[comp.misc] File formats for image data ?

hunt@spar.SPAR.SLB.COM (Neil Hunt) (02/25/88)

A question for you vision researchers and graphics wizards: what
file formats are you using for transferring and storing your image data ?

We are using a format called `picpac' which I believe originated from
CalTech; we are looking for something more comprehensive to use.
Some of the features to be considered are:

	Storage of image data in 1D (histograms etc), 2D (simple images),
	  3D (image sequences, sets of images, etc) and higher dimensionalities
	  (sequences of sets of multispectral images...).

	Typed pixels: integer and floating point; unsigned and signed,
	  packed and unpacked, RGB, CMY, CMYB, IR-vis-UV, 1, 8, 16 and 32 bits,
	  etc. etc.

	Storage of image data in non array format (list of points of
	  interest in sparse images, compressed formats, etc.)

	Recording of arbitrary additional data: colour maps (both predefined
	  and locally specified), camera pixel size, aspect ratio, date,
	  time, condition, title, subject, pre- and post-processing, etc.

	Efficient storage and transfer (ie: the PostScript format is not
	  ideal, with ASCII pixel values).

	Indirection: the ability to make a new image being some subset
	  of another image, without having to copy the actual data.

Please let me know what format you are using at the moment, what you
are doing with it, and what other features we should consider if we decide
to invent our own format ?

Neil/.

	hunt@spar.slb.com
     ...{amdahl|decwrl|hplabs}!spar!hunt
	(415) 496 4708

rhj@wdl1.UUCP (Bob Jones) (02/26/88)

/ wdl1:comp.misc / hunt@spar.SPAR.SLB.COM (Neil Hunt) / 12:08 pm  Feb 24, 1988 /
A question for you vision researchers and graphics wizards: what
> A file formats are you using for transferring and storing your image data ?

We are using a format called `picpac' which I believe originated from
Have you looked at the Microsoft/Aldus TIFF proposal? If so, I would be
interested to hear your comments on it. If not, you can get a copy of
the proposed spec from either Microsoft or Aldus.

Bob Jones

rhj@wdl1.UUCP (Bob Jones) (02/26/88)

> A question for you vision researchers and graphics wizards: what
> A file formats are you using for transferring and storing your image data ?

Have you looked at the Microsoft/Aldus TIFF proposal? If so, I would be
interested to hear your comments on it. If not, you can get a copy of
the proposed spec from either Microsoft or Aldus.

Bob Jones