[matplotlib-devel] PS, dpi, and imshow
Hi all, I have a question about the PS backend (building on the thread "imshow with PS backend" from ~ a month ago). Evidently this backend is fixed at 72 dpi. This isn't a problem with vector information. However, it would seem that one would want to use a higher resolution when plotting figures that use imshow() for raster data, since this command has several choices for interpolation. As I understand, the AxesImage is sampled at this low-resolution when being written to PS/ EPS. Subsequent interpolation is done when printing, or viewing with ghostview. For the (originally?) raster data, gv seems to use a nearest-neighbor scheme, making the image blocky. It would be nice to use matplotlib's interpolation instead. Is there a fundamental reason this needs to be fixed at 72 dpi? As some publishers ask for EPS files of e.g. 300 dpi, I would think it's theoretically possible to export at different resolutions. My understanding is that the _preview_ image in the file is supposed to be 72 dpi. One possible workaround is to scale up the size of the figure (in inches), but then fonts, line thickness, marker sizes, etc. must also be scaled, making it less-than-satisfactory. Thank you in advance for any enlightenment, and please forgive my ignorance -- I must admit I don't know that much about PS, nor about the specific scheme used in matplotlib for getting the image data into the postscript file, so I may be critically mistaken in the above assessment. Best, Mike (P.S. please cc me, as I'm not subscribed) - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
Re: [matplotlib-devel] PS, dpi, and imshow
I don't know how (or if) this can be improved, but I will gladly consider patches. On Thursday 31 August 2006 03:09, Michael Fitzgerald wrote: > Hi all, > > I have a question about the PS backend (building on the thread > "imshow with PS backend" from ~ a month ago). Evidently this backend > is fixed at 72 dpi. This isn't a problem with vector information. > However, it would seem that one would want to use a higher resolution > when plotting figures that use imshow() for raster data, since this > command has several choices for interpolation. As I understand, the > AxesImage is sampled at this low-resolution when being written to PS/ > EPS. Subsequent interpolation is done when printing, or viewing with > ghostview. For the (originally?) raster data, gv seems to use a > nearest-neighbor scheme, making the image blocky. It would be nice > to use matplotlib's interpolation instead. Is there a fundamental > reason this needs to be fixed at 72 dpi? As some publishers ask for > EPS files of e.g. 300 dpi, I would think it's theoretically possible > to export at different resolutions. My understanding is that the > _preview_ image in the file is supposed to be 72 dpi. > > One possible workaround is to scale up the size of the figure (in > inches), but then fonts, line thickness, marker sizes, etc. must also > be scaled, making it less-than-satisfactory. > > Thank you in advance for any enlightenment, and please forgive my > ignorance -- I must admit I don't know that much about PS, nor about > the specific scheme used in matplotlib for getting the image data > into the postscript file, so I may be critically mistaken in the > above assessment. - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Fwd: [wxPython-users] Re: using wxImage in C++ python extension]
On 08/28/06 12:19, Christopher Barker wrote: > > wx is really due for an update to support alpha properly. But I guess > you'll always have problems with different data formats. I think they added preliminary support for alpha channels in 2.5, in the form of wx.Image.HasAlpha(). My beef is that you have to convert everything to a wx.Bitmap before you can do anything useful with it. > Anyway, this thread started because people were having binary > compatibility issues. Even if this doesn't speed up the accelerator, it > may be possible to get the same performance without using > wx-version-specific compiled code -- i.e. pure python. As near as I can tell, the primary slowdown at this point is the way wxWidgets distinguishes from RGB image data (wx.Image) as opposed to displayed image data (wx.Bitmap). Right now you cannot draw a wx.Image without first converting it into a wx.Bitmap, nor can you use a MemoryDC to blit or otherwise munge a wx.Image directly. My impression is that this made sense when wxWindows was getting started (Win16 and Motif), but is more of an artificial distinction at this point. I don't think we're going to be able to get performance similar to that of the accelerator using straight Python code unless something changes in the wxWidgets' Image/Bitmap/MemoryDC department. That being said, I'd love to be proven wrong! If you're interested in the gory details, you should check out the pure-Python implementation of the image conversion functions, at the end of `backend_wxagg.py'. > I do have one question -- does the agg back-end really need to use an > alpha channel for it's buffer? Isn't it the whole image anyway? What is > is it going to get blended with? I don't know enough about Agg to venture an educated guess. My un-educated guess is that there's an RGBA buffer to support alpha in the drawing operations... how can Agg alpha-composite new pixels into the buffer when you draw something, unless you know the alpha values of the existing pixels? Ken - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Fwd: [wxPython-users] Re: using wxImage in C++ python extension]
