Vector Library Suggestions

[Mametrix-Reloaded]

ok, I think I'm actually goign to have the time to make some updates to the vector library. Here is what I'll be adding.

Login required to upload files.

Ability to manage your own contributions.

Download of files will not be individual files, but added to a shopping cart type system than will zip all the files into one zip file to download.

The .ai filetype will be dropped. It's been suggested the .ai format doesn't hold enough info to make the hassle of two files worth it.

The files will be searchable and be viewed in pages rather than one long page. (quick search button for recent additions too)

Another future update will be logins for download as well to allow email list for notification of new files added to the library.

Any other requests or features you'd like to be added in?

-mike

[caykroyd]

haven't worked on my graphics in detail yet, but was planning on using Illustrator.  So, AI files would be useful.  Unless of course you can import PS files into Illustrator without losing anything.

[saint]

Mike - this is good stuff.  Please feel free to post a news item whenver you have updates?  

Thanks!

--- saint

Submit News Link

ok, I think I'm actually goign to have the time to make some updates to the vector library. Here is what I'll be adding.

Login required to upload files.

Ability to manage your own contributions.

Download of files will not be individual files, but added to a shopping cart type system than will zip all the files into one zip file to download.

The .ai filetype will be dropped. It's been suggested the .ai format doesn't hold enough info to make the hassle of two files worth it.

The files will be searchable and be viewed in pages rather than one long page. (quick search button for recent additions too)

Another future update will be logins for download as well to allow email list for notification of new files added to the library.

Any other requests or features you'd like to be added in?

-mike

[Mametrix-Reloaded]

That's the exact reason I'm making changes to my site and forcing the front page first. I always forget about the news link here. I read the news, but always think post in the mesaage board.

-mike

[zorg]

ok, I think I'm actually goign to have the time to make some updates to the vector library.

great, you are yet providing a tremendous tool, it will be incredible

Download of files will not be individual files, but added to a shopping cart type system than will zip all the files into one zip file to download.

The .ai filetype will be dropped. It's been suggested the .ai format doesn't hold enough info to make the hassle of two files worth it.

OK but I'm not sure it it will be easier to get files
just a hint, ai files are smaller than eps ones, it could made some differences for the download.

The files will be searchable and be viewed in pages rather than one long page. (quick search button for recent additions too)

that's what i was waiting for.
a way to check every day if there's some new addition.  


just one word, thank's

[Frostillicus]

cool - this is great news.  The library sure has come a long way!  I think the ZIP extension would be excellent since it would fix some folks' not understanding the PS vs AI vs EPS thing.  Just one format - larger, yes, but more universal.  

Thanks again for doing this!  

[Grasshopper]

Any other requests or features you'd like to be added in?
-mike

Thank's for doing this, it's appreciated.

I'm very keen to make use of some of those pictures. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding a program that can import postscript files for editing, although I know of a few that can simply display postscript.

I know that postscript is generally regarded as the best of the vector formats, however for those of us who can't afford Illustrator would it be possible to make the pictures available in another format that can be used by low-end programs?

One that springs to mind is the Windows clipboard format.

[Jakobud]

Wait you are going to drop to AI format?  What do the artists upload to you then? EPS files?

[Beley]

For downloading i think each piece of work should be in its own zip file containing the .ai and .eps.   The zip file could also contain anything else the author wants to include, ie. other formats (.wmf as someone mentioned), source image, readme/nfo file. obviously therewould have to be rules as to what has to be in the zip and what cant be in the zip and max file size and such

[zorg]

I'm very keen to make use of some of those pictures. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding a program that can import postscript files for editing, although I know of a few that can simply display postscript.

I know that postscript is generally regarded as the best of the vector formats, however for those of us who can't afford Illustrator would it be possible to make the pictures available in another format that can be used by low-end programs?

once again eps file IS NOT POSTCRIPT stricto senso.
if your browser is downloading files as .ps one (change your browser) and read this thread starting from
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=13;action=display;threadid=8074;start=msg95400#msg95400 to the end.

and regarding the way to use the ai or eps files.

eps is readable by a lot of programs. take a look at gimp (free software) http://www.gimp.org
ai files are close to pdf ones, xpdf is abble to read them, give a chance to acroread.

