Image formats and types

Each image object in the CCMS has a type and each individual image file within the image object has a format. You can set these manually or you can change the default settings for images that users import into IXIA CCMS Web.

Image formats

Rather than storing different formats of the same image as separate objects, the CCMS stores multiple formats within a single .image object. Topics reference these .image objects. When you generate output, settings in the Output Generator determine which image format is extracted from the .image object and included in the output.

The default image formats are LowRes, HiRes, and Source. You can add additional formats or change the name of the default ones.

If you change the default image formats, be sure to make corresponding changes in the Output Generator output targets. The format names defined in multiimage.xml must match the format names called by the Output Generator targets.

Important: As mentioned in the multiimage.xmlfile, it is not advisable to rename or delete existing image formats. If you must do so, first ensure that no images are using the format you want to rename or delete. Images that use a non-existent image format are invalid.

When you create an image object and add image files to it, or when you upload an image file, you can manually select the appropriate format for each file type in the image object.

Default image formats for imported images

Even better, you can configure the CCMS so that the file extension of an image automatically determines the default format an image is given when a user initially creates an image by uploading it. To do this, add appropriate file extensions to each <formatname> element.

Note: The functionality described here is currently available only for CCMS Desktop, but you can add appropriate extensions in anticipation of the feature's availability in CCMS Web.

For example, the following configuration specifies that when an image with file extension png, gif, jpg or jpg is uploaded, it is set to the LowRes format. When an image with file extension svg is uploaded, it is set to the HiRes format.

<formatname file-extensions="png gif jpeg jpg">LowRes</formatname>
<formatname file-extensions="svg">HiRes</formatname>
<formatname file-extensions="">Source</formatname>

Here are a few important things to remember about image file extensions.

  • Users can only add PNG, GIF, JPEG, and JPG image files for the LowRes format. These image files default to LowRes for upload.
  • Users can only add SVG image files for the HiRes format. These image files default to HiRes for upload.
  • All remaining image files default to Source when uploaded. However, a user can upload any image file, including PNG, GIF, JPEG, and SVG, to this format from the Image Editor.
  • List file extensions with spaces between them. Do not use periods.
  • If @file-extensions="" is empty, set to "*", or does not exist, then no limitations are set for the format and all images with any file extension are accepted

If you add a filename extension to multiple formats, the CCMS picks the first allowed format as the default when uploading. If you want a "catch all" format, it should be the last format listed in multiimage.xml.

Image types

Each .image object in the CCMS is assigned an image type that indicates what kind of image it is: screenshot, diagram, flowchart, equation, icon, etc. An image's type does not affect how it behaves in the CCMS or in outputs. It is mainly a way for you to search for images more precisely.

The default image types are Screen Capture, Line Art, and Equation. You can add additional formats or change the name of the default ones.

When you create an image object or when you upload an image file, you can manually select the appropriate type for the image object.

Default image types for imported images

Even better, you can configure the CCMS so that the file extension of an image automatically determines the default type an image object is given when a user initially creates an image by uploading it. To do this, add appropriate file extensions to each <type> element.

Note: The functionality described here is currently available only for CCMS Desktop, but you can add appropriate extensions in anticipation of the feature's availability in CCMS Web.

For example, this configuration lets users select Line Art or Equation for png files andLine Art only for SVG files. Users can select Screen Capture for any image file type.

<type file-extensions="">Screen Capture</type>
<type file-extensions="png svg">Line Art</type>
<type file-extensions="png">Equation</type>

Here are a few important things to remember about image file extensions.

  • Users can only add PNG, GIF, JPEG, JPG, anda SVG extensions.
  • List file extensions with spaces between them. Do not use periods.
  • If @file-extensions="" is empty, set to "*", or does not exist, then no limitations are set for the type and all images with any file extension are accepted