The following code uses the SimpleImage library
I have a function that gets a pixel from an image:
function getPixel($x, $y) {
$colors = imagecolors
There is a faster way, but it's very tricky. What it involves is exporting the image to the GD2 format, then accessing the bytes directly. GD stores the pixels in chunks, so looping through the pixels is not straight forward. When done properly, it does yield much better performance since you're no longer incurring the overhead of calling a function on every pixel.
Here's some code that I have that I had written which capture the alpha channel from an image. As you can see, the loop isn't so terribly obvious because of chunking:
imagesavealpha($image, true);
ob_start();
imagegd2($image);
$gdRawData = ob_get_clean();
$array = unpack("Nheader/nversion/nimageWidth/nimageHeight/nchunkSize/ndataFormat/ncolumnCount/nrowCount", $gdRawData);
$imageWidth = $array['imageWidth'];
$imageHeight = $array['imageHeight'];
$chunkWidth = $chunkHeight = $array['chunkSize'];
$columnCount = $array['columnCount'];
$rowCount = $array['rowCount'];
$lastColumnWidth = $imageWidth - ($columnCount - 1) * $chunkWidth;
$lastRowHeight = $imageHeight - ($rowCount - 1) * $chunkHeight;
static $transparencyToAlpha = array("\x7f" => "\x00", "\x7f" => "\x01", "\x7e" => "\x02", "\x7e" => "\x03", "\x7d" => "\x04", "\x7d" => "\x05", "\x7c" => "\x06", "\x7c" => "\x07", "\x7b" => "\x08", "\x7b" => "\x09", "\x7a" => "\x0a", "\x7a" => "\x0b", "\x79" => "\x0c", "\x79" => "\x0d", "\x78" => "\x0e", "\x78" => "\x0f", "\x77" => "\x10", "\x77" => "\x11", "\x76" => "\x12", "\x76" => "\x13", "\x75" => "\x14", "\x75" => "\x15", "\x74" => "\x16", "\x74" => "\x17", "\x73" => "\x18", "\x73" => "\x19", "\x72" => "\x1a", "\x72" => "\x1b", "\x71" => "\x1c", "\x71" => "\x1d", "\x70" => "\x1e", "\x70" => "\x1f", "\x6f" => "\x20", "\x6f" => "\x21", "\x6e" => "\x22", "\x6e" => "\x23", "\x6d" => "\x24", "\x6d" => "\x25", "\x6c" => "\x26", "\x6c" => "\x27", "\x6b" => "\x28", "\x6b" => "\x29", "\x6a" => "\x2a", "\x6a" => "\x2b", "\x69" => "\x2c", "\x69" => "\x2d", "\x68" => "\x2e", "\x68" => "\x2f", "\x67" => "\x30", "\x67" => "\x31", "\x66" => "\x32", "\x66" => "\x33", "\x65" => "\x34", "\x65" => "\x35", "\x64" => "\x36", "\x64" => "\x37", "\x63" => "\x38", "\x63" => "\x39", "\x62" => "\x3a", "\x62" => "\x3b", "\x61" => "\x3c", "\x61" => "\x3d", "\x60" => "\x3e", "\x60" => "\x3f", "\x5f" => "\x40", "\x5f" => "\x41", "\x5e" => "\x42", "\x5e" => "\x43", "\x5d" => "\x44", "\x5d" => "\x45", "\x5c" => "\x46", "\x5c" => "\x47", "\x5b" => "\x48", "\x5b" => "\x49", "\x5a" => "\x4a", "\x5a" => "\x4b", "\x59" => "\x4c", "\x59" => "\x4d", "\x58" => "\x4e", "\x58" => "\x4f", "\x57" => "\x50", "\x57" => "\x51", "\x56" => "\x52", "\x56" => "\x53", "\x55" => "\x54", "\x55" => "\x55", "\x54" => "\x56", "\x54" => "\x57", "\x53" => "\x58", "\x53" => "\x59", "\x52" => "\x5a", "\x52" => "\x5b", "\x51" => "\x5c", "\x51" => "\x5d", "\x50" => "\x5e", "\x50" => "\x5f", "\x4f" => "\x60", "\x4f" => "\x61", "\x4e" => "\x62", "\x4e" => "\x63", "\x4d" => "\x64", "\x4d" => "\x65", "\x4c" => "\x66", "\x4c" => "\x67", "\x4b" => "\x68", "\x4b" => "\x69", "\x4a" => "\x6a", "\x4a" => "\x6b", "\x49" => "\x6c", "\x49" => "\x6d", "\x48" => "\x6e", "\x48" => "\x6f", "\x47" => "\x70", "\x47" => "\x71", "\x46" => "\x72", "\x46" => "\x73", "\x45" => "\x74", "\x45" => "\x75", "\x44" => "\x76", "\x44" => "\x77", "\x43" => "\x78", "\x43" => "\x79", "\x42" => "\x7a", "\x42" => "\x7b", "\x41" => "\x7c", "\x41" => "\x7d", "\x40" => "\x7e", "\x40" => "\x7f", "\x3f" => "\x80", "\x3f" => "\x81", "\x3e" => "\x82", "\x3e" => "\x83", "\x3d" => "\x84", "\x3d" => "\x85", "\x3c" => "\x86", "\x3c" => "\x87", "\x3b" => "\x88", "\x3b" => "\x89", "\x3a" => "\x8a", "\x3a" => "\x8b", "\x39" => "\x8c", "\x39" => "\x8d", "\x38" => "\x8e", "\x38" => "\x8f", "\x37" => "\x90", "\x37" => "\x91", "\x36" => "\x92", "\x36" => "\x93", "\x35" => "\x94", "\x35" => "\x95", "\x34" => "\x96", "\x34" => "\x97", "\x33" => "\x98", "\x33" => "\x99", "\x32" => "\x9a", "\x32" => "\x9b", "\x31" => "\x9c", "\x31" => "\x9d", "\x30" => "\x9e", "\x30" => "\x9f", "\x2f" => "\xa0", "\x2f" => "\xa1", "\x2e" => "\xa2", "\x2e" => "\xa3", "\x2d" => "\xa4", "\x2d" => "\xa5", "\x2c" => "\xa6", "\x2c" => "\xa7", "\x2b" => "\xa8", "\x2b" => "\xa9", "\x2a" => "\xaa", "\x2a" => "\xab", "\x29" => "\xac", "\x29" => "\xad", "\x28" => "\xae", "\x28" => "\xaf", "\x27" => "\xb0", "\x27" => "\xb1", "\x26" => "\xb2", "\x26" => "\xb3", "\x25" => "\xb4", "\x25" => "\xb5", "\x24" => "\xb6", "\x24" => "\xb7", "\x23" => "\xb8", "\x23" => "\xb9", "\x22" => "\xba", "\x22" => "\xbb", "\x21" => "\xbc", "\x21" => "\xbd", "\x20" => "\xbe", "\x20" => "\xbf", "\x1f" => "\xc0", "\x1f" => "\xc1", "\x1e" => "\xc2", "\x1e" => "\xc3", "\x1d" => "\xc4", "\x1d" => "\xc5", "\x1c" => "\xc6", "\x1c" => "\xc7", "\x1b" => "\xc8", "\x1b" => "\xc9", "\x1a" => "\xca", "\x1a" => "\xcb", "\x19" => "\xcc", "\x19" => "\xcd", "\x18" => "\xce", "\x18" => "\xcf", "\x17" => "\xd0", "\x17" => "\xd1", "\x16" => "\xd2", "\x16" => "\xd3", "\x15" => "\xd4", "\x15" => "\xd5", "\x14" => "\xd6", "\x14" => "\xd7", "\x13" => "\xd8", "\x13" => "\xd9", "\x12" => "\xda", "\x12" => "\xdb", "\x11" => "\xdc", "\x11" => "\xdd", "\x10" => "\xde", "\x10" => "\xdf", "\x0f" => "\xe0", "\x0f" => "\xe1", "\x0e" => "\xe2", "\x0e" => "\xe3", "\x0d" => "\xe4", "\x0d" => "\xe5", "\x0c" => "\xe6", "\x0c" => "\xe7", "\x0b" => "\xe8", "\x0b" => "\xe9", "\x0a" => "\xea", "\x0a" => "\xeb", "\x09" => "\xec", "\x09" => "\xed", "\x08" => "\xee", "\x08" => "\xef", "\x07" => "\xf0", "\x07" => "\xf1", "\x06" => "\xf2", "\x06" => "\xf3", "\x05" => "\xf4", "\x05" => "\xf5", "\x04" => "\xf6", "\x04" => "\xf7", "\x03" => "\xf8", "\x03" => "\xf9", "\x02" => "\xfa", "\x02" => "\xfb", "\x01" => "\xfc", "\x01" => "\xfd", "\x00" => "\xfe", "\x00" => "\xff");
$alphaDataSize = $imageWidth * $imageHeight;
$alphaData = str_repeat("\x00", $alphaDataSize);
// loop through all rows
for($r = 0, $j = 23; $r < $rowCount; $r++) {
$rowHeight = ($r == $rowCount - 1) ? $lastRowHeight : $chunkHeight;
// loop through chunks in each row
for($c = 0; $c < $columnCount; $c++) {
$columnWidth = ($c == $columnCount - 1) ? $lastColumnWidth : $chunkWidth;
$firstY = $r * $chunkHeight;
$lastY = $firstY + $rowHeight;
// loop through scanlines in each chunk
for($y = $firstY; $y < $lastY; $y++) {
$firstX = $c * $chunkWidth;
$firstAlphaPosition = $y * $imageWidth + $firstX;
$lastAlphaPosition = $firstAlphaPosition + $columnWidth;
// loop through each pixel in each chunk scanline
for($i = $firstAlphaPosition; $i < $lastAlphaPosition; $i++, $j+= 4) {
$alphaData[$i] = $transparencyToAlpha[$gdRawData[$j]];
}
}
}
}
Each pixel consists of four bytes: alpha, red, green, and blue. Here, I'm only capturing the first byte.
