Hello GraphicsMagick

GraphicsMagick-1.3.31-Q8-win64-dll

I used an installer. So, it's not like a tutorial on how to double click on the program icon is going to do anyone any good.


To keep all my graphics code together, I installed GraphicsMagick into:

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick

So, to run GraphicsMagick on the command line, I need to type (or cut and paste):

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe

But that doesn't do much of anything but give one version information.



To do any work, a much more complex command is required.

For example, the following code applies a simple filter before saving the modified image.

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe `
  convert `
  -verbose `
  -solarize 5 `
  c:\alpha\input\test.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_1.jpg

• c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe
• Invokes GraphicsMagick
  • The path is machine specific to me.
• convert
• Calls this workhorse utility
• -verbose
• Does as it implies.
• Because, why not?
• -solarize 5
• An example command
• Not needed for a simple copy
• c:\alpha\input\test.jpg
• Path to the input image
• c:\alpha\output\test_1.jpg
• Path to the output image

All of those backticks (`) enable code continuation on the command line. If all of the code is strung out on a single line, they are not needed... and if included, the code would fail.



In my initial run down of the convert options, I did not find that many of interest. Of course, my review was quite quick.

• -edge 5
• a standard edge detector
• -solarize 95
• a nice negative effect
• -solarize 5
• sort of the opposite
• not subtle
• other worldly
• -spread 5
• a blur

I find it rather annoying that upon copying an image the thumbnail preview does not change. Which is to say, the profile (or at least, I think that is what it is called) is not updated. So, looking at thumbnails in a directory (medium sized, but not for large or extra-large previews, oddly), I saw no change in the output images after applying the filters. I had to open the images to see the changes.

But then, in writing this up, I played with the view. So, I suppose I'll be looking at my images in large size format when using GraphicsMagick, because that is what worked for me.



In my quick review of the options, I noticed -flip and -flop. And since those come close to implementing a Face Flip project I completed recently, I figured I would work that out as my Hello GraphicsMagick.

The Steps Involved:

• Copy Original Image
• Flip Original Image
• Combine Front Ways
• Combine Back Ways

These have to be run as four separate commands.

Copy Original Image

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe `
  convert `
  c:\alpha\input\test.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_a.jpg

Flip Original Image

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe `
  convert -flop `
  c:\alpha\input\test.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_b.jpg

Combine Front Ways

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe `
  convert +append `
  c:\alpha\output\test_a.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_b.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_first.jpg

Combine Back Ways

c:\alpha\graphicsmagick\gm.exe `
  convert +append `
  c:\alpha\output\test_b.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_a.jpg `
  c:\alpha\output\test_second.jpg

As my first PowerShell program, I think I will try to get this to work for all the images in the input directory.

GraphicsMagick FaceFlip
G'MIC FaceFlip
PowerShell FaceFlip