TRACER version 1.1 for Windows 95/98 (freeware)

Author: Marcus Karolewski
Release: March 1999
e-mail: karolewski@geocities.com

INSTALLATION

No special installation is required. Just extract the compressed files
from tracer11.zip into a directory of your choice. The demo bitmap files
(*.bmp) can be deleted if you have no use for them. Tracer does not
modify any system files or the Windows 95 registry. To uninstall Tracer,
just delete the installation directory.

PROGRAM FUNCTION

Tracer addresses the problem of extracting plotted data stored in graphics
(bitmap) files. This requirement arises in two typical situations: first,
when you want to plot your own data alongside data plotted in somebody
else's published work; second, when you wish to apply your own
parameterisation method to somebody's published data. These tasks are
quite common in scientific research environments.

Tracer's input is a Windows bitmap graphics file, illustrating normally
a graph or spectrum. Its output is an (x,y) listing of "relevant" data
points in the bitmap file, according to the user's specifications. The
bitmap can be traced manually (i.e. by clicking locations with the mouse
left button while in Manual Trace mode) or automatically (you must first
select a bitmap area with the mouse before this command is enabled).

Nowadays, many people have access to a document scanner or fax software
and hardware. Also, a multitude of published papers and preprints are
available for download from Internet sites: the graphical plots in the
latter (e.g. postscript files) can usually be converted to bitmap format,
either by direct conversion, or by copy/paste operations via the Windows
clipboard. Bitmap files in monochrome, greyscale or colour format are
equally acceptable to Tracer (monochrome is easiest to analyse, however).

The capabilities of Tracer will be enhanced if the user has access to a
graphics application, which will allow (a) editing of the image file
before processing, (b) conversion of graphics files in other formats to
bitmap format. Tracer's provision of such services is deliberately minimal.

Tracer 1.1 includes a number of enhanced functions, including the ability to
trace along the border of a curve, options to transform output data, and 
miscellaneous formatting and editing options (see Help file for details).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to those who gave feedback on version 1.0, especially Wolfgang Frank
(Germany), Predrag Kisa (Yugoslavia), and Marcus Stojek (Germany).