# Imagemagick
	# "Imagemagick" is a free image manipulation program.
	# "imagemagick" is available for linux, mac, and windows and should be free
	# I have pretty much only used "imagemagick" on the command line
	# There is at least a minimal user interface, but option on command line are much bigger

# Gimp
	# Full image manipulation program that is free
	# you could compare it to photoshop
	# "Gimp" is available for linux, mac, and windows

# Inkscape
	# Free vector graphics program, great for preparing the svg images needed for creating the gcode
	# "Inkscape" is available for linux, mac, and windows

# Take Color Away From Image with imagemagick:
	# To match all colors except black you can use +opaque "#000000".
	# In order to include a little range around #000000 you can try different percentages with the fuzz operator:
	convert input.png -fill white -fuzz 10% +opaque "#000000" result.png
	# This work with "-fuzz 50% with the Superbendersign

# Convert image into black and White with imagemagick:
	# If you want two colors only (black and white), then you need to threshold, for example, to select the color where above will be white and below will be black
	convert <input> -threshold xx% <output>
	#where xx is in range 0-100 (for percent)
	# Example:
	 convert SuperFenceBWV5.png -threshold 90% SuperFenceBWV5-90.png
	# the percentage should help to get a smoother result, i.e. not very pixely lines, which will help later when creating the svg file

# Make selection bigger in Gimp:
	# If you want to change size of a feature you can (i) select the shape, (ii) grow or shrink it.
	# This may allow you to make something bigger, or to create more clearance between individual shapes by shrinking them.
	+ open image in gimp
	+ make sure you have solid color shapes, which work best for selection
	+ select the shape of your choice with: Tools/Selection Tools/Fuzzy Select
	+ grow the shape with: Select/Grow
	+ fill black color in with: Edit/Fill with FG color
	# which is often black

# Make selection smaller in Gimp:
	# If you want to change size of a feature you can (i) select the shape, (ii) grow or shrink it.
	# This may allow you to make something bigger, or to create more clearance between individual shapes by shrinking them.
	+ open image in gimp
	+ make sure you have solid color shapes, which work best for selection
	+ select the shape of your choice with: Tools/Selection Tools/Fuzzy Select
	+ shrink the shape with: Select/Shrink
	+ remove (black) color around by:
		+ opening tool box with: Windows/Toolbox
		# often the fill color is black, you need to change it to another color even if your image is grayscale
		+ double click on foreground color to change it
		+ fill the inside space by selecting: Tools/Paint Tools/Bucket Fill
		+ clicking on space
		# fill color should be there or at least gray

		+ select the outside black ring by: Tools/Selection Tools/Fuzzy Select
		+ click on outside ring

		+ erase it by pressing: "delete"

		+ select gray space and convert to black by: Tools/Selection Tools/Fuzzy Select
		+ click on gray space
		+ Tools/Paint Tools/Bucket Fill
		+ select black foreground color by:
			+ opening tool box with: Windows/Toolbox
			# often the fill color is black, you need to change it to another color even if your image is grayscale
			+ double click on foreground color to change it
		+ clicking on space

	+ shrink the shape with: Select/Shrink

# Move individual shape in Gimp:
	# You may want to move a shape to the correct position or to make sure you have enough supporting material surrounding it.
	+ open image in gimp
	+ make sure you have solid color shapes, which work best for selection
	+ select the shape of your choice with: Tools/Selection Tools/Fuzzy Select
	# For whatever reason you cannot move the shape yet. It needs to be isolated from the rest of the image
	+ cut out the shape with: ctrl + x
	+ copy it back in with: ctrl + v
	+ move the shape by:
		+ selecting: Tools/Transform Tools/Move
		+ then: using arrow keys, or: dragging it

# Save image as .png and .jpg
	+ File/Export As
	+ Select .png
	+ pick file name
	+ press Export
	+ Select "0" for Compression
	+ Select "Save Resolution"
	+ Select "Save Creation Time"
	+ press Export

# Save image as .jpg
	+ File/Export As
	+ Select .jpg
	+ pick file name
	+ press Export
	+ Select "100" for Quality
	+ press Export

# Change the page size in gimp
	+ File/Document Properties
	+ Open Page tab
	+ change units to "in" 
	+ change values to the desired values to increase the size of the page

# Change size of image in inkscap
	+ On upper menu button bar lock the ration of Width (W:) and Height (H:) by closing the lock (or ensuring it is closed)
	+ select the unit you want to use right of the H: box
	+ select either the width (W:) or the height (H:) of choice => the other value should trail.
	+ save the file

# Adjust origin with respect to cutting
	# The origin is the lower left corner of the page
	# The origin is converted 1:1 into the gcode origin when using makercam
	+ The image can be moved away from the lower left corner of the page by:
		+ on the top menu find X: value and change it to move the image (+ = right, - = left)
		+ on the top menu find Y: value and change it to move the image (+ = up, - = down)

# Convert .jpg image to .svg
	+ Open inkscape and load image
	+ Select image
	+ Path/Trace Bitmap
	+ For Black/White use:
		+ Single scan 
		+ Pick: "Brightness cutoff" with Threshold 0.5 (or other)
		+ Press ok

		+ you can alternatively:
			+ pick "colors"
			+ 2 scans + 1 for every additional color
			+ Smooth
			+ "Remove background" is optional as we work in black & white

	+ After you pressed ok the bitmap image is traced and a vector graphics image is created
	+ The original image (pixely) is below the svg image (smooth)
	+ Grab the top image and move it to the side
	+ Check which image is the pixely image and erase it
	+ Check if the image is really smooth or if you have a lot of nodes
		+ on the left vertical menu bar check the "Node selection" button
			+ this is below the standard selection tool which is a black arrow
			+ this is a black triangle pointing at a square which is connected with a couple of lines to other squares
			+ click on it, then click on a line of your image
			+ all "curve points" and "inflection points" should be indicated by square dots on the image
			+ if you have only a few dots, you don't need to do anything
			+ if you have many dots, then you can try to simplify the image with: Path/Simplify
			+ check the image, it should have much less nodes and look smoother
			+ you can repeat this process, but if you do it too much you may distort the image
	+ Save the .svg image

# Check the resolution to later enter it in makercam
	+ Edit/Preferences/Bitmap
	=> in the current version 96 dpi is used

# Makercam conversion to gcode (from .svg to .nc)
	# Set resolution to match that of inkscape
	+ open "makercam.com" in browser
	+ set resolution by:
		+ Edit/Edit Preferences => SVG Import Default Resolution (px/inch): 96
		+ press "Ok"

	# Load svg file
	+ File/Open SVG File
	+ select file on your computer
	+ click "Open"
	=> file appears in window
	=> check if:
			+ size is correct
			+ all features are there
			+ origin allows you to place design on Maslow CNC