Hardcopy from digital images.

[Peter J. Tonellato]

One of my standard back pains begins when I need a decent
(publishable) hardcopy image of some beautiful graph (b&w, 
greyscale or color, 2 or 3 dimensional) produced with one 
of the amazing packages developed on my super-fantastic 
graphic workstation. I am interested in hearing from those 
who have found pathways from some type of bitmap image or 
printer/plotter language file to a GOOD hardcopy image. I 
suspect that others will be interested in your experiences 
as well. 

I do not intend that every descriptions be exhaustive. Perhaps 
the basic steps can be briefly explained. Most of us have some
computer savvy and will be able to figure out the details. If 
that approach does not work specific questions can be posted 
to the appropriate newsgroup.

I am willing to compile all responses and post a summary 
article to appropriate newsgroup(s) (please suggest which). 
This may seem a rather obtuse way of finding the information 
I specifically need but I suspect that many of your solutions 
(no matter what software/hardware you use) can be used by others 
such as myself with a little ingenuity and luck.

All who contribute might address the following question
including appropriate details as needed.
________________________________________________________________
		Basic problem:

Given:		Monochrome, greyscale or color 2 or 3 D image in 
                bitmap or printer/plotter language file format.

Produce:	Paper, print and slide hardcopy.

Response should include comments about:

1.)	The basic steps involved in the solution.
2.)     Software, hardware needed.
3.)	Basic cost.
________________________________________________________________


Perhaps responses could follow some standard format such as:
(My contribution)

*******************************************************************

Name:    Peter J. Tonellato

Mail:    Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science
         Marquette University
         Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233
Voice:   414-288-5228 (Office)
e-mail:  tone at biomath.mscs.mu.edu   

Computers:             HP/APOLLO DN3500, DN10000, SUN Sparc-1.

Monitors:             HP/APOLLO 8-plane color, SUN 8-plane color.

Hardcopy Devices:     Postscript laser printer (several types),
                      35mm Camera, Color pens and paper :^)

Software:             

1.)	FOTO (Cognivision, Inc.) produces 2 and 3 D images in
        APOLLO bitmap format (bmf).

2.)     Several finite element postprocessors all produce monochrome
        and greyscale X-Window bitmap files, Postscript (ps) or 
        Tektronix (tx) printer/plotter language format file.

3.)     Several standard FORTRAN plotting packages all produce
        tektronix (tx) plotter language format file. 

Resolution of Problem:

1.) If the images are monochrome and in virtually any bitmap format
    or in tektronix (tx) plotter language convert to postscript and print
    on a postscript printer. The conversion is accomplished by using
    a public domain tektronix-to-postscript package (tektops)
    available at (uunet.uu.edu) or via the 'universal' bitmap 
    conversion package pbmplus (available at export.lcs.mit.edu 
    and in the X-Windows X11R4 release tapes.) The costs involved
    are minimal If you already own a postscript laser printer. All
    conversion software is free.

2.) If the images are greyscale or color and in any bitmap format
    convertible via the package pbmplus convert to HP/APOLLO bitmap
    format (bmf). Display on the DN10000 19" 8-plane color monitor and
    take a picture of the screen. Costs are minimal (film and
    development) if you have access to 35mm camera (need manual
    shutter speed option).

3.) Think of picture I want. Explain to my three year old. Give
    him color pens and many sheets of white paper. Wait for several
    million years.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Peter J. Tonellato

US Mail: Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science
         Marquette University
         Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233
Voice:   414-288-5228 (Office)
         414-288-7573 (Message)
FAX:     414-288-5472 (FAX)
Arpa:    tone at biomath.mscs.mu.edu