Reviewer, 2008-01-21 07:06:00

Vectorizer for CAD/CAM/GIS professionals, designers and illustrators. Converts, digitizes and refines architect, mechanical, tech drawing, maps, math graphs, graphics for books and journals. The toolkit contains a Raster to Vector SDK, ActiveX and Com Components

Pros: This package is a Vectorizer for CAD/CAM/GIS professionals, designers and illustrators. Available also as Raster to Vector SDK, ActiveX and Com Components it converts, digitizes and refines architectural, mechanical, various technical drawings, maps, math graphs, graphics for books and journals and more from raster to vector. Math graphics can be digitized too and then vector graphics can be refined with fine lines and shapes. Vector files created after vectorization follow standard CAD files so that these converted files could be taken into such platforms and worked on further. Twain compatible scanners that produce raster images in BMP, TIFF, PNG, PCX, TGA etc. can be worked on by R2V. The user interface is simple and straightforward.

Vector formats supported are DXF (AutoCAD), AI (Adobe Illustrator) enhanced metafile (EMF), WMF and ASCII X Y. Quality of the vector files depends quite a bit of the type of graphic input files. Usually the maps, which uses a lot of generalized curves produces the worst kind of results. Drawings consisting of less complex graphic should produce better results.

Cons: Usually such automatic vectorizaion does not work 100% when converting raster drawings. What then is needed is a editing session on a proper vector CAD drawing package like the AutoCAD or something similar. Text used in the drawings will need some kind of a OCR package to convert them to ASCII. This conversion too will need some amount of manual intervention/editing. It is not clear if the R2V has an OCR component in the toolkit.

Overall the rating is 4 stars.