Ken McIvor wrote: > I think they added preliminary support for alpha channels in 2.5, in the > form of wx.Image.HasAlpha(). right, but it uses the old 24 bit RGB buffer, and separate Alpha buffer, it's kind of tacked on, rather than native. > My beef is that you have to convert > everything to a wx.Bitmap before you can do anything useful with it. And that DCs don't support alpha, even though the underlying device often does. This has been discuses a lot, but no one has done much about it yet -- wxTNG will have something better, but who knows how far out that is? > As near as I can tell, the primary slowdown at this point is the way > wxWidgets distinguishes from RGB image data (wx.Image) as opposed to > displayed image data (wx.Bitmap). Right now you cannot draw a wx.Image > without first converting it into a wx.Bitmap, nor can you use a MemoryDC > to blit or otherwise munge a wx.Image directly. My impression is that > this made sense when wxWindows was getting started (Win16 and Motif), > but is more of an artificial distinction at this point. a wxBitmap is the same format as the native rendering system. While most systems use 24b RGB (or 32b RGBA), people can still run displays at 16bpp or whatever, so it's still needed. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if some less common systems use ARGB or something else weird. > I don't think we're going to be able to get performance similar to that > of the accelerator using straight Python code But whether it's Python or C++, you still need to do the Image->Bitmap conversion -- so if we can get rid of the data copying from Agg buffer to wxImage in Python, we don't need C++. > unless something changes > in the wxWidgets' Image/Bitmap/MemoryDC department. And it has. For wxPython 2.7 (and now in CVS) there are methods for dumping 32 bit RGBA data directly into a wxBitmap with no copying, if the data source is a Python Buffer object. I think I posted a note about this here yesterday. > I'd love to be proven wrong! If you're interested in the gory details, > you should check out the pure-Python implementation of the image > conversion functions, at the end of `backend_wxagg.py'. I did, and I suggested some improvements a couple messages back. To really get it to work, the 24bit RGB Agg buffer needs to be a Python Buffer object -- is it now? I'm sorry I don't have the time to mess with this now -- maybe some day. >> I do have one question -- does the agg back-end really need to use an >> alpha channel for it's buffer? Isn't it the whole image anyway? What >> is is it going to get blended with? > > I don't know enough about Agg to venture an educated guess. My > un-educated guess is that there's an RGBA buffer to support alpha in the > drawing operations... how can Agg alpha-composite new pixels into the > buffer when you draw something, unless you know the alpha values of the > existing pixels? You can alpha composite into a non-alpha background. You just lose the alpha there, so that the background couldn't be alpha-composited onto anything else -- but does it ever need to be? However, there is something to be said for just using alpha everywhere, and as we'll soon be able to dump RGBA data straight into a wx.Bitmap, this should work great. -Chris -- Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer NOAA/OR&R/HAZMAT (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Fwd: [wxPython-users] Re: using wxImage in C++ python extension]
On 08/31/06 13:43, Christopher Barker wrote: > Ken McIvor wrote: > > a wxBitmap is the same format as the native rendering system. While most > systems use 24b RGB (or 32b RGBA), people can still run displays at > 16bpp or whatever, so it's still needed. I can understand why it's still necessary, although it's nice to sometimes pretend that everyone's running 24-bit color displays. I hope I didn't sound too judgemental! >>I don't think we're going to be able to get performance similar to that >>of the accelerator using straight Python code > > But whether it's Python or C++, you still need to do the Image->Bitmap > conversion -- so if we can get rid of the data copying from Agg buffer > to wxImage in Python, we don't need C++. I think we got some wires crossed at some point in the conversation, although it could be that I'm wearing the Stupid Hat today. I was talking about the image-from-a-buffer business not helping us with WX 2.4/2.6 due to the RGBA to RGB conversion. > And it has. For wxPython 2.7 (and now in CVS) there are methods for > dumping 32 bit RGBA data directly into a wxBitmap with no copying, if > the data source is a Python Buffer object. I think I posted a note about > this here yesterday. Yes, you did mention it. I agree completely with this analysis of the situation. When I replied I wasn't thinking in terms of wxPython 2.7. > To really get it to work, the 24bit RGB Agg buffer needs to be a Python > Buffer object -- is it now? I'm sorry I don't have the time to mess with > this now -- maybe some day. I guess Guido lets John borrow his time machine, because RendererAgg appears to already have a buffer_rgba() method. > You can alpha composite into a non-alpha background. You just lose the > alpha there, so that the background couldn't be alpha-composited onto > anything else -- but does it ever need to be? I thought that the buffer's accumulated alpha played a role in compositing new pixels onto it, but I apparently misunderstood. It must be time to read "Compositing Digital Images. Anyway, if the buffer's alpha channel isn't used, then the whole situation does seem a bit odd. Could the information be retained for PNGs or something? > However, there is something to be said for just using alpha everywhere, > and as we'll soon be able to dump RGBA data straight into a wx.Bitmap, > this should work great. Yes, it will be a great improvement over the current situation. Ken - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Fwd: [wxPython-users] Re: using wxImage in C++ python extension]
