Comparison of the Graphics Output

SAS/GRAPH Images That You Can Import into Microsoft Products

The SAS/GRAPH software can generate the following types of graphics output that can be imported into Microsoft products:
EMF and WMF GIF and BMP ACTIVEX (RTF)
CGM EPS ACTXIMG (RTF)
PNG HTML (PNG) ACTXIMG (PNG)
JPEG and TIFF RTF JAVAIMG (PNG)
Note the following:
  • The ODS HTML destination generates two files: a PNG file (by default) that contains the graph and an HTML file that enables you to view the graph file.
  • The ODS RTF destination, when used with a device such as PNG or GIF, but not a Java or ActiveX device, generates a single RTF file with an embedded image.
  • The ACTIVEX device is used with the ODS RTF or ODS HTML destination to create an RTF or HTML file that contains code that is consumed by the ActiveX Control.
  • The ACTXIMG and JAVAIMG devices generate a PNG file that contains a static graph that is generated by the ACTIVEX and JAVA devices respectively.
  • Procedures that do not support the ACTIVEX, ACTXIMG, JAVA, and JAVAIMG devices produce a GIF file when the ACTIVEX, ACTXIMG, JAVA, or JAVAIMG device is used.
Comparison of the Graphics and Document Types provides a brief comparison of these graphics output formats and lists some of the graphics output devices that generate each output type. For detailed information about all of the graphics output devices, see Overview: Using Graphics Devices.
Comparison of the Graphics and Document Types
Type
Advantages and Limitations
Devices
EMF and WMF
Advantages:
  • Most Windows-based applications recognize the EMF and WMF formats.
  • Graphs stored in EMF or WMF can usually be edited after they are imported.
  • Graphs are imported at full size into Office, and can be resized without a loss of quality.
Limitations:
  • SASEMF and SASWMF
  • EMF and WMF
CGM
Advantages:
  • Graphs stored in CGM files can be edited after they are imported.
  • The image can be resized without a loss of quality.
Limitations:
  • CGMOFML (landscape)
  • CGMOFMP (portrait)
PNG
Advantages:
  • Designed to display images on the Web.
  • Uses lossless data compression.
  • Supports transparency (with the PNGT device).
  • Can store high-resolution images.
  • Supports truecolor images.
Limitation: cannot be resized without a loss of quality.
  • PNG ( no transparency)
  • PNG300 (no transparency)
  • PNGT (transparency)
  • UPNG (no transparency)
  • UPNGT (transparency)
JPEG and TIFF
Advantages:
  • JPEG is widely used for displaying photographs on the Web.
  • Both can store high-resolution graphics.
Limitations:
  • JPEG uses lossy compression.
  • The SAS/GRAPH JPEG device supports only 256 colors.
  • TIFF is not a Web graphics format.
  • JPEG and TIFF images cannot be resized without a loss of quality.
  • JPEG
  • TIFFP (color)
  • TIFFB (monochrome)
GIF and BMP
Advantages:
  • GIF supports transparent backgrounds.
  • GIF can store multiple images per file when it is formatted as an animated GIF.
  • Both support the IBACK option and the IMAGE annotation function for including logos and other images in the background of the graph.
Limitations:
  • Both formats have a fixed resolution of 96 DPI.
  • The GIF standard is limited to 256 colors.
  • Cannot be resized without a loss of quality.
  • BMP (720x480)
  • BMP20 (720 480, BMP 2.0)
  • GIF (800x600)
  • GIFANIM (1280x1024, multi-image)
  • UGIF (Universal Printer)
EPS
Advantages:
  • Can contain a combination of vector and bitmap objects.
  • Can be resized after it is imported into Office 97 or Office 2000.
Limitations:
  • The images should not be edited after they are imported.
  • Because the system display does not use the PostScript language to render the graph, these graphics might be visible only when printed to a PostScript printer.
  • Because the preview is created automatically in Office 2002 and later, the image should not be resized after it is imported.
  • Although this format can store more than one image per file, an EPS file should contain only one image.
  • UEPS (gray scale)
  • UEPSC (color)
  • PSEPSF (gray scale)
  • PSEPSFA4 (gray scale)
  • PSLEPSF (gray scale)
  • PSLEPSFC (color)
HTML
Advantages:
  • Can store text and graphics.
  • In Office 2000 and later, and in Microsoft Word in Office 97, the images are loaded into the document automatically when the HTML is imported.
Limitation: In Office 97, the images are not loaded into a PowerPoint or Excel document when the HTML is imported. Only the text and tables are imported.
  • JPEG
  • GIF and UGIF
  • ACTIVEX
  • ACTXIMG and JAVAIMG, which create PNG files
  • PNG, PNGT, UPNG, and UPNGT
RTF
Advantages:
  • Designed specifically for sharing documents between word processors.
  • Can store both text and graphics.
  • JPEG
  • ACTIVEX
  • ACTXIMG and JAVAIMG, which create PNG files
  • PNG, PNGT, UPNG, and UPNGT
  • SASEMF and EMF

Working Around the EMF and CGM Transparency Limitation

For the EMF and CGM devices, you can work around the transparency limitation as follows:
  • For EMF, use the CBACK= or IBACK= graphics options to assign the matching color or image for the graph background. You could instead edit the EMF file after it is imported to remove the default background.
  • For CGM, use the CBACK= graphics to assign a matching background color to the CGM file. The CGM devices do not support the IBACK= graphics option or the IMAGE function. To have an image in the document or slide appear as the background of the graph, edit the graph after it is imported to remove the background created by SAS so that the document background shows through.

About the Default CGM Filter for Microsoft Office

To import CGM files in Microsoft Office, you must install the default CGM filter. For information about the CGM filter and how to install it for your version of Microsoft Office, visit the Microsoft Support Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com
Copyright © SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.