PySixel 0.1.2

Make SIXEL color graphics supported by some terminal emulators(DECTerm/RLogin/mlterm/tanasinn/xterm)

What is SIXEL?

SIXEL is one of image formats for terminal imaging introduced by DEC VT series. SIXEL image data scheme is representation as a terminal-friendly escape sequence. So if you want to show a SIXEL image file, all you have to do is “cat” it to your terminal.

SIXEL is supported by old terminal applications, such as SAS, WordPerfect. Now netpbm and Gnuplot support this.

Requirements

If you want to view a SIXEL image, you have to get a terminal which support sixel graphics.

Now SIXEL feature is supported by the following terminals.

• RLogin (Japanese terminal emulator) http://nanno.dip.jp/softlib/man/rlogin/

• tanasinn (Works with firefox) http://zuse.jp/tanasinn/

• mlterm Works on each of X, win32/cygwin, framebuffer version. http://mlterm.sourceforge.net/

• XTerm (compiled with –enable-sixel option) You should launch xterm with “-ti 340” option. the SIXEL palette is limited to a maximum of 256 colors. http://invisible-island.net/xterm/

• WRQ Reflection

Install

via github

$ git clone https://github.com/saitoha/PySixel.git
$ cd pysixel
$ python setup.py install

or via pip

$ pip install PySixel

Usage

PySixel provides a Command line tool:

$ sixelconv [options] filename

or

$ cat filename | sixelconv [options]

• Options:

  -h, --help                                            show this help message and exit
  -8, --8bit-mode                                       Generate a sixel image for 8bit terminal or printer
  -7, --7bit-mode                                       Generate a sixel image for 7bit terminal or printer
  -r, --relative-position                               Treat specified position as relative one
  -a, --absolute-position                               Treat specified position as absolute one
  -x LEFT, --left=LEFT                                  Left position in cell size, or pixel size with unit 'px'
  -y TOP, --top=TOP                                     Top position in cell size, or pixel size with unit 'px'
  -w WIDTH, --width=WIDTH                               Width in cell size, or pixel size with unit 'px'
  -e HEIGHT, --height=HEIGHT                            Height in cell size, or pixel size with unit 'px'
  -t ALPHATHRESHOLD, --alpha-threshold=ALPHATHRESHOLD   Alpha threshold for PNG-to-SIXEL image conversion
  -c, --chromakey                                       Enable auto chroma key processing
  -n NCOLOR, --ncolor=NCOLOR                            Specify number of colors

Example

View an image file:

$ sixelconv test.png

Generate sixel file from an image file:

$ sixelconv < test.png > test.six

View generated sixel file:

$ cat test.six

Code Example

import sixel
writer = sixel.SixelWriter()
writer.draw('test.png')

Dependency

• Python imageloader module https://pypi.python.org/pypi/imageloader

• Python Imaging Library (PIL) http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/

Reference

• Chris_F_Chiesa, 1990 : All About SIXELs ftp://ftp.cs.utk.edu/pub/shuford/terminal/all_about_sixels.txt

• Netpbm http://netpbm.sourceforge.net/

  It includes ppmtosixel command http://netpbm.sourceforge.net/doc/ppmtosixel.html

• vt100.net http://vt100.net/