Easy Trace: Advanced software for Automatic Raster to Vector Conversion

Easy Trace for Windows FAQ

Easy Trace for DOS FAQ

We have been working with ET 4.2 version for DOS, and we have accumulated a great amount of vector data. Can we use this vector data operating with ET 7.0 PRO version for Windows?

Yes, of course, you can do it. Changing Dos for Windows version, you have not lost your previous results. To process projects created in Easy Trace DOS version, , select the "Easy Trace 4.xx (for DOS) project" line in the File type field while opening these projects in ET 7.0.

Working in AutoCad, I use an expanded color range, and at the DXF prototype attaching the colors I've specified are distorted in a random way. How can I avoid this?

Unfortunately, Easy Trace processes only color numbers in the range from 0 to 15. You will have to make changes in DXF-prototype by attributing to layers colors with numbers that should not exceed 15.

When the screen resolution is switched from 640x480 to 800x600, different dispersible dirt appears on the screen when I move the mouse. What should I do?

Unfortunately, this effect often occurs on SVGA-adapters of old models. Try to quit the program, and then restart it. Most often, it is enough to stop this effect.

Loading the project created in Easy Trace V 3.21, the message about incorrect version of project file appears. What should I do?

Version 4.00 cardinally differs from the previous ones by using 32-bit data for vector data (VCD) storage. The total amount of package changes makes direct conversion rather difficult. The only way out is intermediate conversion into Easy Trace V 3.5 format. To perform this operation it is enough to load the project in Easy Trace 386 v.3.5 and select "Save" command. After this both project file and vector data are available for loading in the package of 4.00 version.

Sometimes at clicking the right mouse button, I have to wait for displaying the tool submenu for a long time in ET400. What are the reasons for it and how can I avoid it?

The size of ET400 is practically equal to that of free conventional memory. That is why the program is realized using overlays - some part of the program is always on disk. Loading of the program part required for present operation from disk may take much time. You can decrease it. All the program overlays may be placed to the free XMS-memory. This memory is available if the HIMEM.SYS driver is installed. That is why applying the ET400.EXE program you should not give all the memory to EMM386.EXE driver. Leave free not less than 128 Kb of XMS-memory.

What are the files with the .COR extension?

Files with the .COR extension are common raster files in the PCX format. The extension is modified to avoid overwriting of initial raster files-fragments after raster fragment adding to the complete raster field.

I have added only one small fragment and assembled the raster field, but the package does not load it referring to lack of memory. Why does it happen?

Regardless of the number of added fragments, the size of your complete raster field is determined only by the totality of project parameters - "Minimum/Maximum X and Y", "Scale", "Resolution [dpi]" and "Units". You may learn the information about the size of the complete raster field from the "Information" menu item.

After export into DXF format and loading the result in AutoCAD, all the lines turned out to be of the same color, though a heading was attached to the file.

Before file loading into DXF format, you should select the New file creation command and specify that it is created without using a prototype (NO PROTOTYPE). If you do not perform these operations, the DXF-file header will be ignored, and only objects (ENTITIES) will be loaded.

I have assembled a rather big raster coverage consisting of entire tablets. After it I realized that one of the raster tablets was corrected in a wrong way. Should I execute the whole work from the very beginning?

After assembling of the whole raster field you can't delete or add separate raster fragment. But if you have saved the project under another name before assembling as it is shown in the Easy Link program lessons ( remember EXAMPLE.PRO - EXAMPLE5.PRO? ), you always have an opportunity to return to the stage of completely covered, but not assembled project. If you have executed the merging operation and hastened to save the project, you may use the *.bak-copy of the project file changing its extension for *.pro.