TraceIT is the program for raster to vector conversation. Based on original algorithms TraceIT show highest speed of tracing. TraceIT can operate with wide range of raster formats than includes all mostly used file types like BMP, GIF, TIF, JPG, PSD etc. But program is not limited to raster images only - program can trace video files. Number of supported video formats is limited by number of installed drivers only. Typically the list of formats includes all widely used formats like AVI, MOV or MPEG. TraceIT can extract some exact frames from video file, trace a range of frames or a whole file.
TraceIT is complete image processor that can be used at all phases of image transformations - start from image receiving from TWAIN compatible scanner up to output to laser. Program includes raster editor that can help to clean the image before tracing, or program can trace the image at background and this allows to see what must be manually edited. Raster editor includes all necessary tools like Pen, EyeDropper or Fill. Zoom Window also can help to edit the image. Start from version 1.50 program includes Vector editor, that allows to edit the traced image.

As result TraceIT can save traced images in laser oriented formats like ILDA or common formats like WMF, BMP.

The most important changes in TraceIT is added raster and vector editors - that allows to correct the source image and traced frames directly inside the program. One of new and most interesting features is noise suppression filters

Noise suppression filters

New version include 4 original filters that was created specially  pre-tracing image clearing. Usually the images after scanning has some noise and it makes this images not so usable for tracing. We have developed filters called as "pixel gates" and this filters allows to solve the problem of noise partly or completely.

First filter is Gate 1. This filter removes single pixels (see picture) and provides very soft effect. This filter don't remove all noise and makes very careful changes in the source image.

Source image	Filtered image

Second filter is Gate 2. This filter removes twin pixels (see picture) and provides more deep changes. This filter also don't remove all noise and makes very careful changes in the source image. Both filters can be used for removing "Dither" from images like GIF. Interesting that this filter can be applied twice or more time and it will clear the image more and more.

Source Image	Filtered Image #1	Filtered Image #2

Third filter is Gate 3. Most effective filter but sometimes can cause a changing of form of main shapes on the source image. How you see on example using of this filter can remove a lot of noise during 2 passes.

Source Image	Filtered Image #1	Filtered Image #2

T Gate. It's very fun to see how the noise disappear after clicking one button.... T-Gate really allows to remove the noise and the additional effect - T-Filter make the shapes more rounded - that is exactly good for centerline tracing. T-Gate don't has the limit of number of using - every time the image will starts to be more smoother and smoother. What about the noise - for image that used in example T-Gate needs only one pass....

Source Image	Filtered Image #1

Example 1: Colored noise.

Source image	Step #1(Gate-3)	Step #2 (Gate-3)	Step #3 (Gate-3)	Step #4 (T-Gate)

Example 2: More complex image and more noise: One moment and noise removed

Source image	Step #1 (T-Gate)	Step #2 (Gate-3)

New features in version 1.40

• New optimized tracing algorithms and much more simple parameters adjustment.
• Output to Pangolin QM2000 board.
• Files saving in native Pangolin's (LDS, ILD) and Oracle (LP) formats .
• Double reducing and image transparency include fuzziness
• Output frame color correction system.
• New GUI for frames preview include zooming.
• Independent tracing settings for all loaded images.
• Enhanced preset subsystem.
• Frames smoothing for decreasing "pixel" effect.
• Multi loading of video frames.
• New subsystem of raster image import and support of more than 30 raster formats.
• New raster filters.
• Undo.
• Complete help system.

Bonus: Now TraceIT come with Picture Viewer program. That allow browse for images and send commands for tracing to TraceIT.

TraceIT and Pangolin Lasershow Designer 2000.

One of most important changes is integration with Pangolin Lasershow Designer 2000. Now TraceIT can write frames to QM2000 and save files in LDS, ILD formats. We have implemented special group of commands for making your job comfortable related to LD2000.

• TraceIT can check currently active frame and use this one for frame writing. This is useful if you work in Lasershow Designer and TraceIT at the same time.
• TraceIT can automatically restore setting of QM2000 and perform some actions like stop autorotation etc.
• TraceIT can automatically write frames to QM2000 or work in standalone mode.
• TraceIT have its own "Projector settings" window. This allow to save the time...
• TraceIT ca generate vector and point oriented frames.

Import formats

TraceIT support more than 40 files formats of raster images and video files. As source image can be used follow formats:

Video file formats:

• mov,qt - QuickTime files
• mpeg., mpg, ,pe, mpv, m1v, mpv2, mp2v, mpa - Movie files
• avi - Video files
• asf, asx, lsf, lsx  - Microsoft streaming media
  

Note: Ability to trace video files depend on installed drivers, because this list of formats is far from complete,
Also there is ability to trace single frame from video file or trace group of frames as one-step operation by means of Video tracer.

