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HP2XX, A HP-GL Converter

2.5 Vector formats

All HP-GL graphics are decomposed by hp2xx into elementary move and draw commands. Selecting a vector mode essentially defines the conversion rules of such commands into specific formats.

The most popular and versatile vector format currently is Encapsulated PostScript (EPS). (In fact, it is much more than just a vector graphics format, but hp2xx uses only EPS's line drawing features.) Many programs allow importation of EPS files, and PostScript gives excellent printing results, so `-m eps' is highly recommended. Recently, Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) has mostly taken its place for formatted online documentation. For Web-based applications, the Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format, a W3C standard, holds some promise as a non-proprietary, XML-based format for vector images, not only on web pages. In the engineering community, the 2D DXF format originally used by AutoCAD has become a common denominator for the exchange of vector data. In the machine-tooling community, a standardized vector format knows as G code is widely used (though machine-specific limitations and extensions make it not truely universal). Its implementation in hp2xx, selectable via the `-m nc' option, should be suitable for hobbyists wishing to do engraving, but it would not be wise to use it in professional machine tooling.

Unix users may also want to use either Gnuplot or especially XFig to annotate their plots. The native formats of these programs are directly supported via the `-m gpt' and `-m fig' options.

The Enhanced Metafile Format was originally tied to the Microsoft Windows environment, but it has recently found more wide-spread use as one of the few vector formats supported by StarOffice and OpenOffice.

Currently, all other supported vector formats represent various compromises to persuade TeX or LaTeX into the generation of graphics. See section 3.7 TeX formats, if you are specially interested in TeX.