heddle@clas01.cebaf.gov (David Heddle) (04/10/91)
Dear Friends: Some basic questions about PICTs & PICT files: 1) How does one rotate a PICT consisting of text? I know how to rotate the bitmap of the text, and then how to save the rotated bitmap as a PICT, but of course all the information about the text is lost. There most be some reversible way of rotating the text (or any PICT, for that matter) so that the underlying components are preserved. 2) How does one group PICT components a la MacDraw and then store that grouping info? Originally I assumed that grouping was application specific -- e.g. how they connect their internal object lists -- but I discovered that some of my clip-art, stored as PICT files, has retained grouping information which is apparent when you use MacDraw to open the file. Somehow the grouping of components was preserved and embedded in the PICT file. I find no help in IM I-V. 3) Is there a way to insert a page-break between PICTs in a PICT file? cheers, dph CEBAF = Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility -----------------------------------------------------
captkidd@athena.mit.edu (Ivan Cavero Belaunde) (04/13/91)
In article <1991Apr9.193611.17375@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> heddle@clas01.cebaf.gov (David Heddle) writes: >Dear Friends: > >Some basic questions about PICTs & PICT files: >1) How does one rotate a PICT consisting of text? I know >how to rotate the bitmap of the text, and then how to >save the rotated bitmap as a PICT, but of course all >the information about the text is lost. There most be some >reversible way of rotating the text (or any PICT, for that matter) >so that the underlying components are preserved. There is a standard PicComment that is used for rotating text. I forget what it is, but either MacDTS or Claris should be able to help you. Additionally, TN#91 describes the LW-related PicComments, and I believe one of them is rotating text (though I don't know if it's the same as the std Rotate PicComment that is widely supported by apps). Either way, what you have to do is interpret the rotate PicComment yourself when drawing it (by doing the rotation) and then saving the PicCommend and the DrawString commands in the PICT instead of the rotated bitmap. >2) How does one group PICT components a la MacDraw and then store that >grouping info? Originally I assumed that grouping was application >specific -- e.g. how they connect their internal object lists -- >but I discovered that some of my clip-art, stored as PICT files, >has retained grouping information which is apparent when you use MacDraw >to open the file. Somehow the grouping of components was >preserved and embedded in the PICT file. I find no help in IM I-V. I believe there's a group PicComment as well. Once again, MacDTS and/or Claris DTS should do it. From TN27: This Note formerly discussed the PICT file format used by MacDraw, which is now published by Claris. For information on MacDraw (its specific use of the PICT format) and other Claris products, contact Claris at: Claris Corporation 5201 Patrick Henry Drive P.O. Box 58168 Santa Clara, CA 95052-8168 Technical Support Telephone: (408) 727-9054 AppleLink: Claris.Tech Customer Relations Telephone: (408) 727-8227 AppleLink: Claris.CR Hope this helps. -Ivan Visualist Digital Video Applications Corp. (DiVA) Internet: captkidd@ATHENA.MIT.EDU
aep@world.std.com (Andrew E Page) (04/23/91)
It sounds as if you may have better luck with raw postscript (assuming you have a laserwriter or other postscript engine to use. You may find that the PICT format may be a little too limited for your application. Asside from that postscript would be transportable to other platforms as well. -- Andrew E. Page (Warrior Poet) | Decision and Effort The Archer and Arrow Concepts Engineering | The difference between what we are CIS:70202,234 BIX:page1 | and what we want to be.