HOWTO · PHP
How to Generate Image using PHP
This tutorial demonstrates how to generate images using GD library in PHP.
PHP has a built-in library, GD, for image processing operations. This library can also generate images in different formats.
The GD library is not enabled by default; you need to enable it from php.ini.
Use the GD Library to Generate JPEG Images in PHP
First of all, check if the GD library is enabled or not; it can be checked from phpinfo() or php.ini. Once enabled from php.ini, we can start creating images.
<?php
// Create a blank image and add some content
$new_image = imagecreatetruecolor(400, 400);
$bg_color = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 125, 125, 125);
// Set the background color
imagefill($new_image, 0, 0, $bg_color);
$text = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 225, 225, 225);
imagestring($new_image, 25, 50, 200, 'Welcome to Delftstack Tutorial.', $text);
imagestring($new_image, 15, 50, 240, 'This is JPEG image generation', $text);
// Save the image as jpeg
imagejpeg($new_image, 'delftstack.jpeg');
// Free the memory
imagedestroy($new_image);
?>
The above code generates a jpeg image with 400x400 with the given content as a string and background color grey.
Output:
Use the GD Library to Generate PNG Images in PHP
Generating a png image is almost the same process, just saving the image as png.
<?php
// Create a blank image and add some content
$new_image = imagecreatetruecolor(400, 400);
$bg_color = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 125, 125, 125);
// Set the background color
imagefill($new_image, 0, 0, $bg_color);
$text = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 225, 225, 225);
imagestring($new_image, 25, 50, 200, 'Welcome to Delftstack Tutorial.', $text);
imagestring($new_image, 15, 50, 240, 'This is PNG image generation', $text);
// Save the image as png
imagepng($new_image, 'delftstack.png');
// Free the memory
imagedestroy($new_image);
?>
Output:
Use the GD Library to Draw an Image in PHP
The GD library has few built-in functions to draw particular figures which include imagearc(), imagefilledpolygon(), imagechar(), and imageellipse().
Draw arcs:
<?php
$new_image = imagecreatetruecolor(200, 200);
$color_white = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 255, 255, 255);
$color_red = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 255, 0, 0);
$color_green = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 0, 255, 0);
$color_blue = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 0, 0, 255);
$bg_color = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 125, 125, 125);
imagefill($new_image, 0, 0, $bg_color);
// drawing a smiling face
//head
imagearc($new_image, 100, 100, 200, 200, 0, 360, $color_white);
// smile
imagearc($new_image, 100, 100, 150, 150, 25, 155, $color_red);
// eyes
imagearc($new_image, 60, 75, 50, 50, 0, 360, $color_green);
imagearc($new_image, 140, 75, 50, 50, 0, 360, $color_blue);
//save image
imagepng($new_image,'arcimage.png');
// free memory
imagedestroy($new_image);
?>
Output:
Let’s draw a polygon:
<?php
// value points for polygon
$polygon_values = array(
30, 80,
50, 240,
29, 80,
240, 80,
58, 60,
100, 100
); // The random (x,y) points
$new_image = imagecreatetruecolor(250, 250);
$bg_color = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 125, 125, 125);
$color_blue = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 0, 0, 255);
// Fill the background color
imagefilledrectangle($new_image, 0, 0, 249, 249, $bg_color);
// draw the polygon
imagefilledpolygon($new_image, $polygon_values, 6, $color_blue);
//save image
imagepng($new_image, 'polygon.png');
imagedestroy($new_image);
?>
The above code will generate a polygon with given random values.
Output:
Let’s try to draw rectangles:
<?php
$new_image = imagecreatetruecolor(400, 400);
$bg_color = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 255, 255, 255);
// Set the background color
imagefill($new_image, 0, 0, $bg_color);
// colors of rectangles
$color_magenta = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 255,0,255);
$color_olive = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 128,128,0);
$color_green = imagecolorallocate($new_image, 0,128,0);
//three rectangles with different size and color
imagerectangle($new_image, 100, 100, 300, 300, $color_magenta);
imagerectangle($new_image, 90, 120, 240, 200, $color_olive );
imagerectangle($new_image, 200, 240, 150, 320, $color_green);
//save image
imagepng($new_image, 'rectangles.png');
imagedestroy($new_image);
?>
The code above will generate three rectangles in one image.
Output:
The GD library has more functions to draw different images. These functions can be easily used with given parameters.
