Greetings,

I hope someone can help me.

I was told about the AutoTrace program by the creator of Jigs@w
Puzzles 2 at Tibosoftware.com. They used AutoTrace to create an emf
file that broke a picture of a porsche into pieces very different
from a normal jigsaw puzzle. The pieces looked more like pieces from
a plastic car model I used to glue together as a kid. Please take a
look at the sample puzzle at http://www.tibosoftware.com/jigsaw-
puzzle-free.htm Download the samples and play the puzzle mentioned
below.

The particular puzzle to open is the one called "surprise puzzle".
Anyway, I would like to know how to create such a puzzle. I don't
know how to upload the porsche.jpg file, but anyone that can help,
please email me and I will send you the file immediately. One option
in JP2, is to create puzzles using vector templates in emf format.

However, the main problem I am having is I cannot get AutoTrace to
even run. Martin sent me a zip file. There was no install program
with it. I double clicked on AutoTrace.exe and I get a small black
screen that then disappears. I am running Win 98SE.

I tried Open Office Draw. When I creat a emf file, I get too many
little pieces. I edited the file to eliminate the microscopic pieces
in Paint Shop Pro and saved as a bmp, and then opened the file in
Open Office Draw and converted to vector and saved as an emf. JP2
did not recognize the emf file when I did this. Interestingly
enough, JP2 did use the emf file when I didn't go through the Paint
Shop Pro steps above with emf files saved in Open Office Draw. One
other thing, JP2, in the puzzle create mode, will try to limit the
number of microscopic pieces, but I could not produce a puzzle like
the sample I mentioned above.

A trial of JP2 can be downloaded and tried for free. In the create
puzzle mode, go to advanced mode to get to the screens where you can
use templates.

Therefore my request is:
1. Please help me to get AutoTracem up and running. What else do I
need to do? Does anyone have a step by step installation procedure
that may work?
2. A short tutorial on how to create puzzles like the Porsche puzzle,
that shows the settings required.


I appreciate any help that can be provided.

Regards,
George
nj3h@...