Legacy ImageMagick Discussions Archive

Since I got some images I'd like to try and convert to vector images I'll just right out ask:

Is it possible to have Imagemagick create vector images from multiple lets say png's I have ?

Thanks for an answer in advance.

Sorry, no. IM can convert from vector to raster, but not raster to vector.

Inkscape can do this ("trace bitmap"), and other tools are available.

Can Inkscape batchprocess images ?

To some degree, though it is really an interactive program. I don't know if it can trace bitmaps in batch. Potrace (http://potrace.sourceforge.net/) may be better for you.

See autotrace or svg if on unix.

http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/draw/#other
http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/draw/#svg_output
http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/transform/#edge_vector

Well since Potrace obviously only converts images to black and white: http://potrace.sourceforge.net/mkbitmap.html

I shall try that even if it means I have to use my linux environment.

Potrace just finds edges and makes paths. You can use IM to do colour-separation first, then edit the SVG output from Potrace as appropriate.

If you supply a sample image and what you are trying to do with it, advice can be more specific.

According to this http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1132 ... magemagick Imagemagick can do it with autotrace etc. as support app ?

Image to test:

And what vectors do you want? If you want a load of small circles, negate the image first (eg with potrace "-i" or IM "-negate"). In potrace, you'll want "-t 0" to capture even the smallest stars. You'll probably also want to play with -k, --fillcolor and others. See potrace documentation.

However I need a colored vector image.

Can Potrace do this ?

I do not think a raster image can be effectively vectorized? You will get millions of vectors if not a fault because there are too many. You probably cannot vectorize such a raster image, only ones with a few constant color regions. But I will defer to those others who know more about vectorizing.

Potrace won't decide on the colours for the vectors.

The only effective vectorisation tool I have seen for colored images involves using vector data that is not available generally to vector images.

One example was a IFS (fractal generator) method that was never made public (tried to be commercial).
You example image for example would compress extremely well using a IFS image format, as it has a lot of fractal like information in it.

Another is the use of Diffusion Curves. which defines colors along edges, and then generated gradients from those colors.
http://maverick.inria.fr/Publications/2 ... /index.php

But no generally color images do not vectorise easilly, at least not without a lot of simplification, and color distortions.