Using Bitmap Images in a Graphics Application
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This page contains information for the Graphics Library found in Microchip Libraries for Applications (MLA). It is not relevant for the MPLAB® Harmony Graphics Library.

Graphic Images

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Bitmap Images
Bitmap images are binary files that contain a pixel by pixel description of a graphical image. The value of each pixel is stored in one or more bits of data as defined by the color depth, or bits per pixel (bpp).
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The amount of memory required to store images can be quite large. To conserve the application's program memory, it is possible to store images and fonts in external non-volatile memory.

Importing Bitmap Images

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Step-by-Step Instructions:
Importing Images to an MLA Graphics Project

The Graphics Resource Converter (GRC) utility is used to import graphics images. (This is the same utility used to import fonts). The GRC can import images from bitmap files (BMP) or JPEG files (JPG or JPEG).

The GRC is located in the MLA Installation directory: …microchip/mla/vYYYY_MM_DD/framework/gfx/utilities/grc

Linux and Apple OS X® users launch the resource converter by executing grc.jar, and Microsoft Windows users invoke it by executing launch_grc.bat.

Using Bitmap Images

Once the image has been imported into the project and rebuilt, you will be able to display the image on the screen. To reference an imported image, you refer to the image by the name given in the header file. When an image file is converted you will be prompted to enter the name of the file to store the image. This example uses NewImage as the name of the image file.

Bitmap_Def.png
ImageFilesInclude.png
Example of MPLAB® X IDE's project tree with the assembly (.s), header (.h), and C (.c) files added.

Function used to Output an Image

GFX_ImageDraw(left, top, &image): Displays the image on the screen at the coordinates designated.

BitmapPlain_Code.png
BitmapPlain_Picture.png

Helpful Functions to Position Images on the Screen

The following functions can be useful to position your images (and objects) on the screen:

GFX_MaxXGet(): Returns the width (in pixels) of the display

GFX_MaxYGet(): Returns the height (in pixels) of the display

GFX_ImageWidthGet(GFX_RESOURCE_HDR pImage): Returns the width, in pixels, of the image.

GFX_ImageHeightGet(GFX_RESOURCE_HDR pImage): Returns the height, in pixels, of the image.

ImageCenter_Code.png
ImageCenter_Picture.png
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To get a complete list of the functions available for working with bitmap images open GFX_help.png help_mlagfx.jar located in ..microchip/mla/vYYYY_MM_DD/doc…

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