ImageMagick: Magick Vector Graphics

Introduction to Vector Graphics

This specification defines the features and syntax for Magick Vector Graphics (MVG), a modularized language for describing two-dimensional vector and mixed vector/raster graphics in ImageMagick. You can use the language to draw from the command line, from an MVG file, from an SVG -- Scalable Vector Graphics file or from one of the ImageMagick program interfaces. Use this command, for example, to render an arc:

 convert -size 100x60 xc:skyblue -fill white -stroke black \
    -draw "path 'M 30,40  A 30,20  20  0,0 70,20 A 30,20  20  1,0 30,40 Z '" \
    arc.png

and here is the results:

When the drawing gets sufficiently complex, we recommend you assemble the graphic primitives into a MVG file. For our example, we use piechart.mvg:

  push graphic-context
    viewbox 0 0 624 369
    affine 0.283636 0 0 0.283846 -0 -0
    push graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'darkslateblue'
        stroke 'blue'
        stroke-width 1
        rectangle 1,1 2199,1299
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 40
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 600,1100 'Average: 20.0'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'red'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 5
        path 'M700.0,600.0 L340.0,600.0 A360.0,360.0 0 0,1 408.1452123287954,389.2376150414973 z'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 40
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1400,140 'MagickWand for PHP'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 30
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1800,140 '(10.0%)'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'red'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 4
        rectangle 1330,100 1370,140
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'yellow'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 5
        path 'M700.0,600.0 L408.1452123287954,389.2376150414973 A360.0,360.0 0 0,1 976.5894480359858,369.56936567559273 z'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 40
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1400,220 'MagickCore'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 30
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1800,220 '(29.0%)'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'yellow'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 4
        rectangle 1330,180 1370,220
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'fuchsia'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 5
        path 'M700.0,600.0 L976.5894480359858,369.56936567559273 A360.0,360.0 0 0,1 964.2680466142854,844.4634932636567 z'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 40
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1400,300 'MagickWand'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 30
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1800,300 '(22.9%)'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'fuchsia'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 4
        rectangle 1330,260 1370,300
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'blue'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 5
        path 'M700.0,600.0 L964.2680466142854,844.4634932636567 A360.0,360.0 0 0,1 757.853099990584,955.3210081341651 z'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 40
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1400,380 'JMagick'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 30
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1800,380 '(10.6%)'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'blue'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 4
        rectangle 1330,340 1370,380
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'lime'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 5
        path 'M700.0,600.0 L757.853099990584,955.3210081341651 A360.0,360.0 0 0,1 340.0,600.0 z'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 40
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1400,460 'Magick++'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 30
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 1800,460 '(27.5%)'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'lime'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 4
        rectangle 1330,420 1370,460
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        font-size 100
        fill 'white'
        stroke-width 1
        text 100,150 'ImageMagick'
      pop graphic-context
      push graphic-context
        fill 'none'
        stroke 'black'
        stroke-width 5
        circle 700,600 700,960
      pop graphic-context
    pop graphic-context
  pop graphic-context

to render a pie chart with this command:

   convert piechart.mvg piechart.png

which produces this rendering:

However, in general, MVG is sufficiently difficult to work with that you probably want to use a program to generate your graphics in the SVG format. ImageMagick automatically converts SVG to MVG and renders your image, for example, we render piechart.svg with this command:

   convert piechart.svg piechart.jpg

to produce the same pie chart we created with the MVG language.

