Thu, Jul 29, 2010
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Chapter 6
File Formats
Here we discuss some common file formats for exchanging information between platforms with a minimum of fuss. Most applications support at least one of these cross-platform formats. We help you choose the right format for the job.
Table 6-9. Character Code Sets
Table 6-10. Rich Text Format Resources
Table 6-11. Portable Document Format Resources
Table 6-12. PostScript Resources
Table 6-13. ODBC Resources
Table 6-14. Common Graphics Formats
| Format |
Color Depth |
Compression |
Best For |
Comments |
| EPS |
24-bit |
Vector-based |
High-resolution printing |
The benefits of vector-based images are lost if the image is converted to a bit-mapped image. |
| GIF |
8-bit
(256 colors) |
LZW |
On-screen graphics, logos, line art |
Variations allow transparent images and animations. First Web standard. |
| JPEG |
24-bit true color |
4:1 to 20:1 |
Photographic art |
High compression for small images. Compression is "lossy" and unpredictable. |
| PNG |
1-8 bit palette
1-16 bit grayscale
24-, 48-bit |
Lossless, 10-30% smaller than GIF |
All GIF uses, some TIFF uses |
The latest versions of Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator produce PNG images. More built-in PNG support is coming. |
| TIFF |
24-bit true color |
LZW |
High-resolution images, printing |
Not viewable in a Web browser, but useful for cross-platform exchanges. |
Table 6-15. Graphics Format Resources
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