Re: Object graphics and real postscript

[Randall Frank <rjfrank1(at)home.com>]

Ok,
	Prior to IDL 5.3, all methods for generating Postscript
with Object Graphics actually generate a Postscript file
containing a bitmap of the scene being drawn.  That bitmap
can be at very high resolution and will match the screen
representation bit for bit (all OG features are supported).

	In IDL 5.3, support for true vector output was
added to Obejct Graphics.  There are two forms:
 
IDLgrPrinter::Draw,/VECTOR

	If /VECTOR is specified, the output sent to the
printer will be vectors, in the natural format for the
host platform (e.g. could be PostScript, could be PICT...).

IDLgrClipboard::Draw,FILENAME=f,/POSTSCRIPT,/VECTOR

	The new keywords allow one to write an image
representation directly to a file or the system clipboard
as a bitmap or in vector form.  By default, the file would 
be the host platform native vector form (e.g. PostScript, 
EMF, or PICT).  If the POSTSCRIPT keyword is set, a 
PostScript file will be generated (on all platforms).
	I believe the Postscript generated by this object
is EPS.

See the section: "New Vector Output of Object Graphics"
In the 5.3 "What's new..."

Note: I am not sure all object graphics features are
supported in vector graphics output (e.g. translucent
textured polygons), but I may be mistaken.

Mark Hadfield wrote:
> 
> "David Fanning" <davidf@dfanning.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1349819a77d14acc989aac@news.frii.com...
> >
> > And, unless I am mistaken, the clipboard object also does
> > not support encapsulated PostScript, but rather just PostScript
> > if the PostScript keyword is set on the Draw method.
> 
> I think you ARE mistaken, David. The output from the IDLgrClipboard object
> certainly looks likes EPS to me.
> 
> ---
> Mark Hadfield
> m.hadfield@niwa.cri.nz  http://katipo.niwa.cri.nz/~hadfield/
> National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research
> PO Box 14-901, Wellington, New Zealand

-- 
rjf.
Randy Frank                            | ASCI Visualization
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | rjfrank@llnl.gov
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