PHP/GD Image Creation (Combining Existing Images)

jgkean

Here's the deal - I currently am using an IFrame to display a PHP page that contains a Forum Signature Graphic for the guys in my clan. Click here to see current output. Now, I'd prefer to use GD/PHP to combine the 7 images used in this into 1 PHP-created JPG (hell, any format will work).

I get the feeling that I could use the ImageCopy function to do it, but I'm getting myself confused wth all the parameters. Right now, I'm using a technique I got from another help page to display it in true color. I believe I should be able to create an image (say, 350wx158h), then insert, via the imagecreatefromjpeg command, each of the jpgs I'd like to use, just changing the start x/y points to tell it where to put them.

Is this a possible thing? Here's my current test code for the playername image. Any help Is appreciated!

<?php Header("Content-type: image/jpeg");
$img_src=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/opfor.jpg');
$img_dst=imagecreatetruecolor(210,60);
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src, 0, 0, 0, 0, 210, 60, 210, 60);
imagejpeg($img_dst, $g_dstfile, 100);
imagedestroy($img_dst);
?>

Also, any guru that could tell me how to convert my PHP script right into an auto-generated image would rock my world!
Thanks!

dave420

It's quite simple, this one.

You've got it right - create an image that's the size of the final image, and copy on the seperate images. the imagecopy command comes into its own here:

imagecopy ( resource dst_im, resource src_im, int dst_x, int dst_y, int src_x, int src_y, int src_w, int src_h)

dst_im is the big image,
src_im is the current little one you're adding to it
dst_x is the X co-ordinate you want to copy the image to
dst_y as above, but Y
src_x is the starting X position in the smaller image to copy from (0 for whole image)
src_y as above, but for Y
src_w is the width of the area you want copying from the source image. set this to the image width to copy the whole shebang.
src_h as above, but height.

It's a relatively simple procedure, but it can be very useful.

To make it even better, use a cache to hold the image once created. If you want more details, reply 🙂

jgkean

Alright Dave, I'm not a coder by nature - I can see all the logic behind the process, but when it comes to building up the code to make it work, I get a bit muddled.

Does this look anything at all correct? Is there a difference between the parameters for imagecopyresampled() and th e regular imagecopy(), because I think I'll have to use it for the TrueColor aspect.

<?php Header("Content-type: image/jpeg"); 
$img_src1=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/sig1.jpg');
$img_src2=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/sig2.jpg');
$img_src3=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/sig3.jpg');
$img_src4=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/sig4.jpg');
$img_src5=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/sig5.jpg');
$img_src6=imagecreatefromjpeg('./sigmaker/images/sig6.jpg');

$img_dst=imagecreatetruecolor(343,124); 

//1st image copied onto new big image - first row
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 157, 47); 
//2nd image
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src2, 157, 0, 0, 0, 102, 47); 
//3rd..
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src3, 259, 0, 0, 0, 84, 124); 

//4th... Start 2nd Row at 47px from top
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src4, 0, 47, 0, 0, 82, 41);
//5th...
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src5, 82, 47, 0, 0, 177, 41);

//6th... 3rd Row at 88px from top
imagecopyresampled($img_dst, $img_src6, 0, 88, 0, 0, 259, 36);

imagejpeg($img_dst, $g_dstfile, 100); 
imagedestroy($img_dst); 
?>

Thanks again for your assistance, I didn't expect it was even a plausible idea!

jgkean

OK, I got it working! The only thing I need to do now is create the variables so that it pulls images based on the URL?operator, e.g. I put in sigmaker.php?name=opfor, it will choose the correct name.png, rank.png, and unit.png - instead of the static ones i have in there now.

I don't know how to concatenate very well, though so I'm kinda stuck here. Here's what I want to do - can u help me fix it so it's right?

//main top left graphic - static
$img_src1=imagecreatefrompng('./images/sig1.png');
//maybe dynamic for awards, etc
$img_src2=imagecreatefrompng('./images/'echo db_resource[awardtype]'.png');
//dynamic rank png
$img_src3=imagecreatefrompng('./images/'echo db_resource[rank]'.png');
//dynamic name png
$img_src4=imagecreatefrompng('./images/'echo db_resource[playername]'.png');
//dynamic unit insignia png
$img_src5=imagecreatefrompng('./images/'echo db_resource[unitpatch]'.png');
//static footer
$img_src6=imagecreatefrompng('./images/sig6.png');

U see where I'm going with this? PHP won't let me just plug in the values that easy, and I'm too n00bish to figure it out.

Any help is greatly appreciated - you've been great so far!