Raster to Vector imaging software

[cmpm]

Not sure if anyone is interested in this type of program.
It is posted on freedownloadaday.

I have no idea of it's purpose and use benefits.
Maybe someone could clue me in while I google what the heck it does.

http://www.wintopo.com/index.htm

Free and Pro versions.....

edit-more for the commercial designer types
looks like, but could be useful for others

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_raster_graphics_editors

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics

[app103]

I just tried this out on an image that I need a vector of, and the results were so horrible that I didn't even bother to save it. I am not sure if the software or my image is to blame, so your mileage may vary.

It would have been really nice if this had worked out for me. Looks like I am going to have to do it the hard way and recreate the image from scratch, as a vector this time.

[superboyac]

Firstly, the latest Adobe Illustrator version (CS4 and CS5) can do this rather nicely.  I forget what the name of the feature was, Live-something.  Well, i won't say it's A+ good, but it's pretty good, and the settings can be tweaked.

As far as its benefits, I used to design heavily using Autocad, and stuff like this would often come up.  We'd get an old blueprint, scan it, and trace over it to get the vectors in Autocad files.  So if it worked well, it could save drafters a ton of time.  Unfortunately, they don't work that well at all, at least not the ones I tried.  Even if it "looked" ok, the amount of tweaking you'd have to do to finalize it is almost more work than doing it from scratch.  It's something that I just couldn't efficiently insert into my workflow.

[tomos]

As far as its benefits, I used to design heavily using Autocad, and stuff like this would often come up.  We'd get an old blueprint, scan it, and trace over it to get the vectors in Autocad files.  So if it worked well, it could save drafters a ton of time.  Unfortunately, they don't work that well at all, at least not the ones I tried.  Even if it "looked" ok, the amount of tweaking you'd have to do to finalize it is almost more work than doing it from scratch.  It's something that I just couldn't efficiently insert into my workflow.

Pretty much the same experience here. I used to use Adobe Streamline: it was discontinued at some stage and, as you say, incorporated into Illustrator (haven't used it there). But for technical work (or simply trying to produce clean vector line-drawings) it wasnt much good. I've seen some graphic work done with 'posterized' photos which were then converted to vector images. I cant really think of much other uses for this kind of thing...
There's a website where you can convert images http://vectormagic.com/home - ooups - it used to be free, now is outrageously priced

[cmpm]

I hope it didn't mess up your work app103.
Sorry about it's failure to perform.

I thought it was worth posting for anyone who knows about this stuff.
If it worked right.

Initially I knew it was out of my league with it's commercial applications indicated.

[app103]

I hope it didn't mess up your work app103.
Sorry about it's failure to perform.

No apologies necessary. It was worth a shot...anything is worth a shot at this point, since I can't find any volunteers willing to design a new logo for the app, and the original is too small to work with (32x32), and looks really bad when enlarged. (and I don't have Adobe Illustrator to try that, can't afford it)

I have been trying to redraw it in Paintshop Pro, as a vector, but my hand has been very unsteady lately and I just can't do it. It just ends up looking a mess.

[tomos]

I hope it didn't mess up your work app103.
Sorry about it's failure to perform.

No apologies necessary. It was worth a shot...anything is worth a shot at this point, since I can't find any volunteers willing to design a new logo for the app, and the original is too small to work with (32x32), and looks really bad when enlarged. (and I don't have Adobe Illustrator to try that, can't afford it)

I have been trying to redraw it in Paintshop Pro, as a vector, but my hand has been very unsteady lately and I just can't do it. It just ends up looking a mess.

depending on what format you want that in, I could do it.
I sent you a PM

[app103]

depending on what format you want that in, I could do it.
I sent you a PM

Thanks tomos! 

[David1904]

Inkscape http://www.inkscape.org/ could be worth a try. It is open source freeware. A Desktop publishing program with a raster to vector utility (Potrace) now built in.

[ajp]

Inkscape http://www.inkscape.org/ could be worth a try. It is open source freeware. A Desktop publishing program with a raster to vector utility (Potrace) now built in.

I am a faithful user of Inkscape, and its raster to vector utility is pretty decent.