[oats-sig] wmf to svg conversion

Hi Robert,

Mats,

http://www.meta-fly.com/
seems to answer your needs all be it at a cost $395

send a more detailed report off-list

cheers


Jonathan Chetwynd

j.chetwynd at btinternet.com
http://www.openicon.org/

+44 (0) 20 7978 1764


On 5 Jul 2008, at 00:24, Mats Lundälv wrote:

> Hi Robert,
> Thanks for your efforts!
>
> I have now tested opening my wmf files with the Paste2Xaml tool -  
> and unfortunately it does not handle any of the circles, semi-circle  
> or circle segment components of the wmf:s - just like SVGFactory  
> they just disappear. Only straight lines are displayed. I didn't  
> manage to run your app, probably because I don't have the  
> latest .net components installed - or is it a command line tool?  
> Anyway it should not work any better than the Paste2Xaml routines  
> that it uses, I suppose?
>
> The application that actually let's me both open the wmf:s correctly  
> and save them as reasonably usable svg images now is OOo Draw. The  
> problem there is that the line widths are set to zero, and that the  
> black line colour is set to undefined. I can open these converted  
> svg images in Inkscape and manually correct them to a good result -  
> but it would be a HUGE work for the between 3000-4000 thousand files  
> I'm working with - close to undoable.
>
> ImageMagick can also open and display the wmf:s correctly, but  
> cannot convert to correct svg.
>
> The most promising auto-conversion tool so far is probably the  
> wmf2svg-0.8.1.jar tool. It actually picks up all components of the  
> wmf, and the converted svg:s are basically nicely displayed in both  
> Firefox and Inkscape - except it cannot handle the circular elements  
> correctly:
> Circles are correctly positioned but double diameter in size
> Semi-circles are collapsed to a blob - a very small filled semi- 
> circle - incorrectly positioned
> Circle segments are displayed in a weird way - double diameter -  
> incorrect position, orientation (ignored mirroring/flipping) and  
> rotation (45 degrees).
>
> So what are the alternatives:
> - Find a way to use the components that OOorg uses and try to get  
> them improved
> or/and
> - Approach the developer of wmf2svg-0.8.1 and try to persuade him to  
> take a look at my odd line drawing wmf files and try to handle the  
> circular shapes better
> - others?
>
> I attach a few samples of the Blissymbol wmf files I'm struggling  
> with, if any of you want to see for yourselves what happens ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> Mats
> -----<oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk> skrev: -----
>
> Till: "OATs Project Special Interest Group" <oats-sig at lists.becta.org.uk 
> >
> Från: Robert Rasiewicz <robert.wk at gmail.com>
> Sänt av: <oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Datum: 2008-07-03 00:36
> Ärende: Re: [oats-sig] Ang: Re: Ang: Re: Ang: Re: Ang: Re: wmf to  
> svg     conversion
>
> OK, I've glued a little application together employing the  
> components outlined below (going through xaml as an intermediate step)
>
> http://www.3point14.com/pub/WMF_to_SVG_binaries.zip
> http://www.3point14.com/pub/WMF_to_SVG_sources.zip
>
> binaries require the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 installed
> sources can be built using Visual C# 2008 Express
>
> r.
>
> On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 7:12 PM, Robert Rasiewicz  
> <robert.wk at gmail.com> wrote:
> Matt,
>
> could you try if paste2xaml is rendering your files correctly
> http://www.wpf-graphics.com/Paste2Xaml.aspx
>
> the tool is not perfect yet but the author, Andrej Benedik has fixed  
> a few issues for me last year for .emf(s) - so he may be willing to  
> rectify the Ab2d.ReaderWmf library further
>
> now, the latest Inkscape is capable of importing vector graphics  
> from xaml
>     http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/ReleaseNotes046#XAML_import.2Fexport
> I've tried it and it gave promising results
>
> if that route works, then
> - writing a utility to convert wmf->xaml using Ab2d.ReaderWmf is not  
> a problem
>
> - Inkscape's xaml import is a set of xsl transformations  
> (inkscape-0.46\share\extensions
> \xaml2svg\) - some investigation will be required as to which order  
> to apply them in / how to assemble the output but all in all it  
> looks feasible
>
> r.
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 9:17 PM, Mats Lundälv  
> <mats.lundalv at vgregion.se> wrote:
> Yes Steeve, you may say that ;-/
>
> Now I have tried Robert's suggestion - the wmf2svg tool, and guess  
> what?
>
> I get proper conversions to valid svg files with all graphical  
> elements included, including the circular elements, it seems - BUT  
