This plugin is also available on the
GIMP Plugin Registry site.
Project Description
This is a plugin for GIMP on Windows that allows reading and writing of JPEG XR (aka HD Photo) image files. This plugin only runs on Windows XP SP3 or higher since it makes use of the Windows Imaging Component.
Read support
Almost all pixel formats supported by JPEG XR can be loaded. However, non-compatible formats will first be converted to a representation that GIMP understands (this means you'll loose HDR data for example). That is, all RGB pixel formats get converted to 24bpp RGB, all RGBA formats to 32bpp BGRA and all grayscale formats to 8bpp Gray.
Write support
Images are saved in one of the following pixel formats depending on the image mode that is selected in GIMP:
- 8bpp (grayscale), if image mode in GIMP is set to Gray and no alpha channel exists
- 24bpp RGB, if image mode in GIMP is set to RGB and no alpha channel exists
- 32bpp BGRA, if image mode in GIMP is set to Gray or RGB and there is an alpha channel
Images that make use of color palettes (image mode set to Indexed) will first need to be exported to RGB before saving. The same applies to images with multiple layers, these must be merged first. When saving to JPEG XR, GIMP will offer to export your image automatically if needed, so you won't need to worry much about this.
Instructions
Installing the plugin is easy. Copy the gimpjpegxrplugin.exe file into the plug-ins directory of your GIMP installation (usually %ProgramFiles%\gimp-<version>\lib\gimp\<version>\plug-ins) and you're done. If you're running Windows XP, additionally copy wmphoto.dll from your system directory (Windows\System32) to the plugin folder. This extra step shouldn't be necessary on Vista and higher. On XP, also make sure you have SP3 or the standalone
WIC installed.