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Bit map compression

I'm writing a small graphic program. Does anybody know how to compress a bit map when it is saved? Like in Photoshop when you save a jpg or gif it will compress the size of the file to a smaller size.
Any information is welcome
Justin Gibson

michelv

Well, usually a Bitmap isn't compressed (a .BMP), but it can be done, using RLE compression (Run Length Encoding). RLE uses this scheme:

Say you have six black pixels:

0 0 0 0 0 0

with RLE it gets compressed to this:

6 0

Anyway, for better explanation search using www.mamma.com or something like that for RLE compression, or JPEG compression or ....

Greetz,

Michel

Mirkwood

afiak VB cannot save to gif/jpg.
You have to use an external tool to do that.
So PSP or Photoshop or some OCX

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waderain

ASKER

Excellent code. Exactly what I was looking for!

waderain

ASKER

Vbmaster (or anyone else that can help me out),

I went to the vbaccelerator site (http://www.vbaccelerator.com/codelib/gfx/vbjpeg.htm) and got the bitmap compression code. It worked great but I found if you save and reopen a design more than 9 or 10 times the design slowly starts to turn yellow, Do you know how I can fix it? I sent a e-mail off to the guy at vbaccelerator but he never got back to me.

Thanks again
Justin Gibson