Vector Magic

[ravells]

Vector Magic is a free online program which changes raster images to vector images - it claims to be better than adobe live trace and the Corel equivalent.

Could be very useful if you want to create regional maps using sections of larger maps as you shouldn't get pixellation when you zoom in.

Ravs

[Torq]

I used Vector magic to create a vector image, which I downloaded in .svg format. What program should I use to open the file and view it?

Torq

[ravells]

You could try free viewers like

Adobe SVG file viewer

Squiggle

Rainbow

If you want to play around with the svg file, you'll need a vector drawing programme, like inkscape.

Ravs

[töff]

SVG is an officially obsoleted format, btw.

Leave us in a quandry for web-published vectors. AFAIK, Flash is the only current standard format that supports vectors and looks like it will be around for a long time.

I am getting to the point where I often create & maintain a master vector file, but rasterize it (usually JPG) to publish to the web. Everybody can read a JPG. (Well, I know people who can't, but they're below hope.)

[RobA]

SVG is an officially obsoleted format, btw.

Maybe obsolete for rendering graphics on the web, but it is very alive and well as a file storage/vector definition format that isn't burdened by proprietary ownership.

(I will agree, however, it could have been much more had M$oft and @dobe decided to go their own ways...)

-Rob A>

[Gamerprinter]

In Xara Xtreme its called "bitmap tracing", and the ease, tweak-ability, speed and for the clean results - is one of the reasons I initially purchased the software in the first place, having tested the free download version originally.

It does a far better job than Adobe Streamline, and the built-in vectorization in other drawing programs like Corel, that I've used.

In fact I can adjust the tracing level so the results look more like an oil painting than a raster or vector image.

You can trace in monochrome, grayscale, limited color or full color and offer multiple passes in order to capture highly detailed bitmap images. Once processing is completed it shows a thumbnail of the finished trace - if it looks wrong, then make adjustments and trace again. Once right insert image, done.

Not trying to keep on promoting Xara, but these nice little functional proggies you find all seem to have functions existing in Xara, so no need for me to use something else.