Scanning &/Or Vectorizing Artwork?

[Hybrid]

Hi,

Is it possible to 'vectorize' black and white images I already have in my computer?

Or, even better, can I scan in images to automatically be vectorized? I work with another animation program that does this 9very well) and would love to be able to do it in Moho (I still like the feel of drawing on paper!).

Or is tracing images in Moho the only way to get vectorized images from another source?

I did try and import an Illustrator file... but it didn't show up at all. Same with the EPS file. Must be missing some setting or other?

Anyway, thanks in advance.

ALEX

[myles]

Hi Alex,

Is it possible to 'vectorize' black and white images I already have in my computer?

Yes, but not within Moho itself, you'll have to use another program for that, one that can export the vectorized image to .ai format.

Canvas (an earlier version from a magazine cover) did an okay job last time I tested it, which was admittedly a year or more ago. Use midline tracing (which creates lines) rather than edge tracing (which creates shapes).
Autotrace is a free open source program some people have used.

I did try and import an Illustrator file... but it didn't show up at all. Same with the EPS file. Must be missing some setting or other?

Note that .ai files (and .eps files) can contain bitmap objects as well, which don't import into Moho - simply converting or scanning a bitmap image into .ai/.eps format doesn't automatically vectorize it in all programs, some software simply includes the image as a bitmap object in the file.

Simple vector lines and plain filled shapes in an .ai file (version 8 or earlier) or .eps file should import into Moho okay.

Regards, Myles.

[Hybrid]

Hi Myles,

Thanks for your reply. It's good to know I can import vector art into Moho, via Illustrator, etc... but I can't seem to do it.

When I Import > Adobe Illustrator file or Import > EPS file it definitely imports 'something' because it takes a minute or so for the progress slider to complete. But then... nothing. No artwork at all, just an empty screen. I've searched' for it at all magnifications but there's nothing visible there.

I did a bunch of tests to make sure I was actually importing vector artwork from Illustrator but it still won't show up in Moho.

What might be a cause of this?

Thanks kindly in advance.

Cheers,

ALEX

[myles]

Hi Alex,

Any chance you can put up a sample file somewhere for testing?

Note: if you have Adobe Illustrator itself, make sure you export or save as a "legacy" .ai file-type, version 8 or before.

Illustrator 9 (and later) changed the internals of the .ai format from eps-style to pdf-style formatting, which Moho can't handle.

I've had success with .ai export from Xara (I think it exports as .ai 7.0), and Expression (up to 3.3, select .ai 7.0 export).

Of course, don't use any fancy fills, gradients, artistic brushes or strokes, or anything else but plain lines and solid fills. If you want anything fancy, export as .PNG instead.

Regards, Myles.

[oritey]

I have a problem like this one but also i need to export to macromedia flash:
i import to moho *.AI (simple object) - animate with 3d camera it - save it as *.swf - import to macromedia flash MX - and see that all in its places but theres no my *.ai object... i've done it by another way but the question is still in my mind - where is the *.ai object ?
i tried so many times to export and import but...

[myles]

Hello Oritey,

Once an .ai file is imported into Moho, it's no longer in .ai format, it's converted to normal Moho curves, so it shouldn't be different to any other vector layer.

I don't use Flash myself, but one question - if you play the .swf file exported from Moho, before importing it to Flash, does it show the formerly-.ai object?

Note: in the Moho manual there are notes about what doesn't export into Flash format. Does any of those apply to your situation?
Also from the manual: "3D camera movements (this will de-optimize all layers in the project, so it should be avoided if possible when targeting SWF)"

The .swf format has a number of limitations - you quickly reach one set of limits by using variable line widths. If you have used variable line widths on your formerly-.ai object, you may be going past the .swf limits.

Regards, Myles.