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    Graphics Glossary

    		     
    GraphicsAcademy.com  >  Glossary  >  Vector

       

     

    Vector

    In mathemtical terminology a "vector" is simply (and only) a line in 2D or 3D space. However, popular usage in the computer world include other types of shapes too such as rectangles, arcs, ellipses, and circles. Except in CAD environments, computer vectors are generally placed in 2D space.

    Graphical images can be stored as vectors in vector file formats, CAD file formats (see CAD), or metafile file formats (see Metafile).

    Vectors usually have some advantages over bitmaps:
    • Vectors can be manipulated more easily.

      With the right software, vectors are usually easy to modify. For example, it is possible to move a line, change its color, change its thickness, etc. With a bitmap this is not so easy, particularly if the line overlaps with other items in the image, because there is no easy way for the computer to know which pixels correspond to the line.

    • Vectors usually take less space in terms of both disk and memory storage.

    • Vector images can use large scales.

      For example, a vector coordinate system which ranges from 0,0 to 9999,9999 uses virtually the same amount of memory as a vector coordinate system which ranges from 0,0 to 99,99. On the other hand a bitmap which is 10,000 by 10,000 pixels uses 10,000 times as much memory (if not compressed) as one which is 100 by 100 pixels.

    • Vector images scale up (enlarge) better.

      If enlarging a bitmap, your image will suffer from jaggies as the computer has to fill in the extra pixels by duplicating those that are present in original image.

      On the other hand, if enlarging a vector image:

      • The lines and other details can always be drawn at the maximum level of detail necessary.

      • As the coordinate system for vectors may be larger, details which may not be apparent at small scales can appear in large scaled versions of the graphic. In other words, the level of detail increases with scaling (until a limit is reached at the maximums for the particular coordinate system).

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