Bug 110070 - Export to EPS does not produce high-quality PostScript and color is missing
Summary: Export to EPS does not produce high-quality PostScript and color is missing
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: kst
Classification: Applications
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: 1.1.0
Platform: unspecified Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: kst
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2005-08-03 02:59 UTC by Cirilo Bernardo
Modified: 2010-08-21 00:38 UTC (History)
0 users

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:


Attachments

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Cirilo Bernardo 2005-08-03 02:59:22 UTC
Version:           1.1.0 (using KDE 3.3.2,  (3.1))
Compiler:          gcc version 3.3.6 (Debian 1:3.3.6-5)
OS:                Linux (x86_64) release 2.6.11-9-amd64-k8

I exported a plot to EPS and was not happy with the result.  The plot looked awful when viewed with 'gs' and shading around text suggested that the text was bitmap rather than PostScript. I suspect the entire plot was bitmap but did not have the patience to decode the EPS file.  The plot was also B/W - no color whatsoever.

In comparison, a plot "printed to file" (PS) scales properly, renders beautifully in gs, and has color.
Comment 1 Andrew Walker 2005-08-05 18:56:47 UTC
All "Export to Graphics File..." functionality is provided by the KImageIO class, so any shortcomings in Kst are also shortcomings in KImageIO. This is really a wishlist item rather than a bug.
Comment 2 George Staikos 2005-08-06 00:43:44 UTC
Actually it's not a shortcoming of KImageIO.  KImageIO is for working on images (bitmaps), not vector graphics.  It does the best it can - embed the bitmap in a vector wrapper.  There is no such generic subsystem for vector graphics in kdelibs.  However this can be implemented with a new QPaintDevice I think.  We also have KSVG(2) that we can make use of.
Comment 3 Netterfield 2005-08-06 00:47:56 UTC
I think, from the user's point of view, this really is a bug.  EPS is vector 
graphics, and that is what the user (rightfully) expects.

On August 6, 2005 12:43 am, George Staikos wrote:
[bugs.kde.org quoted mail]
Comment 4 George Staikos 2005-08-06 01:21:37 UTC
On Friday 05 August 2005 18:47, netterfield@astro.utoronto.ca wrote:
> 00:47 ------- I think, from the user's point of view, this really is a bug.
>  EPS is vector graphics, and that is what the user (rightfully) expects.


  Sure - doesn't matter does it?  That's just for our use.  Anyway exporting 
to vector EPS is really a whole new subsystem for us, just as SVG would be.
Comment 5 Andrew Walker 2005-08-18 02:17:58 UTC
An eps file is quite close to a ps file (with minor differences in the header and footer). It should be possible to use a QPrinter to generate the required ps file and then simply hack in the changes. Not very elegant, but simple.
Comment 6 Andrew Walker 2005-08-18 21:16:05 UTC
SVN commit 450675 by arwalker:

CCBUG:110070 First pass at saving EPS as vector graphics

 M  +186 -178  graphfiledialog.ui  
 M  +64 -11    kst.cpp  
 M  +5 -0      kst.h  
 M  +29 -5     kstgraphfiledialog_i.cpp  
 M  +4 -2      kstgraphfiledialog_i.h  
 M  +67 -1     kstviewwindow.cpp  
 M  +1 -0      kstviewwindow.h  
Comment 7 Netterfield 2005-09-04 04:23:07 UTC
The output seems to look pretty good, but:
-I get a dialog popping up complaining that there is no default printer on my laptop which has no default printer (but it works anyway).
-There is no reason to have the 'use vector graphics for eps' checkbox - it should just do it that way always.  eps is a vector format.
Comment 8 Andrew Walker 2005-09-29 23:13:53 UTC
Not sure there is anything we can do about the dialog, as this is presumably thrown up by some lower level in KDE. 

EPS is not necessarily a vector format. An EPS can quite legitimately contain a raster image. I see no reason not to give the user the option.
Comment 9 Cirilo Bernardo 2005-09-29 23:49:57 UTC
Sure EPS and PS can host a raster image, but they should only do so if 
you put a raster image into the document and even then only that image 
should be raster.  Everything else should be vector as usual.  If I 
wanted a raster image I'd choose one of those formats, not EPS. 
MSWindows produces raster EPS and PS files and it is absolutely useless 
- you get ugly documents which take up many MB per page. Presumably if a 
user selected 'EPS' it's because they wanted a vector format - I don't 
see that there should be a choice between vector EPS and bitmap-stuffed EPS.

- Cirilo


> ------- Additional Comments From arwalker sumusltd com  2005-09-29 23:13 -------
> Not sure there is anything we can do about the dialog, as this is presumably thrown up by some lower level in KDE. 
> 
> EPS is not necessarily a vector format. An EPS can quite legitimately contain a raster image. I see no reason not to give the user the option.
> 
> 
> 

Comment 10 kde2eran 2010-08-21 00:38:55 UTC
*** This bug has been confirmed by popular vote. ***