Easy image disp/edit; scale/rotate, show animated gifs, conv2JPG, +more; No GDI+/DLL

Shell Image Interfaces
http://www.vbforums.com/images/ieimages/2015/09/1.gif

Project Description
Windows provides a good bit of image functionality built in and accessible through simple interfaces rather than fairly complicated API. A number of these were added to the latest release of oleexp. This projects demonstrates several of these interfaces:

IShellImageData
Easy to create with ShellImageDataFactory object.
Set pFact = New ShellImageDataFactory
pFact.CreateImageFromFile StrPtr(sISID), pShImg
pShImg.Decode SHIMGDEC_DEFAULT, 10, 10

This is the most useful interface, it can:
-Display basic info about an image (see picture)
-Step frame-by-frame through an animated GIF, or use a timer to 'play' it - I added this feature in after I took the screen shot-- it's included in the attached project
-View multi-page TIFF images
-Scale images with different algorithm options e.g. bicubic
-Scaling icons first loads the closest size
-Rotate an image at multiples of 90 degrees
-Draw onto a picturebox with transparency
-Save changed image (supports user-defined encoder parameters, but not shown in demo)
...all through single-line calls,

Code:

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pShImg.ScaleImage CLng(Text5.Text), CLng(Text6.Text), InterpolationModeBicubic
pShImg.NextFrame
pShImg.Rotate CLng(Text4.Text)
'saving is equally easy:
Dim ipf As IPersistFile
Set ipf = pShImg
ipf.Save sFullPath, 1

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IImageTranscode
This interface allows you to convert any image file supported by Windows into a JPG or BMP with only a few lines of code:

Code:

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Private Sub DoTranscode(psiSrc As IShellItem, psiDest As IShellItem, nTo As TI_FLAGS)
'The included module provides a standalone implemention of this routine if you're starting
'from only the file paths. This version uses a number of shortcuts getting an IShellItem
'directly from FileOpenDialog gives us

Dim lpDest As Long
Dim pStrm As IStream
Dim pTI As ImageTranscode
Dim pwi As Long, phg As Long

Set pTI = New ImageTranscode

psiDest.GetDisplayName SIGDN_FILESYSPATH, lpDest

Call SHCreateStreamOnFileEx(lpDest, STGM_CREATE Or STGM_READWRITE, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, 1, 0, pStrm)
pTI.TranscodeImage psiSrc, 0, 0, nTo, pStrm, pwi, phg
pStrm.Commit STGC_DEFAULT

Set pStrm = Nothing
Set pTI = Nothing
Call CoTaskMemFree(lpDest)

End Sub

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IImageList/IImageList2
These interfaces are very similar to API imagelists (and indeed you can get an API imagelist handle you can use with those functions or assign to a control just by using ObjPtr(pIML)), but apart from being slightly easier to work with also allow resizing on the fly, instead of having to reconstruct. This is also the only way to scale up, because as with API imagelists, you cannot add images smaller than the size the imagelist was created as.
It's important to note than you can create one from scratch, but not with = New ImageList, you need to use ImageList_CoCreateInstance, as shown in the sample project.

Project Requirements
-Windows Vista or higher
-oleexp.tlb version 4.0 or higher (released 24 Nov 2016). Only required for the IDE, you don't need to include it with the compiled program.
-Working with IImageList/IImageList2 requires that your app (and the IDE to run from there) is manifested for the 6.0 common controls

Project Update
-Added icons/cursors to the Open dialog for IShellImageData
-Added more complete navigation for multipage TIFFs, and added a sample 6-page LZW compressed image
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Some sample images to play around with are included in the ZIP; I didn't make them.

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twinBASIC 64bit compatible version at https://github.com/fafalone/MiscDemos

fafalone, got my interest. I'll download and play a bit, research a bit, for possible inclusion into my image control. From your short descriptions, sounds like the interface may wrap GDI+ on Vista and WIA on Win7+?

One MSDN comment concerns me about longevity of the interface:

Quote:

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IShellImageDataFactory
This interface is not expected to be available in later versions of Windows. It is recommended that Windows GDI+ APIs be used in place of IShellImageDataFactory methods.

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Edited. Think I'll pass. This statement made up my mind. However, appreciate your effort showing usage of the interfaces. Thanx.

Quote:

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IShellImageData
[This interface will eventually be unsupported. It is recommended that Windows GDI+ APIs be used in place of IShellImageData methods.]

