Apache XML Graphics Commons project is a library that consists of several reusable components used by Apache Batik and Apache FOP.

Many of these components can easily be used separately outside the domains of SVG and XSL-FO. You will find components such as a PDF library, an RTF library, Graphics2D implementations that let you generate PDF & PostScript files, and much more.

Apache XML Graphics Commons has only just begun. Its in the process of being populated with components coming from Apache Batik and Apache FOP. Stay tuned for exciting treasures made available.

In the Wiki, we have a plan for building Apache XML Graphics Commons. The plan provides an idea of what you can expect to find here when were finished migrating components.

Here are some key features of "Apache XML Graphics Commons":

· Image codecs for PNG and TIFF
· Bitmap image writer abstraction with implementation for the above codecs and for the Image I/O API.
· Java2D helper classes
· Graphics2D implementation that produces PostScript and EPS
· Helper classes for PostScript code production
· XMP metadata framework
· Various I/O classes, encoders and decoders for various formats

Whats New in This Release:

· The ImageWriter abstraction now supports the writing of multi-page formats like TIFF.
· This uses the Image I/O API. A default implementation was provided for AbstractGraphics2D.drawText(ACI, float, float) so that PSGraphics2D supports painting of text using the AttributedCharacterIterator.
· Various fixes and improvements were made in the ImageWriter abstraction.
· A problem where the generation of the PostScript setdash command was assuming that only integer values can be used was fixed.