Loading a raster image will normally be the first operation you perform with WinTopo.
Raster images can be loaded in a few different ways:
WinTopo will read the following file types:
WinTopo will load the raster file correctly even if it has a non-standard file name extension, or no file extension at all. For example, if a TIFF file has been saved as scan.bmp WinTopo will identify it as a TIFF rather than a Bitmap and load it accordingly.
If you have GeoTiff files then WinTopo Pro will automatically extract the coordinate georeference information for the vector drawing. Similarly, if your Tiff file has a matching .tfw world file the georeference information will be automatically extracted and applied to the vector drawing.
The WinTopo Project file (.wtx) does not actually contain raster data, but it contains the name of the raster file that was used in the WinTopo session. By opening the .wtx file you re-instate the same WinTopo session, with the raster file, the vectors, and the georeferencing. For this process to succeed the orginal raster file must still exist. The format of the .wtx file is described in the Save Vectors help page
Many raster images can be open at the same time within WinTopo. You are limited only by your computer's memory and disk space.
WinTopo Pro can take images direct from your scanner. Select the File->Acquire->Import from TWAIN scanner... option.
WinTopo Pro will use your scanner's software to allow you to scan the image. Each scanner comes with its own software. Here is an example of a typical scanner driver.
After you have scanned the image the scanner window will close and the raster will be shown in the WinTopo Pro window. You can then process the raster in the same way as though it had be loaded from a file.
If you want to save the scanned image to file, then select the File->Save Image As... option.
NOTE: These paste options will only be active when there is an image on the clipboard.
If you want to capture an image direct from the screen you can press the Prt Scr button on your keyboard (usually near the F12 button). If you want to capture just the active window then press Alt-Prt Scr. (Then paste into WinTopo in any of the above ways).
Many people ask us if it is possible to vectorise a PDF file. The answer is yes if the PDF file contains raster data. Simply open the PDF file in Abobe® Reader (version 7 or higher), click the Select toolbar button and click on the image. It will appear shaded over. Hovver the mouse over the shaded image and you'll see a button for Copy Image to Clipboard. Click this button, then go to WinTopo and paste the image in any of the above ways. (And then vectorise in the usual way).
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