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Upon further review, IShellImageData definitely wraps GDI+, or more specifically, a subset of GDI+ methods

Yeah they say that about a lot of things, but it's very rare they actually remove something like this. It was only just introduced in Vista, it's not like a Win98 legacy thing. It's available in 10, so it disappearing isn't something to worry about in the next decade.

I'd worry about the VB runtime, and especially IDE, breaking before this. VB lives in the deprecated world. They'll deprecate it, not support it, but they won't remove it for decades.

If it's in Win10, then it'll be around for at least as long as Win10, and longer if carried with VB runtimes into future operating systems.

In my case, I wouldn't find it useful because the functions are too limited for my needs. For example, rotation is restricted to 90 degree angles, among other points. It could be easier for people that want to support PNG,TIFF and animated GIFs in VB without need to know much about GDI+. Though anyone with GDI+ experience will find they could easily whip up a class that wraps the same functionality as those interfaces. I am be curious as to what GDI+ version it uses in Vista, but not that curious.

Yeah IShellImageData isn't meant for serious work; it's just handy if all you need are the basics; and for what it does do, it's by far the easiest way.

IImageList on the other hand, is the most modern and advanced way of handling imagelists

I noticed something very interesting... not only does IShellImageData load icons (and support alpha-blended 256x256 (probably higher too in later Windows) icons), but when you use the Scale function, it actually loads the icon index closest to the requested size. When I first loaded an icon, it showed the 16x16 version. When I scaled to 128x128 and 127x127, I got the full quality icon, definitely not the 16x16 scaled up. The only slight issue is that entering odd sizes and re-scaling may break this; so ideally to show a larger size always reload and scale up.

So project was updated to add icons/cursors into the Open dialog's default filter, and to have more complete navigation options for multi-page TIFFs. And to remove some embarrassing inappropriate debug comments, sorry.

The function likely has code similar to what I and others use. When a specific size is requested, locate the best match. Best match is defined as closest to size and color depth. For closest in size, error to next larger size. Images look far better scaled down than scaled up.

Windows functions don't seem to do that, opting for scale down vs scale up. Depends on which icon is closest in size, numerically. Vista introduced a new API: LoadIconWithScaleDown (quote below). Is it possible the shell interface is using that? or is it doing what it would normally do.

Quote:

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This function will first search the icon file for an icon having exactly the same size. If a match is not found, then unless both cx and cy match one of the standard icon sizes—16, 32, 48, or 256 pixels— the next largest icon is selected and then scaled down to the desired size. For example, if an icon with an x dimension of 40 pixels is requested by the callign application, the 48-pixel icon is used and scaled down to 40 pixels. In contrast, the LoadImage function selects the 32-pixel icon and scales it up to 40 pixels.

If the function is unable to locate a larger icon, it defaults to the standard behavior of finding the next smallest icon and scaling it up to the desired size.

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You can test if curious the new API is being used or the default methods:
1) Create icon file with a 256x256 and 32x32 icon only, preferably different visual design
2) Choose a size of 64x64. Either the 32x32 was scaled up or the 256x256 was scaled down

Now, if the interface loads 24 bit icons on XP/Vista, then it appears it may be using v1.1 of GDI+. GDI+1 v1.0 had several issues with loading various image formats, including: JPG, GIF, ICO, CUR, TIFF. Won't recognize alpha channel of 32bpp bitmap. No known issues with metafiles.

Regarding toggling back & forth breaking things? That class has an 'undo' type method. It should probably be called before rescaling a second time.

I'll look into it in more detail later, but the icon I was testing with had 48x48 and then nothing until 256x256. If I requested 100x100, it scaled up the 48x48, but if I request 128x128, then it scaled down the 256x256 icon (but only if I reloaded first, otherwise it scaled up more).

So apart from the sizing issue; it doesn't even recognize the alpha channel on a bitmap under Win7 (I am running manifested for GDI+ 1.1). Are you saying that means it's using 1.0? Because even using the APIs directly I could never get transparent bmps. (png/jpg work)

Quote:

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Are you saying that means it's using 1.0?

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No, not at all. GDI+ doesn't do 32bpp bitmaps at all as far as I know.

Win7 and above, GDI+ 1.1 is always loaded. One would have to manifest for v1.0 if they wanted it for some reason & that option to downgrade disappeared in Win8.1 from what I've read.

