University of Utah, Eccles Health
Sciences Library
Abstract:
Rather
than just publishing an atlas in book form and ignoring other delivery methods,
we decided to publish electronically with the ability for the user to print
high quality, high resolution, black/white or color pages from their computer.
Internet delivery alone does not accommodate high resolution printing for the
user, unless your product is packaged within software applications like Acrobat,
or as in this case, Flash. Acrobat files tend to be large, especially if your
document contains high-resolution scans (300 dpi or greater) which take
excessive amounts of time to display, print, or download over the Internet.
Although delivery of bitmap, scanned images (like photographs) in Flash poses
the same problems, vector-based drawing programs such as Macromedia Freehand,
Flash and Adobe Illustrator can provide high resolution display and printing
while keeping file size to a minimum, small enough to accommodate the web as
well as lower end machines and smaller monitors (under 17”).
This
project started out as a series of 300 maps of the brain, created in Freehand 5
years ago for eventual publishing as a book. Since then, electronic publishing
has advanced, and we decided to make the atlas as a CD-ROM, a printable book of
b/w or color brain images. In addition, it is an interactive, on-line resource
for students as well as researchers. Using Flash, we have been able to avoid
print publishing, giving the user control. Since Freehand and Flash are both
vector-based applications, and both made by Macromedia, the conversion between
each is seamless. Freehand has long been a standard in the print publishing
world, and Flash is quickly becoming the standard for vector based animation
and interactivity, with specific emphasis on delivery over the web or with the
stand-alone Flash player. Freehand files can easily be imported into Flash
without any loss of quality (print or display) and can be set up in an interface
for interactivity and exploration beyond a normal paper printout or textbook,
yet at the same time users could either print specific images, or print the
entire atlas for spiral binding. This is enabled by the newest version of the
Flash player, a small piece of free software installed in most current browsers
and also available for download at the Macromedia web site. The Flash player is
all that is necessary to either view the atlas on the computer, or print out
the entire book of images. With Acrobat PDF publishing we could not provide the
needed interactivity AND print features necessary to cover both areas (print,
electronic). Freehand and Flash, both geared toward different audiences, can be
combined in a powerful way to publish on both ends of the spectrum.
High-resolution display and printing from vector-based applications, using
Freehand and Flash collectively, and advanced Flash interactivity (movie clips,
action scripts, user printing) will be discussed.
PRIMARY AUTHOR'S
INFORMATION
Derek Cowan
10 North 1900 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-5890
Telephone Number: 801-585-1281
Fax Number: 801-581-3632
E-mail Address: dcowan@library.med.utah.edu