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Subject: Re: Graphics formats
On Mon, 2005-04-18 at 09:49 +0200, Justus Piater wrote: > Here's what I think is the common wisdom: > > 1. If your graphic data is in vector format: > > * Keep it in vector format for as long as possible during the > vector pipeline. I.e., never explicitly convert it to raster > format. > > 1.1. If you are targeting print output: > > Since you'll probably be generating PDF or PS, you'll > typically convert your graphics to (vector-format) PDF or EPS. > > 1.2. If you are targeting Web output: > > The most common formats are SVG and Flash. Did you know that Adobe bought Macromedia? > > Since all vector-based Web graphics formats currently require > browser plugins (and in any case will continue to demand > sophisticated browsers), for maximum portability you will want > to offer an alternative raster image (inside an <object> tag, > for example). See 2.2.2 below for the recommended format. > > 2. If your graphic data is in raster format: > > 2.1. If you are targeting print output: > > Since you'll probably be generating PDF or PS, you'll > typically convert your graphics to (raster-format) PDF or EPS. SVG =>eps. How please? > > 2.2. If you are targeting Web output: > > 2.2.1. If your data are composed of smooth transitions > (typically, this includes all photographs and almost > nothing else): > > Use a lossy format enabling a high compression rate at > almost no visible loss of quality (JPEG/JFIF). > > 2.2.2. If your data contain discrete colors, drawings etc. > (this includes most non-photographic data, or > photographic data with line graphics overlaid): > > Use a lossless format. I highly recommend PNG My belief also. > For discrete-color drawings, you get better compression > ratios than JPEG, at perfect quality, while JPEG > creates salient approximation artifacts. Our print-floor people talk about colour separation. I don't understand that. I guess it is making a separate colour plate for one of 3 or 4 colour plates for printing. Is that right? I.e. not applicable to the people at home? > > There is almost no reason to use GIF anymore, as PNG is > much more versatile and often more efficient. > Exceptions are alpha-channel transparency for use with > Microsoft products (well supported by the open-source > community however) and animated raster graphics (MNG is > still not very widely supported). > > > The essence: Don't throw away any information if you can avoid it. Makes good sense. > Note that PDF and PS/EPS can represent both raster and vector data. (only if you know how to get from what you have to PDF|eps|ps) > > There are open-source tools for essentially all conversions that arise > in practice. The hardest are probably conversions to and from SVG. I > wrote a couple of Java classes for converting SVG <-> EPS based on > batik. E-mail me if you're interested. OK Justus. Unless the rest of the docbook community object, I'll play the loud-mouth know nothing. How do *you* get from SVG to eps? Please? Of course everyone else knows how..... Don't you? regards DaveP
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