[Scrooge]

I used to have one, ten years ago or more. All you had to do was draw a line around an object, push a button, and, presto, it was a cutout. You could slide it out of its 'hole' and move it somewhere else on the background, or you could move it to a separate file, till you wanted to use it somewhere else. Now, I look at Photoshop and Gimp and it's like a major project (complete with video tutorials) to do it once, much less do a lot of it.

A.2 Conconully

C.2 Omak copy

C test

The objects could be anything (cars, flowers, whatever), but for my purpose I want to take TOPO profiles and turn them into 'stand alone' images ..... which I'll then try to recombine with Google Sketch-up, to make some rather specialized relief maps. It's all part of my 'Coulee Country' studies. I want to be able to model the movements of the ice. I can do the rest of it, but I need the cutouts. Any suggestions?

[mike]

Scrooge I use Faststone Capture v5.2. It's a free screen grab program. Might do what you want. Versions newer than 5.2 are shareware. Not sure what you mean by 'cutout'.

[Scrooge]

Thanks, Mike. I downloaded the current version, 7.0, but it is shareware, and requires a tutorial, too, so I probably won't keep it. Gimp was free and I already paid for Photoshop, so I might as well take one of their tutorials. As for what a cutout is, think of a paperdoll, it's a self-contained image with no background. You can move it into different backgrounds, or do just what a little girl would do and play 'dress up', by putting one cutout (clothes) on top of the other (the doll). I want to do something a little like that with 'cutouts' of TOPO profiles.

[Slugman]

I've found Microsoft's Picture it! software to be good (and easy) for this kind of "craft" project. The program makes it easy to layer various designs and cut-outs onto backgrounds or transparencies. It keeps all the layers separate off to the side in a "stack", and you can drag and drop from the stack onto and off of the main image. It's meant more for things like making custom greeting cards or calendars, at least that's what their examples show, but it sounds like it would be good for your project as well. You can save the project as a project, and open it later and change it, and also save it as a finished picture file, which then is what it is, or both. It has a function called the freehand tool, you simply trace your line, with a left mouse click every time you change direction, and soon you have your outline, which you save to the stack, the drag and drop it anywhere you want, spin it around, whatever. This would be perfect for tracing your topo profiles. I believe I have the disc for the program, I know I put it on my home computer and my work computer, so I must have it. It's yours if you want it. My version is Picture It! Premium 10. I know it used to be a free download as well. Hmm, Microsoft says Picture It! is no longer being made, and is not compatible with Windows 7. Well, I'm running it on two Windows 7 computers with no issues.

[Scrooge]

Sluggo, that just about exactly describes the program I used to have, so much so that the creator may finally have found a buyer. When you switched to Windows 7, were you able to carry that program forward as part of your initial file transfer? or did you have to reinstall it? That can make a difference. Windows 7 is pretty bad, though. That "Do not recognize" window pops up all the time ...... even on things that I think are actually part of the Windows 7 program! Anyway, 'compatible' or not, I'd sure like to try it. Sounds like it has to be a physical transfer, so I'll PM you my address.

[Slugman]

Cool. I found the disc no problem. I don't recall if it just worked after install, or if I had to choose some kind of compatibility mode, but I use it at work and at home with no problems.