##Centerline Tracing

There is a free Open Source tool [**AutoTrace**][1] which is able to perform a centerline trace of a line-art bitmap.

[![enter image description here][2]][2]

Run **AutoTrace** with at least the following options:

    autotrace -centerline -color-count 2 -output-file output.svg -output-format SVG input.png 


[![enter image description here][3]][3]


We can then fine tune the strokes and add the desired stroke strength..

We may also install the graphical frontend [**Frontline**][5] for AutoTrace in case we are not familiar with the command line.

Linux users may be able to install autotrace provided from their default repositories in most distributions. For Windows there are precompiled packages to download form the project's page.

There are many additional parameters for AutoTrace which can be found in the application's man page or by calling it with `autotrace -help`.

To rather get straight lines than splines we can e.g. use the following parameters:

- `-line-threshold [real]`:    
If a spline does not deviate from the straight line  defined  by its  endpoints by more than the specified number of pixels, then treat it as a straight line (default: 1).  

- `- line-reversion-threshold [real]`:  
If a spline is closer to a straight line than this, weighted by the square of the curve length, keep it a straight line even if it is a list with curves; default is .01.

  [1]: https://github.com/autotrace/autotrace
  [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/VqGsQ.png
  [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/PQlh3.png
  [4]: https://i.sstatic.net/bDczV.png
  [5]: http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/frontline/
  [6]: http://www.roitsystems.com/cgi-bin/autotrace/tracer.pl