Raster file formats:

• bmp - Windows bitmap,
• jpg - JPG Image,
• emf - Enhanced Metafiles,
• wmf - Metafiles,
• psd - Photoshop images
• pcx - ZSoft PCX images
• gif - CompuServe images
• pic - 'Autodesk images
• rle - Windows bitmap
• pcd - Kodak Photo-CD images

Export formats

TraceIT allow to export frames in following formats:

• ILD - ILDA standard frames
• LDA - Pangolin LDA file.
• LPC - LAStudio Picture
• LP - Oracle single frame
• PLT - HPGL
• LDS - Pangolin LDS file (require QM2000)

Export to FFF, LFT, BMP, JPG, EMF supported via plugins interface.

Import plugins.
TraceIT allow to change DLL, which provide access to raster files and this feature may be used for changing the set of supported formats .

Export plugins.
TraceIT implements the flexible engine of plugins, which allow to export resulted frames in other formats. The format of plugins is opened for public domain.

Algorithms

TraceIT include three types of tracing - Outline, Centerline and Raster. Every type of tracing has its corresponded separation mode:

Outline:

• Mono - separation is based on 3 levels (+auto transformation to grayscale). This style allows having from 2 up to 4 colors in separated bitmap.
• Separated - separation is based on 3 independent levels for R,G and B colors channels. Number of colors up to 64
• Auto-defined colors - separation based on algorithm that allow automatically define main colors in source image. Number of colors from 2 up to 64
• User-defined colors - tracer will automatically reduce source image by user defined colors. Number of colors from 2 up to 64.
• Delta - allow extracting areas with high contrast. There are 2 modifications of this style, Delta and Delta-Outline.

Centerline:

• B&W-Centerline - source image will be converted to Black&White by defined threshold.
• Delta-Centerline - in this style from source image will be extracted more contrast areas which will be used for centerline tracing.

NEW: Now centerline algorithm allow to define "Pen width".

Raster:

Raster style allow to have TV like (raster) frames. There is ability to get unidirectional or bi-directional raster.

Color modes:

• Original colors - in this mode the colors of points in resulted frame is the same such as colors of pixels in source image. No changes! What you have is what you get!
• Indexed colors - in this style all 24 bit RGB colors reduces to 64 colors. The value of colors is based on levels of separation. Indexed colors model is good corresponded to ILDA files structure. Its allow to generate special palette for each frame and minimize the color distortion. Saving with ILDA, Pangolin palettes are possible also.
• Grayscale - all colors are converted to grayscale.
• Fixed - All points will have the same, used defined, color.

There is very important thing - separation is used only for making source-image more useable for tracing. In most cases points colors not depend on separation type, because it will be extracted from original (not separated) image.

Batch tracer

Batch tracer allow to trace selected files by few simple steps

1) Select files.
2) Select output folder and output file type.
3) Press "Start" and relax while TraceIT will make frames for you.

New feature is storing frames directly to memory of Pangolin QM2000.

Video tracer

Video tracer allow to trace group of frames from video file. There is few simple steps:

1) Select source file and output file.
2) Start and Finish frames from file.
3) Press "Start" and relax while TraceIT will make frames for you.

Other Features

TWAIN:

TraceIT allow to receive the images directly from TWAIN compatible devise.

Raster filters:

Image attributes (Red, Blue, Green,Lightness, saturation, Contrast)
Rotate (90CW, 90CCW, 180), Crop, Resize, Flip, Flop, Inverse colors, Grayscale.

Context menu.

Special command - "Trace..." is added for all supported raster file types. This allow browse you hard disk and trace any image by one clicking!

Clipboard.

Clipboard operations are supported for both types of images - for raster images and for resulted vector frames. Raster images may be copied from any other program. Vector images may be used inside any of LAStudio programs. In case if clipboard contain bitmap then TraceIT will show icon on taskbar.

New: TraceIT allow to register 2 hotkeys, which can be used from any program (not depend on focus). This hotkeys will call "Paste" or "Paste new" of TraceIT. This can be very useful in case if you work in some raster editor, copy image to clipboard and call TraceIT without going to TraceIT window.

Presets

Any setting of tracing can be saved in presets list. That allows applying the same tracing later to any other image.

Hotkeys

Editing of main menu allow to retune the hotkeys set as more preferred for the user.

Output to applications-client.

Now TraceIT allow to output frames to other applications. We had designed very simple interface for data transfer. If you are interested please feel free to contact us.

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