global menu:
NOTES: Many graphics related programs are not listed here. I've omitted a variety of older DOS graphics programs- e.g., FLI, DL, and GL players and have yet to add AVI/ MOV/ MPEG players (Display can play these and other movie formats). I've also omitted most viewers restricted to reading non-JPEG formats.
PictView- Multi-format image viewer and converter in a small package.
* * * * * [added 1997 updated 07-20-00]
Relatively small (147K), fast, versatile, and configurable. This program packs both image viewing and format conversion functions into an efficiently coded program. From the docs: " PictureViewer is a mouse-driven viewer and converter of images. It runs on all EGA, VGA, SuperVGA and Extended-VGA video adapters. PictureViewer is able to read images stored in approximately 40 graphics file formats (140 versions) and convert them into another format. All functions are extremely fast, up to 10 times faster than other programs."
Other features: Optional command line loading of images; fit image to screen, hi and low quality JPEG decompression (including progressive JPEG's); animated GIF's, display adapter and screen resolution options; configuration. Notes: No slideshow or image preview options. Requires 386+, EGA+, 250 Kb RAM+, XMS recommended.
Supported formats (see formats.doc for format-specific read / write capabilities and restrictions):
[BMI] [BMP] [DIB] [RLE] [CAL] [MIL] [CDR] [CDT] [PAT] [CEL CMX] [CUT] [DCX] [GIF] [ICN] [CUR] [ICO] [IFF/LBM/HAM] [IMG-Soft. set] [IMG-GEM] [IMG-Vivid] [JMX] [JIF] [JPE] [JPG] [MAC] [MSP] [OFX] [PAN] [PBM] [PGM] [PPM] [PNM] [PC2] [PCD] [PCT] [PCX] [PIC-PC Paint] [PIC-Dr.Halo] [PNG] [PSD] [PYX] [QFX] [RAS] [RLE-Intergraph] [RLE-Utah RLE] [SAM] [SCx] [SGI] [BW] [RGB] [RLE] [TGA] [TIFF] [SEP] [CPT] [ST UDI] [WPG] [ZBR]
07-20-00: v. 1.94 (07-00) available. See home page for revision history, Czech, and French versions. Win3.1 and Win9x version (view only) and Win32 console image converter also available.
Author: Jan Patera. Czech Republic. (2000) Home Page.
download pictview.zip (104K)
LXPIC- Tiny, portable JPG, BMP, GIF viewer with big features.
* * * * * [added 1997 updated 04-30-00]
LXPIC was not designed for PC's equipped with the latest quantum warp accelerated 3D graphics cards. Instead, LXPIC is suitable for nearly any PC running DOS- from the lowliest 8088, B/W laptops and palmtops, to the latest desktops. It is the most "portable" graphics viewer listed here. With a 16K (!) binary and 64K mem requirement, disk and memory needs shouldn't be issues for most users. CGA and DOS 2.11 or better are required. The program and its author get five stars just for this feat of programming. Author: Stefan Peichl. Germany. (2000)
Quick feature list...
Limitations:
04-30-00: v. 6.4 available (04-00): "-Support of lynx *.JPE files"
download lxpic.zip (37K)
ShowJPG- Fast and small command line JPEG viewer.
* * * * * [updated 04-28-01]
This small app fills a big void...
Usage: ShowJPG File_name [Width] [-q] [-l] [-c] [-dTime] [-tTime] [-e] [-k] File_name may be memory address in the form :SSSSOOOO where SSSS is the segment and OOOO is the offset part, both hexadecimal. Width is a number specifying the width in pixels of the graphics mode that ShowJPG will use to display the image. Any graphics mode with this width must be supported by the video adapter and must be HiColor or TrueColor for color images and must be 256color for black-and-white images. -Q or -q commands ShowJPG to read the image by a slower method, but preserving high quality of the image. -L or -l enables exiting ShowJPG with left mouse button. -C or -c clears the screen under Windows95. -D or -d delays Time milliseconds under Windows95. -T or -t ShowJPG exits after Time milliseconds. -E or -e ShowJPG exits immediately without clearing screen. -K or -k keeps the screen unchanged before decompressing. Use + and - keys to zoom-in and zoom-out the image. Use arrow keys and a mouse to scroll.
Author: Jan Patera, Czech Republic (2001). Home Page.
04-28-01: v2.80 (04-01) available. "Added support of images with subsampling 1x2:1:1 (created by digital cameras in portrait mode), fixed crash on some images with subsampling 4x1:1:1"
Download showjpg.zip (20K)
PixView- JPG, GIF, and BMP image viewer with slideshow.
* * * * (v2.2)
PixView is a good 32-bit JPG, GIF, and BMP image viewer and is comparable to the popular shareware product QPV in speed, navigation and display capabilities. The directory listing screen is easy to navigate with a mouse. PixView requires a 386+ PC and a VESA driver to display images at resolutions other than 320X220X256 color/gray (no driver support for graphics cards). Includes zoom and slideshow features but no image preview. Built-in configuration, but PixView doesn't save some settings (e.g., default file masks). One shortcoming of the freeware version is the inability to load files on the command line (the shareware version allows this, has true color support, load-while-display feature for slide show, and optimized compilation). Although the docs say there is no GIF89 support, I've successfully loaded GIF87, 89, and 89-interlaced images. Supports progressive JPG's. Author: Davide Rossi, Italy. (1998).
New in v2.3 (1-98): WIN95 LFN support; the program is faster (and bigger: 247K vs. 180K for v2.2); copy/move file options added ; pg up/down to show next/prev image file.
