Scanned Drawings

[vq2]

Hi,
I was wondering if there was anyway you can have a scanned drawing brought into archi desktop and be able to manipulate the lines. Or be able to convert it into a dwg?

[Mike.Perry]

Hi "vq2"

Please note I have *moved* this thread from the AutoCAD General Forum to this one as I feel this particular Forum is a more appropriate place for such a topic.

Why? - "archi desktop" ADT may have different / additional tools to accomplish this particular task.

Thanks, Mike

Forum Moderator

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

For starters have a browse of the following threads -

Image Scale and Insertion point

Converting to Vector Images

Converting .jpeg or .jpg to .dwg

Have a good one, Mike

[david_peterson]

I'm thinking Mr Perry is on the correct track. If you insert a scanned image, that's all it is, a scanned image. (ole object) You need to get a program that will convert the Raster image into a vector image. Once you do that you now have lines to work with. The cheater method would be to insert the scanned drawing, scale it in both directions to get you dimensions correct, and try to draw over it. Either way I don't think you can ever get a perfect drawing out in the end, but it may be close enough for a guess.

[vq2]

Thank you all for the responses. I guess there is no easy way out of this, the only way would be to have one of those programs made specifically for converting images into .dwg files. But thank you again.

[david_peterson]

If you don't need them to be super accurate, you could just leave them as an ole object. I would only do this its and out building that you are using just as a reference.

[Steve_Bennett]

You could convert the image to a plt file & use the express tool "convert plt to dwg".

[Chuckyd67]

We have only used a couple of mid-level raster-to-vector conversion programs, but they have been worse than useless. Our experience is that it seems to convert each pixel to a single line. That is, a seemingly continuous straight line may actually consist of several hundred tiny segments.

The method we have developed for minor modifications and renovations is to use an image manipulating program to actually erase portions of the existing work (on a copy of the original, of course) to be demolished, and then draw back on top of it, using the remainder of the image for reference only. This is a highly cost effective method of work where the impact to the original building is minor.

[Mathews.Mathai]

Autodesk Raster Design is a product that specifically provides the ability to convert engineering data that is on scanned images into vector so it can be used in yur CAD evironment. The product SRP's at $1695 and adds on to ADT, ABS, AutoCAD and several other products including ACADM, Civil 3D, etc