Add Image Trace presets for QR codes and other barcodes
One of the most common issues I have is receiving QR codes or barcodes from a customer as low-resolution JPEGs or PNGs. Asking customers to understand which formats from online generators are vector formats is always an issue.
While I know I can technically regenerate the QR code with an online generator, it feels like a natural extension of the existing Image Trace function to be able to recognise QR codes or barcodes and to snap the vector artwork to a proper grid.
This could be implemented with something like "snap points to 90° angles" or something, but I think the better outcome would be built-in support for recognising the QR code or UPC codes and re-rendering it nicely as part of the operation.
Kit Grose
shared this idea
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Kit, clip the image first, then rasterize it again, before using Object Mosaic.
Plus you can crop an embedded image directly in Illustrator (although it’s kinda wonky) — try Crop Image button in the Control Panel (or Object > Crop Image command, it’s the same thing). -
Kit Grose
commented
Object Mosaic is an ingenious suggestion, although it seems to flatly ignore clipping paths, so the image would need to be cropped in Photoshop or similar.
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Kit, it’s an interesting request actually!
With QR codes currently I utilize the existing Object > Create Object Mosaic command. The tricky thing is to crop it (clip and rasterize solves its) and then count how many squares a code has (for some reason the dialog has no Preview option (therefore this request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48661520). Then I just Recolor it into strict black-and-white (it takes some times to set up a preset to do it fast), or isolate the result and use Magic Wand to select almost-blacks and remove almost-whites.Here is a related request about creating these directly in Ai:
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/20556163
...but I recall only one plugin that was able to read codes (EAN-13 specifically) directly within Ai.
