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Thread: Software and other things.

  1. #1
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    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]

  2. #2
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    For converting WAV files I have been using MS Sound Recorder.

  3. #3
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    Festival and the CSLU kit for generating speech.

    I have also been using a simple free Midi composer with MIDInight Express to convert them to WAV Files for music.

    All of the above software is free.

    Festival only works in Linux though and the CLSU makes use of CYGWIN to work in Windows.

  4. #4
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    Johnnie,...very informative stuff. I knew most of it but not all of it! Thanks! What I really need is a good .bmp to vector converter. Trace program if you will. I tried a freebie from softseek but it was,...well....it stunk! I tried Corel's trace engine aptly named CorelTrace and it was..........well.......it stunk! I want to try Streamline because I hear great things about it,...but who knows. There has GOT to be a good one out there somewhere. I wonder if Macromedia Freehand has a trace program companion and how well it performs. I'm a purist who has to cartoon on paper,....but man oh man,..I may have to draw on my awkward Wacom tablet with these new programs out here. Now obviously,....the "PROFESSIONAL" animation programs such as Animation Stand by Linker Systems $500.00 (now exports to .swf!!) and CTP by Crater Software $1000.00 and Personal Archer by Yogurt Tech $1000.00 and AXA $1500.00 and Toon Boom at $10,000.000 as well as Animo by Cambridge at $10,000.000+ all have beautiful trace features,..but they HAVE to!!! They are for TV series production animation and the real deal when it comes to traditional and digital animation features!!! Kool Moves,....therefore can be a steal if it can somehow get a few more professional features!! I can only see it's competition being Moho at $100.00 and Linker's Animation Stand $500.00 and the forthcoming program (which I will have to buy) DigiCel Flipbook at $300.00!!! It will have pencil testing,.scanning input,..all of the pro animation feature one needs with the added bonus of .swf output!! Kool Moves could really be killer and just might be the giant killer down the road.

  5. #5
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    Star Draw- I've had the most luck with that program- the trick is using solid lines and few colors.

    PDF for SVG looks promising though. Perhaps someone can develope a BMP to WMF, EMF, and EPS converter.

  6. #6
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    johnie do you have a link for CSLU ?

  7. #7
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    Johnie-
    Do you know when StarOffice and its components will be available to be downloaded seperately, I have downloaded the whole package but all I really want is StarDraw. Yeah and about Streamline, its great!! I have it, but I don't know how useful it will be right now, it can only save the vectorized images as, .ai, .eps, .dxf, and .emf, all though I have Sreamline 4.0 I don't know if there is a newer one out yet, really haven't had time to check, but it works great, a newer addition may have more export options, but anyway, give it a try works great bunch of options you can adjust to make image as detailed as you want.

    Brad

  8. #8
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    Hey Todd-
    Yeah right on!!! I am going to get Flipbook as well. Looks like a great package, thinking of incorporating KoolMoves and it together, use KoolMoves for simple text and image animation(for now, I know it will get better) and as the web authoring part, and Flipbook as detailed animation, think they will work well together, at least as soon as KoolMoves gets .swf import, hopefully soon Bob?

    Brad

  9. #9
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    Friday 13'th is the day that Star Office gets GPLED. Right now you can choose to install certain componets to Star Office (meaning you don't have to install the whole thing).

    the link is

    http://www.openoffice.org

    Festival is available at:

    http://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival/

    CSLU Tool Kit is here:

    http://cslu.cse.ogi.edu/

    or more precise here:

    http://cslu.cse.ogi.edu/tools.htm

    Both Star Office and Metafile Companion will convert EMF TO WMF.

  10. #10
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    Bob mentioned a third party auto trace utility. I wonder what he had in mind?

  11. #11
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    The forum says that I can't post new- But I sure can post to this.

    I just added some cool new effects and shared it on my I drive

    Check them out here:

    https://www.idrive.com/snider-john

    The file is a self-extracting zip.

  12. #12
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    There are 5 effects

    1. Iris In
    2. Iris Out
    3. Fade In
    4. Fade Out
    5. Mask

    The Fade in and Fade out effects are designed to work with a white background. Feel free to change the color to any color you want. Just remember to watch the transparancy- The 255 tranparant shape must be 255 for the effects to work.

    type text in the insert text for all of the effects but number 5.

    Number five is the only real text effect there is.

    The Iris effects background can be set to any color you want.

    Enjoy.

  13. #13
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    I just checked all of the forums-post new- are disabled.

  14. #14
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    One more thing,

    The masking effect only works if the text color is set to the same color as the background and niether of them can be white.

  15. #15
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    I once got an idea to attempt to establish a webring for KoolMoves, but no one other then Bob responded, so I have changed my objectives, with the ability to create effects alone it makes another idea possible........
    Would anyone like to collaborate and start a sort of KoolMoves.....KoolKit.....where we can have a collection of effects and such(if its ok with Bob of course) I don't have time to do it by myself but with two or three other people I believe we can keep it up, we can post any tutorials we create(Johnie I know you have a few) and we can have a link if Bob lets us from the Koolmoves homepage. Anyone like to try........

    Brad

  16. #16
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    I have established an account at FortuneCity.com if anyone has a better suggestion for a location for the KoolKit then suggest a way, and once again please respond if you wish to help and Bob tell me if you approve! If no one responds then it will not happen!!!!

    Brad

  17. #17
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    I'm in.

  18. #18
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    Cool....my email address is rebmahc2@yahoo.com if you wish to send me anything or talk about something and can't get a hold of me here, etc. etc.

    Brad

  19. #19
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    I'll send you some tonight and some tomorrow.

  20. #20
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    Site ideas, what we want, layout, logo(Bob, are the colors for KoolMoves purple and that yellowish-tan color thats on the website), etc. etc. and of course whatever you want

    Brad

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