I'm on the hunt for a file format that meets a few specific needs for my handwritten notes, especially those I create using a drawing pad. I want something that won't take up too much space, since typical PDFs and images are often too large. Here are my requirements: it should handle handwriting, be easily parseable by standard programs on various platforms, allow linking to images at specific spots, and be compatible with version control like Git without turning into a bulky binary file. Does such a format exist? I've been saving my notes as PDFs, but I'm looking for a better solution to store them long-term across different systems, sort of like how JPEGs can be universally accessed. Any suggestions?
2 Answers
HTML might also be a good route for you. You can embed images of your handwritten notes directly into an HTML page. While it won't let you edit individual letters in the same way SVG might, it’s still manageable in Git as long as you're mindful of file sizes. Just be aware that if you need to make many changes, you could end up with larger histories. Also, the SVG option seems promising, so it’s worth exploring!
For sure! It definitely sounds like SVG can solve many of your issues, especially with version control.
You might want to consider using SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). SVGs are vector-based, which means they can handle handwriting quite well and are smaller in file size compared to raster images. Plus, they’re text files, so versioning with Git won’t bloat your repo as it tracks changes in plain text. You can move things around in the drawing easily, too. It's a solid option for what you're looking to achieve!
Yeah, I think SVG could be the best path forward. The ability to have individual elements and edit them is super valuable!