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WMF on Unix

8 messages · Brian Ripley, Peter Kleiweg, Jennifer Steinbachs +3 more

Original
Brian Ripley
# 
A few of you have helpfully sent me references to WMF formats.
There is also some code to _read_ it at

http://www.csn.ul.ie/~caolan/docs/libwmf.html

However, the issue is to _write_ WMF on R under Unix.  I am told (by
someone who has tried) that the problem is the if you write a WMF
file according to the published specs (which were once issued
by Microsoft) you find that e.g. Word does not read it as you expected.

It seems to me that an unreliable WMF writer is worse than none.
In essence we have that problem on R for Windows now: the metafiles
written there are in the wrong resolution (and I do know why) and hence
are misinterpreted.   However, when I try to write them in the
right resolution, they are interpreted worse by Word, but correctly
by another viewer!
Peter Kleiweg
# 
Prof Brian Ripley skriver...
Asuming WMF is the same as Windows Metafile, GSview seems to
have solved the trick. Why not let GSview deal with it. Why
bother recreating what's already available and working fine.
Perhaps all that's needed is a little documentation on how to
best export graphics from R to Word using GSview.
Jennifer Steinbachs
# 
I can understand why one might want to use WMF format (in windows)... for
the ability to manipulate graphic elements after the fact for an even
cleaner display of data.

One solution, for the windows world, is to use eps format and edit the
file in adobe illustrator.  To avoid using AI, one can use
ghostview.  GSview comes with the utility "epstool" that apparently allows
one to create a wmf file
(http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gsview/epstool.htm) from an eps
file.  Sorry, can't test this as I purged my systems of the Microsoft
virus a few years ago.

In the linux world, a little program called "sketch", at
http://sketch.sourceforge.net,  (based on tk and python) can easily open
both eps and ai files, outputting to ps or sketch native file format.   

-jennifer

-----------------------------------
J. Steinbachs, Ph.D.
Computational Biologist
The Field Museum
Chicago, IL 60605-2496

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M. Edward (Ed) Borasky
#
On Mon, 15 Jan 2001, Peter Kleiweg wrote:

            

      
      
      
    

        
GSView, I believe, is no longer free.
--
znmeb at teleport.com (M. Edward Borasky) http://www.teleport.com/~znmeb

If God had meant carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits
fire.

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      A.J. Rossini
    

    

      
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z> GSView, I believe, is no longer free.

            

      
      
      
    

        
been (request for registration and fee, but it's not required; no
charge is allowed for redistribution).

best,
-tony

  
    

      
      
    

  


  


      

    

    

      
      

        


  

        

      John Aitchison
    

    

      
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If you look at 

http://www.ghostgum.com.au/

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gsview/rjl.htm

I think you will find that GSView is, in fact, free, but that you can - if 
you wish to support its development - register for AUD$40 ($USD25), as I 
did.  There is supposedly a nag screen in the current version of GSView (I 
have not seen it : I paid the registration $), but I know that there was 
no such nag in earlier and quite recent versions, which presumably are 
still available for those who cannot/do not wish to pay the registration. 

John Aitchison
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      Brian Ripley
    

    

      
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On Mon, 15 Jan 2001, Jennifer Steinbachs wrote:

        

            

      
      
      
    

        
Apparently, but it fact it produces a bitmap, which is not what is
required.

The same applies to GSView.

  
    

      
      
    

  


  


      

    

    

      
      

        


  

        

      Brian Ripley
    

    

      
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On Mon, 15 Jan 2001, Peter Kleiweg wrote:

        

            

      
      
      
    

        
Well, perhaps you can tell us how.  I've just searched again the GSView
documentation, which only links to `adding an EPS Preview', and that says
it adds an uncompressed bitmap, not what is required.  We ahve lot sof ways
to produce bitmapped graphics.

We seem to have lots of suggestions, but what we are in need of is
working code that

(a) provides an R graphics driver that runs on Unix
(b) produces vector Windows metafiles, preferably enhanced metafiles
(c) whose output has been tested in a wide range of Windows applications.

Those of you who think this is easy please supply!