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Using ImageMagick from PowerBuilder

May 23, 2014 | 246 Views |
 powerbuilder coding techniques
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ImageMagick is a free open-source software package that allows you to convert image files between formats, resize images and perform other functions. It can be used from the command line or as a COM object using PowerBuilder’s OLEObject functionality.

You can download the installer from here: http://www.imagemagick.org/script/binary-releases.php#windows

You must use one of the installers with the word “dynamic” in the description. I chose the Win32 installer because it offers a higher resolution than the Win64 Dynamic installer.

The command documentation for ImageMagick can be found here: http://www.imagemagick.org/script/command-line-tools.php

There are several commands that are supported by the COM interface.

compare: Compares two image files and returns information about the differences.

composite: Overlaps one image over another resulting in a third image file.

convert: Converts between image formats as well as resizing the image and other actions such as blur, crop, despeckle, and much more.

identify: Describes the format and characteristics of image files.

mogrify: Resizes the image and other actions such as blur, crop, despeckle, and much more. Mogrify overwrites the original image file, whereas, convert writes to a different image file.

montage: Creates a composite image by combining several separate images. The images are tiled on the composite image optionally adorned with a border, frame, image name, and more.

Here is an example that converts a JPG file to PNG:

OLEObject oMagick

String ls_origfile, ls_destfile

Integer li_rc

Any la_result


ls_origfile = “C:\PBSource\PB105\ImageMagick\Totoro.jpg”

ls_destfile = “C:\PBSource\PB105\ImageMagick\Totoro.png”

oMagick = Create OLEObject

li_rc = oMagick.ConnectToNewObject(“ImageMagickObject.MagickImage”)

If li_rc = 0 Then

   la_result = oMagick.Convert(ls_origfile, “-format”, “png”, ls_destfile)

   MessageBox(“Convert”, “Result: ” + String(la_result))

Else

   MessageBox(“ConnectToNewObject”, “Failed: ” + String(li_rc), StopSign!)

End If

oMagick.DisconnectObject()

Destroy oMagick


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21 Comments

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    1. Julián Tagarro

      Hi all,

      Sounds interesting Marco. Can you share this PBLs ?

      jtagarro  _*at*_  neosistemassrl  _*dot*_ com

      Thanks in advance.

      __________________

      AUS Julián Tagarro

      NeoSistemas SRL

      (0) 
  6. Michael Hartnett

    Hi All,

    This product looks great and has amazing potential.  I am having however a problem using it!

    Roland & Marco, I have installed the latest 32-bit version and registered the ImageMagickObject.dll (ImageMagick-6.8.9-3-Q16-x86-dll).  I can connect to the OLE object, but when I run any of the functions I am getting an “error calling external object function” error.

    What is strange is that the functions still seems to be firing in the background anyway, as when I use the convert Image to resize my images and replicate my images.  New images are being created, but the error keeps coming up each time.

    I am using PB12 Classic

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Michael

    (0) 
  7. Michael Hartnett

    Roland / Marco,

    I am wondering whether there may be something wrong in the built binary that I have downloaded – released 8th June 2014.

    Could you post a link to the versions of the dll you have used so that I could try the older versions to test for the same problem.

    Many Thanks,

    Michael

    (0) 
    1. Roland Smith Post author

      I have 6.8.8 and the latest is 6.8.9. I don’t see where you can download prior version executables.

      If you go to their website and click Download from the left hand nav area, it goes to a page with various mirror websites. Choose one of them and look for ImageMagick-6.8.9-3-Q16-x86-dll.exe.

      (0) 
        1. sai madipoti

          Roland,

          Ran into the same exact issue “error calling external object function” with running ver 6.8.9. Trying to figure out how you installed 6.8.5-9? Was able to download the zip (ImageMagic-6.8.5-9.zip) file from SUNET’s Index of /pub/multimedia/graphics/ImageMagick but not able to install this version as there is no install application. Can you please shed some light as to how you installed version 6.8.5-9?

          Thanks in advance.

          Sai.

          (0) 
          1. Roland Smith Post author

            They only have installers for the current version. I have ImageMagick-6.8.8-Q8 which was the current version when I downloaded it. Older version are only source code. I could zip up my install folder for you. Then you could unzip it over the version you have.

            (0) 
          2. Michael Hartnett

            SUNET’s Index of /pub/multimedia/graphics/ImageMagick/binaries is the directory you need to be in to download the installers.  This is where I downloaded the older version.

            You will need to download any of the files listed with ‘static’ or ‘dll’ in the name.  These are the exe installers.

            http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/multimedia/graphics/ImageMagick/binaries/ImageMagick-6.8.5-9-Q16-x86-dll.exe

            Above is the link for the 32 bit version.

            Michael

            (0) 
  8. Michael Hartnett

    Roland/Marco,

    Thank you for the assistance.  I now have the code working using version 6.8.5-9.

    I will experiment later with newer versions to try and find where the build error started to arise.

    Regards,

    Michael

    (0) 

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