Corel Draw 12 - How to read and convert the CDR format on the server side (linux)

Author

How to read and convert the CDR format on the server side (linux)

HIT

2005-07-13, 7:43 pm

Hi,
We are the software company and recently one of our customers wants u=
s =

to make a web-based application for them. One of the functions of that =

application would be reading the CDR file sent by a user through a web =

browser and convert it preferably to macromedia flash object or/and any =
=

standard raster format (jpg, png, etc.).
The CDR format conversion utility have to work on the server (linux) =
=

preferably as a commandline application.

We've been searching the web for last couple of days but haven't found a=
ny =

such solution, therefore we're writting directly to you.

Please let us know if you have such application or you know of any that =
=

would meet the above described requirements.

If something is not clear in our description, please do not hesitate to =
=

come back to us with more detailed questions.

Thank you in advance,
With regards,
Tomasz Gnyp
managing director
HIT Enterprises
hit(at)hitenterprises(dot)pl
-- =

U=BFywam programu pocztowego Opery: http://www.opera.com/mail/

Patrick J. McLaughlin Jr.

2005-07-13, 11:35 pm

Hello HIT,
I don't think your are going to find anything like this. Also, I think yo=
u
might suggest an alternative to your client. It sounds like they want
to have "portable" or transferable graphics and the actual format the fil=
e
comes in is really not all that important. If so, just have your clients'
clients' upload over http/ftp/CVS or whatever a postscript file. Draw can
export, and convert fonts to curves in the same step, make you a nice
friendly eps or ps file that you can pass off and even reopen in another
Draw application. It will even solve version incompatibility problems so
you wont need to update their code every 6 months. It might even make you=
r
clients system open to more software users, like IL, Ooo, Inkscape, and
whatever will output an eps file.

That's just my opinion, and I am no expert on the subject,
Best of Luck to you and all in Drawland,
Corel Draw, a most excellent piece of software!
2=A2 from Pat Jr.

HIT

2005-07-13, 11:35 pm

> It sounds like they want
> to have "portable" or transferable graphics and the actual format the =
=

> file comes in is really not all that important.

That, unfortunatelly is not true... it _is_ very important to allow =

clients to upload the CDR file and not force them to do any =

exporting/converting.

Tomasz

K.N.Pepper

2005-07-13, 11:36 pm

Hello Tomasz,

You may find the following conversation that took place right
here quite..., shall we say disheartening?

o----------------------------8<----------------------------o
19th September 2002

Hello Tony [of Corel Corporation],

I've been meaning to bring this to your attention for some time.
I'm an engineering advisor to Voice & Data Systems, an
international company that designs unified messaging systems for
service providers, telcos and large corporations. One of their
systems, an email-to-fax rasterizer lists 167 compatible file
formats. The difficulties encountered in rasterizing draw and
paint files, in the absence of specs or reliable third-party
viewers left only one choice - installing Draw and Paint at every
server node around the world. However the licensing cost for the
hundreds of nodes involved became prohibitive. It was my sad duty
to advise VDS to drop all claims of compatibility with respect to
CorelDRAW and PHOTO-PAINT files. What this boils down to is that
users of this service can send any of 167 file types (including
Adobe images), but not Corel images.

All of this is to say that a viewer/printer would be in the
interest of Corel.

(I'll be happy to send you the file compatibility list in
private.)

KNPepper
(Always in support of Corel, but sometimes there's no choice.)

o----------------------------8<----------------------------o
23rd September 2002

Response:

Noted.

We've never released an SDK with the .CDR format documented in
it, nor do we intend to.

That said though, there are other things we could do (which are
under eval).

T.
o----------------------------END----------------------------o

Alas, nothing came of it.

Regards,

K.N.Pepper
[To respond privately, remove the 'EXTRA' stuff from my add.]

Jim Hart

2005-07-14, 4:28 am

HIT wrote:
> That, unfortunatelly is not true... it _is_ very important to allow
> clients to upload the CDR file and not force them to do any
> exporting/converting.
>

The CDR format is proprietary and unpublished, and is not likely to be
published by Corel. It might be possible to reverse engineer the format
but that would probably violate copyright and that would not be in your
or your client's best interests.