[zorg]

For downloading i think each piece of work should be in its own zip file containing the .ai and .eps.  
The zip file could also contain anything else the author wants to include, ie. other formats (.wmf as someone mentioned), source image, readme/nfo file. obviously therewould have to be rules as to what has to be in the zip and what cant be in the zip and max file size and such

I aggre for the individual "file packaging"

but disagree for the rest. the "package" should contains only vector formated files (ai, eps, pdf, postcript, wml)
and regarding the various problems encountered by some of the user my guess is to stay with eps only



 

[Jakobud]

Has anyone looked into that new format that is beginning to get popular support called SVG ?  Scalable Vector Graphics.  It's like vector graphics for the web (but different than swf's).

W3C standards
http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/

Adobe SVG Browser plugin (for all languages and OS's)
http://www.adobe.com/svg/viewer/install/main.html

Avenza standard stuff
http://www.avenza.com/svg/svgmain.html

The SVG file is an XML based scalable vector file.  And Adobe Illustrator saves out SVG files.  Pretty cool. I've taken my 250k Missile Command sideart (that I just finished btw) .ai file and saved it as SVG and it's only 350k and I can now see it in Internet Explorer and it looks as perfect as it does in Illustrator.  Now, how to actually scale it up for printing and such I'm not sure....  Illustrator can open and save SVG files but for those w/o Illustrator I'm not sure...

I think this might be our solution guys.  It's a free open scalable vector graphics standard that is quickly becoming adopted.


[UPDATED]    Okay after messing around with SVG's for the past ten minutes I've come to the conclusion that these things are freakin awesome!  Adobe has a lot of information on this stuff.  Go download the plugin and check it out.

[Grasshopper]

I'm very keen to make use of some of those pictures. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding a program that can import postscript files for editing, although I know of a few that can simply display postscript.

I know that postscript is generally regarded as the best of the vector formats, however for those of us who can't afford Illustrator would it be possible to make the pictures available in another format that can be used by low-end programs?

once again eps file IS NOT POSTCRIPT stricto senso.
if your browser is downloading files as .ps one (change your browser) and read this thread starting from
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=13;action=display;threadid=8074;start=msg95400#msg95400 to the end.

and regarding the way to use the ai or eps files.

eps is readable by a lot of programs. take a look at gimp (free software) http://www.gimp.org
ai files are close to pdf ones, xpdf is abble to read them, give a chance to acroread.

True, but the two formats are very similar. EPS is essentially a single page Postscript image with bounding box info added as comments.

I haven't tried Gimp for a while so perhaps things have changed, however my understanding was that Gimp was a bitmap editor.

I know that there are several free programs that can convert PS or EPS files to a bitmap (Ghostscript for instance) but this defeats the purpose of using a vector format. I have not come across a PD or shareware program that can import PS files and then edit them as vector images. If anyone knows of such a program then please can they post the details here.

Actually, I've just noticed that TurboCAD lists EPS as an import filetype, I'll give it a go and see what happens.

[zorg]

Any other requests or features you'd like to be added in?

just an idea
as some file could require specific fonts, the possiblity to include them with the file.

but it would be better if anyone take the time and make the effort to vectorise the font, in order to avoid any dependencies problem , and platform/OS problems.
exactly why I haven't vectorised the fonts for the spies files, cause fonts are PC ones and I work on a Mac (and don't have time to convert them...)

[Jakobud]

zorg what fonts are you referring to?

[zorg]

zorg what fonts are you referring to?

sorry, it's not clear.
I'was in hurry while writting the previous post.

forget the previous post.

the files I upped to the vector library contains text, for wich I don't have the corresponding fonts on my Mac.
that caused illustrator to produce some error messages. that why i waas thinking about providing fonts (if specific
ones are used) with the files. but after thinking a little I ended with the following statement

the rule for "vector drawers"  should be . if you type some text into one vector file, you MUST transform your text to vector, NOT include text as is..

[Frostillicus]

zorg what fonts are you referring to?

sorry, it's not clear.
I'was in hurry while writting the previous post.

forget the previous post.

the files I upped to the vector library contains text, for wich I don't have the corresponding fonts on my Mac.
that caused illustrator to produce some error messages. that why i waas thinking about providing fonts (if specific
ones are used) with the files. but after thinking a little I ended with the following statement

the rule for "vector drawers"  should be . if you type some text into one vector file, you MUST transform your text to vector, NOT include text as is..

Exactly - and for those that don't know - it's called CONVERT TO OUTLINES... under the TYPE heading in Illustrator.