CAD/CAM users can now combine desk-top publishing software with their existing CAD/CAM software as a result of an agreement between graphics subsystems specialist Magus Computer Graphics Ltd, and desk-top publishing expert Meterquest Ltd. Trowbridge, Wiltshire-based Magus has implemented the Digital Research GEM VDI standard graphics interface in addition to the Magus Graphics kernel, a graphics interface common to all the company’s colour graphics cards for the PC-DOS CAD/CAM market. It reckons the first implementation on the Magus IV 1,280 by 1,024 resolution card is the highest resolution implementation of GEM. It will enable technical drawings, generated under such application software as Autocad or PEPS, to be integrated with documentation produced under Ventura or GEM desk-top publisher. The new interface will also make available to Magus users all GEM standard application software. Magus reckons the new deal is significant because documentation of complex drawings cannot be achieved on traditional desk-top publishers because they use bit- image files – a dot-for-dot replica of the image on the screen, which cannot be easily manipulated. Autocad, PEPS and other such software however, store images in vector files which can be rotated and scaled up or down. Under the agreement, Magus will supply the new documentation package to the CAD/CAM market and Meterquest to the desk-top publishing market. Magus II with GEM VDI will be announced next year.
