Tiff editing software suggestions needed - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ShaniFaye · 01-22-2009, 06:22 AM

Part of my job is scanning engineering drawings (some of them really old) and saving them in a tiff format so that we have an "electronic" version of it. When you do the really old ones on that sepia type paper they scan really dirty and I need to be able to clean all the "junk" off. I've got a program that works really well, the only problem is that is on the office pc that is back in the corner office and runs on a windows 95 computer. I would like to be able to clean up these scans on the pc in my office. I cant put that software on it because the version wont work with XP and I dont really want to pay to buy a new program JUST to use the erase feature.

What I need is a good tiff editor (and yes Im willing to purchase it) that will open the tiff and let me select areas to erase, NOT use the regular erase tool and drag my mouse all over creation to "despeckle", My eye hand coordination is not good enough for that and I end up erasing parts of the drawing that need to stay. Photoshop, Paint Shop (as near as I can tell) does not allow you to select and erase/crop.

I found one I like called Advanced Tiff Editor, BUT the program is EXTREMELY slow, I make my selection and its a good 3 seconds before it executes the crop.

Does anyone know of a good software (I dont need scanning ability, JUST the erasing/cropping ability) that would allow me to "select" and not just move my mouse back and forth to do the erasing, that would help me with this?

guyy · 01-22-2009, 07:40 AM

Photoslop has a filter for getting rid of dust & scratches and the like. You don't have to use the healing brush or whatever they call it. As you say, it's pretty tedious if you have a lot of dirt to clean up.

The Gimp also has a filter and the magic brush.

ShaniFaye · 01-22-2009, 08:45 AM

maybe it would be best for me to show you what Im working with, cant show the whole drawing (copyright crap) but this is a really good example on how I need to be able to select/erase not just despeckle, or swish my mouse around. All these drawings are done by hand and I cant have the program deciding what are speckles and what arent.

telekinetic · 01-22-2009, 10:06 AM

Ew x 1000.

If you're physically scanning them, why not scan them in color (or greyscale, at least), and then feed them into any of the many commercially available filtering programs? Scanning in black and white like that is just bloody atrocious, and as an engineer, if document control tried to put a print like that in the vault (even a 'cleaned up' version with the background despeckled) I'd laugh in their face.

If you want to forgo the scanner altogether, try using a camera and snapter...Snapter - "Goodbye, scanner. Hello, digital camera." It will output TIFF's if that's what you need.

ShaniFaye · 01-22-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistedmosaic

Ew x 1000.

If you're physically scanning them, why not scan them in color (or greyscale, at least), and then feed them into any of the many commercially available filtering programs? That's just bloody atrocious.

If you want to forgo the scanner altogether, try using a camera and snapter...Snapter - "Goodbye, scanner. Hello, digital camera." It will output TIFF's if that's what you need.

You have to understand the engineering scanner isnt that new itself...there is no option to scan in color, my options are blueprint, black and white, pencil, sepia and mylar. My main problem are the ones that were drawn way back when and then put on that god awful sepia paper, they require the most work and cause the most headaches.

telekinetic · 01-22-2009, 10:17 AM

Is the issue that these are C and D-sized prints, and thus don't fit on a standard scanner? If that's the case, definitely try the snapter thing. A decent camera is way cheaper than a large format scanner.

ShaniFaye · 01-22-2009, 10:23 AM

well if it were up to me I would, the powers that be insist on the scanner we have because it works just fine (and yes these are all D size drawings), and no, right now they will not allow me to spend the hundreds of dollars it would take to get a new version of the software that would actually run on my computer instead of an old one stuck back in a corner on a non networked computer. I will try this thing, but I dont really expect to be able to get a decent picture of the sepia drawings.
-----Added 22/1/2009 at 02 : 03 : 39-----
Ok, Im sold on that, I really wish I could show the before and after pics using that program...suffice it to say Im going to use every charming quality I have to talk him into letting me buy that program, thanks a lot TM (ALSO, this will work fantastic for the old photographs and court documents I've been scanning and loading on genealogy websites lol)

telekinetic · 01-22-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaniFaye

Ok, Im sold on that, I really wish I could show the before and after pics using that program...suffice it to say Im going to use every charming quality I have to talk him into letting me buy that program, thanks a lot TM (ALSO, this will work fantastic for the old photographs and court documents I've been scanning and loading on genealogy websites lol)

