Re: SVG 1.2 Comment: vector effects

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004, Philippe Lhoste wrote:
> 
> I don't agree here. "intersection, excluding, merging of elements" isn't 
> limited to GIS use, but are really useful for generic graphic use. [...]
> 
> Indeed, these effects can be done with an authoring tool, but many SVG 
> files are still done by hand, and such effects will ease greatly the 
> coding of some images (if simple to understand and use...).

My point is, how many vector graphics will use these features? 10%? 1%?

You have to draw a line somewhere. Complexity for a few authors is a price 
worth paying for making the spec implementable without doubling the size 
of the browser.


>>> glyphs should be placed, but Adobe and others explained that there 
>>> are other, more sophisticated algorithms for laying out text along a 
>>> path.
>> That's another good example of where the exact algorithm used should,
>> IMHO, be left up to the UA
> 
> I do believe that exact positionning is important. I did a SVG rendition 
> of the Lua logo <http://www.lua.org> with text ("the programming 
> language") is going on an arc from 190° to 59°. I would hate to see on 
> another viewer that text overlaps with the circle after the text, just 
> because of the use of another algorithm... (assuming that end user have 
> the proper font, of course, but it is a common Helvetica).

Naturally, the spec should say the constraints within with the browsers 
should render the text (in this case, not going past the relevant point). 
That's a far cry from detailing the exact kerning requirements, etc.

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'