Re: [Matplotlib-users] EMF export doesn't work

[John H. <jd...@gm...>]

On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 3:50 AM, Thomas Pfaff <ya...@gm...> wrote:
> Hello there,
>
> when I started with matplotlib I was really enthusiastic that I can throw
> all those Excel, IDL, Matlab and whatever else I used until now overboard
> and do everything from data processing to visualization in beloved Python.
>
> Now, here at work I have to use a Windows PC and PowerPoint and graphics
> just look best in PowerPoint if they are in EMF format.
> Funny enough there seems to be no converter on the market to properly
> convert any other vector format matplotlib can produce to EMF. Even the way
> via Inkscape fails even with simple plots.
>
> If I'm wrong about the converter, please tell me and bury EMF-support.
> If not, what would you think would be the effort and the time needed to port
> the emf-backend to the latest version of matplotlib? I might at least give
> it a try.

It would not be too much work to get a *mostly functional* backend
working, but to get a fully functional backend (eg including mathtext)
would be considerably harder.  When Michael refactored the backends,
he dramatically simplified the number of methods that are required.
Starting with the template

  http://matplotlib.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/matplotlib/trunk/matplotlib/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_template.py?view=log


and having the old backend_emf around to guide you

http://matplotlib.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/matplotlib/trunk/matplotlib/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_emf.py?view=log

you could probably get something drawing lines and rectangles and text
in half a day's work.

JDH