Okay, I've tried a bunch of programs and here are the results as far as being used with KM.

Adobe

Illustrator- Auto Trace is useless- better to use Illustrator and Photoshop together. Supports EPS with PDF as the default file type. Current version allows you to export as SVG or SWF- costs $299

Photoshop- not much to say here other than it's Photoshop. For the most part it is an industry staple. Costs-

StreamLine- didn't test- Adobe suggests that you use this product to vectorize bitmaps though. This may be why the auto trace blows in illustrator.

Corel

Again auto trace blew the big one. Used their runaware applet- performance degradation in this method? Again the current version allows you to export as SWF. Costs $599

JASC

Paint Shop Pro- No support for vector format. Beta is free.

Trajectory Pro- Still in beta. Is suppose to produce SVG but the animation timeline doesn't seem to work. No auto trace. Cost- beta is free but I found it about as useful as MS Paint.

Free Software Foundation

Gimp- No vector support whatsoever. Port for windows is available but is not overly stable. Performs just about like Photoshop. Cost- Free.

GYVE- Still in beta- must compile the program yourself. Eventually is supposed to let you import them from the Gimp. Cost- Free

SUN

Star Office

The Star Draw and Star Image components work fairly seamlessly and it will export to vector WMF if the image has been vectorized. The vectorization only supports 65 colors and with all auto traces it still isn't perfect. By far the easiest to use though.

Will convert images to just about any format.

Star Image is pretty much a joke and is about as useful as MS Paint.

Star Draw isn't a great drawing program compared to other programs.

The entire Star Office suite is mediocre but comparable to Microsoft's suits. The program by the way is interoperable with Microsoft's office suits. I recommend looking at it at least if you can't afford the MS programs. Linux and MS versions are interoperable with each other so if you are running both on your machine then it is worth it to download just so that you can get to your files in either OS.

The program greatly lacks documentation and is about as stable as Microsoft Office- AKA it crashes frequently.

The whole package is free by download or $50 by CD. The Cd comes with some documentation while the downloaded version only comes with an incomplete help file.

IfranView

This program will allow you to open the files but will not allow you to vectorize them. Supports SWF format with plug in- external viewer? Freeware

Companion Software

Metafile companion
Creates WMF and EMF files. Simple tools. No auto trace. Cost-$30

I have also tried other software but forgot what they were called.

-sorry about that.

A side note is that Hi-Jack Pro will also vectorize bitmaps. The problem- and the reason that I didn’t test it is because it is very cost prohibitive.

Another side note is that images could be done in the Retas demo-and then put through a vectorization program-

See this thread

http://www.flashkit.com/board/showth...threadid=25116

But I didn’t tell you to do this.

[Edited by johnie on 09-22-2000 at 10:45 PM]