[xep-support] SVG

[Tobias Reif]

Hi

I'm currently evaluating XEP (xep317_trial on Windows), since it seems 
to implement more of the FO spec than FOP.

So far, XEP indeed seems to be better than the current FOP [1] regarding 
FO support, and I would buy it right now, if it would support full SVG 1.0.

In some of my DocBook projects, I make heavy use of SVG,
eg via

<fo:external-graphic src="url(ch01_pic01a.svg)" .../>

Transformation to XHTML (referencing SVG) works well. Now I need to 
generate high-quality PDF from the FO (referencing SVG). FOP handles SVG 
SVG quite well already, but the FO part is not yet mature enough.

XEP converts FO to PDF, and like FO, SVG is XML. Adobe's new document 
server products support FO, and SVG. Anyways, I believe SVG (among PNG 
etc) will become *the* graphics format for use with XML documents and FO.

Implementing full SVG 1.0 is a *major* project, and it might not be 
feasible for you to start from scratch.
One of the best SVG implementations is an open toolkit you probably 
know: Apache Batik's Squiggle. Perhaps you could incorporate Squiggle 
into XEP? It's being actively developed, and is the most complete open 
implementation AFAIK.

Again:
I, and probably many others, would purchase XEP it would have mature and 
comprehensive SVG 1.0 support (... and 1.2 is coming).

SVG FAQ
http://www.renderx.com/FAQ.html#1.1

 > 1.1.  Does XEP support any form of embedded SVG inside the FO Markup
 > and, if it does, how do I get it to work?
 >
 > The current version of XEP does not support any elements outside the
 > XSL FO namespace. Moreover, we believe that free mixing of XSL FO and
 > SVG markup (as used in FOP)

FOP also supports external referenced SVG, via
   fo:external-graphic src="" .

 > is not a clean solution,

I also prefer external referenced SVG over inlined fragments, in most 
situations. But each of the two can be the best solution in a given 
scenario.

 > because it spoils interoperability between
 > XSL FO implementations (no means for an SVG-inaware implementation to
 > provide a fallback).

There might be solutions for fallback, but I'm not aware of any right now.
(... nor did I investigate)

 > The last XSL Working Draft (of March 27) provides
 > for inclusion of SVG/MathML markup by defining a special element
 > (fo:instream-foreign-object) that may contain children from outside
 > the XSL FO namespace.

... but there also is an element for referencing external SVG.

 > When we shift to the new draft, we plan to
 > support a subset of SVG (lines, curves, simple fills, and textboxes)
 > via this special element.

Why not implement fo:external-graphic?
Didn't you state above that you generally don't like inlined stuff in FO 
(not a clean solution)?
fo:external-graphic looks like a better candidate to implement first.

Anyways, I think it's best to support both inlined and external 
referenced SVG.

I'd be happy to become your customer :)

Tobi

[1] FOP redesign / version 1.0 might be interesting

-- 
http://www.pinkjuice.com/

-------------------
(*) To unsubscribe, send a message with words 'unsubscribe xep-support'
in the body of the message to majordomo at renderx.com from the address
you are subscribed from.
(*) By using the Service, you expressly agree to these Terms of Service http://www.renderx.com/tos.html