Hi Dave, I can't say that I had any problems with the TIF files, but I do like to idea of the PDF's. Especially adding in a "provided by FreeBMD" message I downloaded a few pages and types of files and generally the PDF is smaller than the original, but on one particular image 1853M2 Page 070 via the transcriber page and got a 185K gif file. The PDF came in at a massive 2,072K This solution may well solve the TIF issue, but could cause some bandwidth problems. Generally the pdf is smaller e.g. 1858B3-0269x was a gif of 174K and a pdf of 160K TIf files also seem to be smaller 287K compared to 293K Kevin -----Original Message----- From: Dave Mayall [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 01 July 2004 16:02 To: [email protected] Subject: Addressing the TIFF file problem and a new initiative Going by the early feedback on the public access to the images, there are five main gripes; 1) Problems with XP and tiff files 2) Some people have no tiff viewer 3) People want to resize etc images 4) Filename when saving 5) "?" in dropdowns 1 and 2 are major issues, whilst 3 and 4 are more a case of "does sir want the moon on a stick", but hey-ho, if the masses don't get what they want, they write in with endless suggestions as to how it could be done differently, and we get no peace. Point 5 is a poor bit of HCI. I got some way down the track with doing on the fly tiff>jpg conversions to resolve 1 and 2 and added the code to fix 4 and 5. Unfortunately, it seems that all TIFF files are not equal, and some of ours are not standards compliant :-( They cause no problems until you try to convert them to jpgs, where they upset our conversion routines. So, a re-think was in order, and I'd like people to take a look at the prototype of a revised version, which converts all files on the public interface (but not the transcriber interface) to pdf files. This resolves file format problems, and provides a viewer that allows re- sizing, so might even keep the punters happy. It allso allows us to embed a "provided by FreeBMD" into the file, to catch naughty people trying to sell the images. Other enhancements; "?" replaced by "A-Z" in menus better handling of letter ranges in menus file name embedded in output user presented with open/save option box Can people have a play! http://images2.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/choose4.pl And the New Initiative.... Is something that I can claim absolutely no credit whatsoever for. Bob Phillips has set up a mini project to deal with the very worst scans, in particular those scans which are so poor on the film that a conventional re- scan won't help. Bob's project is described at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.phillips40/rescans.htm Basically we get volunteers with digital cameras to go to the FRC and photograph the particularly bad pages from the books. It's an idea which is breathtakingly simple, but it needed someone to think it and to drive it forward, and a big round of applause to Bob for that. I know that Bob would like to take the project further, so if you live in London, have a digital camera, and fancy having a go, please get in touch with Bod. -- Dave Mayall ---------------------------------------------- This mail sent through http://www.ukonline.net ==== FREEBMD-SYNDICATES Mailing List ==== Want to help FreeBMD? Go to http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/Signup.html to find out how. ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.713 / Virus Database: 469 - Release Date: 2004-06-30