> these circular elements are not proportionally sized - see the  
> example image dumps below. So here I am, still stuck.
>
> The problem is of course that we are messing with a complex and  
> poorly documented proprietary Microsoft format - that Microsoft  
> themselves cannot handle consistently between different Office  
> versions. Since Office 2003 circle segments are not displayed as  
> they were before. (Microsoft support suggested us to use png:s  
> instead of wmf - stndard bitmap format instead of a Microsoft non- 
> standard vector format, ha!) Different programs obviously output and  
> display wmf:s slightly differently and few have any real clue to the  
> details of the format, I suppose.
>
> So no wonder really that our conversion tools have problems in  
> converting consistently.
>
> I'll ponder on this now for a while.
> Thanks again for your help!
>
> Cheers,
> Mats
>
>  always-wmf_via_in_Win_ImageViewer.jpg (proper display)
>  always2-svg_via_SVG_Factory_in_Inkscape.jpg (circular elements  
> excluded)
>  always2-svg_via_wmf2svg_in_Inkscape.jpg (circle out od proportion)
>  always2-svg_via_wmf2svg_in_FireFox.jpg (same in Firefox, plus not  
> whole picture shown)
>
>
>
> -----<oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk> skrev: -----
>
> surely there must be are better tools? Oh well.
>
> Looks like image magick has not improved since 2002 and Robert's
> solution was tha good one even back then
> http://studio.imagemagick.org/pipermail/magick-users/2002-August/004112.html
>
> Garry et al edit the files in Adobe Illustrator and export to wmf and
> SVG. The wmf files need quite a bit of hand correction, probably due
> to the very privative facilities of that format. The SVGs need very
> little attention.
>
> Steve
>
> 2008/7/1 Mats Lundälv <mats.lundalv at vgregion.se>:
> > Hi guys, and more thanks for your input!
> >
> > Jonathan; I have native wmf files, and definitely want to go  
> directly
> > between the the two vector formats. Dis you ever make it to the  
> batik java
> > convertion tools?
> >
> > So, as many of you say, the fake handling of wmf (and svg?) that  
> the bitmap
> > graphics programs use to access the vector formats are pretty  
> useless.
> >
> > I just tried the latest version of ImageMagick with the same poor  
> result as
> > you Andy. It opens and displays my files nicely, and pretends to  
> convert to
> > svg, but the svg files are not valid svg-xml.
> >
> > I actually managed to run a batch conversion with the old  
> svgFactory tool,
> > but only straight lines were handled correctly - all circular/ 
> rounded shapes
> > had just disappeared - so again no luck :-(
> >
> > InkScape open all my black on transparent white Blissymbol images  
> with an
> > empty canvas :-(
> >
> > So now my hope is on Robert's solutions, which I will now  
> concentrate on ...
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Mats
> >
> > -----<oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk> skrev: -----
> >
> > Till: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig at lists.becta.org.uk 
> >
> > Från: Jonathan Chetwynd <j.chetwynd at btinternet.com>
> > Sänt av: <oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk>
> > Datum: 2008-07-01 08:13
> > Ärende: Re: [oats-sig] Ang: Re: Ang: Re: wmf to svg conversion
> >
> > Mats and all,
> > please confirm whether the tool output is native SVG or merely  
> embeds or
> > packages the image in an SVG wrapper.
> > pcx to svg would also be handy, in addition to wmf to svg
> > Illustrator for instance opens pcx files and saves to svg format,  
> but in my
> > limited experience this is 'useless'.
> > ie it's similar to embedding a gif photo in html, rather than  
> changing the
> > format.
> > regards
> >
> >
> >
> > Jonathan Chetwynd
> >
> >
> >
> > j.chetwynd at btinternet.com
> > http://www.openicon.org/
> >
> >
> >
> > +44 (0) 20 7978 1764
> >
> >
> > On 30 Jun 2008, at 21:27, Mats Lundälv wrote:
> >
> > Thanks all for your help!
> >
> > My point is really to find a usable direct path directly from the  
> wmf/emf
> > vector format to the svg vector format.
> >
> > Steeve: As far as I had understood the ImageMagick package only  
> really fully
> > supports raster graphics formats and not vector graphics. This  
> libwmf seems
> > to provide a possible add-on to IM, but looks a bit uncertain, as  
> in alpha
> > stage, and these projects don't seem very end-user oriented. I'll  
> have a
> > look.
> > Do you know what tools Garry and friends use?
> >
> > Robert, I have just downloaded the wmf2svg jar file you pointed me  
> to,
> > thanks. There are no explicit instructions for batch conversions  
> there -
> > have you found a format for that?
