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The Python Imaging Library supports a wide variety of raster file formats. Nearly 30 different file formats can be identified and read by the library. Write support is less extensive, but most common interchange and presentation formats are supported.
The open function identifies files from their contents, not their names, but the save method looks at the name to determine which format to use, unless the format is given explicitly.
PIL reads and writes Windows and OS/2 BMP files containing "1", "L", "P", or "RGB" data. 16-colour images are read as "P" images. Run-length encoding is not supported.
The open method sets the following info properties:
Set to "bmp_rle" if the file is run-length encoded.
CUR is used to store cursors on Windows. The CUR decoder reads the largest available cursor. Animated cursors are not supported.
DCX is a container file format for PCX files, defined by Intel. The DCX format is commonly used in fax applications. The DCX decoder files containing "1", "L", "P", or "RGB" data. Only the first image is read.
The library identifies EPS files containing image data. It can also write EPS images.
The library reads Autodesk FLI and FLC animations.
The open method sets the following info properties:
The delay (in milliseconds) between each frame.
The library reads Kodak FlashPix files. In the current version, only the highest resolution image is read from the file, and the viewing transform is not taken into account.
Note: To enable full FlashPix support, you need to build and install the IJG JPEG library before building the Python Imaging Library. See the distribution README for details.
The GBR decoder reads GIMP brush files.
The open method sets the following info properties:
The brush name.
The library reads GD uncompressed files. Note that this file format cannot be automatically identified, so you must use the open function in the GdImageFile module to read such a file.
The open method sets the following info properties:
Transparency colour index. This key is omitted if the image is not transparent.
The library reads GIF87a and GIF89a versions of the GIF file format. The library writes run-length encoded GIF87a files. Note that GIF files are always read as palette mode ("P") images.
The open method sets the following info properties:
Version (either "GIF87a" or "GIF89a").
Transparency colour index. This key is omitted if the image is not transparent.
ICO is used to store icons on Windows. The largest available icon is read.
IM is a format used by LabEye and other applications based on the IFUNC image processing library. The library reads and writes most uncompressed interchange versions of this format.
IM is the only format that can store all internal PIL formats.
The library reads Image Tools images containing "L" data.
The library reads JPEG, JFIF, and Adobe JPEG files containing "L", "RGB", or "CMYK" data. It writes standard and progressive JFIF files.
Using the draft method, you can speed things up by converting "RGB" images to "L", and resize images to 1/2, 1/4 or 1/8 of their original size while loading them. The draft method also configures the JPEG decoder to trade some quality for speed.
The open method sets the following info properties:
JFIF application marker found. If the file is not a JFIF file, this key is not present.
Adobe application marker found. If the file is not an Adobe JPEG file, this key is not present.
Indicates that this is a progressive JPEG file.
The save method supports the following options:
The image quality, on a scale from 1 (worst) to 100 (best). The default is 75.
If present, indicates that the encoder should make an extra pass over the image in order to select optimal encoder settings.
If present, indicates that this image should be stored as a progressive JPEG file.
Note: To enable JPEG support, you need to build and install the IJG JPEG library before building the Python Imaging Library. See the distribution README for details.
The library identifies and reads Microsoft Image Composer (MIC) files. When opened, the first sprite in the file is loaded. You can use seek and tell to read other sprites from the file.
The library identifies and reads 8-bit McIdas area files.
The library identifies MPEG files.
The library identifies and reads MSP files from Windows 1 and 2. The library writes uncompressed (Windows 1) versions of this format.
The library reads PhotoCD files containing "RGB" data. By default, the 768x512 resolution is read. You can use the draft method to read the lower resolution versions instead, thus effectively resizing the image to 384x256 or 192x128. Higher resolutions cannot be read by the Python Imaging Library.
The library reads and writes PCX files containing "1", "L", "P", or "RGB" data.
The library can write PDF (Acrobat) images. Such images are written as binary PDF 1.1 files, using either JPEG or HEX encoding depending on the image mode (and whether JPEG support is available or not).
The library identifies, reads, and writes PNG files containing "1", "L", "P", "RGB", or "RGBA" data. Interlaced files are currently not supported.
The open method sets the following info properties:
Gamma, given as a floating point number.
Transparency colour index. This key is omitted if the image is not a transparent palette image.
The save method supports the following options:
If present, instructs the PNG writer to make the output file as small as possible. This includes extra processing in order to find optimal encoder settings.
Note: To enable PNG support, you need to build and install the ZLIB compression library before building the Python Imaging Library. See the distribution README for details.
The library reads and writes PBM, PGM and PPM files containing "1", "L" or "RGB" data.
The library identifies and reads PSD files written by Adobe Photoshop 2.5 and 3.0.
The library reads uncompressed "L" and "RGB" files. This driver is highly experimental.
The library reads uncompressed "1", "P", "L" and "RGB" files.
The library reads 24- and 32-bit uncompressed and run-length encoded TGA files.
The library reads and writes TIFF files containing "1", "L", "RGB", or "CMYK" data. It reads both striped and tiled images, pixel and plane interleaved multi-band images, and either uncompressed, or Packbits, LZW, or JPEG compressed images. In the current version, PIL always writes uncompressed TIFF files.
The open method sets the following info properties:
Compression mode.
In addition, the tag attribute contains a dictionary of decoded TIFF fields. Values are stored as either strings or tuples. Note that only short, long and ASCII tags are correctly unpacked by this release.
The library reads and writes X bitmap files (mode "1").
The library reads X pixmap files (mode "P") with 256 colours or less.
The open method sets the following info properties:
Transparency colour index. This key is omitted if the image is not transparent.
The Python Imaging Library associates file name extensions to each file format. The open function identifies files from their contents, not their names, but the save method looks at the name to determine which format to use, unless the format is given explicitly.
| format | extensions |
|---|---|
| BMP | ".bmp", ".dib" |
| CUR | ".cur" |
| DCX | ".dcx" |
| EPS | ".eps", ".ps" |
| FLI | ".fli", ".flc" |
| FPX | ".fpx" |
| GBR | ".gbr" |
| GD | ".gd" |
| GIF | ".gif" |
| ICO | ".ico" |
| IM | ".im" |
| JPEG | ".jpg", ".jpe", ".jpeg" |
| MIC | ".mic" |
| MSP | ".msp" |
| PCD | ".pcd" |
| PCX | ".pcx" |
| ".pdf" | |
| PNG | ".png" |
| PPM | ".pbm", ".pgm", ".ppm" |
| PSD | ".psd" |
| SGI | ".bw", ".rgb", ".cmyk" |
| SUN | ".ras" |
| TGA | ".tga" |
| TIFF | ".tif", ".tiff" |
| XBM | ".xbm" |
| XPM | ".xpm" |
Keep in mind that not all of these formats can actually be saved by the library.