned drawings quite often, and it takes a lot of RAM to process the drawing in WinTopo, not a fast processor. I began by using their version 1.10 and am now using 1.67 And those big files created by WinTopo for me are about 150 Meg each, but eventially get reduced to about five when near completion.

Wm.

Hmmmm.....................
I like the trace over method on a diiferent layer. I'll have to play with it!

Trace-over works for me. Plot-ready raster to vector conversion remains a
dream. As G-Rock has taught me, get your raster file aligned and make sure
your horizontal and vertical lines are truly horizontal and vertical. Use your o-snaps.
Create layers and use them. Draw with combinations of the simplest elements you
can get away with. Do it in 3-D if you are clever enough for that (I am not...Gene Rock is!)
The more "unusual" stuff you use (double lines, poly lines with "width", splines, etc) the less
"transportable" it will be in .dxf format to other CAD programs.
Dave

True, especialy splines. I never use splines. They are not based on linear vectors like all other CAD entities, and therefore don't play nice with other stuff in the drawing.