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Group and Ungroup
Convert Menu
Patterns
Classic PICT Export

Ungroup - or Convert PICT

In some cases PICT graphics can be converted to native EazyDraw vector content. This menu command is used to convert a PICT graphic to a native EazyDraw group of components, Bezier Paths, text, and bitmaps. This same action results when Convert To Bezier is called from the convert menu.

The term "Ungroup PICT" was a common definition for this action in several Classic Mac applications, on OS 9 and earlier. We use the term here for continuity of the terminology.

At least one PICT graphic must be selected for this menu enable. The menu selection is found at the bottom of the Group submenu on the Format main menu.

To convert a PICT file, the PICT content must first be imported to an EazyDraw drawing. This may be accomplished by opening the file with EazyDraw or drag and drop the file on an EazyDraw drawing window.

To convert a PICT graphic, select the PICT graphic then execute the circled menu command. Each element of the PICT content is converted to the corresponding element in EazyDraw. Finally, EazyDraw forms a simple EazyDraw group with all the components of the PICT.

To access the individual components of the converted PICT content, the newly created EazyDraw group may be ungrouped. If the PICT contained sub-groups, those remain as sub-groups of EazyDraw content, and they may be ungrouped.

If an imported PICT graphic is rendered correctly, there is no real need to convert the PICT to native EazyDraw graphics. The PICT is drawn, using Carbon Quickdraw compatibility component of OS X, with vector quality. If the PICT is large complex drawing, drawing speed performance may actually be superior for the PICT as compared to the individual vector components. But if editing of the PICT content is required - the PICT needs to be converted.

In some cases the PICT graphic may not be rendered correctly by the Carbon quickdraw compatibility routines. This is common with the use of patterns in the original PICT drawing. It is possible that converting the PICT graphic to EazyDraw native content will correct these issues and result in a more faithful rendering of the graphic. EazyDraw attempts to convert and create native EazyDraw patterns when patterns are used in the PICT graphic.

The Classic Mac drawing applications, (MacDrawII, MacDrawPro, and Claris Draw) provided a "Save As PICT" and these PICT files can be read and converted by EazyDraw. However, if at all possible the original file format should be used for the Import to EazyDraw. PICT's exported in this way loose all information about layers, and the Bezier path information lost as curves are converted to large numbers of small straight line segments in the PICT file. It is not possible to recover the lost information from the PICT information, the native drawing file is needed to conserve the higher order information.