Trace Command not tracing correctly

JoeyD473

I am making a regional map from a larger map. I copied part of the landmass from the larger map to smaller one. I went to trace it and its not tracing correctly.

The Green land mass is from the original map an the brown is the new. It is not tracing correctly and I don't know why

Loopysue

Oh that's interesting.

It makes me think of the way people use the GIMP select tool - clicking around the shape at various points - GIMP interpreting the contour to follow between those points.

Dogtag did a really good video about using the trace command here

http://forum.profantasy.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=6724&page=1#pgtop

If you are already 'doing it right' please excuse me for making the assumption that you *might* be doing it more like a GIMP user would do it!

And other than that I've no idea what could be causing it - sorry!

Monsen

Not sure why this is happening, but could you upload the .fcw with the troublesome landmass.

Also, it seems like you want to trace the entire thing? If that is the case, it is usually simpler to just make a copy of the original entity, and change properties on it (or use change like draw tool), or even just modify the original entity if your intention is to replace it.

ScottA

I've found that when I need to trace an entire polygon its just easier to use Copy to Sheet, hide the original one, and then use Change Properties to change the fill on the copied sheet. That way I get an exact duplicate just in whatever different texture I need.

FWI, I sometimes get the same trace results as you are showing, JoeyD. Sometimes its a matter of trying to trace a fractal polygon with a smooth one or vice versa. And other times its just a mystery (too many nodes or errant, maybe?).

JoeyD473

@Loopysue I've seen the tutorial and using the trace command for years. Never had this issue before which is why it is so bewildering to me

@ScottA I tried tracing with both smooth and Fractal and got similar results

@Monsen It is attached

Monsen

Not sure why the trace fails, but it seems to work nicely if I do smooth to straight on it first (and once done, I could do a straight to smooth on both entities to get them back to the original shape)

JoeyD473

Not tracing correctly for me and I have no idea why. But as you said since I wanted to trace the whole thing it was just easier to edit properties