Simple C image library?

Question

What's the simplest C image library for loading and saving? I just want a 2D array to test some algorithms, and built-in functions are not needed.

Voting to close as tool rec. Similar: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/50079/c-image-library — Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com, Apr 01 '16 at 17:33

score 17 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 30 '10 at 00:58

17

All these libraries are way too complicated for me. In your place I'd grit my teeth, define an abstraction for a dynamic two-dimensional array, and I'd read and write plain ASCII PNM format.

answered Apr 30 '10 at 00:58

Norman Ramsey

198,648
61
360
533

I have done the same before to test some image processing algorithms. It is very easy. Just write header (in ascii) and put you pixel data after. – Ross Apr 30 '10 at 11:43
this is wat i ended up doing, using convert to switch between fmts – Timmy Apr 30 '10 at 14:50

score 7 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:18

7

You could try stb_image for reading and stb_image_write for writing. These are very small libraries.

http://nothings.org/
https://github.com/nothings/stb

Link to my question on gamedev I've got to know about this site:
https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/9083/library-to-load-images-into-textures-linux-c-and-opengl

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:18

Community

1
1

answered Nov 10 '11 at 13:15

Michas

8,534
6
38
62

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 29 '10 at 20:30

4

I think FreeImage is the best one out there:

http://freeimage.sourceforge.net/

answered Apr 29 '10 at 20:30

Andreas Brinck

51,293
14
84
114

4

No FreeImage is a pure C library, although there is a C++ version called FreeImagePlus which wraps the C structs and functions in classes. – Andreas Brinck Apr 29 '10 at 20:34
+1 freeimage, excellent library with good documentation – KaiserJohaan Apr 23 '13 at 07:47

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 29 '10 at 21:36

4

Simple Direct-media Layer (SDL) with SDL_image

answered Apr 29 '10 at 21:36

Judge Maygarden

26,961
9
82
99

+1 For SDL.This is simple-advanced Library.from novice To Professional – AminM Jun 21 '13 at 07:49

score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 29 '10 at 22:09

3

You could also just read and write raw image RGB values to a binary file, if that is really all you need, and if you know the image size ahead of time.

answered Apr 29 '10 at 22:09

WildCrustacean

5,896
2
31
42

1

That's true. BMP and TGA file formats are also very simple to parse or generate. – Judge Maygarden Apr 30 '10 at 13:37

score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 29 '10 at 20:28

2

You definitely want to look at the imagemagik c connector api. It is very easy to get going, and the linked page has some nice code samples.

And there is always the ubiquitous GD library. It is not hard to use either.

answered Apr 29 '10 at 20:28

Byron Whitlock

52,691
28
123
168

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 29 '10 at 20:32

2

I like gd. Real popular.

link text

answered Apr 29 '10 at 20:32

xcramps

1,203
1
9
9

Simple C image library?

7 Answers7

Linked