Can vector symbols be imported?
Royal Scribe
🖼️ 187 images Surveyor
Am I correct in understanding that vector symbols created in other software like Inkscape cannot be imported in a vector format? They would have to be saved as a PNG? For a vector symbol, it would have to be brought in from an FSC file or be created within CC3+?
Or related: is CC3 the only software that can create FSC files? Can other illustration software like Inkscape export into that format?
Comments
Unfortunately, while "vector artwork" is a generic term, it is generally not compatible across different programs. The name vector really just means that the artwork is represented as mathematical coordinates so that it can easily be calculated at any size and transformation, but the similarities end there. Every program have their own features that they can apply to the vector artwork, and those features naturally only work in the source program. So even if you could import vector artwork from inkscape, you would still lose all the features of the artwork that inkscape supports that CC3+ doesn't Generally, this means that making vector artwork in an external program isn't really going to do anything for you, just make it in CC3+ directly instead. If you can't do what you want in CC3+, then that feature wouldn't have worked when importing the artwork anyway. When going cross-application the raster formats (png) are generally your best option, while they lack the scaleability vector atwork has, they look the same everywhere because their cintent isn't computer locally.
As for the FSC format, that is the fastcad file format, which is what CC3+ builds on. I don't think any program but fastcad uses this format, and there is no advantage to making them in fastcad over doing it directly in CC3+, the tools are basically the same anyway.
CC3+ can import (older) autocad files, which many programs support exporting to. This is the main option for importing vector artwork, but all the caveats from above still applies, most of the features that another program like inkscape can offer won't survive the transfer.
CC3+ also have some work in progress support fro importing SVG files, which is a popular vector format used by a lot of other software, but again, it is subject to the same restrictions as I discussed above.
Thank you, I apppreciate the detailed response. The reason I was asking about vector symbols is because they are included in the file when it is shared, unlike custom-made bitmap symbols. I was trying to design more heraldry symbols for a map I’m working on.