Discussion:
graphics issue since last Windows 10 update ?
(too old to reply)
alx
2017-11-14 10:46:28 UTC
Permalink
My Workstation was recently updated to the last version of Windows 10 (so-called "Falls Creator update"). Since then, saving to disk any kind of graphics lead to the following:
- in BITMAP format (PNG, BMP, GIF, PDF/BITMAP), everything is correct when reading the disk file (i.e. looks like to the version on screen), except that any text (annotations, axes, etc...) is replaced by a black rectangle (as if the text background color was replaces by the color of the characters).
- in vectorized PDF (BITMAP=0), the text is correct but any image is drawn in B&W with an incorrect aspect ratio (the image frame is not completely filled up by the image itself).
Has somebody an explanation and, even better, a workaround ?
alx.
Helder
2017-11-14 11:12:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by alx
- in BITMAP format (PNG, BMP, GIF, PDF/BITMAP), everything is correct when reading the disk file (i.e. looks like to the version on screen), except that any text (annotations, axes, etc...) is replaced by a black rectangle (as if the text background color was replaces by the color of the characters).
- in vectorized PDF (BITMAP=0), the text is correct but any image is drawn in B&W with an incorrect aspect ratio (the image frame is not completely filled up by the image itself).
Has somebody an explanation and, even better, a workaround ?
alx.
Hi Alx,
not sure if it's the same problem, but look at the figures here:
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-2/
The solution is here:
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-temporary-solution/

I hope it helps.
Cheers,
Helder
alx
2017-11-14 13:10:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Helder
Post by alx
- in BITMAP format (PNG, BMP, GIF, PDF/BITMAP), everything is correct when reading the disk file (i.e. looks like to the version on screen), except that any text (annotations, axes, etc...) is replaced by a black rectangle (as if the text background color was replaces by the color of the characters).
- in vectorized PDF (BITMAP=0), the text is correct but any image is drawn in B&W with an incorrect aspect ratio (the image frame is not completely filled up by the image itself).
Has somebody an explanation and, even better, a workaround ?
alx.
Hi Alx,
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-2/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-temporary-solution/
I hope it helps.
Cheers,
Helder
Many thanks for the tip Helder.
It works well (excepted for the PDF problem which is lilely to be unrelated, and maybe long lasting. I did not notice it before, because I am not often exporting to PDF).
I guess that the bad export is related to the way in which IDL and Windows manage the true type fonts.
What I can say is that everything was ok with Windows 10 up to the version 1703.
The problem appeared after update to the version 1709 (the new last one, maybe buggy ?).
Cheers,
alx.
Markus Schmassmann
2017-11-14 13:55:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by alx
Post by Helder
Post by alx
- in BITMAP format (PNG, BMP, GIF, PDF/BITMAP), everything is correct when reading the disk file (i.e. looks like to the version on screen), except that any text (annotations, axes, etc...) is replaced by a black rectangle (as if the text background color was replaces by the color of the characters).
- in vectorized PDF (BITMAP=0), the text is correct but any image is drawn in B&W with an incorrect aspect ratio (the image frame is not completely filled up by the image itself).
Has somebody an explanation and, even better, a workaround ?
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-2/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-temporary-solution/
Many thanks for the tip Helder.
It works well (excepted for the PDF problem which is lilely to be unrelated, and maybe long lasting. I did not notice it before, because I am not often exporting to PDF).
I guess that the bad export is related to the way in which IDL and Windows manage the true type fonts.
What I can say is that everything was ok with Windows 10 up to the version 1703.
The problem appeared after update to the version 1709 (the new last one, maybe buggy ?).
an approach for a workaround with PDF export:
export to eps, use eps2pdf or something else provided with a LaTeX
distribution to transform into PDF