This is the ugly brute-force method, using imagecolorat() on every pixel. In my tests with large (6.5Mpixel) images, it's about 3.6sec, or about 1.1sec faster than the more elegant GD hack proposed by @cleong. It also has the advantage of brutal simplicity, and independence from the undocumented internal GD2 format.
$alphaLookup = array(
0x00000000=>"\xff",0x01000000=>"\xfd",0x02000000=>"\xfb",0x03000000=>"\xf9",
0x04000000=>"\xf7",0x05000000=>"\xf5",0x06000000=>"\xf3",0x07000000=>"\xf1",
0x08000000=>"\xef",0x09000000=>"\xed",0x0a000000=>"\xeb",0x0b000000=>"\xe9",
0x0c000000=>"\xe7",0x0d000000=>"\xe5",0x0e000000=>"\xe3",0x0f000000=>"\xe1",
0x10000000=>"\xdf",0x11000000=>"\xdd",0x12000000=>"\xdb",0x13000000=>"\xd9",
0x14000000=>"\xd7",0x15000000=>"\xd5",0x16000000=>"\xd3",0x17000000=>"\xd1",
0x18000000=>"\xcf",0x19000000=>"\xcd",0x1a000000=>"\xcb",0x1b000000=>"\xc9",
0x1c000000=>"\xc7",0x1d000000=>"\xc5",0x1e000000=>"\xc3",0x1f000000=>"\xc1",
0x20000000=>"\xbf",0x21000000=>"\xbd",0x22000000=>"\xbb",0x23000000=>"\xb9",
0x24000000=>"\xb7",0x25000000=>"\xb5",0x26000000=>"\xb3",0x27000000=>"\xb1",
0x28000000=>"\xaf",0x29000000=>"\xad",0x2a000000=>"\xab",0x2b000000=>"\xa9",
0x2c000000=>"\xa7",0x2d000000=>"\xa5",0x2e000000=>"\xa3",0x2f000000=>"\xa1",
0x30000000=>"\x9f",0x31000000=>"\x9d",0x32000000=>"\x9b",0x33000000=>"\x99",
0x34000000=>"\x97",0x35000000=>"\x95",0x36000000=>"\x93",0x37000000=>"\x91",
0x38000000=>"\x8f",0x39000000=>"\x8d",0x3a000000=>"\x8b",0x3b000000=>"\x89",
0x3c000000=>"\x87",0x3d000000=>"\x85",0x3e000000=>"\x83",0x3f000000=>"\x81",
0x40000000=>"\x7f",0x41000000=>"\x7d",0x42000000=>"\x7b",0x43000000=>"\x79",
0x44000000=>"\x77",0x45000000=>"\x75",0x46000000=>"\x73",0x47000000=>"\x71",
0x48000000=>"\x6f",0x49000000=>"\x6d",0x4a000000=>"\x6b",0x4b000000=>"\x69",
0x4c000000=>"\x67",0x4d000000=>"\x65",0x4e000000=>"\x63",0x4f000000=>"\x61",
0x50000000=>"\x5f",0x51000000=>"\x5d",0x52000000=>"\x5b",0x53000000=>"\x59",
0x54000000=>"\x57",0x55000000=>"\x55",0x56000000=>"\x53",0x57000000=>"\x51",
0x58000000=>"\x4f",0x59000000=>"\x4d",0x5a000000=>"\x4b",0x5b000000=>"\x49",
0x5c000000=>"\x47",0x5d000000=>"\x45",0x5e000000=>"\x43",0x5f000000=>"\x41",
0x60000000=>"\x3f",0x61000000=>"\x3d",0x62000000=>"\x3b",0x63000000=>"\x39",
0x64000000=>"\x37",0x65000000=>"\x35",0x66000000=>"\x33",0x67000000=>"\x31",
0x68000000=>"\x2f",0x69000000=>"\x2d",0x6a000000=>"\x2b",0x6b000000=>"\x29",
0x6c000000=>"\x27",0x6d000000=>"\x25",0x6e000000=>"\x23",0x6f000000=>"\x21",
0x70000000=>"\x1f",0x71000000=>"\x1d",0x72000000=>"\x1b",0x73000000=>"\x19",
0x74000000=>"\x17",0x75000000=>"\x15",0x76000000=>"\x13",0x77000000=>"\x11",
0x78000000=>"\x0f",0x79000000=>"\x0d",0x7a000000=>"\x0b",0x7b000000=>"\x09",
0x7c000000=>"\x07",0x7d000000=>"\x05",0x7e000000=>"\x03",0x7f000000=>"\x00"
); // Lookup table for chr(255-(($x >> 23) & 0x7f)).
