[webkit-dev] Proposal for serializing alpha channel values; request for algorithm help

[Darin Adler]

Hi folks.

Our engine supports alpha values from 0-255. But when we serialize them, we turn them into floating point values. When we do that, we include way too many digits of precision. For example, the alpha value 127 becomes 0.498039.

I like the idea of writing the minimum number of digits that are needed to round trip. So 127 would become 0.498 or even maybe 0.49 and 128 would become 0.5.

Three questions:

1) Does the CSS specification allow or encourage this?
2) Do you like this idea?
3) Can you help me come up with a super-efficient algorithm to do this serialization?

— Darin