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Thread: [RESOLVED] Extracting images from the flat file

  1. #1

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    Resolved [RESOLVED] Extracting images from the flat file

    Hello everyone,
    I've got one big file which I'm trying to extract the data from (http://dropmefiles.com/BUcHF).
    Data blocks are separated with "******" and I have no problem with getting the text data, but there are images as well.
    Images data information looks like mess to me, so i need your help.
    PEID says the software was made with Visual Basic 5/6.

    Image example and the file screen of the image block info are attached.
    I'm ready to pay for a working solution of extracting images from the file.


    Name:  Z10-013-02.jpg
Views: 319
Size:  29.1 KBName:  screen.jpg
Views: 306
Size:  115.4 KB

  2. #2
    PowerPoster Elroy's Avatar
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Hi Salov,

    I'm far from the expert on encoding, and I'm sure others will jump in that know more about it to me, but that looks like one of the variants of MIME encoding to me. That's similar to the way email sends attachments.

    However, I don't see the actual image-file name in the first part of the text. Therefore, it'd sure be nice if you knew the original image format (JPEG, BMP, PNG, etc), and also the type of encoding that was. It looks like some kind of 8-bit encoding to my eyes. Maybe someone with more experience in encoding can tell by just looking.

    Once you have those details sorted, the rest should be fairly easy: Put the header information in whatever format you want (possibly displaying it on a form), and then save and/or show the image in a PictureBox.

    I'm not interested in doing it for pay, but I'll watch with interest as that encoding gets sorted.

    Good Luck,
    Elroy
    Any software I post in these forums written by me is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, and permission is hereby granted, free of charge and without restriction, to any person obtaining a copy. To all, peace and happiness.

  3. #3

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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Thanks Elroy,
    Name pattern of images (as seen in software) is 000-00, e.g. 860-01, 860-02. Hope that can help.
    Unfortunately, file format is unknown.

  4. #4
    The Idiot
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    just did a "fast" scan, no bmp/jpg/png signature. also did a scan using crass without success.
    i suspect its a "original" format, likely not compressed, that the "software" uses to open it.

    also, if this is about "ripping" images, you could do it manually, using print screen. its a lot of work, if theres many images, but to decode it could take more time if its not a known format.

  5. #5
    PowerPoster Arnoutdv's Avatar
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Does the software has an export function?
    Have you contacted the author of the software?

  6. #6

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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Software has no export function, though i consider manual printing all images (~15K) to pdf or xps as a bad scenario. Software has no author info.

  7. #7
    PowerPoster Elroy's Avatar
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Hi Salov,

    Yeah, I suspect the 860-01 & 860-02 are just internal image names, and have little (if anything) to do with the actual image formats and/or encoding. I think you see this, but please be sure to recognize that the image format and the encoding scheme are two different things. If we had the image format, and the encoding scheme was something straightforward (which I suspect it is), we might be able to figure the encoding out.

    However, having to "guess" at both makes this a pretty tall order to my eyes.

    Good Luck,
    Elroy
    Any software I post in these forums written by me is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, and permission is hereby granted, free of charge and without restriction, to any person obtaining a copy. To all, peace and happiness.

  8. #8
    The Idiot
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    now you need to find/use a good screen capture program that with 1 shortcut key, capture the exact hwnd, and save it to the harddrive in png or bmp format.
    if the software also have a "name" of each picture, then maybe you can create your own screen capture that also capture the "title", doing so it will save using that name.
    a bit of work but doable. screen capture is well known procedure that you can find in this forum. for text, depending what, but should be possible to get. all depending on the software.

    also, theres ways to invoke mouse clicks on an external program, if the program have a way to browse all picture using a mouse (back - forward) buttons, then you can automate it, let your program browse and capture the images.
    not sure how the software works, but i would look into it if its possible.
    of course to rip is the best option, but without knowing the format it could be harder and take more time then create a capture program.

  9. #9
    PowerPoster Elroy's Avatar
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    @baka: That's actually a very good idea.

    I also have no idea what the full form of that software looks like, but you could possibly write a program that finds the hWnd of that other form, form-captures that form, examines its size, and then crop the captured image so that it's only the picture (based on the form's size), and then save it to disk.

    You might even be able to read some textboxes on that other form and create a little ASCII (txt) file with the extra information for each form, thereby setting up a series of files with all the information being requested. In this way, all that Salov would need to do is to call up each image/info, and then click a button on his "capture" program.

    Salov, I'm not sure your skills are up to all of that, but that certainly sounds like a workable path to me.

    Good Luck,
    Elroy

    p.s. By the way, welcome to the forums.


    EDIT1: @Salov: How about a screenshot (Alt-PrtSc) of the form with a called-up image and info on it.
    Last edited by Elroy; Jan 10th, 2018 at 11:23 AM.
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  10. #10
    PowerPoster ChrisE's Avatar
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Quote Originally Posted by Salov View Post
    Thanks Elroy,
    Name pattern of images (as seen in software) is 000-00, e.g. 860-01, 860-02. Hope that can help.
    Unfortunately, file format is unknown.
    Hi,
    could be a MetaFile Format

    try this to see..Copy the File and rename it xyz.wmf
    Code:
    Picture1.Picture = "c:\xyz.wmf"
    regards
    Chris
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    since 2010 the number of Tigers are rising again in 2016 - 3900 were counted. with Baby Callas it's 3901, my wife and I had 2-3 months the privilege of raising a Baby Tiger.

  11. #11
    VB-aholic & Lovin' It LaVolpe's Avatar
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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Might be helpful to post the relevant image bytes (as a dat file) to the forums. Zip it up or rename it with a txt extension, don't believe the forums allows dat files to be uploaded.

    Edited: If you do this, also include a screenshot of what the image (in that dat file) looks like and its dimensions in pixels. That information should help anyone to decipher the bytes if they are not a custom format.
    Last edited by LaVolpe; Jan 11th, 2018 at 08:04 AM.
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  12. #12

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    Re: Extracting images from the flat file

    Thanks guys, i have some progress here.

    I've found the software feature to call out an image by name to print it.
    Having the full list of images and using Advansed Key and Mouse Recorder Ive made a macro to call out an image and print it to xps printer and save it with the right name. Ill batch proccess them to png later.

    Thank you all

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