$chr = array(
"\x00","\x01","\x02","\x03","\x04","\x05","\x06","\x07","\x08","\x09","\x0A","\x0B","\x0C","\x0D","\x0E","\x0F",
"\x10","\x11","\x12","\x13","\x14","\x15","\x16","\x17","\x18","\x19","\x1A","\x1B","\x1C","\x1D","\x1E","\x1F",
"\x20","\x21","\x22","\x23","\x24","\x25","\x26","\x27","\x28","\x29","\x2A","\x2B","\x2C","\x2D","\x2E","\x2F",
"\x30","\x31","\x32","\x33","\x34","\x35","\x36","\x37","\x38","\x39","\x3A","\x3B","\x3C","\x3D","\x3E","\x3F",
"\x40","\x41","\x42","\x43","\x44","\x45","\x46","\x47","\x48","\x49","\x4A","\x4B","\x4C","\x4D","\x4E","\x4F",
"\x50","\x51","\x52","\x53","\x54","\x55","\x56","\x57","\x58","\x59","\x5A","\x5B","\x5C","\x5D","\x5E","\x5F",
"\x60","\x61","\x62","\x63","\x64","\x65","\x66","\x67","\x68","\x69","\x6A","\x6B","\x6C","\x6D","\x6E","\x6F",
"\x70","\x71","\x72","\x73","\x74","\x75","\x76","\x77","\x78","\x79","\x7A","\x7B","\x7C","\x7D","\x7E","\x7F",
"\x80","\x81","\x82","\x83","\x84","\x85","\x86","\x87","\x88","\x89","\x8A","\x8B","\x8C","\x8D","\x8E","\x8F",
"\x90","\x91","\x92","\x93","\x94","\x95","\x96","\x97","\x98","\x99","\x9A","\x9B","\x9C","\x9D","\x9E","\x9F",
"\xA0","\xA1","\xA2","\xA3","\xA4","\xA5","\xA6","\xA7","\xA8","\xA9","\xAA","\xAB","\xAC","\xAD","\xAE","\xAF",
"\xB0","\xB1","\xB2","\xB3","\xB4","\xB5","\xB6","\xB7","\xB8","\xB9","\xBA","\xBB","\xBC","\xBD","\xBE","\xBF",
"\xC0","\xC1","\xC2","\xC3","\xC4","\xC5","\xC6","\xC7","\xC8","\xC9","\xCA","\xCB","\xCC","\xCD","\xCE","\xCF",
"\xD0","\xD1","\xD2","\xD3","\xD4","\xD5","\xD6","\xD7","\xD8","\xD9","\xDA","\xDB","\xDC","\xDD","\xDE","\xDF",
"\xE0","\xE1","\xE2","\xE3","\xE4","\xE5","\xE6","\xE7","\xE8","\xE9","\xEA","\xEB","\xEC","\xED","\xEE","\xEF",
"\xF0","\xF1","\xF2","\xF3","\xF4","\xF5","\xF6","\xF7","\xF8","\xF9","\xFA","\xFB","\xFC","\xFD","\xFE","\xFF",
); // Lookup for chr($x): much faster.
function lookUpImageBytes($canvas) {
global $alphaLookup, $chr;
$imageWidth = imagesx($canvas);
$imageHeight = imagesy($canvas);
// Faster than append, and >500mb more memory efficient for a 6.5MPx image!
$imageData = str_repeat("\x00\x00\x00\x00", $imageWidth * $imageHeight);
// Loop over each single pixel.
$j = 0;
for ($y = 0; $y < $imageHeight; $y++) {
for ($x = 0; $x < $imageWidth; $x++) {
// Grab the pixel data.
$argb = imagecolorat($canvas, $x, $y);
$imageData[$j++] = $alphaLookup[$argb & 0x7f000000]; // A (convert from GD).
// NB: three $chr arrays to replace the shifts WON'T improve speed.
$imageData[$j++] = $chr[($argb >> 16) & 0xFF]; // R
$imageData[$j++] = $chr[($argb >> 8) & 0xFF]; // G
$imageData[$j++] = $chr[$argb & 0xFF]; // B
}
}
return $imageData;
}