	README 2002-11-23
SiDxf - vector-to-bitmap convertion utility 
	(c) 2002 Barkhatov A.E.

Fast,small program, operated as GUI or console, to convert vector graphic files 
(DXF,EMF,WM) into bitmaps (GIF,BMP,JPEG,G3-Fax) and normal vectors (DXF/VML). 
Output bitmap width and height, compression quality, hand-made EMF parsing mode, external color palette
and other options are provided. 
AutoCAD DXF is ASCII mode, 2D standard. 
BMP and GIF are color palette (8bit) compressed or plain formats, 
most suitable for DXF rasterization. 
True color JPEG and 1bit G3-Fax are also useful for rich web or 
to send thru modem connection. 

The program should do the following:
1.Read command line args
2.Parse options:  
 -w -h are pixel dimensions for output bitmap
 -c color map to be used in place of standard DXF palette
   file format is 3 x 256 rgb (768 byte all), as in Photoshop ACT
 -q JPEG output quality (a number from 0 to 100)
 -r RLE compression for BMP output
 -n Non-native raw (without Windows API) Enhanced Metafile decoding.
 Last two arguments are input and output file names.
 File name extensions are used to determine types desired.
 DXF/EMF/WMF for input; BMP/GIF/JPG/G3/DXF/VML for output.
3.Read input file from current directory,
 if it is DXF - scale coords from an extent found in DXF header to W x H or
 to default values (1728,2287 pixels),
 if it is WMF check and leave placable header, and convert it to EMF,
 if it is EMF, just read it with the Windows help or by hand-made parser (-n).
4.Convert (rasterize) input drawing and save it into output bitmap,
 or just 'normalize' for DXF/VML output mode.
5.If executable was just hited and no command line args presents,
 GUI version is started. 
 Resulting bitmap can be viewed with scrolling/padding options
 befor saving it or interactively tuning convertion parameters.

* Intel(c) IJL library was used for JPEG output (See the License Agreement).
* Ed Casas open source EFAX was used to G3(CCITT-1D) Fax output.
* Registration at ShareIt!: 
http://shareit1.element5.com/programs.html?productid=133799

Registered users will be provided with C source code of the program and the binaries 
without some restrictions for freeware version.

Home site http://titan.spaceports.com/~spi.