Drawing is available from many of the ImageMagick program interfaces as well. ImageMagick converts the drawing API calls to MVG and renders it. Here is example code written in the MagickWand language:

   (void) PushDrawingWand(draw_wand);
   {
     const PointInfo points[6] =
     {
       { 180,504 },
       { 282.7,578.6 },
       { 243.5,699.4 },
       { 116.5,699.4 },
       { 77.26,578.6 },
       { 180,504 }
     };

     DrawSetStrokeAntialias(draw_wand,True);
     DrawSetStrokeWidth(draw_wand,9);
     DrawSetStrokeLineCap(draw_wand,RoundCap);
     DrawSetStrokeLineJoin(draw_wand,RoundJoin);
     (void) DrawSetStrokeDashArray(draw_wand,0,(const double *)NULL);
     (void) PixelSetColor(color,"#4000c2");
     DrawSetStrokeColor(draw_wand,color);
     DrawSetFillRule(draw_wand,EvenOddRule);
     (void) PixelSetColor(color,"#800000");
     DrawSetFillColor(draw_wand,color);
     DrawPolygon(draw_wand,6,points);
   }
   (void) PopDrawingWand(draw_wand);

MVG Overview

MVG ignores all white-space between commands. This allows multiple MVG commands per line. It is common convention to terminate each MVG command with a new line to make MVG easier to edit and read. This syntax description uses indentation in MVG sequences to aid with understanding. Indentation is supported but is not required.

Metafile wrapper syntax (to support stand-alone MVG files):

  push graphic-context
    viewbox 0 0 width height
    [ any other MVG commands ]
  pop graphic-context

Pattern syntax (saving and restoring context):

  push pattern id x,y width,height
   push graphic-context
    [ drawing commands ]
   pop graphic-context
  pop pattern

an example is (%s is a identifier string):

  push defs
   push pattern %s 10,10 20,20
    push graphic-context
     fill red
     rectangle 5,5 15,15
    pop graphic-context
    push graphic-context
     fill green
     rectangle 10,10 20,20
    pop graphic-context
   pop pattern
  pop defs

For image tiling use:

  push pattern id x,y width,height
   image Copy ...
  pop pattern

Note you can use the pattern for either the fill or stroke like:

  stroke url(#%s)

  fill url(#%s)

The clip path defines a clipping area, where only the contained area to be drawn upon. Areas outside of the clipping areare masked.

  push defs
   push clip-path %s
    push graphic-context
     rectangle 10,10 20,20
    pop graphic-context
   pop clip-path
  pop defs
  clip-path url(#%s)

Drawing Primitives

Here is a complete description of the MVG drawing primitives:

affine s_x,r_x,r_y,s_y,t_x,t_y

arc x₀,y₀ x₁,y₁ a₀,a₁

bezier x₀,y₀ ... x_n,y_n

Bezier (spline) requires three or more x,y coordinates to define its shape. The first and last points are the knots (preserved coordinates) and any intermediate coordinates are the control points. If two control points are specified, the line between each end knot and its sequentially respective control point determines the tangent direction of the curve at that end. If one control point is specified, the lines from the end knots to the one control point determines the tangent directions of the curve at each end. If more than two control points are specified, then the additional control points act in combination to determine the intermediate shape of the curve. In order to draw complex curves, it is highly recommended either to use the Path primitive or to draw multiple four-point bezier segments with the start and end knots of each successive segment repeated.

circle origin_x,origin_y perimeter_x,perimeter_y

clip-path url(name)

clip-rule rule

Choose from these rule types:

  evenodd
  nonzero

clip-units units

Choose from these unit types:

  userSpace
  userSpaceOnUse
  objectBoundingBox

color x,y method

Choose from these method types:

  point
  replace
  floodfill
  filltoborder
  reset

decorate type

Choose from these types of decorations:

  none
  line-through
  overline
  underline

ellipse center_x,center_y radius_x,radius_y arc_start,arc_stop

fill color

Choose from any of these colors.

fill-opacity opacity

The opacity ranges from 0.0 (fully transparent) to 1.0 (fully opaque) or as a percentage (e.g. 50%).

