[comp.graphics] Looking for a gif to hpgl converter

almquist@cis.udel.edu (Squish) (02/23/91)

I've looked around and around and I can't find a program to convert gif to
hpgl or gif to something to hpgl.  Nobody in the UNIX world seems to really
like hpgl.  Hpgl is a DOS standard and postscript is a UNIX standard.  Oh
well, any help would be greately appreciated.

- Mike (almquist@cis.udel.edu)

daniel@island.COM (Daniel Smith) (02/27/91)

In <45549@nigel.ee.udel.edu> almquist@cis.udel.edu (Squish) writes:

> I've looked around and around and I can't find a program to convert gif to
> hpgl or gif to something to hpgl.  Nobody in the UNIX world seems to really
> like hpgl.  Hpgl is a DOS standard and postscript is a UNIX standard.  Oh
> well, any help would be greately appreciated.

	Well, plenty of HPGL gets plotted off of Unix boxes, and plenty
of postscript flows out of dos programs...but that's neither here nor there...

	Having recently dealt with HPGL (to IslandDraw) I can say I wished for
a "Portable Vector Format" several times.  Of course, getting agreement on
what it should and should not have, and getting enough input and output
filters to really make it useful is a huge undertaking.  A Portable Vector
to Portable Bitmap conversion (and vice-versa) would be a key link, something
that would strengthen acceptance of "pvf".

				Daniel
-- 
daniel@island.com       Daniel Smith, Island Graphics, (415) 491 0765 x 250(w)
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Go get lunch.  Come back, plug in tape #2 and go to lunch again. -Mike Anderson

gt4512c@prism.gatech.EDU (BRADBERRY,JOHN L) (02/27/91)

In article <3758@island.COM> daniel@island.COM (Daniel Smith) writes:
>In <45549@nigel.ee.udel.edu> almquist@cis.udel.edu (Squish) writes:
>
>> I've looked around and around and I can't find a program to convert gif to
>> hpgl or gif to something to hpgl.  Nobody in the UNIX world seems to really
>> like hpgl.  Hpgl is a DOS standard and postscript is a UNIX standard.  Oh
>> well, any help would be greately appreciated.
>
>	Well, plenty of HPGL gets plotted off of Unix boxes, and plenty
>of postscript flows out of dos programs...but that's neither here nor there...
>

I don't mean to be picky , but your statements here are
absolutely incorrect. HPGL is NOT a DOS standard and Postscript
is NOT a UNIX standard. The fact that support utilities and
programs to support either of these formats exist exclusively in
any particular operating system is irrelevant.

HPGL was one of the first ASCII vector based graphics protocols
which make it compatible with ANY computer or operating system
that can handle ASCII characters! The HPGL mnemonics are
interpreted by a program or plotting device into internal
graphics commands and executed.

Postscript is an ASCII vector OR bit mapped graphics LANGUAGE
which can interpreted by any device with a CPU capable of
understanding the language. This is commonly done by a chip or
two and memory added to a printer or plotting device. As in the
case of HPGL, a program can convert the language into internal
graphics commands and also execute it directly.
-- 
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