File Formatts

Graphical files are either Bitmap or Vector based; these different types can be broken down into different file formats which are shown via the extension at the end of the name; for example “.jpg”. jpg or jpeg as it is commonly known, it’s a bitmap an therefore loses quality when a user zooms in on the image. Vector based imaged do not loose quality, for example “.ai”. AI stands for Adobe Illustrator. This package is used for professional appearing images

Common Bitmap formats

.BMP (Windows Bitmap File) - Used as the standard bitmap storage format in the Microsoft Windows environment

.GIF (CompuServe Graphic Interchange Format) - GIF is a compressed image file format

.PSD (Photoshop file) - The file format used in Adobe's Photoshop

.TIFF (Tagged-Image File Format) -  Standard image format across multiple computer platforms

Common Vector Formats

.CDR (CorelDraw File) - The file format used in CorelDraw

.DXF or (DWG AutoCAD file) - The file format used in AutoCAD

.CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) - Commonly used for 2D images

.EMF (Enhance Meta File) - Used for more commonly for photos

.EPS (Encapsulated PostScript File) - Higher quality used by professionals

.FH (Macromedia FreeHand File) A digitaly user drawn image

.SWF (Shock Wave Flash) - The file format for playing Flash animation files

.SVG (Scaleable Vector Graphic) - One of the more standerd vector

based graphics

.WMF (Windows Metafiles) - Microsoft's home made vector file format

This is a screen shot of the same images saved as differnt file formats to show how file formatts effect the file size.