Chapter 16. Tracing Bitmaps

Updated in v0.45.

Inkscape has the ability to convert bitmap images into paths via tracing. Inkscape uses routines from Potrace [http://potrace.sourceforge.net], with the generous permission of the author, Peter Selinger. Optionally, SIOX can be used as a pre-processor to help separate a foreground from a background.

Tracing an image is not an easy thing to do. Potrace works well for some types of artwork (black and white line drawing) and not so well for others (scans from screened color prints). The paths that are created can have thousands of nodes depending on the complexity of the image and may tax the power of your CPU. Using the Suppress speckles option can reduce the number of nodes generated by the scan. After ...

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