fill-rule rule

Choose from these rule types:

  evenodd
  nonzero

font name

font-family family

font-size point-size

font-stretch type

Choose from these stretch types:

  all
  normal
  ultra-condensed
  extra-condensed
  condensed
  semi-condensed
  semi-expanded
  expanded
  extra-expanded
  ultra-expanded

font-style style

Choose from these styles:

  all
  normal
  italic
  oblique

font-weight weight

Choose from these weights:

gradient-units units

Choose from these units:

  userSpace
  userSpaceOnUse
  objectBoundingBox

gravity type

Choose from these gravity types:

  NorthWest
  North
  NorthEast
  West
  Center
  East
  SouthWest
  South
  SouthEast

image compose x,y width,height 'filename'

Choose from these compose operations:

Method	Description
clear	Both the color and the alpha of the destination are cleared. Neither the source nor the destination are used as input.
src	The source is copied to the destination. The destination is not used as input.
dst	The destination is left untouched.
src-over	The source is composited over the destination.
dst-over	The destination is composited over the source and the result replaces the destination.
src-in	The part of the source lying inside of the destination replaces the destination.
dst-in	The part of the destination lying inside of the source replaces the destination.
src-out	The part of the source lying outside of the destination replaces the destination.
dst-out	The part of the destination lying outside of the source replaces the destination.
src-atop	The part of the source lying inside of the destination is composited onto the destination.
dst-atop	The part of the destination lying inside of the source is composited over the source and replaces the destination.
multiply	The source is multiplied by the destination and replaces the destination. The resultant color is always at least as dark as either of the two constituent colors. Multiplying any color with black produces black. Multiplying any color with white leaves the original color unchanged.
screen	The source and destination are complemented and then multiplied and then replace the destination. The resultant color is always at least as light as either of the two constituent colors. Screening any color with white produces white. Screening any color with black leaves the original color unchanged.
overlay	Multiplies or screens the colors, dependent on the destination color. Source colors overlay the destination whilst preserving its highlights and shadows. The destination color is not replaced, but is mixed with the source color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the destination.
darken	Selects the darker of the destination and source colors. The destination is replaced with the source when the source is darker, otherwise it is left unchanged.
lighten	Selects the lighter of the destination and source colors. The destination is replaced with the source when the source is lighter, otherwise it is left unchanged.
linear-light	Increase contrast slightly with an impact on the foreground's tonal values.
color-dodge	Brightens the destination color to reflect the source color. Painting with black produces no change.
color-burn	Darkens the destination color to reflect the source color. Painting with white produces no change.
hard-light	Multiplies or screens the colors, dependent on the source color value. If the source color is lighter than 0.5, the destination is lightened as if it were screened. If the source color is darker than 0.5, the destination is darkened, as if it were multiplied. The degree of lightening or darkening is proportional to the difference between the source color and 0.5. If it is equal to 0.5 the destination is unchanged. Painting with pure black or white produces black or white.
soft-light	Darkens or lightens the colors, dependent on the source color value. If the source color is lighter than 0.5, the destination is lightened. If the source color is darker than 0.5, the destination is darkened, as if it were burned in. The degree of darkening or lightening is proportional to the difference between the source color and 0.5. If it is equal to 0.5, the destination is unchanged. Painting with pure black or white produces a distinctly darker or lighter area, but does not result in pure black or white.
plus	The source is added to the destination and replaces the destination. This operator is useful for animating a dissolve between two images.
add	As per 'plus' but transparency data is treated as matte values. As such any transparent areas in either image remain transparent.
minus	Subtract the colors in the source image from the destination image. When transparency is involved, Opaque areas will be subtracted from any destination opaque areas.
subtract	Subtract the colors in the source image from the destination image. When transparency is involved transparent areas are subtracted, so only the opaque areas in the source remain opaque in the destination image.
difference	Subtracts the darker of the two constituent colors from the lighter. Painting with white inverts the destination color. Painting with black produces no change.
exclusion	Produces an effect similar to that of 'difference', but appears as lower contrast. Painting with white inverts the destination color. Painting with black produces no change.
xor	The part of the source that lies outside of the destination is combined with the part of the destination that lies outside of the source.
copy-*	Copy the specificed channel in the source image to the same channel in the destination image. If the channel specified in the source image does not exist, (which can only happen for methods, '`copy-opacity`' or '`copy-black`') then it is assumed that the source image is a special grayscale channel image of the values to be copied.
change-mask	Replace any destination pixel that is the similar to the source images pixel (as defined by the current -fuzz factor), with transparency.