Here's a JPG (zipped). On Vista, if it fails to open, likely v1.1. If it opens on Vista & reports 0x0 width,height then likely v1.0. P.S. That JPG should load fine on Win7+

Hi fafalone,

"ImageList_CoCreateInstance entrypoint not found"
Different comctl32.dll on win 7 ?

Your app (and the IDE to run from there) needs to be manifested for the 6.0 common controls ... I'll make a note of that in the main post too.

OK fafalone and thanks you so much.

nice work, I would like to open an image from a resource, i guess that CreateImageFromStraem would be the way to do it.
the question is how can i read a resource into a stream

You can load any resource into a byte array with the "LoadResData" function and then you can create a stream from the byte array with the "SHCreateMemStream" function. You can also create a picture directly from the byte array using the WIA (Microsoft Windows Image Acquisition) library (Project -> References):

Code:

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Dim objVector As New WIA.Vector, objPic as IPicture
      With objVector
          .BinaryData = byteArray  ' obtained from LoadResData
          Set objPic = .Picture
      End With

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This generic "LoadPictureEx" function will load a picture from a byte array, file, GDI hBitmap or Stream, depending on the supplied parameter:

Code:

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Public Function LoadPictureEx(vPictureData As Variant) As IPicture
Dim objVector As New WIA.Vector, objImageFile As New WIA.ImageFile, PicDesc As PICTDESCBMP, IID_IUnknown(0 To 1) As Currency
Const IID_IUnknown1 As Currency = 504403158265495.5712@
    Select Case VarType(vPictureData)
        Case vbArray Or vbByte ' Byte array (File data)
            With objVector: .BinaryData = vPictureData: Set LoadPictureEx = .Picture: End With
        Case vbString ' File
            With objImageFile: .LoadFile vPictureData: Set LoadPictureEx = .FileData.Picture: End With
        Case vbLong ' hBitmap
            With PicDesc: .cbSizeofstruct = LenB(PicDesc): .picType = vbPicTypeBitmap: .hBitmap = vPictureData: End With
            IID_IUnknown(1) = IID_IUnknown1: OleCreatePictureIndirect VarPtr(PicDesc), IID_IUnknown(0), 1&, LoadPictureEx
        Case vbDataObject ' IStream
            IID_IUnknown(1) = IID_IUnknown1: OleLoadPicture ObjPtr(vPictureData), 0, 0, IID_IUnknown(0), LoadPictureEx
    End Select
End Function

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Types of images supported are: BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG and TIFF.

It's a very innovative idea. In fact, the GIF animation can be rotated at any angle. Enlarge any times, at least can reduce any times.Then add some vector graphics of your own. Function.
For example, rounded rectangles, polygons and triangles can be enlarged or reduced without distortion. The EMF, vector graphics API can also be used for animation.

In fact, the most important thing is that we lack such a designer.
Flash CS3, can be arbitrarily rotated. It can even distort a shape we draw.
It is good if the drawn shape can be exported as a path directly.Unfortunately, this format is estimated to be closed.

Word, xlsx, this is the most advanced. He has a lot of open source or some social commercial space underwear that can read and modify office documents, and of course, maybe PDF is the most open.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fafalone

I noticed something very interesting... not only does IShellImageData load icons (and support alpha-blended 256x256 (probably higher too in later Windows) icons), but when you use the Scale function, it actually loads the icon index closest to the requested size. When I first loaded an icon, it showed the 16x16 version. When I scaled to 128x128 and 127x127, I got the full quality icon, definitely not the 16x16 scaled up. The only slight issue is that entering odd sizes and re-scaling may break this; so ideally to show a larger size always reload and scale up.

So project was updated to add icons/cursors into the Open dialog's default filter, and to have more complete navigation options for multi-page TIFFs. And to remove some embarrassing inappropriate debug comments, sorry.

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I don't know what API windows has to automatically get the best state. Icon ID
For example, there are four sizes inside. 16/64/128/255, as well as 16-bit and 32-bit icons.

But how do we get the size closest to what we want? Highest clarity.
It took me a lot of time to identify it by myself. It's gonna burn my brain out like a CPU.

LoadIconWithScaleDown is generally the best way for Vista+.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fafalone

LoadIconWithScaleDown is generally the best way for Vista+.

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Dim iconResourceData() As Byte

Dim hIcon As Long
hIcon = CreateIconFromResourceEx(VarPtr(iconResourceData(0)), UBound(iconResourceData) + 1, True, &H30000, 0, 0, 0e
This method can also load PNG or ico, common image types. But if you want to zoom out, it will be blurred.