Misc. Imaging Tools

Diagram Designer is a simple vector graphics editor for creating flowcharts, diagrams and slide shows. It offers customizable object templates (addtl. templates can be downloaded), simple graph plotting to plot mathematical expressions, support for multi-page and multi-layer diagrams, export to graphics formats and more. Diagram Designer allows you to create a wide variety of diagram styles including flowcharts, network maps, application interfaces, electronic circuits and more.

Sqirlz Morph allows you to morph two, three or more images together, and save your animation as a Flash movie, AVI video clip, or bitmap/jpeg files. As with other morphing tools, you place special control points over important features on each of the images, and the program then distorts each image so that the chosen features are matched (example included). The entire process can be displayed and saved as animation in GIF, AVI or Flash (.swf) format. For best results you need to use the right pictures and some patience.

If you open and edit/save JPEG files, they loose quality due to constant re-compression. JPEGcrop utilizes beta code of the Independent JPEG Group for lossless cropping of JPEG files and allows you to crop and rotate your JPEG files without quality loss.

Greenfish Relief Map Generator is a unique program that enables you to create fake map images that resemble real relief maps, but are completely random. You can customize the map colors, load city names from a text file and also set the map size and amount of water to use. The result can be exported to a BMP image. The program is useful if you need map displays for demonstration without infringing on any copyrights.

Opanda IExif enables you to view EXIF data of images directly from Internet Explorer, using the IE right-click menu. You can also view EXIF/GPS and IPTC data for local images. The program supports EXIF 2.21 standards, TIPP6 and extend EXIF tags, as well as EXIF thumbnail display. This version automatically integrates with Internet Explorer, however, a plugin can be added to extend the features to Firefox.

Average Color Seeker is a small and useful tool that enables you to select the average color value for an entire photograph. It also offers the inverse average and a matching color palette. Other features include display of RGB and HTML values, a built-in color picker and optional gray correction.

EXIF ShellExtension is a simple add-on for Windows Explorer that display EXIF information for JPG images in an infotip extension that appears when you over your mouse over the file name or thumbnail. The information includes shutter speed, F-value; ISO, focal length, camera model and more.

webGobbler is a unique program, that downloads random images from several online sources and assembles them into a random collage. You can apply several effects to images to customize the results, specify the image dimensions, include images from a local directory (or use only local files) and also choose to set the generated images as a screensaver. The collages can be saved in various image formats and also applied as desktop wallpaper. Other features include an option to blacklist URLs and images, command line interface and proxy support.

Posteriza enables you to create poster or banner size prints from your digital images. The program slices the images into multiple parts and makes them fit into a number of regular size pages (A4, A3, letter, etc.), which can then be assembled after printing. It automatically includes margins to overlap and glue the pages. In addition, you can add up to 4 lines of text, as well as a frame to enhance the looks. The program is easy to use, and offers easy configuration and previews of the results. You can create regular size posters, wall posters or anything in between, although you should use a high resolution image for larger printouts in order to produce quality results. The program can also save the output as JPG files, allowing you to use 3rd party printing services instead of your own printer. Standalone, no install needed.

uMark Lite enables you to add a text or image watermark to your digital photos. You can choose from 9 pre-defined watermark placements, set a custom font , size and color, as well as opacity level. The freeware version can batch process up to 50 images in a single run. The watermarked images are saved in a new folder, so your originals remain unchanged (the watermarked copies have their EXIF data removed).

FirmTools ShellExtension is an add-on for Windows Explorer, that adds a right-click thumbnail preview to image files, as well as an option to convert the image to a different format. It supports conversions to GIF, JPEG, BMP, PNG, TGA, PSD, TIFF, PCX, PCD, and others.

Foto-Mosaik enables you to create a mosaic picture, by using many small images as tyles, that are analyzed and arranged to match the overall pattern of the original. You can specify the size of the tiles, as well as the number each one should be repeated (if needed), and even crossfade the tiled version with the original to create a less abstract effect. The program uses an easy to use wizard that lets you select the tile files, as well as the image to create as mosaic. The tile images are scanned into a database and can be easily re-used for other projects. The more tile images you use, the better the results.

EXIF Browser is an image browser with support for EXIF data display. It can present your images in a slideshow, and optionally display the basic EXIF details along the side, or you can use the detailed properties to view all available EXIF tags. EXIF Browser can also decode Canon RAW files (CR2, CRW) and extract the embedded JPG image.

EyeBrowse is an simple file management tool for image files. It comes with a built-in image viewer with support for most popular formats. You can copy, move and rename your images and search for image files. EyeBrowse also includes some basic image manipulation features, including rotation, brightness/contrast adjustments and more.

