The BobART Overview

Introduction

The BobART module provides enhanced tools for creating, modifying, and maintaining embossed models and vectorized geometry. The BobART Tree is used to load images, vector image files, and various BobART files (.bart, .bbas, and component/.stl) that are used to create embossed models.

All BobART features are accessed in the BobART Manager using the BobART Tree.

The BobART Tree

The following tree items are always visible in the BobART Tree. You right-click these tree items to display a shortcut menu as explained in the following sections of this document.

 

BobART Manager

Images

Emboss Model

The BobART Manager

Loading Images, Vector Files, or BobART (.bart) Files

The BobART Manager item in the BobART tree contains a shortcut menu for loading images, vector files, or BobART (.bart) files. The way you use the files depends on the type you are loading. The workflow for each type is explained next.

 

BobART Manager

Right-click to access the following commands.

    • Load Image - displays the Open dialog. Select a file type, then select and open an image file. The image is displayed in the graphics area and the feature tree is added under Images (to be vectorized).

       

Tip: If an image you want to load is not listed in the Open dialog even though the proper location is selected, click the arrow next to Files of type, and select All files (or the appropriate file type) at the bottom of the list. You can use the Files of Type list to view all the file types that you can load. For a list of these file types, view the Supported File Types.

 

    • Load BobART Pro-X (.bart) File - displays the Open dialog for you to select and open a BobART (.bart) file. The embossed model is displayed in the graphics area, and the feature is added under Emboss Model.
    • Load Vector Files - displays the Open dialog for you to select and open a vector graphics file of the supported file types: .ai, .eps, and .pdf. The vectorized geometry is loaded into the graphics area to be edited and used for embossed models or CAM features.

 

Note: BobCAM supports the ability to open protected (secured) vector (.pdf) files by allowing you to type the passwords for these files in the user interface. When you select a secured vector file, you are prompted to type the required passwords for the document. There are two password dialogs that display: Edit/Owner Password and Open/User Password. Type only one or both passwords as needed for the original document and click OK.

Vectorizing Images

Vectorizing images is the process of creating wireframe geometry from an image based on the location and color of pixels in the image. After this raster-to-vector conversion, the geometry which is created can be edited and used to create embossed models or milling features. The process includes loading an image and defining the vectorization strategy.

 

Images

Right-click this item to access the following command.

    • Load Image - displays the Open dialog. Select a file type, then select and open an image file. The image is displayed in the graphics area, and an Image (vectorization feature) is added to the BobART tree.

    • Blank/Unblank All- hides or shows all images in the graphics area simultaneously.

 

Image file name

Right-click this item to access the following commands for modifying the image.

    • Edit - opens the Load Image dialog to reposition the image within the graphics area. This may be necessary if there are multiple images that require vectorization, or if you would like the image in a specific location for the vectorization process.
    • Vectorize - opens the Raster to Vector dialog, to define the vectorization parameters.
    • Delete - removes the Image feature from the tree and the image from the graphics area.
    • Blank/Unblank - hides or shows the image in the graphics area.
    • Edit Image Using Paint - select this option to open the image for editing in the Paint program. When you are done editing, Save the changes and Exit the program. The changes are updated in the image.

 

Vectorization

This item is added to the tree (under Image) after an image is vectorized. Right-click Vectorization to access the following command.

    • Edit - opens the Raster to Vector dialog for you to modify the vectorization parameters.

 

Tip: When vectorizing an image more than one time (for more detailed images), you should create a copy of any wireframe geometry that you want to keep so that the software doesn't replace it on the next vectorization. For example, you can copy the wireframe geometry and paste it into a separate layer to create a copy. Loading the same image into the BobArt Tree is another method which can be utilized. With multiple images loaded, each can utilize a different vectorization technique, and each can be updated using the Raster to Vector dialog.

Creating Emboss Models

The Emboss features create a 3D model in the graphics area. The process includes creating wireframe geometry and BobART canvas to contain the geometry. When you add an Emboss feature, a dialog is displayed for you to define the feature parameters. When add geometry and set the desired parameters you click Apply to update the canvas and Cancel to exit once finished.

 

Emboss Model

Right-click this item to access the following commands for adding Emboss features to the tree. The following links lead to the help topics for the dialog parameters of each feature. Be sure to check the Related Topics section of each document for links to tutorials/examples for each feature type.

 

 

 

To get started creating embossed models, after reviewing the dialog parameters, view:

 

Note: These tutorials explain the steps for using multiple emboss features together to create a detailed model.