History of CGM

The first version of CGM, released by ANSI and ISO in 1986 (ISO 8632:1987) addressed the need for a graphical exchange and print/plot format to be used in CAD and graphics systems.

Later versions extended CGM with advanced primitives such as Splines and Polybezier curves. It also enriched the graphical attributes to allow greater definition of engineering drawings and technical illustrations.

The actual version, released in 1999, added Application Structuring to the CGM standard. This allows the CGM to contain non-graphical information in addition to graphical content. This addition enables CGM to be used for a wide range of applications including interactive graphics, hot spots, and hyperlinking.

What is WebCGM?

WebCGM is a new profile that describes how vector, raster and hybrid graphics are to be used in web browsers. It is a consensus of CGM users and vendors form several industries on a way to exchange dynamic, hyperlinked CGM files over the web.

If you have questions concerning the WebCGM standard in general you should also look at the CGMOpen web site (http://www.cgmopen.org). Here you will find ample material about the standard specification, resources and test files.