SVG file from scanned graphic

[Andreas7310]

I'm currently looking for ways to create SVG files for my cutting plotter. Affinity Designer can create them.
The plan is to scan the object to be cut out and then trace the cutting lines.
At the moment the preset grid is bothering me, so I can't hit the exact points. Where do you turn that off?

I also wonder if the program can also help with finding the lines (or the outline). Similar to the lasso tool in photo editors (with fewer curves).
However, this is also very difficult with scanned graphics because the cutting lines are rather blurred. It should then hit the middle.

Maybe someone knows something.

Thanks very much

[v_kyr]

2 hours ago, Andreas7310 said:

The plan is to scan the object to be cut out and then trace the cutting lines.

Either scanning or placing on a white sheet of paper and taking a good of top image with a cam.

2 hours ago, Andreas7310 said:

At the moment the preset grid is bothering me, so I can't hit the exact points. Where do you turn that off?

For V1 app it was under the top "View" menu, it might be still there, or under the "Window" menu just take a look.

2 hours ago, Andreas7310 said:

I also wonder if the program can also help with finding the lines (or the outline). Similar to the lasso tool in photo editors (with fewer curves).
However, this is also very difficult with scanned graphics because the cutting lines are rather blurred. It should then hit the middle.

No ADe can't automagically, for such tasks one would use a third party autotracer/vectorizer tool. - For hitting the middle (aka the centerline), a choosen autotracer would have to support "centerline tracing" here.

Either way, tracing manually or with the help of some autotracer/vectorizer, the initial bitmap image has to be of some good quality here, not too blurred, since otherwise the pixel detection algorithms of autotracers won't recognize whole lines there. Also the image background should be clear to be distinguished from the line drawings here (an even distributed white background is always preferable).

[R C-R]

2 hours ago, v_kyr said:

For V1 app it was under the top "View" menu, it might be still there, or under the "Window" menu just take a look.

it is still on the View menu in V2. On Macs, it has a default keyboard shortcut of CMD+' (CMD + apostrophe on US English keyboards).

[debraspicher]

It is possible to turn off the grid with Ctrl + ' or in View in windows or the combo mentioned by @r c-r for Mac. However, it is not the grid dictating your point placement, but rather your snapping settings. BTW, You can also ignore snapping by holding Alt and Option when placing points if you do end up needing a custom grid system later on and want to continue that option. Snapping is fully customizeable. I highly recommend to learn how to use the panel for it to make your life easier.

https://affinity.help/designer/en-US.lproj/index.html#

For bitmap (your scan) to vector, I use Inkscape->Trace Bitmap. You can clean up your image in Photo or Designer even before processing it there. I use it for inks in other programs so I can continue to manipulate them in Designer or use to create other assets.

[R C-R]

5 minutes ago, debraspicher said:

Snapping is fully customizeable. I highly recommend to learn how to use the panel for it to make your life easier.

FWIW, the link to the online Snapping help topic for AD V2 is https://affinity.help/designer2/English.lproj/pages/DesignAids/snapping.html (UK version) or https://affinity.help/designer2/en-US.lproj/pages/DesignAids/snapping.html (US English version).

[debraspicher]

I'd preferred to link the videos, but was on mobile.

These are unlisted on YT and from V1, but virtually everything is the same iirc