Importing Vector EPS Files

80253 · Post by **80253** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:10 am

I've tried the search feature but came up empty handed.

I select File | Import | EPS File... within Anime Studio Pro. I browse to my EPS file, select it, and click the "Open" button. I see a progress bar with "Importing Vector file" but when the progress bar fills completely (which takes only a split second) and then disappears, I do not see where my new vector layer is. In the "Layers" pane I only see the default "Layer 1" that appears each time I create a new project.

I am using POTRACE (open source alternative to Corel Trace) to create vector EPS files based off HD images. I've also created EPS files in Photoshop CS2 using all three of the EPS types. I get the same result each time. The "Importing Vector file" progress bar only appears for EPS files created in Photoshop CS2. This progress bar does not appear for EPS files created in POTRACE.

Can anyone point out what I may be doing incorrectly? I'm certain I either am skipping a step, or perhaps I don't understand how Anime Studio Pro uses EPS files.

My goal is to add bones to the vector layer to create my own custom characters. I draw them in Photoshop and then trace automatically with either POTRACE or Photoshop. I am not very good at tracing within Anime Studio, which is why I got the Pro version (support for EPS files).

DK · Post by DK » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:22 am

Can you save out and AI file format from your tracing software? If you can try importing the AI file into AS. I have struck times when an EPS file won't import. It has always been do to an incompatible file type.

Cheers
D.K

80253 · Post by **80253** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:58 am

Thanks for the suggestion, but no dice.

The three EPS outputs in Photoshop CS2 are "Photoshop EPS (*.EPS)" "Photoshop DCS 1.0 (*.EPS)" and "Photoshop DSC 2.0 (*.EPS)"

"DCS stands for Desktop Color Separation. It is a file format that is based on the EPS file format. In fact, you could regard DCS files as a collection of EPS files."

"Development on the DCS-2 format started in 1993 and it became available in 1995 or so."

http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs

Also, it doesn't seem like the file formats being "new" should cause a problem, as 1995 was a long time ago.

I really don't want to pick up a copy of Illustrator, as I just recently jumped up to AS Pro for the use of these EPS files I'm currently unable to use.

Does anyone know of a trace utility or some converter that will work with AS Pro?

DK · Post by DK » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:57 am

You can try this one....but it's limited to 35 uses....it might get you out of trouble.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia ... acer.shtml

Also this:

http://vectormagic.com/

D.K

DK · Post by DK » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:06 am

Alternatively you could upload your eps files so we can also try them out? Someone might come up with an answer.

Cheers
D.K

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:18 am

EPS is just a container format, which can hold a lot of different data, vector and bitmap and text and so on. AS can only understand vector data. If you save something in Photoshop as an EPS, you just wrap a bitmap into the EPS container. The only vector data Photoshop can create are clipping paths.

Only a vector program like Illustrator or Freehand can create vector data.

80253 · Post by **80253** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:23 pm

Thanks for that explanation, Slowtiger! This likely boils down to my misunderstanding.

What I think is very curious is although I am starting with Bitmaps, the EPS files generated by the POTRACE tool do indeed appear to be Vector when opened in Photoshop. When I open the EPS it asks me to specify dimensions for the file. I can specify something like 12700x12700 pixels and every last detail is crystal clear, even though the original image may only have been 300x300 pixels. To me, that seems like this EPS file contains Vectors, but again I don't exactly understand it all.

I think it might be helpful if someone else tries this, just to see if they get the same result as I. You can get POTRACE at http://potrace.sourceforge.net/ - click the "Downloading and Installing" anchor at the top of the page. The file is very small. Take the two .exe files and move them to C:\WINDOWS. Open the command line and use the following syntax for your command:

potrace C:\FOLDER\NAME\HERE\IMAGE.BMP

You can do this with most bitmaps; it you specify a non-recognized image it will tell you what formats it requires.

EDIT: VectorMagic looks very useful, but being web-based is a major inconvenience as I do not have an internet connection on my other PC. Also, I can view the Vectorized images and they look good, but I can't download the files for free.

I'll give MagicTracer a try and let you know how that goes.

80253 · Post by **80253** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:26 pm

I checked out MagicTracer per suggestion from DK. The Vector files it outputs are "DXF Files (*.dxf)" "XYZ Files (*.xyz)" "DC2 DesignCAD Ascii Files (*.dc2)" and "WMF Files (*.wmf)"

None of these files would import into Anime Studio Pro. I was also unable to open these in Photoshop, as I thought I could perhaps wrap these Vectors into an EPS file.

Has anyone else tried using automatic trace utilities to get EPS files? It is starting to look like I do need a copy of Illustrator to get Vectors into AS Pro.

Any other comments or suggestion will be very much appreciated!

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:38 pm

Streamline. I still use it although it requires Mac OS 9.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:03 pm

I can import Photoshop paths and vector layers into AS by "exporting paths". there is an export paths to illustrator option in the version of PS I use (v7), I assume newer versions would still have this.

However it doesn't include color info, just empty shapes. And each path shape is a separate document. In the version of PS i use the export is like... version 4 or 5 of illustrator format. AS likes old versions of eps and illustrator format.

-vern

80253 · Post by **80253** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:32 pm

I had no idea there was an Export Paths; thanks for that tip! I tried it and was able to create a .AI file.

However, when I selected Import | Adobe Illustrator File in AS Pro I got the same result. Nothing new is on my screen and "Layer 1" is the only layer in the project.

Can someone try these files to let me know if they can open them in AS Pro? Maybe my files are the problem. Can anyone send me an EPS that works for them so I could see if it also works for me?

I uploaded an example of the type of EPS file created in POTRACE (Smal file size, no progress bar in AS Pro). You can download it here: http://damicoae.googlepages.com/test_for_forums.eps

Here is one created in Photoshop CS2 (Larger file size, there is a progress bar in AS Pro): http://damicoae.googlepages.com/test_for_forums_PS.zip

Right-click the link, select Save As.

Thanks for all your help so far, guys!

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:02 pm

OK, I tested your files.

Skip the Photoshop file. It contains nothing but bitmap information, and that in CMYK which AS doesn't understand.

The EPS contained vector information. I was able to open it in Illustrator, saved it as illustrator v.8 file, and imported it into AS without trouble.

The imported file looked nice without any mistakes, but it contained far too many points. Maybe that's the reason why your original import failed. Just one arm had over 200 points. Did you vectorise a bitmap?

Besides that, you need to re-think your designs in terms of animation. You need to separate the body parts a bit more.

Get my anme file here: http://www.slowtiger.de/examples/test_vector.anme.zip

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:21 pm

The EPS file from Protrace(sp?) is not in a format that AS will understand. AI can read it but I think the AS EPS import needs a specific format.

I had the same results as Slowtiger, I opened the EPS in AS (very old version 9) and saved as a NEW EPS that imported in to AS. However as he pointed out... mucho points baby. Lots of points.

The options then would be to clean up the import or... redraw it in AS. It's 6 of one, half dozen of the other in my opinion. You may end up spending as much time "cleaning up" as redrawing.

Here's a tip that I've used in the past. Use the image or imported eps as a tracing layer. Use the imported eps as a starting point. Go through quickly and without fussing too much and just delete big groups of unneeded points. then go back and reposition the remaining points to match the tracing image. Like I said, it almost seems easier to redraw.

-vern

80253 · Post by **80253** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:59 pm

Thanks for the investigation, new file, and the detailed information!

I was indeed making the Vector from a bitmap. I guess I'll just have to learn to draw in AS. I went through the Drawing Tutorials but it really feels weird for me. It likely just takes some time to get used to it.

Thanks again, everyone!