Topic: .TIF to .dwg

[Russ]

Is it possible to convert a .TIF to .DWG?
Thanks in advance for all replies.

[whodo]

Is it possible to convert a .TIF to .DWG?
Thanks in advance for all replies.

you would need a raster to drawing conversion software.
usually very expensive.
The short answer is yes if you have the software.

[MSTG007]

Raster to Vector program....

Scan2cad
tracetrix
wintopo freeware

etc.

[ELOQUINTET]

yes and no you can vectorize the points of an image but when done it doesn't come out as clean lines instead it is many segments. there are many discussions in here on the subject and software which does this have a look around

[M-dub]

Or you can redraw it.

I don't think there's a painless solution.

[MSTG007]

SCAN THE IMAGE lol!

[M-dub]

Well, actually, you might not be too far from the truth depending on what Russ is looking for.  This might be a stretch, but if you bring the tif into a new acad dwg via the IMAGE command, and save it, you'd be able to double click the dwg and have it open up in AutoCAD.  To edit it, you'd need Raster Design or CAD Overlay though, depending on what version of Acad you have.
To actually turn the tif into vectors though, you'll need raster to vector software or a company who will do it for you.  We've got one around here that will do an E-size drawing for about $100 Canadian.

[MSTG007]

bingo!

[PDJ]

At best, scan the image and have it in the background and trace over it with ortho and snaps.. Scanned and converted images, whether done by a program or a shop that will do it for $100 Canadian,  are usually very inaccurate at best.  $100 Canadian is about $70 American, that bills out to 1 hour of cadd time.  I really don't think you're goin to get a lot of quality in one hour of work.

My vote, either scan it and just use it for as-built info and plotting or go the extra mile and re-draw it.  But first, look at the drawing really close.. If it's not already in AutoCad format, is it really useful anymore??  If it was useful, someone should have put it in digital format a long time ago..

Just my 2 cents.. Umm.. 3.2 cents Canadian..

[yyou]

If the image is complicated I'd recommend tracing it.  Because lines are not straight by converting to vector.

3 yrs ago we redraw 300 VA hospital dwgs and last year we complete 140 dwgs for Children hospital.  Most of those dwgs were done by hand in the 70's.  Here are steps how we did.  I hope they may help you.
   
   We scanned the old dwgs

   We scale the images to fit the bkgds.  There is little trick here.  Scanned  images are usually stretched (longer than original).  So after inserted the image we measured and wrote down x,y ratio then detach and reattach using diff X,Y scale according to the ratio.

   We then traced the ductworks, pipings...etc using ortho, snap and offset to get the exact sizes of objects.  Example: if the duct was 24", we traced 1 side of the duct then offset 24" to get the other side.  If the VAV box has no dims we'd use dist to measure the sides and round it up.

  I apologize if I offend you by explaining too much.  Again hope I can help.