?Importing an image without a CAD file?
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I have a full set of drawings(6 pages) for a house that I need to import as an image so that I can model it and its all hand drawn, no CAD file. How do I get from paper to pixels? I have experimented with importing a photo of the pages but the accuracy and clarity are a bit sloppy with that method. Is there a better/faster/more accurate method that I'm unaware of to get the drawings in my machine or do I need to fine tune the photo method? Is it possible to scan a large size (24"x36") set of plans?
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If you cut them or fold them to fit into a scanner, you should be able to reassemble them with Paint or most any other graphics program.
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The problem is that SU degrades any raster images bigger than 1024 pix wide so there's no use of using bigger images.
I used to have (the free - limited - version of) a "raster-to-vector" program whose name I cannot recall for it was so jaggy that I could not really use. Still to get "endpoints" to snap to, you may try one like this (even a free eval period would be enough for a project like this)Have a look at this Google search (and try something out):
http://www.google.hu/search?q=raster+to+vector+free&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2006-26,GGGL:hu -
When I have an old client ask me for something new on a hand-drawn set, I take the original to the print shop and have them scan in the sheet; as if they were copying it to print b/w. I usually spec the file type to be jpg or pdf and tell them to email the file to me. Instant electronic copy that is flat and clear.
HTH -
There are quite a few free and open source raster to vector apps out there. Haven't tried this but just found it after a quick google.
http://www.newfreedownloads.com/Screenshot-RasterVect.html
I use Corel Trace, it works quite well if you don't mind a bit of manual clean up.
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@rhankc said:
When I have an old client ask me for something new on a hand-drawn set, I take the original to the print shop and have them scan in the sheet; as if they were copying it to print b/w. I usually spec the file type to be jpg or pdf and tell them to email the file to me. Instant electronic copy that is flat and clear.
HTHI had my local print shop scan and burn the drawings to disc, pdf and tiff. I asked them for a jpg file but they said that there is too much quality loss due to compression, my question is does it matter for just a line drawing? When I go to import the tif file (460 kb, 14000X9500) into SU I get the error report 'not a sketchup file'. When i try the pdf the import window does not display them when 'all SU supported file types' is checked. I aksed the shop to burn them as tiff's but the file extention reads 'microsoft document image file'. Is that the same thing or no? Do I need to convert or resize them first?
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Try to copy and psste the tff from your browser window. Jpgs are easy to bring into SU using the same method. I think I have changed the extension on tiff files to jpgs and had success. just do it to a copy of the original file to test. If the pdf looks better you can take a screen shot of the image and then import that image into SU. But yes the image quality is less than the origina, and your back to the same issue.
You can scale the image to use in SU.
The most effective method I have used is to select a known distance between two definable points in the import, and place a SU line there. The more definable the points the greater your accuracy. After you make the line, select the tape measure, and the two points and give it your known value. Then trace your drawing in SU.Place a large flat rectangle under the plan after scaling and before drawing. It give you an inference plan.
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this could help you... there is a part 2 as well and I'm working on part 3.
my local reproduction shop Springfield Blue Print sends me .tiff files those can be dropped directly into SU.
although I find it quicker to import into Autocad and trace there, it's more fun in SU.
good luck if you need anything let us know.
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