A High-Resolution Computer Graphics System

are a graphics system and a high-resolution printer that provide scientists with a means of producing camera-ready text and graphics. This paper describes techniques for producing three types of graphics: halfone pictures, line drawings, and solid-jlled areas. An overview of the software system is also presented. A graphics system that incorporates an experimental high-resolution , all-points-addressable printer has been in use for several years at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center. This system produces camera-ready copy of printed text and graphics of sufficiently high quality for publication.' The combined use of graphics software and hardware provides the Research user community with nearly complete control over the visual quality of their printed work. All the figures in this paper have been produced by this high-resolution computer graphics system. Discussed here are techniques used to produce the three types of graphics included here-halftone imagery, line drawings, and area-filled images. The high-resolution printer uses a computer-controlled cathode ray tube (CRT) that is capable of projecting an image of 800 dots per inch, both horizontally and vertically, onto photographic film. These dots are uniform in size and intensity. The individually ad-dressable dots are called picture elements or pixels. The printer projects text characters onto the film by referencing appropriate fonts (files of prestored character images of the same size and style). Enhancements to the software allow users to send their own raster data to the printer either as fonts of regular characters or as fonts of special characters that contain elements of larger graphic images. Copying is permitted without payment of royalty provided that (1) each reproduction is done without alteration and (2) the Journal reference and IBM copyright notice are included on the first page. The title and abstract may be used without further permission in computer-based and other information-service systems. Permission to republish other excerpts should be obtained from the Editor.