Simple image loading libraries

Question

I have an app that uses this library (actually a direct port to D) for some image processing. I'm looking for some other libraries of a similar style to use to load other file types.

Things I need/want:

• Loss less format.
• Simple C API.
• Loads data into buffers in a raw pixel format.
• Open source (as in I can get source files and compile them for my own use, aside from that, licensing doesn't matter)

Anyone know of anything like that?

Answer 1

You might want to try libpng, although I wouldn't exactly call it easy to use.

Other than that, you might try working directly on bitmaps, with no libraries at all.

Answer 2

You could always try the gdimage library. I've never had any problems with it, though mist of the work I've done with it has been in PHP.

Answer 3

I'd consider using imageMagick ( http://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php ) for all your image loading needs. It supports a lot of formats in a lot of different bit depths, reading and writing for most of them.

It may do a lot more than you need, but its a very well designed library and I've used it in several projects.

It is GPL compatible. (And I think commercial licenses are available too)

Answer 4

PNG: for loading and saving you can try LodePNG library

C/C++: http://members.gamedev.net/lode/projects/LodePNG/

D port: www.dsource.org/projects/scrapple/wiki/LodePngLibrary

Answer 5

devIL and SDL_Image supports a good deal of formats. Derelict provides their bindings.

My own code for using these and have a raw buffer:

• devIL: http://codepad.org/tKonvsJ0

• SDL_Image: http://codepad.org/jLJDNstw

Answer 6

You can use software such as Netpbm to convert to/from PPM format, which is extremely easy to read/write from any program without needing external libraries.

A PPM file either looks like this:

P6
800 600 255
# followed by 800x600x3 bytes of values between 0 and 255, i.e.
\xFF\x00\x00\x80\x80\x00\x00\xFF\x00\x00\x80\x80\x00\x00\xFF...
# but not escaped

or like this:

P3
800 600 255
# followed by 800x600x3 decimal numbers between 0 and 255, i.e.
255 0 0  128 128 0  0 255 0  0 128 128  0 0 255  ...

Answer 7

I think SOIL (Simple OpenGl Image Library) fits your description nicely. It has many formats, iirc the jpg code is even ported from the same source as yours.