PICT

[daedalus]

Some time ago, when young and foolish (now older and foolish) I scanned various certificates (birth, marriage etc) on my lexmark scanner/printer and saved them on my mac G4 Cube.
The default format was PICT (whatever that is) and I therefore have the scanned docs in that format. I have since discovered that this format is a space-eater (26 megs for one page).
The result is that I can't print them (not enough memory says the message when I say 'print".
Could send them to office to print, but no - can't send either, they just sits in the outbox because they are too bloody big!
Can't seem to change the format either. Since then i always choose JPeg (whatever that is) when saving a scanned doc or photo 'cos it uses 1MB instead of 25.
Anyone know:
a) What are these formats, Pict and JPeg and suchlike?
b) Any way to convert PICT to JPeg or
c) reduce the size of a PICT file so it can be either printed or sent?
My system uses OS9.1
Thanks

[Coconutty]

ADobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro will both convert your Mac PICT files to just about any other image type you could think of.

You could burn your files to CD and get a friend with either of these programs to convert them for you, or if you don't have access at all to a decent graphics program you could try "Irfan View" - freeware - can be downloaded by clicking HERE !

Edited to add :
"JPeg" is a standard image compression mechanism - the resulting image has a ".jpg" extension.
JPEG compression is described as "lossy" as some of the image quality is lost during the compression process.
The term "JPEG" stands for "Joint Photographic Experts Group" - the standards committee that designed this image compression format.


Coconutty

[Richard Spandit]

For photos, Jpeg is a good format to use as it produces small file sizes without too much noticeable loss. However, all Jpeg files are saved with 16.7 million colour depth, so if you have a monochrome image such as text or a technical drawing, PNG (Portable Network Graphic) will produce a clearer image and a smaller file size. PNG is similar to GIF (Graphic interchange format) but superior in some ways.

I've just downloaded a drawing off the internet. The file sizes are as follows:

GIF - 15KB
JPG - 59KB
PNG - 7KP

The JPG one will be almost unreadable and unprintable because it is converted to a 16.7 million greyscale. The PNG and GIF files are much better. I'd post them here if it would let me

[BOAC]

I'd post them here if it would let me

- what is actually stopping you, RS? Assuming, of course they are wholesome and family friendly pictures

Forum Rules (Reminder 3) at the top of 'Spectators' has all the info you need.

[Richard Spandit]

It says I can't post attachments - perhaps you have to pay for a title to allow this.

Edit: Have you actually bothered to read the link?

[airborne_artist]

RS - no-one can post attachments, not even Danny. You need to upload to a server, eg photobucket, and then link from there.

But on the subject of titles, note my bi-colour one

[daedalus]

Thanks all for info and help. In fact the solution was staring me in the face, but it took a female friend to jog my brain. Transfer it to a memory stick, said she, then take to office and print out there. Re-scan as JPeg.