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1993-07-20
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Cyber Sculpt Extrude Auto-Tracer
Copyright (c) 1991 J. C. Stanford
Cyber Sculpt Extrude Auto-Tracer is a FREEWARE program.
A FREEWARE program is one which you may freely distribute, but
you cannot charge for it or alter the program or contents of the
documentation in any manner.
==================================================================
Cyber Sculpt Extrude Auto-Tracer ("Tracer") is another "quickware"
Cyber Studio utility. Quickware are programs I've knocked out in a
day or two to perform some function I felt was needed. They do not
necessarily contain all the bells and whistles or error protection
of a normal program.
This program will convert a PI1, PI2, or PI3 picture file (created
with DEGAS ELITE or similar) into an extrude TMP file which may be
used by Cyber Sculpt to create 3D objects. Extrude templates are
created as outlines of the picture image.
Tracer is designed to work with "filled" images only, and makes a
number of assumptions about the picture file. The picture should
be created or edited as if you were creating a Cyber Sculpt
template. Any portion of the image you wish to be a solid part of
the object should be filled or colored. Individual lines or non-
solid fill patterns will be ignored. For images in low and medium
resolution the different colors are ignored, any pixel not colored
with color palette number 0 (the first color on the left in DEGAS)
will be considered colored.
PROGRAM OPERATION
-----------------
Make sure CYBRTRCE.PRG and CYBRTRCE.RSC are in the same directory.
When run the main screen will be displayed and the options of
FILLED or OUTLINE will be displayed. Selecting OUTLINE will draw
the edges of the templates created, while FILLED will fill in the
solid areas of the templates. FILLED will take significantly
longer to process than OUTLINE.
Clicking on the DO TRACE button will display the file selector
where a PI1, 2, or 3 file may be selected. The screen will clear
and the message ANALYZING IMAGE will appear.
After 30 seconds or so the screen will clear again and the
outlines will begin drawing.
When the image has been fully examined and traced the file
selector will be displayed again to specify a TMP file the
template will be saved as.
After the image has been displayed one or more messages may
appear. Cyber Sculpt has a limit of 200 points within the extrude
tool. It is very easy to create a picture file which will generate
more than 200 points. If a single template is created with more
than 200 points the template will be truncated at 200, and any
additional points will be ignored. An alert box will be displayed
indicating this has occured. If multiple templates have been
created from the image whose total number of points exceed 200, an
alert box will be displayed stating that multiple TMP files will
be created. The file selector will then be displayed once for each
file created. Each of these templates should be saved with
different names.
TEMPLATE USE
------------
When attempting to create 3D objects from within Cyber Sculpt from
the templates generated, Cyber Sculpt will occasionally reply that
it cannot use self-intersecting templates. This means that some
lines of the templates cross each other due to rounding errors in
the template generation. This is easily corrected within the
extrude tool by moving the offending points. Close examination
under zoom will show points which are barely within another line
or that are in the same position as a point on another template.
This is usually an indication that the original picture file was
too complex anyway.
Additional work is necessary when multiple TMP files are created
due to more than 200 points. If the image creates simple outlines,
simply extrude the first template, then load and extrude the
second template. If the image creates templates with holes or
cutouts, the odds are good the exterior of the template will be in
one file and the interior in another. Here it is necessary to edit
the templates - deleting points so that all the files may be
merged together - or re-combining template groups so that the
proper holes are associated with their parent templates. Another
option is to simplify the original image, or break it up into a
number of pieces. Tracer handles strait line edges reasonably
well, and only creates a large number of points on curves and
free-hand edges.
DON'T ASK ....
--------------
Please don't ask me to provide options for more or less points
along a curve. I really tried! The procedure I used to identify
the edges only works at the one resolution.
If you are dissapointed with the quality of the templates created
with this program, then you will understand why programs like
Advant Vector are several hundred dollars and this one is free.
=====================================================================
====================================================================
This program is supplied in the belief that it operates as specified,
the author shall not be liable in any circumstance whatsoever for any
direct or indirect loss or damage to property incurred or suffered by
the customer or any other person as a result of any fault or defect
in the goods or services supplied by the author and in no
circumstances shall the author be liable against consequential
damage or loss of profits (whether or not the possibility thereof was
separately advised to it or reasonably forseeable) arising from the
use or performance of such goods or services.