BMP Files
Microsoft Bitmap files

These are some examples of BMP files. The BMP file is a bitmap image format developed by Microsoft and commonly used in the Windows operating system for storing icons.

BMP File Characteristics:

• binary
• Color
• 2D
• No compression
• 1 image

Reference:

1. Microsoft Corporation,
   Microsoft Windows Programmer's Reference,
   Volume 5; Messages, Structures, and Macros,
   Microsoft Press, 1993.

Programs to create a BMP file:

• MATLAB can output a figure as a BMP file using the commands:

  [ X, map ] = capture ( figure_handle )
  imwrite ( X, map, 'filename.bmp' )

Routines to read a BMP file:

• AVS includes a module read_any_image which can read a BMP file.
• bmp_io is a C++ library of routines that can read in a BMP file.
• MATLAB can read a BMP file with a command like A=imread('file','BMP').

Routines to write a BMP file:

• bmp_io is a C++ library of routines that can write out a BMP file.
• MATHEMATICA includes an Export[filename,object] command that can save a graphics object as a BMP file.
• MATLAB can write a BMP file with commands like

  
              IM(:,:,1) = red data;
              IM(:,:,2) = green data;
              IM(:,:,3) = blue data;
              imwrite ( IM, 'file.bmp', 'BMP' )
            

  .

  
              [ X, map ] = capture ( figure_handle );
              imwrite ( X, map, 'file.bmp', 'BMP' )
            

  .

Programs to view a BMP file:

• GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, can view a BMP file.
• The Linux program gqview, can view a BMP file.
• ImageMagick can view a BMP file.
• The ImageVision program imgview can display a BMP file.
• The Microsoft Internet Explorer program can display a BMP file.
• The Macintosh program jpegview can display a BMP file.
• MATLAB can display a BMP file, once it is read in, with a command like image(A).
• The Netscape program can display a BMP file.
• QuickTime or QuickTime Player can display a BMP file.
• Microsoft WORD can display a BMP file.
• xv can display a BMP file.

Programs to convert a BMP file to another format:

• Adobe Acrobat Professional can read a BMP file and convert it to PDF format.
• bmp_2_ppma converts a BMP file to an ASCII PPM file.
• bmp_2_ppmb converts a BMP file to a binary PPM file.
• bmp-avi.exe converts a series of BMP files to an AVI animation.
• The cjpeg program can convert a BMP file to JPEG format.
• The ImageMagick, program convert can convert a BMP file to CGM, EPS, FIG, FITS, GIF, JPG, PBM, PDF, PGM, PNG, PNM, PPM, PS, RGB, TIF, XBM or XPM format.
• GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, can convert a BMP file to any of the formats supported by GIMP.
• xv can read a BMP file, and convert it to FITS, GIF, JPG, PBM, PGM, PPM, PS, RGB or TIF format.

Programs to convert a file to BMP format:

• The ImageMagick, program convert can convert a CGM, EPS, FIG, FITS, GIF, JPG, PBM, PDF, PGM, PNG, PNM, PPM, PS, RGB, TIF, XBM or XPM file to BMP format.
• The djpeg program can convert a JPEG file to BMP format.
• The ghostscript program can convert a PostScript PS file to BMP format.
• GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, can read a variety of image files, and export the image in BMP format.
• ppma_2_bmp converts an ASCII PPM file to BMP format.
• ppmb_2_bmp converts a binary PPM file to BMP format.
• xv can read a variety of file formats, and save them to BMP format.

Sample BMP files:

ALL_GRAY is a (tiny) monochrome image.

• all_gray.bmp, the BMP file;
• all_gray.png, a PNG image of the file.

BLACKBUCK is an image of a deer.

• blackbuck.bmp, the BMP file;
• blackbuck.png, a PNG image of the file.

BMP_08 a small monochrome image created by BMP_IO (something may be wrong with this file. XV doesn't like it, anyway);

• bmp_08.bmp, the BMP file;
• bmp_08.png, a PNG image of the file.

BMP_24 a small three-color image created by BMP_IO;

• bmp_24.bmp, the BMP file;
• bmp_24.png, a PNG image of the file.

DOTS

• dots.bmp, the BMP file;
• dots.png, a PNG image of the file.

SNAIL is an image of a snail.

• snail.bmp, the BMP file;
• snail.png, a PNG image of the file.

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