6.12.1 Color Spaces

The CIE XYZ color space serves as the hub for all conversions between device-independent and device-dependent color spaces. Therefore, the knowledge to convert an XcmsColor structure to and from CIE XYZ format is associated with each color space. For example, conversion from CIE L*u*v* to RGB requires the knowledge to convert from CIE L*u*v* to CIE XYZ and from CIE XYZ to RGB. This knowledge is stored as an array of functions that, when applied in series, will convert the XcmsColor structure to or from CIE XYZ format. This color specification conversion mechanism facilitates the addition of color spaces.

Of course, when converting between only device-independent color spaces or only device-dependent color spaces, shortcuts are taken whenever possible. For example, conversion from TekHVC to CIE L*u*v* is performed by intermediate conversion to CIE u*v*Y and then to CIE L*u*v*, thus bypassing conversion between CIE u*v*Y and CIE XYZ.

Next: Adding Device-Independent Color Spaces

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Christophe Tronche, [email protected]