> "Ken" == Ken McIvor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Ken> On 08/31/06 13:43, Christopher Barker wrote: >> Ken McIvor wrote: >> >> a wxBitmap is the same format as the native rendering >> system. While most systems use 24b RGB (or 32b RGBA), people >> can still run displays at 16bpp or whatever, so it's still >> needed. Ken> I can understand why it's still necessary, although it's nice Ken> to sometimes pretend that everyone's running 24-bit color Ken> displays. I hope I didn't sound too judgemental! >>> I don't think we're going to be able to get performance >>> similar to that of the accelerator using straight Python code >> But whether it's Python or C++, you still need to do the >> Image->Bitmap conversion -- so if we can get rid of the data >> copying from Agg buffer to wxImage in Python, we don't need >> C++. Ken> I think we got some wires crossed at some point in the Ken> conversation, although it could be that I'm wearing the Ken> Stupid Hat today. I was talking about the Ken> image-from-a-buffer business not helping us with WX 2.4/2.6 Ken> due to the RGBA to RGB conversion. >> And it has. For wxPython 2.7 (and now in CVS) there are methods >> for dumping 32 bit RGBA data directly into a wxBitmap with no >> copying, if the data source is a Python Buffer object. I think >> I posted a note about this here yesterday. Ken> Yes, you did mention it. I agree completely with this Ken> analysis of the situation. When I replied I wasn't thinking Ken> in terms of wxPython 2.7. >> To really get it to work, the 24bit RGB Agg buffer needs to be >> a Python Buffer object -- is it now? I'm sorry I don't have the >> time to mess with this now -- maybe some day. Ken> I guess Guido lets John borrow his time machine, because Ken> RendererAgg appears to already have a buffer_rgba() method. Guido has been very generous with us :-) >> You can alpha composite into a non-alpha background. You just >> lose the alpha there, so that the background couldn't be >> alpha-composited onto anything else -- but does it ever need to >> be? Ken> I thought that the buffer's accumulated alpha played a role Ken> in compositing new pixels onto it, but I apparently Ken> misunderstood. It does: here is agg's rgba pixel blending routing static AGG_INLINE void blend_pix(value_type* p, unsigned cr, unsigned cg, unsigned cb, unsigned alpha, unsigned cover=0) { calc_type r = p[Order::R]; calc_type g = p[Order::G]; calc_type b = p[Order::B]; calc_type a = p[Order::A]; p[Order::R] = (value_type)(((cr - r) * alpha + (r << base_shift)) >> base_shift); p[Order::G] = (value_type)(((cg - g) * alpha + (g << base_shift)) >> base_shift); p[Order::B] = (value_type)(((cb - b) * alpha + (b << base_shift)) >> base_shift); p[Order::A] = (value_type)((alpha + a) - ((alpha * a + base_mask) >> base_shift)); } Ken> Images. Anyway, if the buffer's alpha channel isn't used, Ken> then the whole situation does seem a bit odd. Could the Ken> information be retained for PNGs or something? It is useful to store the final pixel buffer (eg in a PNG) as RGBA because some people like to have some parts of their figure transparent to composite the figure with other images. JDH - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
Re: [matplotlib-devel] [Fwd: [wxPython-users] Re: using wxImage in C++ python extension]
John Hunter wrote: > It is useful to store the final pixel buffer (eg in a PNG) as RGBA > because some people like to have some parts of their figure > transparent to composite the figure with other images. fair enough, and that's probably a really cool feature when you need it! ken wrote: > I was talking about the image-from-a-buffer business not helping us > with WX 2.4/2.6 due to the RGBA to RGB conversion. But it looks like RendererAgg has this a agg.tostring_rgb() method, so we should be able to do change : image.SetData(agg.tostring_rgb()) to image.SetDataBuffer(agg.tostring_rgb()) If we make sure to keepthe string around. I haven't looked at your C++ code, but does it do something faster than RendererAgg.tostring_rgb() ? Another thing that would be nice (for all Agg back-ends, I imagine), is if we could replace this: # agg => rgb -> image => bitmap => clipped bitmap => image return wx.ImageFromBitmap(_clipped_image_as_bitmap(image, bbox)) with a RendererAgg._clipped_tostring_rgb(bbox) So that we don't copy a bunch of RGB data we don't need. even if we don't do that, I think _clipped_image_as_bitmap() could use wx.Image.GetSubImage(), rather than creating a bimtp of the whole thing and blitting. untested code: def _clipped_image_as_bitmap(image, bbox): """ Convert the region of a wx.Image described by bbox to a wx.Bitmap. """ l, b, width, height = bbox.get_bounds() return wx.BitmapFromImage(image.GetSubImage(wxRect((l,b),(w,h > RendererAgg appears to already have a buffer_rgba() method. So we're all set for wxPython 2.7 -- very nice! I hope it doesn't make a copy. Is there a numpy_array_rgba method -- that could be nice, and would work as a buffer, too. Maybe when we are ready to dump Numeric and numarray. -Chris -- Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer NOAA/OR&R/HAZMAT (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 ___ Matplotlib-devel mailing list Matplotlib-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel