Graphic Formats
Various different types of graphics can be produced using GOWrite.
- Vector graphics for print art (WMF, EMF, EPS and SVG formats).
- Bitmap graphics for WWW pages or mail (PNG and clipboard).
- ASCII diagrams for wiki use and for plain text use.
- LaTeX diagrams as ASCII. LaTeX package can be used to create actual diagrams.
Clipboard
Clipboard can be used to transfer graphics to other programs.
In theory clipboard can support almost any format. However most programs support very limited set of graphics formats. In Windows most common supported vector formats are WMF/EMF. Many programs offer to do format conversion what pasting data. Quality of these conversion vary, so conversion effects should be tested case by case.
Supported clipboards format depend on platform.
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WMF / EMF vector format in Windows.
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Bitmap support is available, depending on support provided by Java Runtime.
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ASCII support is available for creating various king of ASCII diagram. This supports ASCII diagram styles used in rec-games.go, Sensei's library and suomigo.net wiki.
Bitmap format (PNG)
Only supported bitmap format is PNG. Anti-aliasing and font compressions affect style of final result.
ASCII Format
ASCII boards are not really graphic format, but can be used to present board anyway. Many servers allow entering ASCII boards, and converts these into graphic for better readability.
Vector Formats (EPS,WMF/EMF,SVG,ODG)
GOWrite supports number of vector formats
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EPS format.
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WMF / EMF format (only in Windows).
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SVG format.
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ODG (OpenDocument Graphics) format, OpenOffice.org draw uses this.
Support for vector formats varies in word processing programs.
Text and Fonts in Vector formats
GOWrite can encode Fonts as symbols (like A), or as outline of character. Method can be changed for each format in its settings dialog.
Text Font handling in graphics file (SVG, EPS, WMF) affects number of factors:
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Size of graphics file.
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Viewing quality on screen.
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Capability to show text properly in devices without specific font.
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Exact text positioning in graphics.
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Readability of move numbers in black stones.
When exporting diagrams fonts handling can be adjusted from "Export Graphics Settings" -> "Options". Depending on used programs, any of vector formats (EPS, SVG, WMF) may give small file with good quality.
Two basic options exists for putting text into vector formats.
Text as Symbols
Text (including move numbers) can be stored as symbols (like 'A') along with name of correct font. this technique is often best for on-screen viewing.
This produces small files which may show well in screen.This creates small graphics file and good quality for all on-screen viewing programs, when it works properly. However this requires that font mapping works. Also font size and positioning may not work always due to different programs having different interpretation of positioning and size of font.
Unfortunately text position tend to vary and result depends heavily on presence of correct fonts. Some layout programs can embed these fonts into their output, which mitigates problem to a degree.
Text as Outlines
Text as outlines is most fail-safe. This encodes text as any other vector graphics in diagram. Outline text is used in settings marked "for printing".
This produces files which can be shown in any device and result is never bad. However files are bigger, and quality in screen is not as good due to lack of text hinting in low resolutions. Problem is more visible if anti-aliasing is not used when showing diagram.
In high resolution devices results are better than with native fonts in most formats, as Outline text allows GOWrite to make predictable precision adjustments in all formats. GOWrite can adjust outlined move numbers in black stones thicker, which improves their readability a lot. Also numbers can be compressed when needed.
Other font settings
Font Compression
Many fonts provide better move numbers if numbers are compressed somewhat. Naturally fonts designed this way are also good alternative.
Only some of formats support compressing native (non-vector) fonts horizontally.
If format export does not support compression, only way to make this effect is encoding font as vectors
Font Thickness in Black Moves
Increasing thickness of numbers in black stones makes numbers easier to read.
Only some of formats can increase thickness of native (non-vector) fonts used in black moves.
If format export does not support increasing the thickness for font, only way to make this effect is encoding font as vectors.