June 19, 2001, Chicago, IL - IDEAL.Com launches WiseImage, a powerful hybrid drawing editor and raster to vector converter for scanned color, monochrome, or grayscale images. It is targeted to the A/E/C, CAD, GIS and Reprographics markets. WiseImage is compatible with IDEAL's IntraNETIX, software that provides quick search, view and print of scanned small format and large format documents on a company LAN. IntraNETIX users can download their CAD or Raster drawings, and, using WiseImage, edit raster and vector objects with equal ease; then modified documents can be uploaded back to their centralized drawing repository.

With WiseImage users can:
• Vector (CAD) drawings can be imported into WiseImage or exported to DWG, DXF, and DGN vector formats
• Easily convert raster lines into vector objects
• On-the-fly vectorization of specific areas
• Color separation tool for separating color on various layers for easy vectorization
• Clean up raster noise through a selection of filters including smoothing, thickening and thinning, speckle removal, and hole filling
• Edit raster symbols with the raster object selection feature that enables you to select raster lines, arcs, and circles using tools similar to those for vector selection.
• Create raster copies of vector objects and add them to the raster image.

"The beauty of WiseImage is that it can be used as a document editing tool for either scanned or CAD drawings accessed on a intranet/extranet or LAN via IntraNETIX," states Jay Magenheim, president of IDEAL.Com, located in Rockville, MD.

WiseImage has a Raster Object Selection Feature that treats raster and vector objects the same way. The Raster Object Selection enables the user to select raster lines, arcs, and circles using tools similar to those for vector selection. This feature allows the user to modify the properties of a raster object in a similar way to modifying properties of vector objects.

In addition, WiseImage enables the conversion of scanned drawings to CAD files one by one or in a batch mode, even overnight. This conversion feature allows precise tuning to achieve the most accurate vector representation of the source files. The original line styles, widths, text height and hatch styles are preserved. The result of the vectorization consists of lines, polylines, arcs, circles, text and shapes (blocks). WiseImage has a built-in OCR feature that recognizes text strings at any angle on a drawing.

WiseImage has a comprehensive set of tuning tools for auto-correction of vectors obtained after raster to vector conversion. There are specialized functions for editing vectors such as merging a group of vectors to the object of a given type (some segments to an arc or circle), cropping, extension, etc. One very powerful tool is Vector Object Search and Replace, which works on vectors (CAD files). For example, it is possible to find and replace all fasteners on mechanical drawings or all windows and doors on a floor plan with standard symbols.

WiseImage gives users the ultimate flexibility by allowing them to create their working environment for the software by altering the layout or removing unnecessary commands and buttons. With WiseImage users can configure their own toolbars and menus. WiseImage runs under Windows 95, 98, 2000, and NT 4.0. WiseImage runs inside and outside of AutoCAD and doesn't require a CAD manager to use the software.

IDEAL.com develops, markets, and supports a wide range of color and monochrome scanning solutions for large format drawings and technical documents including Scan to Web and Print from Web solutions. The full-featured version of WiseImage is $3160 and versions with less functionality are available at a lower price. For more information on WiseImage or a color tiff image, please contact Kathy Magenheim at 301-468-0123 ext. 1230 or contact via email at kmagenheim@ideal.com.