How to access pixel color within a bitmap? - c++

Question

I searched and I understood I'll have to use GetDIBits(). I don't know what to do with the LPVOID lpvBits out parameter.
Could someone please explain it to me? I need to get the pixel color information in a two dimensional matrix form so that I can retrieve the information for a particular (x,y) coordinate pair.
I am programming in C++ using Win32 API.

Answer 1

first you need a bitmap and open it
HBITMAP hBmp = (HBITMAP) LoadImage(GetModuleHandle(NULL), _T("test.bmp"), IMAGE_BITMAP, 0, 0, LR_LOADFROMFILE);
if(!hBmp) // failed to load bitmap
return false;
//getting the size of the picture
BITMAP bm;
GetObject(hBmp, sizeof(bm), &bm);
int width(bm.bmWidth),
height(bm.bmHeight);
//creating a bitmapheader for getting the dibits
BITMAPINFOHEADER bminfoheader;
::ZeroMemory(&bminfoheader, sizeof(BITMAPINFOHEADER));
bminfoheader.biSize = sizeof(BITMAPINFOHEADER);
bminfoheader.biWidth = width;
bminfoheader.biHeight = -height;
bminfoheader.biPlanes = 1;
bminfoheader.biBitCount = 32;
bminfoheader.biCompression = BI_RGB;
bminfoheader.biSizeImage = width * 4 * height;
bminfoheader.biClrUsed = 0;
bminfoheader.biClrImportant = 0;
//create a buffer and let the GetDIBits fill in the buffer
unsigned char* pPixels = new unsigned char[(width * 4 * height)];
if( !GetDIBits(CreateCompatibleDC(0), hBmp, 0, height, pPixels, (BITMAPINFO*) &bminfoheader, DIB_RGB_COLORS)) // load pixel info
{
//return if fails but first delete the resources
DeleteObject(hBmp);
delete [] pPixels; // delete the array of objects
return false;
}
int x, y; // fill the x and y coordinate
unsigned char r = pPixels[(width*y+x) * 4 + 2];
unsigned char g = pPixels[(width*y+x) * 4 + 1];
unsigned char b = pPixels[(width*y+x) * 4 + 0];
//clean up the bitmap and buffer unless you still need it
DeleteObject(hBmp);
delete [] pPixels; // delete the array of objects
so in short, the lpvBits out parameter is the pointer to the pixels
but if it is only 1 pixel you need i suggest to use getpixel to

Answer 2

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for but GetPixel does pretty much what you need ...at least from i can tell from the function's description