Kalimages Basic allows you to search your photo collection, using existing IPTC/IMM meta data. You can find images by keyword or specific text in any available IPTC field and view the results as thumbnail, or export to HTML/XML. Advanced users can also use SQL queries to perform highly customized searches. The images that are found can be copied to another folder, renamed, deleted, or opened in your default image viewer. Kalimages Basic relies on existing IPTC and is only useful if your images already contain IPTC image annotations - if they do, then this program provides you with a very flexible search engine to find and manage your photos.

Digimarc ImageBridge Reader allows you to easily spot images that use Digimarc digital watermark protection. The program integrates with Windows Explorer and adds an icon overlay to protected images, and also works with Internet Explorer to mark protected images directly in your browser, providing a link to copyright holder information. The program is mostly useful to users that are familiar with the Digimarc services.

10. Slide Show is a simple tools to quickly create a slideshow from selected images. You can chose to use the content of a folder, or select the images one by one and then save the slideshow. You can also add an audio file (.mp3, wav, mid), set the delay, background color and optionally have the slideshow loop.

DPIC (Digital Picture Index Creator) allows you to create a picture index (contact sheet) from a directory and save it as single JPEG image. You can customize the output in detail, specify the size, select color fonts, details to include and image quality.

Bitmap Font Writer is a free program that let you draw text using a font where each character is drawn in a bitmap file. If youve drawn your own bitmapped font in for example Photoshop, you are forced to manually Copy & Paste each character in order to combine them into a word. This gets pretty tedious if youre doing buttons for a website, as an example. The purpose of Bitmap Font Writer is to make this procedure smoother. By arranging your font in ASCII order and put markers to define the width of each character you may load the image into Bitmap Font Writer which the combines the characters for you. Then you simply copy everything to the clipboard to get it back into your painting program.

Scotts Box Shot Maker is a graphical marketing tool for software developers allows you to create a virtual (box)package or book cover for your product. A box shot is a colorful image simulation of a box in which your product would be packaged if it were on the shelf at a software store. You can use your own logos and promotional images to decorate and style the box shot. Additional features include support for book style shots, transparency and more.

Splitz! allows you to split any image into rectangular parts and export the resulting images along with the HTML table that puts them back together. This allows webmaster to create for creating mouseover effects and offers an alternative to image maps. It supports many images formats and includes smart JPEG compression (side by side compare) as well as basic color balancing filters.

Picture-Shark is a tool to add logo watermarks to your pictures in order to brand them or display copyright information. A stamp can be any GIF, JPEG or BMP image and it can be positioned anywhere on the image and previewed from the interface. You can also specify a transparency level, in order to blend the watermark with the image. The program can output the stamped images in JPG, PNG or BMP format with optional compression quality settings. Picture-shark is easy to use and can process single images or entire directories, but interface and usability could use some improvements.

PictureClip enables the user to import an image into it and cut the image into individual picture files. You can set the sections to a custom width each or chose to split the image into an X amount of equal sections. The application will import image formats of BMP, GIF, and JPG; and will export in either JPG or BMP format. For those that use this application for creating images for their web pages, PictureClip will generate the HTML for them as well. HTML code can be saved to a file or copied to the clipboard.

Texture Processor is a unique program for creating various textures. The basic algorithm placed in the heart of Texture Processor allows to get practically unlimited quantity of the complex textures during a short time. The program is intended both for 3d-artists and web-designers. Besides, any other user not able to draw in various graphic editors, will receive full pleasure and breadth of actions, working with Texture Processor. The program features a simple interactive interface, smart randomizer and allows you to edit each step of your process. It comes with a variety od textures that you can modify, mix etc. to get started.

IrfanView Shell Extension is a free Shell Extension Dll that adds the ability to call some IrfanView functions from within the Windows Explorer.

Scale includes some useful tools to help in the design of forms, web pages, presentations and other visual materials. Scale is a Tool Bar that you can position in a corner of the screen for easy use of the tools. From the Tool bar you can open a ruler, to measure horizontal and vertical distances in 7 different units (pixels, twips, inches, centimeters, himetrics, characters and points) a Magnifier to enlarge, up to 30 times, any image or text in the screen (you can make precise measurement and color pick with this tool ) or an Angle Measurement Tool, to measures angles formed by lines in the screen, in degrees and radians. Furthermore it includes a Color Mixer/Picker to mix and pick colors and get the respective codes in 6 systems (RGB, VB, HTM, CMY, CMYK and HSL) as well as a small Calculator with some useful features. Scale can optionally be run in the system tray.

The Castle s SplitImage is software for dividing an image into multiple parts for use on web pages. Divide an image into any number of resizable rows and columns. You can also create Sub Documents (ie. tables within tables). The program will auto-generate the HTML code for tables and split the image file into separate images for each table cell.

Zpaint allows you to create 3D-style elements for websites and software interfaces. You can easily paint raised or lowered shapes like buttons, rings, boxes and more and add those effects to existing graphics or create new ones from scratch. Features include color/texture selection, adjustable extrusion depth, gloss and other effects. Used best in cooperation with an image editor. Great for buttons, toolbars and other things!