shaded graphics and color depth

[SIANNON -at- VISUS -dot- JNJ -dot- com]

A response on the graphics + size thread reminded me of something.

I regularly hear on the list about using GIF formats and 8-bit graphics for 
screenshots in helpfiles or other documentation, as a tactic to reduce 
filesizes. I've encountered a few "mileage may vary" scenarios in this, and 
would like to get some opinions/ideas on your chosen decision points and 
preferred strategies for addressing color depth vs. filesize in images; 
I've provided a few scenarios along the continuum for this purpose.

(Yes, I *have* seen that article referenced in a previous thread, giving an 
overview of the graphic filetype pro's and con's, but I heard/read it less 
than 3 times, so I won't automatically take it as gospel (*grin*).  
Besides, there are more variable shades of gray along this continuum than 
the article covers, and that's what I'm seeking: the reasoning behind the 
"grayscale" choices.)

Also, another note before I list the example scenarios, -- is there a grid 
anywhere cross-referencing software tools against the graphic formats they 
convert graphic files into when they are imported/embedded/pasted into a 
doc?  I remember hearing/reading (I forget where) that SHEG editors convert 
vector graphics to a bitmapped format in order to precisely match up the 
image maps, but I don't remember details enough to accept it as a fact (it 
may be way off, AFAIK).


Scenario 1:  Screenshots with graduated shading. Output to Winhelp and 
paper.

Scenario 2:  Color photos (from digital camera) of complex hardware for 
detailed maintenance and inspection procedures.  Maintained in MSWord2K, 
output to paper.

Scenario 3:  Website screenshots with shaded buttons (light text on dark 
background shading from one color to another) and some duotone photos.  
Output to paper (marketing brochures and customer service training 
manuals).

Scenario 4:  Command-line terminal, white on black. Paper documentation for 
"idiot's guide" training.

Scenario 5:  Screenshots with graduated shading. Output to film for 
professional printing (I recall us having a 300dpi bottom quality limit for 
bitmapped graphics, including JPEG, when I was doing digital prepress, 
since the AGFA usually ran 1200dpi, and some of the originals we got looked 
smudgy or bitty even at 300 dpi).

Scenario 6:  Black-and-white line art, used to illustrate procedures for a 
non-software process (how-to repair of the piers and subflooring on a 
balloon-frame house).  Output to HTML (on-line how-to reference guide), and 
repurposed to paper booklets.


Thanks for your input! 
Shauna Iannone
...who has a programmer fond of making buttons with graduated shading on a 
VB app., and so has encountered such joyful experiences recently...

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