Your clients need to choose another format, perhaps CMX. CMX is format
created by Corel for exchange with other programs.
--

Jim Hart [CTech Volunteer]
www.microtecniqs.com

Ventura FAQ available at:
http://www.draw.nu/venturafaq/

Bill

2005-07-14, 4:28 am

I received a similar response some years ago when I asked
if/when/why-not there would be an Avenza Map-publisher hook-up with
Corel Draw in the same way that Avenza provide add-ons to Freehand and
Illustrator - again it was a blank wall...
Oh well - one wonders what they're anxious about! :)
It seems to me that enhancing the operability of the software would
extrend it's usage and competitiveness...
Bill

K.N.Pepper wrote:
> Hello Tomasz,
>
> You may find the following conversation that took place right
> here quite..., shall we say disheartening?
>
> o----------------------------8<----------------------------o
> 19th September 2002
>
> Hello Tony [of Corel Corporation],
>
> I've been meaning to bring this to your attention for some time.
> I'm an engineering advisor to Voice & Data Systems, an
> international company that designs unified messaging systems for
> service providers, telcos and large corporations. One of their
> systems, an email-to-fax rasterizer lists 167 compatible file
> formats. The difficulties encountered in rasterizing draw and
> paint files, in the absence of specs or reliable third-party
> viewers left only one choice - installing Draw and Paint at every
> server node around the world. However the licensing cost for the
> hundreds of nodes involved became prohibitive. It was my sad duty
> to advise VDS to drop all claims of compatibility with respect to
> CorelDRAW and PHOTO-PAINT files. What this boils down to is that
> users of this service can send any of 167 file types (including
> Adobe images), but not Corel images.
>
> All of this is to say that a viewer/printer would be in the
> interest of Corel.
>
> (I'll be happy to send you the file compatibility list in
> private.)
>
> KNPepper
> (Always in support of Corel, but sometimes there's no choice.)
>
> o----------------------------8<----------------------------o
> 23rd September 2002
>
> Response:
>
> Noted.
>
> We've never released an SDK with the .CDR format documented in
> it, nor do we intend to.
>
> That said though, there are other things we could do (which are
> under eval).
>
> T.
> o----------------------------END----------------------------o
>
> Alas, nothing came of it.
>
> Regards,
>
> K.N.Pepper
> [To respond privately, remove the 'EXTRA' stuff from my add.]
>
>
>
>
>

Ronny Axelsson

2005-07-14, 4:28 am

Jim wrote
>
> The CDR format is proprietary and unpublished, and is not likely to be published by Corel. It
> might be possible to reverse engineer the format but that would probably violate copyright and
> that would not be in your or your client's best interests.
>

Both Illustrator and Freehand do have import filters for CDR-files (not
the latest version perhaps, but anyway). How did they get the code?
Is reversed engineering more or less accepted or do the big ones supply
each other with source code (don't think so)? I mean, CorelDraw can
open/import both AI and FH files as well.
Anyone knows?

--
Ronny Axelsson

"Yesterday, I had a near-life experience and for a moment
I almost believed I was for real."

Jim Hart

2005-07-14, 4:28 am

Ronny Axelsson wrote:
> Both Illustrator and Freehand do have import filters for CDR-files (not
> the latest version perhaps, but anyway). How did they get the code?
> Is reversed engineering more or less accepted or do the big ones supply
> each other with source code (don't think so)? I mean, CorelDraw can
> open/import both AI and FH files as well.

Good question. AI files are pretty easy. They are essentially either EPS
or PDF with and AI extension. I believe Corel contracts with a
third-party developer for their import/export filters for non-Corel
apps. They may supply them with the specs for non currennt file formats
as well.

It makes sense as it creates a sort of escrow situatiuon. The filter
developer has access to all file formats but only writes filters for
other apps, not the apps that can edit the files. The companies that
write the apps that edit the files use the third party filters and don't
have knowledge of their competitors' file formats.

But that aside, I do know that it has been a long standing Corel policy
not to disclose the current CDR format.

--

Jim Hart [CTech Volunteer]
www.microtecniqs.com

Ventura FAQ available at:
http://www.draw.nu/venturafaq/