line x,y x₁,y₁

font-style x,y method

Choose from these methods:

  point
  replace
  floodfill
  filltoborder
  reset

offset offset

opacity opacity

Use percent (e.g. 50%).

path path

point x,y

polygon x,y x₁,y₁, ..., x_n,y_n

polyline x,y x₁,y₁, ..., x_n,y_n

pop clip-path

pop defs

pop gradient

pop graphic-context

pop pattern

push clip-path name

push defs

push gradient id linear x,y x₁,y₁

push gradient id radial x_c,c_y x_f,y_f radius

push graphic-context

push pattern id radial x,y width,height

rectangle x,y x₁,y₁

rotate angle

roundrectangle x,y x₁,y₁ width,height

scale x,y

skewX angle

stop-color color offset

stroke color

stroke-antialias 0 • 1

stroke-dasharray none • numeric-list

stroke-dashoffset offset

stroke-linecap type

Choose from these cap types:

  butt
  round
  square

stroke-linejoin type

Choose from these join types:

  bevel
  miter
  round

stroke-miterlimit limit

stroke-opacity opacity

The opacity ranges from 0.0 (fully transparent) to 1.0 (fully opaque) or as a percentage (e.g. 50%).

Introduction to Vector Graphics

MVG Overview

Drawing Primitives

affine sx,rx,ry,sy,tx,ty

arc x0,y0 x1,y1 a0,a1

bezier x0,y0 ... xn,yn

circle originx,originy perimeterx,perimetery

clip-path url(name)

clip-rule rule

clip-units units

color x,y method

decorate type

ellipse centerx,centery radiusx,radiusy arcstart,arcstop

fill color

fill-opacity opacity

fill-rule rule

font name

font-family family

font-size point-size

font-stretch type

font-style style

font-weight weight

gradient-units units

gravity type

image compose x,y width,height 'filename'

line x,y x1,y1

font-style x,y method

offset offset

opacity opacity

path path

point x,y

polygon x,y x1,y1, ..., xn,yn

polyline x,y x1,y1, ..., xn,yn

pop clip-path

pop defs

pop gradient

pop graphic-context

pop pattern

push clip-path name

push defs

push gradient id linear x,y x1,y1

push gradient id radial xc,cy xf,yf radius

push graphic-context

push pattern id radial x,y width,height

rectangle x,y x1,y1

rotate angle

roundrectangle x,y x1,y1 width,height

scale x,y

skewX angle

skewX angle

stop-color color offset

stroke color

stroke-antialias 0 • 1

stroke-dasharray none • numeric-list

stroke-dashoffset offset

stroke-linecap type

stroke-linejoin type

stroke-miterlimit limit

stroke-opacity opacity

stroke-width width

text "text"

text-antialias 0 • 1

text-undercolor color

translate x,y

viewbox x,y x1,y1

affine s_x,r_x,r_y,s_y,t_x,t_y

arc x₀,y₀ x₁,y₁ a₀,a₁

bezier x₀,y₀ ... x_n,y_n

circle origin_x,origin_y perimeter_x,perimeter_y

ellipse center_x,center_y radius_x,radius_y arc_start,arc_stop

line x,y x₁,y₁

polygon x,y x₁,y₁, ..., x_n,y_n

polyline x,y x₁,y₁, ..., x_n,y_n

push gradient id linear x,y x₁,y₁

push gradient id radial x_c,c_y x_f,y_f radius

rectangle x,y x₁,y₁

roundrectangle x,y x₁,y₁ width,height

viewbox x,y x₁,y₁