Converting a digital photo to a spreadsheet of numbers

JP
Posted By
James_Pomerantz
May 1, 2007
Views
561
Replies
8
Status
Closed
I need to convert a digital photograph into a matrix of numbers (an Excel spreadsheet). If I zoom in on an image to where the pixels are conspicuous and put my cursor over each one, I of course can see the number 0-255 for the luminance of that spot (or three separate numbers for R, B, and B if it’s a color image). I could do this conversion by hand, but I’m wondering if anyone out there knows how I could automate this process.
Thanks for any help!
Related Tags
conversion digital number

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AC
Art Campbell
May 1, 2007
Most OCR programs work from scans (usually TIFF files). If you can get a hold of the software, it may work, but your digital photo is unlikely to be anywhere close to the quality of a scan…

It’d be worth trying if you have the software and time to play with it, but otherwise you probably want to start typing.

Art
B
Bernie
May 1, 2007
Hum,

Check in the scripting forum, there may be something available somewhere.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
May 2, 2007
Something like this is included in the Extended Version of PsCS3. There are other tools, however. Googling for "image pixel data spreadsheet" (without the quotes) yielded a paper at the bottom of the first page of results entitled "Inspiring Mathematical Thinking by Processing a Digital Image Using a Spreadsheet" < http://www.tmd.org.tr/sites/ICTM3/uploads/documents/Papers/P aper-172.pdf> by a professor at a UK university, which in turn listed this Excel plug-in < http://maths.sci.shu.ac.uk/conferencepapers/istanbul/imagean alysis.zip> to accomplish the task. I’m sure there are other tools available if you want to keep looking.
LH
Lawrence_Hudetz
May 2, 2007
MatLab.
JP
James_Pomerantz
May 3, 2007
Thanks everyone, for your really helpful responses.
I’ll look into the scripting forum, Matlab, and OCR programs. Michael, your link took me to a promising link from a person doing exactly what I am trying to do. The link to his download was dead, but I found his email address, sent him a message, heard back from him with a new link:
<http://maths.sci.shu.ac.uk/units/20-6502/index.php> So I’m now in business. This is great – the internet at its best when you can go from a problem to a solution in a matter of hours, all with the help of strangers. I hope to repay the favor soon.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
May 3, 2007
James, I was glad to help. I hope the linked program works for you.
R
RNLVideo
May 3, 2007
James,

Sounds like you need the "tabbed text" plugin that Reindeer Graphics has. Try this: < http://www.reindeergraphics.com/index.php?option=com_content &task=view&id=32&Itemid=55> It only works on one channel AFAIK, so you may have several workbooks for each photo (one for each color channel).

It’s always fun to give someone a spreadsheet full of numbers and ask them to open it in PS!

Rick
JP
James_Pomerantz
May 7, 2007
Rick,
Thanks. I had not heard of this plug in. It’s really pretty amazing, with all that it does. I’m going to check it out. Meanwhile, thanks for the helpful reply.
Jim

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