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Shagbag

Member

Registered: 2006-10-25

Posts: 259

Can I convert a .png image to .svg?

I couldn't see anything in The GIMP that allows me to do this.  Can it be done or do I need to use another application?

Martyr

Member

From: Out there

Registered: 2006-10-04

Posts: 103

Website

Re: Can I convert a .png image to .svg?

You'll need Imagemagick or Inkscape for that.  Both can be installed with pacman.

I had some scaling issues however, YMMV.   

iphitus

Forum Fellow

From: Melbourne, Australia

Registered: 2004-10-09

Posts: 4,927

Re: Can I convert a .png image to .svg?

PNG's are a raster format. It is formed from a grid of pixels, which each have a colour value assigned.
SVG is vector, and is formed by a set of instructions, which are then used to draw the image.

As a simple example, a painter paints an image. An SVG file would describe each stroke he uses, the colour of it, the length of it, the angle, etc. A PNG would describe his painting split up into a fine grid, each square having a colour assigned.

To convert a png (raster) -> svg (vector), you need to use a tracing tool that tries to work out a set of instructions to draw that image, like trying to re-create the strokes that the painter took.

Inkscape has support for this inbuilt, just open Inkscape, open or import your PNG, and then go to, Path menu, Trace Bitmap.

James