PNG File Format

• 2, 4, 16 or 256 Color, with palettes - like GIF.
  
  
• 24-bit and 48-bit True Color.
  
  
• 2, 4, 16, 256 or 65,536 levels of gray, in Gray Scale.

• Browser support of PNG has been patchy, and in particular Microsoft's Internet Explorer (and the AOL and MSN Browsers which use Internet Explorer as underlying technology) have had a number of problems with PNGs, especially with transparency. For detailed information on this issue, see PNG-supporting Browsers.
  
  
• PNG does not support animations (unlike GIF). Moreover, while a closely related format, MNG, is being developed for this purpose, it is currently not widely supported by browsers, without additional software (which, of course, most users won't have).

• How To Make Web Animations With A Photo Background
  
  
• Recommended Web Publishing File Formats

• Compressed Image File Formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, XBM, BMP (ACM Press)

  By John Miano Addison-Wesley Professional Paperback (288 pages) Amazon.com: Compressed Image File Formats is an appealingly compact and useful guide to some of today's most popular file formats used for image data. For any programmer who needs to know how images are stored, this concise reference can serve as a really invaluable resource. Besides full coverage of the popular BMP, GIF, and PNG file formats, the book zeroes in on the JPEG standard, perhaps today's most popular (and most complicated) image format. In a series of short chapters, the book looks at JPEG in detail, from basic file organization (its format and marker fields), file compression techniques (like Huffman coding and DCT), and how to decode (read) and encode (write) JPEG images. By condensing hundreds of pages of specifications and documentation from the voluminous JPEG standard into this short volume, the author has created a worthwhile summary of key JPEG features and compression techniques useful to any graphics programmer. The book also includes C++ code for a simple JPEG encoder (on the accompanying CD-ROM). This example can get you started compressing images using the JPEG format. In addition, the book discusses techniques for creating and decoding progressive JPEGs (used for downloading images in stages, in progressively finer resolutions, over the Internet). Whether you are a programmer faced with decoding or encoding image data, or an interested Webmaster who wants to know the pros and cons of today's image file formats, Compressed Image File Formats provides a worthwhile and concise reference to what's inside image files. --Richard Dragan Topics covered: bitmap basics, color models, Windows BMP file format, XBM file format, JPEG basics and file format, JPEG File Interchange Format (JFIF), JPEG Huffman Coding, data unit encoding, Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), matrix operations, JPEG decoding and encoding, progressive JPEG, GIF file format and compression, and PNG file format. List Price: $54.99 Lowest New Price: $24.98 Lowest Used Price: $13.57 Usually ships in 24 hours (As of 20:18 Pacific 7 Jul 2008 More Info) Buy It Now

  
  
  
• Internet File Formats: Your Complete Resource for Sending, Receiving, and Using Internet Files

  By Tim Kientzle Coriolis Group Books Paperback (416 pages) Book Description: Provides a detailed file format dictionary to help you understand most of the major file formats found on the Internet. Comes with a CD-ROM jam-packed with programs and tools to help you work with the files you come across on the Internet. Includes player programs to use files you download from the Internet. Contains compression and decompression utilities, and utilities to help you convert files from one format to another. Offers the tools to help you create HTML files and publish on the Web, and efficiently transfer your files. Helps you to read, write, convert, and use most of the major file types encountered on the Internet. List Price: $39.99 Lowest New Price: $3.99 Lowest Used Price: $0.38 (As of 16:52 Pacific 8 Jul 2008 More Info) Buy It Now

• ALL2BMP
  123GraphicConverter is a software tool that help you to convert your PSD, JPEG, GIF, and other graphics files to BMP, JPEGWMF, GIF, PNG, TGA, PCX, TIFF graphics files.
  
  
• Able Graphic Manager
  Able Graphic Manager is a program that enables you to easily view, print and convert graphic files in normal (file by file) and batch (many files at a time) modes. Input formats include Drawing Interchange Format (DXF), TIFF, JPEG, BMP, RLE, PNG, WMF, EMF, TARGA, VDA, ICB, VST, PIX, PXM, PPM, PGM, PBM and ICO, CUR. Output formats include JPEG, TIFF, PCX, PNG, BMP, Targa, PXM, PPM, PGM and PBM.
  
  
• AutoDWG DWG2Image
  AutoDWG DWG2Image a batch converter converts DWG or DXF files to BMP, JPEG, TIFF, GIF or PNG without needing AutoCAD.
  
  
• BatchImage
  This program allows you to batch convert image files. It includes an effect edit function and allows you to stamp copyright information on your images. It supports JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PCX, PCD, PSD, TAG, PNG, WMF, EMF and PIC file formats.
  
  
• FontTwister
  FontTwister is the fastest and easiest way to create dazzling text effects. FontTwister comes with an impressive selection of templates for graphic styles, color gradients, textures, shapes, letter edges, 3-D bevels, shadows, buttons and frames. Simple intuitive controls let you interactively real-time view and select your desired effect. You can re-edit text and effects at any time. The effect generator creates unlimited variations of amazing text effects.
  
  
  Use high impact, anti-aliased text for logos, 2D and 3D headings in letters, presentations, flyers, invitations, cards, faxes, posters, web graphics, labels, banners, buttons, covers. FontTwister supports several popular image formats (.bmp, .jpg, .png, .tif, .wmf).

• PNG (Portable Network Graphics) Home Site
  Detailed information on the PNG file format, including technical/programming discussions and source code.
  
  
• PNG-supporting Browsers
  Detailed information on browser support for PNG.
  
  
• Portable Network Graphics
  An overview of PNG fromat the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).