no idea whether it will work, but may be worth a try
Helder
2017-11-14 14:05:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by alx
Post by Helder
Post by alx
- in BITMAP format (PNG, BMP, GIF, PDF/BITMAP), everything is correct when reading the disk file (i.e. looks like to the version on screen), except that any text (annotations, axes, etc...) is replaced by a black rectangle (as if the text background color was replaces by the color of the characters).
- in vectorized PDF (BITMAP=0), the text is correct but any image is drawn in B&W with an incorrect aspect ratio (the image frame is not completely filled up by the image itself).
Has somebody an explanation and, even better, a workaround ?
alx.
Hi Alx,
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-2/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-temporary-solution/
I hope it helps.
Cheers,
Helder
Many thanks for the tip Helder.
It works well (excepted for the PDF problem which is lilely to be unrelated, and maybe long lasting. I did not notice it before, because I am not often exporting to PDF).
I guess that the bad export is related to the way in which IDL and Windows manage the true type fonts.
What I can say is that everything was ok with Windows 10 up to the version 1703.
The problem appeared after update to the version 1709 (the new last one, maybe buggy ?).
Cheers,
alx.
Dear Alx,
I almost never use pdf. Can't help with that.
In my case Win10 was already behaving bad since at least January 2016. I had, noticeably, the problem on my laptop, but not on the desktop (or the other way around). Got lots of headaches because of that.
But what I want to say, is that the problem is out there since a while (2 years?) and what drove me nuts at the time, was that not all exports failed, only a (high) fraction.
No idea who's to blame for this, Win or IDL.

Good luck with the pdf!
Cheers,
Helder
alx
2017-11-14 14:28:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by Helder
Post by alx
Post by Helder
Post by alx
- in BITMAP format (PNG, BMP, GIF, PDF/BITMAP), everything is correct when reading the disk file (i.e. looks like to the version on screen), except that any text (annotations, axes, etc...) is replaced by a black rectangle (as if the text background color was replaces by the color of the characters).
- in vectorized PDF (BITMAP=0), the text is correct but any image is drawn in B&W with an incorrect aspect ratio (the image frame is not completely filled up by the image itself).
Has somebody an explanation and, even better, a workaround ?
alx.
Hi Alx,
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-2/
http://idl.marchetto.de/problems-exporting-fg-graphics-temporary-solution/
I hope it helps.
Cheers,
Helder
Many thanks for the tip Helder.
It works well (excepted for the PDF problem which is lilely to be unrelated, and maybe long lasting. I did not notice it before, because I am not often exporting to PDF).
I guess that the bad export is related to the way in which IDL and Windows manage the true type fonts.
What I can say is that everything was ok with Windows 10 up to the version 1703.
The problem appeared after update to the version 1709 (the new last one, maybe buggy ?).
Cheers,
alx.
Dear Alx,
I almost never use pdf. Can't help with that.
In my case Win10 was already behaving bad since at least January 2016. I had, noticeably, the problem on my laptop, but not on the desktop (or the other way around). Got lots of headaches because of that.
But what I want to say, is that the problem is out there since a while (2 years?) and what drove me nuts at the time, was that not all exports failed, only a (high) fraction.
No idea who's to blame for this, Win or IDL.
Good luck with the pdf!
Cheers,
Helder
Dear Helder,
I am using IDL (8.5.1) and Win10 since March 2017 only. So I have experience of the problem with only 1703 and 1709 versions of Win10 vs. IDL 8.5. Not much !
I cannot imagine that your laptop and desktop machines can work differently in this matter. The no repeatability that you observe is also strange. Do you know whether the versions/builds of Win10 running on the two machines were different ?
Cheers,
Alx.
Ben Castellani
2017-11-14 19:01:40 UTC
Permalink
Hi Alx,

We are still investigating the root cause of the issue, but it is related to the most recent update for Windows 10.

The recommended work-around for now is to run IDL or IDLDE in Windows 7 compatibility mode. This can be done by right-clicking on IDL.exe or IDLDE.exe, picking Properties and then the Compatibility tab. Check the box to run in Compatibility Mode for Windows 7.

Now IDL saved graphics should behave as normal.

Hope this helps,

Ben
Harris Geospatial Solutions
alx
2017-11-14 21:10:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Helder
Hi Alx,
We are still investigating the root cause of the issue, but it is related to the most recent update for Windows 10.
The recommended work-around for now is to run IDL or IDLDE in Windows 7 compatibility mode. This can be done by right-clicking on IDL.exe or IDLDE.exe, picking Properties and then the Compatibility tab. Check the box to run in Compatibility Mode for Windows 7.
Now IDL saved graphics should behave as normal.
Hope this helps,
Ben
Harris Geospatial Solutions
Ben,
Thanks for your answer. Compatibility mode can indeed be a temporary workaround.
Regarding the cause, I suggest to look at some change in true type font management (for instance, behavior for Hershey fonts is correct).
Alx.

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