Back on the scene (Outline Pattern Problem)!

[SevenCubed]

Hey, everybody! Sorry I've been outta commission for half a year... I assure you it wasn't because my CW was down! My workshop's been packed with storage and it's only JUST now opened back up. So I'm ready to get cracking, but I've downloaded the latest software and I'm noticing a problem. It's possible that I've just forgotten how this works, but I think something seems screwy.

I've got a Bitmap, really simple shape, and I want to trace it to use as a cut path. However, when I select "Outline Patterns", it just draws a rectangle around the thing I want to cut! I'm pretty sure I'm setting this up correctly, but no matter how I tweak it, it doesn't break it up into shapes and doesn't yield anything but one rectangle, which is pretty worthless for the "Outline Pattern" feature.

Am I doing something stupid? Has something changed? If it's not terrifically obvious, I can upload pictures.

It's great to be (almost) carving again! I'm all excited-like. Hope There's an obvious answer!

-343

[ChrisAlb]

Sounds to me like you have a Background in the picture. Use a graphics program or even the Pattern Editor to remove it.

[mtylerfl]

Hey, everybody! Sorry I've been outta commission for half a year... ...

I've got a Bitmap, really simple shape, and I want to trace it to use as a cut path. However, when I select "Outline Patterns", it just draws a rectangle around the thing I want to cut! I'm pretty sure I'm setting this up correctly, but no matter how I tweak it, it doesn't break it up into shapes and doesn't yield anything but one rectangle, which is pretty worthless for the "Outline Pattern" feature.

Am I doing something stupid? Has something changed? If it's not terrifically obvious, I can upload pictures.

It's great to be (almost) carving again! I'm all excited-like. Hope There's an obvious answer!

-343

Hello,

Since you've been gone so long you may not know about the Free Tips & Tricks Monthly Newsletters. The March '08 Issue entitled "How To Make Overhang Pattern Cut Paths" shows you the technique to make simple shape graphics for outlining. Also, the May '08 Issue may provide some useful information for what you are doing as well.

You can download any of the Tips & Tricks back issues at:
http://www.carvebuddy.com/learning_center.html

Also, you can sign up to receive the monthly newsletters automatically by filling in the "Join Our Mailing List" on the CarveWright home page (http://www.carvewright.com/), so you won't miss any in the future.

[SevenCubed]

Hey! Thanks to everyone for the quick advice! I'm pleased that, although I've been gone so long, the community's still really active.

Your advice is well appreciated! I scanned through the newsletters, and will refer to them in the future.

The magical Golden HotDog, however, goes to ChrisAlb for steering me in the right direction! See, with the OLD version of the software, Tracing a 1 bit Black and White Bitmap would get me what I wanted. That's broken now. NOW, I have to upload an image with Transparency for the trace to perform correctly!

(It's possible that, up until this point, EVERYONE had been using images with alpha channels to do cut-paths, but I'd never done that before, hence my problem).

Thanks again to both of you! This community rules. I look forward to sharing new work!

-343