CG TOOLS

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  CGT - GRAPHICS FILES

  CGT - File Types

   CGT - Raster

      Raster Formats
          .BMP .DIB .RLE
          .GIF GIF_a GIF_b AniGIF
          .JPEG .JPG
          .PNG
          .TGA
          .TIF TIFF
          

      CGT - Raster Editors

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A raster file is basically a series of color values, either in a list, or an array, which is a pixel by pixel description of an image. Different raster formats define the pixel map differently, using various strategies to either make the size of the file smaller, or to make the color depth larger or appear to be larger. Some use a compression scheme, some don't. Some are binary, and some are an ASCII text format. Some offer special features like layers, or animation frames, and some offer transperancy. All raster files describe the image only as a mosiac of colored dots.

Color Depth may be any value the system will support, but the practical human limit for distinctly identifiable colors is about 32 bits of color depth. Though there are formats with color depth greater than this.

A raster file can serve a variety of purposes. It can be an image. It can be used to map a texture for rendering. It can even be used to store 3D data such as false-color thermal imaging or topographical elevation data.