Publisher 2.0: 256-Color Graphics Display Quality Degraded

Q124830

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Publisher versions 2.0, 2.0a
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SYMPTOMS
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If you import a 256-color bitmap-type graphic into Publisher, it does not
display as well as it does in a photo-editing program. This does not affect
how the graphic prints, however.

CAUSE
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Most 256-color bitmaps (including the TIFF, PCX, BMP, and WPG file formats)
include a palette that defines the colors the bitmap actually uses. A
picture of a sand dune, for example, may contain a palette of 256 shades of
yellow and brown.

Publisher uses a fixed palette of 256 general-purpose colors and does not
use the graphic's internal palette. The sand dune picture mentioned above
will display in approximately eight shades of yellow and brown.

Publisher's fixed palette speeds up the display of bitmaps and enables
Publisher to display 24-bit color graphics well, but it does slightly
degrade the display of 256-color graphics.

NOTE: This is only an issue with displaying graphics. When Publisher prints
a 256-color graphic, it uses that graphic's internal colors. This is also
only an issue if you are using a 256-color (or lower) video mode. Video
modes greater than 256 colors are not palette based.

STATUS
======

This is not really a problem with Publisher. Publisher is designed to be a
mechanism for printing graphics, not for displaying them.

Additional query words: 2.00 2.00a pub20