> > This one looks as it could have been an implementation of the  
> batik java
> > classes - same Apache license, but no clear pointers to batik, as  
> far as I
> > can see.
> > I'll go ahead testing this and the other alternatives I have.
> >
> > I'll try to remember to give you some feedback on how I succeed.
> >
> > Andy, thanks for your offer! I'll send you a couple of files if  
> you care for
> > checking this up.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Mats
> >
> > -----<oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk> skrev: -----
> >
> > Till: "OATs Project Special Interest Group" <oats-sig at lists.becta.org.uk 
> >
> > Från: Andy Judson <andy.judson at gmail.com>
> > Sänt av: <oats-sig-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk>
> > Datum: 2008-06-30 15:27
> > Ärende: Re: [oats-sig] Ang: Re: wmf to svg conversion
> >
> > Hi Robert, i can't remember which version... will try to check  
> later.
> >
> > Mats / Steve (sorry can't remember who started this thread) - if  
> you could
> > send me a couple of the wmf files i'll see what is involved in  
> patching my
> > code... it should be easier than the png technique - i think when  
> i did this
> > i had to use the potrace as a proxy to trace the symbol the result  
> was then
> > made into an svg - worked quite well for bliss symbols although  
> the were a
> > little round at the tips.
> >
> > 2008/6/30 Robert Rasiewicz <robert.wk at gmail.com>:
> >>
> >> this did work for me nicely for wmf (I did not test the  
> transparency,
> >> though)
> >>    http://code.google.com/p/wmf2svg/
> >>
> >> on the same test file I did try ImageMagick 6.3.7 11/21/07  
> convert.exe and
> >> it failed horribly
> >>
> >> which version of ImageMagick were you working against, Andy ?
> >>
> >> r.
> >>
> >> On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 1:03 PM, Steve Lee  
> <steve at fullmeasure.co.uk>
> >> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Hey they look really interesting, I know someone who wants edge  
> tracing.
> >>>
> >>> it's worth noting that wmf/emf are vector formats so conversion  
> should
> >>> be easier.
> >>>
> >>> Steve
> >>>
> >>> 2008/6/30 Andy Judson <andy.judson at gmail.com>:
> >>> > I wrote a .net app to do this from png to svg for the bliss  
> symbols
> >>> > using
> >>> > the imagemagick library... but the code is at home and i can't  
> remember
> >>> > much
> >>> > about it... i can have a look if i can tweak it for you.
> >>> >
> >>> > other libraries to look at
> >>> >
> >>> > [1] http://delineate.sourceforge.net/
> >>> > [2] http://potrace.sourceforge.net/
> >>> >
> >>> > 2008/6/30 Steve Lee <steve at fullmeasure.co.uk>:
> >>> >>
> >>> >> oh Inkscape will import WMF so that's a good non-batch  
> alternative and
> >>> >> I think OO0 will if you 'break' the image after import.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Steve
> >>> >>
> >>> >> 2008/6/30 Steve Lee <steve at fullmeasure.co.uk>:
> >>> >> >> I have been looking around again for tools to convert wmf/ 
> emf
> >>> >> >> graphic
> >>> >> >> files
> >>> >> >> to svg.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > Well the PHP web server tool of choice seems to be  
> ImageMagick and
> >>> >> > while I have not tried it yet it looks like there are  
> command line
> >>> >> > versions.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > http://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > I came across SVG factory before and there's libwmf but there
> >>> >> > doesn't
> >>> >> > seem to have been any activity since 2002
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > http://wvware.sourceforge.net/libwmf.html
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > I've not tried any of them yet as Garry exports directly to  
> wmf or
> >>> >> > SVG
> >>> >> > as required.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > --
> >>> >> > Steve Lee
> >>> >> > --
> >>> >> > Open Source Assistive Technology Software
> >>> >> > web: fullmeasure.co.uk
> >>> >> > blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog
> >>> >> >
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> --
> >>> >> Steve Lee
> >>> >> --
> >>> >> Open Source Assistive Technology Software
> >>> >> web: fullmeasure.co.uk
> >>> >> blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Steve Lee
> >>> --
> >>> Open Source Assistive Technology Software
> >>> web: fullmeasure.co.uk
> >>> blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> -- 
> Steve Lee
> --
> Open Source Assistive Technology Software
> web: fullmeasure.co.uk
> blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog
>
>
>
>
> <wmfs.zip>

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