Re: Convert images into colorful ASCII pictures in HTML or RTF format.

Magical wrote:
> With Magic Converter, it can convert images into colorful ASCII
> pictures in HTML or RIF format, as well as dramatic monochrome images
> in text format.
> 
> See the example at
> http://www.keksoft.com/eng/mc/asciipicture.htm

For the color conversions try to limit the amount of HTML you output.

You output every single block with a FONT tag complete with color and
face .. that is very inefficient.

Try encapsulating the output instead with DIV tags and set the color and
font using CSS.

One DIV for the entire image setting the font and one DIV class or id
for each individual color .. then you can reuse a DIV colorset when the
color appears again in the image.

This way you only define the font once and the color as many times as
there are unique colors.

You can even use shorthand for some colors so instead of FFFFFF you use FFF

If you want to go beyond that you can nest the tags inside each other,
but you would need to make an algorithm that calculates the most
efficient way to nest them.


Also look closer at Jave ( Jave.de ) for ideas for better shade to
character conversions .. You seem to convert to characters simply based
on their "weight" in pixels , but this would include characters that
distract the eye due to their unique shape.
Try to use chars that have a shape that blends well with others
Look at the different charactersets that Jave uses to get an idea ..

 .:oO8 blends well for example
.:%oO$8@#M is also good.

Here is a snippet from a study of shading I did once :


    ,ooSdoSodoL,.,..  ....   ,c.   _
   dSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!..:::::,d$$$[,dOO
   dSSSSSSSSSS8!!!!!!::::;d$$$$oOOOOOP
    YSSSSSSSSS;!!!!:::::c$$$$OOOOOOO',.
     YSSSSSSSP!!!::::;c$$$$,o8OOO,bo888[
      `YPPPSP  ''::;d$$$$OoOOOjb888888P
                   `FF?dOdOOd88888888bo@b
                       YO`8d888888@@@@@@b
                         d888888@@@@@@@@;m.
      _                 `8888@@@@@@@dmmMMMM
   m@@@@@m.              `'d@@@@@omdMMMMMM'
  @@@@@@@@@b             ,@@@@@,dMMMMMMMP##
 d@@@@@@@@@@.            Y@@,mMMMMMMMP#####,
 @@@@@@@@@@@[             ,MMMMMMM#########'
 @@@@@@@@@@@             ,MMMM8#########''
 Y@@@@@@@@@'              ;##########''
   "PPPP'`                `####'''''
                           `''