Frequently asked question

What are the differences between the three CGM formats?

Last Published: April 25, 2020

Answer

The three computer graphics metafile (CGM) formats that ArcView GIS will export are:

BINARY - This encoding format is the most efficient for generation and processing; thus, it is more commonly used by other applications. It may, however, not be easily transportable between heterogeneous computers due to binary representation differences between machines.

CHARACTER - This is a compressed ASCII encoding format that is suitable for systems that have restricted storage capacity. Because of its size it provides optimized transfer between computer systems (e.g., data transmission over modem).

CLEAR TEXT - This is an uncompressed ASCII encoding format that can be easily read and edited with any text editor. This format, however, requires more storage space and takes more processing time.

Note:
CGM files can handle raster data quite well, though they are more efficient handling vector data.

Article ID:000005277

Software:
  • Legacy Products

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