Ah, Linux is another relatively simple problem. Here are some options:
1. Perhaps the best method for image compression today comes from a technique and package known as SPIHT, which uses wavelet compression. Packages are available for various operating systems, including Linux. See http://www.siliconimaging.com/SPIHT.htm 2. Djvulibre, open source lossless compression format ideal for replacement of pdf, tiff, gif, jpg, png, and large scanned images with no loss of compression and the same appearance on all platforms. Unfortunately, I do not know if it can be induced to work within LaTeX/LyX--haven't done much research on it on the open source side. It is a superior compression product, though, if it can be made to work! This stems from research at AT&T Labs originally; Windows and Mac commercial tools are now being sold by Lizardtech; the Linux variants are GPL. 3. A 1999 Linux Journal article on image compression: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2567 Contains various methods for doing the compression and the issues surrounding them. 4. An extremely effective library for one-bit image compression (scanned documents, for example) is jbigkit: http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php?query=jbigkit 5. You can also use ImageMagick to convert your image files in any of several ways to get smaller file sizes. You can create the transparent piece as you originally asked, and you can also reduce the number of colors used -- which can have a very beneficial impact on image size. If, for example, you have a 24-bit image, you can often reduce it to 15 or 16 bit color with little if any apparent loss of quality yet with far less size. That at least may get you going. David On 6/13/06, Paul Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 6/13/06, David Neeley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Transparent layers are only supported on a few file formats, of course. > > That said, there are a number of programs available that allow you to > optimize your images, often *greatly* reducing file size. > > For example, if you use Windows you might look at the freeware > selections at http://www.snapfiles.com. They have a category called > "Image Compression" under Graphic Tools--and you can choose from a > variety of programs depending upon your needs. The same site also has > some graphic editors that allow for image compression as a built-in > function. > > Similar tools exist for other operating systems as well. Thanks, David and Georg. In particular, I am trying to find a tool to work on Linux. Gimp is a Linux application, but maybe there is already a Linux equivalent of StripFile: http://www.nuetools.co.uk/stripfile.html I will ask for it on the Fedora mailing list. Paul
