>> From the MC package description:
> -----------------
> This version of CCPainter contains a partially successful test of a
> different method of "plumping" a 2D drawing into a 3D object.
>
> ** For a more stable CCPainter, use either an older or newer version. **
> -----------------
>
> The method of inflation that was tested here is based on building a
> "neighbor map" by accumulating successive increasingly offset BitBlt
> copies of a mask of the 2D drawing, and then using a form of "marching
> squares" to build a mesh from this heightmap.
>
> This approach basically works, but is less than an exciting
> breakthrough.  Here are some initial observations:
>
> 1. The speed of the process is relatively stable, partially because of
> the way that the marching squares algorithm was done.  I believe
> subjectively that the marching squares part of the process is the most
> time consuming part.
>
> 2.  The result is less than great because I did not (yet) eliminate
> flat background portions of the mesh nor knit together openings along
> the edges.
>
> 3.  The result looks more like embossing than rounded inflating.
>
> 4.  Smaller details may not be picked up in the heightmap because of
> the increment of the marching squares.
>
> 5.  I believe the process to be relatively bulletproof in terms of
> lack of failures because of unusual input drawings.  I could be wrong.
>
> Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions for improving
> on this process.  Otherwise, I will probably just file it away.
>
>