Re: [Groff] Proposal for raster graphics extensions to gpic

[Werner LEMBERG]

> The proposal is really meant to be the basis for a uniform, versatile
> and easy to use way of including raster graphics and PostScript images
> in groff. There should be no compromises wrt. picture quality.

The patch itself looks fine.  BTW, before accepting it, I need legal
papers from you...

> As mentioned earlier, I think the process must begin with gpic.

This is something I still don't understand yet.  While I fully agree
that adding image support to PIC is a very welcome extension, I think
that plain gtroff without gpic should be able to do the same.

> The next thing on the agenda would be to do changes to groff. This
> will allow support for devices other than postscript. I think the
> best way is to introduce a new general escape sequence for handling
> images, akin to the \X'ps: import ...'. But that will really be a
> technicality, the groff user will only need to concern herself about
> the gpic image object.

Hmm, A new escape sequence is probably not needed; I can imagine that
e.g.

  \X'pnm: import ...'

will do the trick, and it is up to the device driver to interpret this
correctly.  The only necessary command would be a pendant to `.psbb',
e.g. `.pnmbb', to get the bounding box of the image.  The appropriate
macro would be then called `.PNMPIC'.


    Werner