Image to ASCII

This code has been declared by its author to be Public Domain code.

Image to ASCII by Andres

2006

This function will redraw an image in ASCII symbols.

Function ImageToChars(source%, target%, colors% = True)
	Local chars$ = " .,:`;'^" + Chr(34) + "<>\-/_!~=?)(|t+i7{j}lv]%[1cf32Jr$CuIyz9o6wTna5sk&VY40LO8mG*hexSgApqbZdUPQFDXKW#RNEHBM@"
	Local w% = 0, char$ = "", argb%, red%, green%, blue%
	
	For i = 1 To Len(chars$)
		If StringWidth(Mid$(chars$, i, 1)) > w% Then w% = StringWidth(Mid$(chars$, i, 1))
	Next
	
	LockBuffer ImageBuffer(source%)
	Local buffer% = GraphicsBuffer()
	SetBuffer ImageBuffer(target%)
	For y = 0 To (ImageHeight(source%) / FontHeight()) - 1
		For x = 0 To (ImageWidth(source%) / w%) - 1
			argb% = ReadPixel(x * w%, y * FontHeight(), ImageBuffer(source%))
				red% = (argb Shr 16) And $FF
				green% = (argb Shr 8) And $FF
				blue% = argb And $FF
			col# = (Float red + green + blue) / (3 * 255)
			
			If colors% Then Color red, green, blue
			
			char$ = Mid$(chars$, (Len(chars$) - 1) * col# + 1, 1)
			Text x% * w%, y% * FontHeight(), char$
		Next
	Next
	SetBuffer buffer%
	UnlockBuffer ImageBuffer(source%)
End Function

Comments

Subirenihil

2006

Interesting... Very creative. I don't know what I might use it for, but I like it.

markcw

2006

i can't get it to work.

markcw

2006

nice effect! but it didn't work until i took out the lockbuffers.

;Image to Ascii example

Graphics3D 640,480,0,2
SetBuffer BackBuffer()

image=LoadImage("yourname.bmp") ;source

ascii=CreateImage(ImageWidth(image),ImageHeight(image)) ;target

ImageToChars(image,ascii,1)

ClsColor 0,0,0 : Color 255,255,255 ;reset colors

While Not KeyHit(1)

 Cls
 DrawImage ascii,50,50

 Text 0,0,"image="+image+" ascii="+ascii

Flip
Wend

Function ImageToChars(source%, target%, colors% = True)
 Local chars$ = " .,:`;'^" + Chr(34) + "<>\-/_!~=?)(|t+i7{j}lv]%[1cf32Jr$CuIyz9o6wTna5sk&VY40LO8mG*hexSgApqbZdUPQFDXKW#RNEHBM@"
 Local w% = 0, char$ = "", argb%, red%, green%, blue%
 
 For i = 1 To Len(chars$)
  If StringWidth(Mid$(chars$, i, 1)) > w% Then w% = StringWidth(Mid$(chars$, i, 1))
 Next
 
 ;LockBuffer ImageBuffer(source%)
 Local buffer% = GraphicsBuffer()
 SetBuffer ImageBuffer(target%)
 For y = 0 To (ImageHeight(source%) / FontHeight()) - 1
  For x = 0 To (ImageWidth(source%) / w%) - 1
   argb% = ReadPixel(x * w%, y * FontHeight(), ImageBuffer(source%))
    red% = (argb Shr 16) And $FF
    green% = (argb Shr 8) And $FF
    blue% = argb And $FF
   col# = (Float red + green + blue) / (3 * 255)
   
   If colors% Then Color red, green, blue
   
   char$ = Mid$(chars$, (Len(chars$) - 1) * col# + 1, 1)
   Text x% * w%, y% * FontHeight(), char$
  Next
 Next
 SetBuffer buffer%
 ;UnlockBuffer ImageBuffer(source%)
End Function

Sauer

2008

Definitely going to use this in my next game, thanks!

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