Were I in your shoes, I'd spring the $20 and buy it myself even if he doesn't approve it

01-22-2009, 06:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	Tiff editing software suggestions needed Part of my job is scanning engineering drawings (some of them really old) and saving them in a tiff format so that we have an "electronic" version of it. When you do the really old ones on that sepia type paper they scan really dirty and I need to be able to clean all the "junk" off. I've got a program that works really well, the only problem is that is on the office pc that is back in the corner office and runs on a windows 95 computer. I would like to be able to clean up these scans on the pc in my office. I cant put that software on it because the version wont work with XP and I dont really want to pay to buy a new program JUST to use the erase feature. What I need is a good tiff editor (and yes Im willing to purchase it) that will open the tiff and let me select areas to erase, NOT use the regular erase tool and drag my mouse all over creation to "despeckle", My eye hand coordination is not good enough for that and I end up erasing parts of the drawing that need to stay. Photoshop, Paint Shop (as near as I can tell) does not allow you to select and erase/crop. I found one I like called Advanced Tiff Editor, BUT the program is EXTREMELY slow, I make my selection and its a good 3 seconds before it executes the crop. Does anyone know of a good software (I dont need scanning ability, JUST the erasing/cropping ability) that would allow me to "select" and not just move my mouse back and forth to do the erasing, that would help me with this? __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!*

01-22-2009, 08:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	maybe it would be best for me to show you what Im working with, cant show the whole drawing (copyright crap) but this is a really good example on how I need to be able to select/erase not just despeckle, or swish my mouse around. All these drawings are done by hand and I cant have the program deciding what are speckles and what arent. __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!*

01-22-2009, 10:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
telekinetic zomgomgomgomgomgomg Location: Fauxenix, Azerona	Ew x 1000. If you're physically scanning them, why not scan them in color (or greyscale, at least), and then feed them into any of the many commercially available filtering programs? Scanning in black and white like that is just bloody atrocious, and as an engineer, if document control tried to put a print like that in the vault (even a 'cleaned up' version with the background despeckled) I'd laugh in their face. If you want to forgo the scanner altogether, try using a camera and snapter...Snapter - "Goodbye, scanner. Hello, digital camera." It will output TIFF's if that's what you need. __________________ twisted no more

01-22-2009, 10:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
telekinetic zomgomgomgomgomgomg Location: Fauxenix, Azerona	Is the issue that these are C and D-sized prints, and thus don't fit on a standard scanner? If that's the case, definitely try the snapter thing. A decent camera is way cheaper than a large format scanner. __________________ twisted no more

01-22-2009, 10:23 AM	#7 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	well if it were up to me I would, the powers that be insist on the scanner we have because it works just fine (and yes these are all D size drawings), and no, right now they will not allow me to spend the hundreds of dollars it would take to get a new version of the software that would actually run on my computer instead of an old one stuck back in a corner on a non networked computer. I will try this thing, but I dont really expect to be able to get a decent picture of the sepia drawings. -----Added 22/1/2009 at 02 : 03 : 39----- Ok, Im sold on that, I really wish I could show the before and after pics using that program...suffice it to say Im going to use every charming quality I have to talk him into letting me buy that program, thanks a lot TM (ALSO, this will work fantastic for the old photographs and court documents I've been scanning and loading on genealogy websites lol) __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!* Last edited by ShaniFaye; 01-22-2009 at 11:03 AM.. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

01-22-2009, 07:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
guyy Addict Location: Cottage Grove, Wisconsin	Photoslop has a filter for getting rid of dust & scratches and the like. You don't have to use the healing brush or whatever they call it. As you say, it's pretty tedious if you have a lot of dirt to clean up. The Gimp also has a filter and the magic brush.