groff
[Top][All Lists]
Advanced

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [Groff] Graphics


From: Daniel Senderowicz
Subject: Re: [Groff] Graphics
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2002 09:07:14 -0800 (PST)

>> Converting grays to e.g. lines, is called rendering, and with all due
>> respect that should be done at the device interface level, NOT as a
>> preprocessor. I think that is the wrong concept.
>
>I agree, but it depends on the capabilities of the device.
>For example, all pen plotters that I know of have no inbuilt
>halftoning capability.  On the other hand, groff's output
>driver can't be bothered do do the conversion itself,
>considering the multitude of possible input formats.  Thus,
>the best solution is always to provide the picture in the
>native format accepted by the device.  Since you want
>Postscript output, my suggestion would be to convert the
>picture with bmptopnm and pnmtops and then include it in the
>document with .PSPIC.

There is no question that if postscript output is desired then the
best results are obtained by .PSPIC. On the other hand if other
output format is desired (e.g. html), then .PSPIC won't work.
Furthermore, the solution I've shown allows to edit the picture
once is in gremlin format, where among other things you can introduce
text and equations. The weak link is in the conversion between pbm
and gremlin by passing through plot(5) that has no half-toning
capabilities. Perhaps sometime I'll look into modifying plot2dev
to take pbm input files, thus using the groff gray stipples.

Dan

reply via email to

[Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread]