Turn your BitmapData into a string and back! Great for storing images in XML, Databases, or transmitting them over a network. This post will cover Bitmap Encoding, PNG Encoding and JPG Encoding along with the pros and cons for each.
Bitmap Encoding - (link)
Actionscript:
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// Encode
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var encoded:String = BitmapEncoder.encodeBase64(bitmap.bitmapData);
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// Decode
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var bd:BitmapData = BitmapEncoder.decodeBase64(encoded);
Advantages:
Keep transparency
Fastest Method
Does not require a Loader
Disadvantages:
Largest Filesize
Will only work with images up to a certain size
PNG Encoding - (link)
Actionscript:
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// Encode
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var ba:ByteArray = PNGEncoder.encode(bitmap.bitmapData);
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var encoded:String = Base64.encodeByteArray(ba);
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// Decode
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var decoded:ByteArray = Base64.decodeToByteArray(encoded);
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var loader:Loader = new Loader();
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loader.loadBytes(decoded);
Advantages:
Keep transparency
Smaller filesize than Bitmap Encoding
Disadvantages:
Slower than Bitmap Encoding
Larger than JPG Encoding
Requires Loader
JPG Encoding - (link)
Actionscript:
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// Encode
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var jpgEncoder:JPGEncoder = new JPGEncoder();
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var ba:ByteArray = jpgEncoder.encode(bitmap.bitmapData);
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var encoded:String = Base64.encodeByteArray(ba);
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// Decode
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var decoded:ByteArray = Base64.decodeToByteArray(encoded);
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var loader:Loader = new Loader();
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loader.loadBytes(decoded);
Advantages:
Smallest Filesize
Variable Quality
Disadvantages:
Slower than Bitmap Encoding
No Transparency
Requires Loader
Tags: Base64, BitmapData
Baz
December 22nd, 2009
For the bitmap converted into a String, what about using the core zip library and re-encode it in base 64?
It might be slower but the size should be smaller.
Something to consider?
uberVU - social comments
December 28th, 2009
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Chris Black
December 31st, 2009
The string is the result of Base64 encoding the ByteArray. I’m not sure what the effect would be of Base64 encoding a Base64 encoded string