# Attachment file formats (PDF's & TIFF's???)



## TommyWillB (Dec 8, 2002)

I know this is a very small point, but now that OS X 10.2 uses PDF's as the default screen capture format, it is necessary to go through multiple steps before being able to upload this to a message as an attachment.

Step one: Screen capture --> PDF
Step two: Preview Save As --> TIFF
Step three: Preview Save As --> JPEG/PNG

Would it be possible to simply make either PDF or TIFF valid file formats that can be attached to a message?


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## TommyWillB (Dec 8, 2002)

According to the error message I get trying to upload a PDF, these are the valid formats:





> gif jpg png txt zip bmp jpeg


Seems very weird that we'd be able to upload the native image format for WinDoze (BMP) and not the native OS X format...


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## adambyte (Dec 8, 2002)

Yeah, I suppose that's a limitation of vBulletin, or whatever they use to make these forums.

btw, you can simply open your PDF captures and then use File->Export to export directly to JPEG. So... it's still.... 2 steps.


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## edX (Dec 8, 2002)

adambyte is correct - this is a limitation of vbulletin. i wouldn't want it to be use pdf's anyway, but tiff's would be nice.


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## scruffy (Dec 9, 2002)

Yeah, that's pretty Windows-y alright.  I mean, who else uses .bmp files, anyway?

And what about zip files?  That seems odd too - this is Unix, right?  So what's wrong with .gz/.tgz  or for that matter .sit?


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## themacko (Dec 9, 2002)

okay, so exacly what kind of file types are we wanting?  it can be modified to accept different file extensions...


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## edX (Dec 9, 2002)

my only concern is that if people don't need to go thru at least one conversion process, many of the graphic files will be huge. and not everyone is on broadband. pdf's are notoriously big.


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## ksv (Dec 9, 2002)

The problem about PDF is that it requires a browser plugin to view in the browser, and it takes forever to load on older machines. If the plugin isn't installed, it will be saved as a file.


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## Giaguara (Dec 9, 2002)

but can't really pdf be added here???

i use woltlab and as far as i remember, i could abilitate pdf there. hm. let me go and play in the pref panel for a moment anc check that out...

i would enjoy the pdf thing anyway


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## Giaguara (Dec 9, 2002)

just added pdf. so at least woltlab allows it. is it sure vbulletin doesn0t??? :-/


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## evildan (Dec 9, 2002)

Ahh, you should be able to open the pdf and save as a jpg... don't know what is gained by saving it as a tiff.

Also, I wouldn't want tiff... with the size limitations and LZW compression incompatibilities, we could be opening ourselves up to a mess .


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## TommyWillB (Dec 9, 2002)

> _Originally posted by adambyte _
> *btw, you can simply open your PDF captures and then use File->Export to export directly to JPEG. So... it's still.... 2 steps. *


 It would NOT let me do that... The "Export" menu item was greyed out...


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## TommyWillB (Dec 9, 2002)

Here is a screen grab...

So what's the deal? Is this a vBulletin limitation or not?


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## adambyte (Dec 10, 2002)

Hey TommyWillB.... I hate to tell you this, but "Export" is not greyed out for me when I open a PDF file..... now the real big question is, does anybody know why Tommy's Export won't work?


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## edX (Dec 10, 2002)

well, i'm sure i'm doing the whole process like a simpleton, but i just use grab and get my capture, save as tiff and then convert to jpg with graphic converter. it really doesn't take long and compreses the file to a size that dialup members can handle. while i have often thought it would be cool to just upload a tiff, i also see that most full screen shots run upwards of 200k, not exactly dialup friendly. i think some consideration to time and effort on both sides must be considered in this question.


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## TommyWillB (Dec 10, 2002)

D'oh!!!!

<rookie_move>
The Preivew that I had in my Dock was an old one burried way down in a non-Apple default location.

...As soon as I tried the later one it happily Exported my PDF screen capture (which i did with Command+SHIF+4 vs. with Grab).
</rookie_move>


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## TommyWillB (Dec 10, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ed Spruiell _
> *well, i'm sure i'm doing the whole process like a simpleton, but i just use grab and get my capture, save as tiff and then convert to jpg with graphic converter. it really doesn't take long and compreses the file to a size that dialup members can handle. while i have often thought it would be cool to just upload a tiff, i also see that most full screen shots run upwards of 200k, not exactly dialup friendly. i think some consideration to time and effort on both sides must be considered in this question. *


 No offense (especially after my bonehead rookie move), but does that mean that you don't know how to make vBulletin accept PDF's and DMg's instead of WinDoze BMP's and ZIP's?

That of course was the orginal question.


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## edX (Dec 11, 2002)

i don't. macko sounds like he might. i think the dmg addition would be a good one. i'm still not sold on pdf's as i hate the things genrally. if it were strictly my decision i would leave it at jpegs and gif's for pics - period. 
but remember,  i really am a bone head rookie when it comes to being an admin and using vB.  (now what's your excuse Tommy?  )


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## Giaguara (Dec 11, 2002)

that' no excuse ed...  i tried to see in woltlab only if i could add there pdf or other formats as attach. and it took about 30 seconds to add it there. i don't belive vb is bar diffrent ...


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## edX (Dec 11, 2002)

yea, but Giaguara, you're a super geek and i'm just a power user


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## TommyWillB (Dec 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ed Spruiell _
> *...now what's your excuse Tommy?  *


 Now this is really a different discussion for a different thread...

...but after years of Apple use, I've become very accustomed to the idea of being able to put both files and applications where I want, not where Apple or the program maker wants...

the idea that I have to leave programs where Apple put this is completly idiotic and has very heavy shades of WinDoze...

Grrrrrrrrrrr...


(Sorry!... You asked!)


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