Re: Batik PDF 'rasterizer' rasterizes objects under the mask

Hi Jan.

Jan Tosovsky:
> I rely on mask in my SVG image (simplified test case enclosed) but when it
> is later converted into the PDF format, all the objects underneath that mask
> are rasterized. Although the final quality can be set via the dpi attribute,
> I would prefer vector nature of these objects (btw, it drastically reduces
> the final file size). Is there any option or approach to avoid this
> rasterizing? Or is this behaviour by design?
> 
> I use Batik 1.7. Actually I need it for FOP, but it uses Batik for SVG
> processing I think.

I am not knowledgeable about PDF, but my understanding was that the type
of effects that masks can have cannot be represented in PDF itself and
therefore have to be rasterised.  I see that your example actually uses
a mask that is either fully on or fully off at every point.  If that is
representative of your actual uses of masks, you could replace that with
a <clipPath>, which shouldn’t cause the content to be rasterised.

-- 
Cameron McCormack ≝ http://mcc.id.au/