# How to record image as a text?

Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical 
bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven 
wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Scottish 
kilts almost always have tartan patterns. But it is not easy to store and then
read tartans as images; especially it's hard for computer.

A tartan is defined by its "sett" or "threadcount" – a specification of the 
set of threads from which it is woven. This specification has a textual nature. 
Several web sites provide lists of tartan definitions, in a variety of formats. 
But almost all of them have some common or similar things.


**Table of contents:**

* [Basic syntax](basic.md)
* [Defining a palette](palette.md)
* [Syntax by Scottish Tartans Authority](sta.md)
* [Syntax by Weddlist (Tartan Definition Format)](tdf.md)