Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)

Why SVG?

The software graphic models by their nature are represented the best by means of the vector graphic. At the same time the usual graphic formats, used in web pages (GIF, JPG, PNG), are the raster graphics formats. These formats are not the best fit for software models because of their relatively big size. For example, size of the GIF file for the simple model is ~ 13 KB (click diagram thumbnail above to open the GIF graphics).

Today there is an official WWW Organization (W3C) standard: Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) standard. SVG technique is used to render vector graphics in browsers. It allows to minimize (up to ten times) the size of the software modeling diagrams shown on web pages. The size of the SVG (compressed) file for the same model as shown above is just 1.5 Kb and does not depend on the drawing size.

Is your browser able to handle SVG?

Web browser could support the SVG in 2 ways:

• Directly
• Via browser plug-in — usually free.

As for now we do not know browser, which supports SVG directly.

You can chose the appropriate plug-in for your browser from the W3C list. Most of the plug-ins support:

• Mozilla 1.7.2. and higher
• Firefox 1.0 and higher
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x and higher
• Opera 5.x and higher
• Netscape 4.x

Recommended plug-in

We recommend using the latest version of the Adobe SVG Viewer. This viewer most closely corresponds to SVG Standard.
The Adobe SVG Viewer can be downloaded for free from Adobe web site. The size of the version 3.0 SVG Viewer file for download is ~ 2.4 Mb. See the Adobe instruction how to install viewer.

Note. The installation is fully automated for Microsoft Internet Explorer and takes usually ~ 1 min. As for Opera or Netscape it is necessary to copy manually a few files — see Adobe instruction.

Check your browser

Open the SVG graphic. If you can see the graphic in an opened browser window — your browser is SVG—enabled.