Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!hobbes.physics.uiowa.edu!news.iastate.edu!vaxf.iastate.edu!TAAB5
From: taab5@isuvax.iastate.edu (Marc Barrett)
Subject: Re: The Amiga's Future
Message-ID: <1991Jun14.181947.29156@news.iastate.edu>
Sender: news@news.iastate.edu (USENET News System)
Reply-To: taab5@isuvax.iastate.edu
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
References: <5136@orbit.cts.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1991 18:19:47 GMT
Lines: 59

In article <5136@orbit.cts.com>, chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Erik Funkenbusch) writes:
>
>A Structured drawing item from MacDraw or any other structured drawing program
>are NOT PICTS.  

   I recently got the following information in e-mail in reply to a query
for information on the MACDraw file format...

---------------------
>MacDraw saves files as MacDraw or as PICT.
>MacDraw files are propietary, subject to change, unsupported.
>PICT files are the standard Mac way of exchanging vector (and bitmap)
>graphics.
>Usually it is better to read PICT files.
>
>Reading and parsing a PICT file on a Mac is easy, there are hooks and
>procedures to do just that.
>Reading in a PICT file on a non-Mac is hard, but possible.
>
>There are two versions of PICT. They consist of a header
>and then a series of 1-byte (v1) or 2-byte (v2) opcodes followed
>by data.
>This is all documented in Inside Mac V, chapter on Color QuickDraw.
>
>What is difficult: there are a lot of opcodes and there are some
>Mac specific data structures such as regions and compacted Pixelmaps.
>Fonts are specified by reference (name/number/size/style) only,
>so you won't have exactly the same on the foreign system.
[rest deleted]
---------------------

   The text file included with this message went on to describe the MACDraw
file format in detail.  MACDraw files ARE pict files, period. 

   This brings up an interesting conlusion related to structured graphics.
On the Macintosh, virtually any graphics-related program can handle 
structured graphics.  On the Amiga, programs that can handle structured 
graphics are practically non-existant.  Even where such programs do exist,
they are largely incompatible with each other, supporting one of several
incompatible structured graphics formats.

>
>
>..--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
>| UUCP: {amdahl!tcnet, crash}!orbit!pnet51!chucks | "I know he's come back |
>| ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!chucks@nosc.mil        | from the dead, but do  |
>| INET: chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org                  | you really think he's  |
>|-------------------------------------------------| moved back in?"        |
>| Amiga programmer at large, employment options   | Lou Diamond Philips in |
>| welcome, inquire within.                        | "The First Power".     |
>`--------------------------------------------------------------------------'

  -------------------------------------------------------------
 / Marc Barrett  -MB- | BITNET:   XGR39@ISUVAX.BITNET        /   
/  ISU COM S Student  | Internet: XGR39@CCVAX.IASTATE.EDU   /      
------------------------------------------------------------    
\        The great thing about standards is that          /
 \       there are so many of them to choose from.       /
  -------------------------------------------------------
