Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!sunic!uupsi!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!sun!imagen!atari!portal!portal!cup.portal.com!Thyss
From: Thyss@cup.portal.com (Brian TT Fudge)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Sign making
Message-ID: <27193@cup.portal.com>
Date: 21 Feb 90 22:58:43 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 39


 Hello.
   My dad is getting started in the instant sign business.  He purchased
a 386 system from Peliscan for the work.  It included a scanner and a
plotter.  I find the software that was included very cumbersome and hard
to understand (Something I find with all graphic oriented processing
on IBM's).

   While I was watching the tutorial, I thought it would be a great idea
to do the same thing on the Amiga.  The Amiga has everything that is needed.
A system built for graphics from the ground up, a graphics interface, and 
multitasking to top it all off.  

   I've decided to take on this problem and grab a niche in the market.  It
looks like this Peliscan software is about the only thing out there in the
IBM world, and it's absolutely HORRIBLE compared to what the Amiga can do.
  
   It is a combination of many programs.  First, you scan the image with
PCPaintbrush (A sad excuse for a paint program compared to Deluxe Paint 3,
IMHO).  Next, you add text (WHAT?!) to it with another program.  Then you
combine the two images together with DesignCad.  Finally, you send the
combined image to the plotter and it cuts it out on vinyl.  A long and
expensive (DesignCad runs around $400, doesn't it?) process. 

   First, I want to find out if someone is already doing something like
this?  If no one is, I'd like to make my job as simple as possible.  Are
there any PD programs that can operate a Panasonic RX505 scanner?  Are
there any to send an IFF file to a HPGL plotter (It's a Calcomp 1043).
The rest steps would be easy.  Scan the image into Deluxe Paint and do
your cleaning up.  Add your text and sent it to the plotter.  Much faster
and much less expensive if you ask me.  
 
   Thanks for any help I can get.  If you don't think your response is
suitable for the group (?), E-mail it to me.  I will post a followup if 
there is enough interest.

    Thanks again!

thyss@cup.portal.com   {anywhere}!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thyss