Bugs (?): I haven't used the v2.3 extensively, but it has locked my system a couple times and not all mouse functions seem to work in viewing mode (e.g., r-button exit). Never a problem with previous versions. Still doesn't seem to save file masks.
download pixv23.zip (144K, v2.3, 1-98)
LWhiz- Command line image viewer for JPEG, GIF and other formats.
* * * *
This is a good helper app for file managers. Coded in assembly language: fast and small (exe is 33K).
Supported formats: JPEG, GIF, TIF, PCX, TGA, PNM, WPG, LBM, ICO, BMP and PhotoCD ( 768x512 ). Analyzes signatures of files when loading (not file extensions): format detection is more reliable. Allows viewing images up to a resolution of 1280x1024 in TrueColor. "Screen Magnifying-Glass" feature- magnifies a large square area around mouse pointer- a smart idea for systems that lack the memory to show zoomed full images. Can magnify this area by several powers using the "+" key. No directory browser- must load files from the command line. Slideshow capable.
Note: Requires a minimum of 2 Mb RAM; VESA compatibility; 1MB+ video memory. Requires a 386+ PC.
New in v.1.32 (9-97): not documented ? ?
download lwhiz.zip (53K, v. 1.32)
or get v. 1.31 here: lwhiz131.zip
OMBRA- Fast 32-bit GIF, TGA, PCX, BMP, RAW image viewer, more.
* * * *
This excellent program from Rick Ostidich is one slick image viewer. Coded entirely in assembly language, Ombra is a fast 32 bit viewer that stands out among the crowd because it supports real time zooming with a mouse as well as real time cycling of brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, rgb, and other effects. Although Pentium-optimized this program is quick even on an old 386. Effects, image resolution, and other commands are accessed from semi-transparent drop-down menus. Files are loaded from the command line: OMBRA makes a good helper app for file managers. Special requirements: 386 or above machine, VESA compatibility highly recommended.
The current release of Ombra supports the following image formats:
v.7.22, 10-97: Added support for 2-colors and 16-colors PCXs, other enhancements.
Download ombra722.zip (98K)
Display- Image viewing and conversion package.
* * * *
Display is a robust 32-bit image viewing and conversion package. Display is not small- it chews up about one MB of disk space. Supported image and movie formats include BMP, RLE, TIF, GIF, JPG, TGA, ICO, PCX, AVI, MPEG, MOV, GL, DL, FLI, and, uniquely, several less common image formats. Progressive JPEGs are supported. In addition, text file viewing is supported (ANSI files) as is UUE and MIME en/ decoding, and WAV, AU playing. The interface is generally clean and is mouse compatible (under DOS only). Author: Jih-Shin Ho.
The principle drawback of Display is its slow dithering of true color images compared to other viewing packages here, although even this can be tweaked by adjusting dithering settings. The latest AVI movie standards (interlaced) and some MOV formats are not supported in v. 189. Set-up may be a challenge for some.
download disp189a.zip (800K)
or get the latest betas
QPNG/386- PNG and TGA image viewer.
* * * * *
QPNG/386 is a special freeware version of the famous shareware QPV/386 which reads only the PiNG (PNG) and Targa (TGA) formats. Preview Image, Zoom and Slideshow options are available as are basic file management commands. The smartly designed interface is identical to QPV. For PNG files, QPNG supports all bit depths (1 to 16 bits/sample), background transparency, interlacing, and gamma correction. Driver support for some video cards, but VESA recommended (use the VESA2CFG utility to create a VESA CFG file).
download qpng17e.zip (335K)
FORMAT CONVERSION
Also see: PictView and Display; both support multi-format conversion.
JPEG- command-line image format conversion utilities.
* * * * [updated 4-5-98]
JPEG is a speedy command-line JPEG image conversion utility. This package contains two main executables- CJPEG for converting images to JPEG format - and DJPEG for converting JPEG files to GIF (uncompressed) , BMP, TGA, or PBM format. Progressive JPEG format is supported. Many options are included: compression quality, smoothing, dithering, scaling, and advanced options like quantization and color mapping. This is a great utility for performing batch conversions and is optimized for 386 or better machines (a separate zip file is available for 286 PC's). The JPEG package does not include an image viewer.
Changes in v. 6b (3-98): Most notable is the removal or modification of GIF related features because of GIF patent considerations: GIF conversion to JPG capability removed from CJPEG; production of larger, uncompressed GIF's from JPG's with DJPEG. (I suspect many users will not be replacing jpeg6a with jpeg6b...)
download:
jpeg6b.zip (196K) or
jpeg6b32.zip (386 optimized, 203K)
NCONVERT- Multi-format image converter/viewer package.
* * * * [added 1-8-99 updated 12-06-00]
This suite of 32-bit DOS image viewing and conversion programs may be too large and tedious for the casual user but possesses several unique and favorable characteristics:
NCONVERT is the command line converter which includes several advanced image manipulation options. The included viewers (NVIEW, VIEW2) read the same formats as NCONVERT and while adequate for basic viewing, are comparatively large (550K+) for their lack of features. NVIEW is the command line viewer while VIEW2 incorporates a directory browser with slideshow capability. Neither includes mouse support.
Special requirements: 386+ PC, DOS4GW extender (included); VESA compatibility recommended. The VIEW2 interface is French; the docs and companion programs are available in English although some program output is French. Special Notes: You may need to manually execute the DOS extender DOS4GW on the command line (using the program name, options, and file as parameters).
Author: Pierre-e Gougelet, France. (2000) Home page
12-06-00: New in v2.95 (11-00): see docs.
download vwi86.zip (~1.27MB, requires coprocessor)
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