<title>VIPS: an image processing system for large images</title>

Abstract

This paper describes VIPS (VASARI Image Processing System), an image processing system developed by the authors in the course of the EU-funded projects VASARI (1989-1992) and MARC (1992-1995). VIPS implements a fully demand-driven dataflow image IO (input- output) system. Evaluation of library functions is delayed for as long as possible. When evaluation does occur, all delayed operations evaluate together in a pipeline, requiring no space for storing intermediate images and no unnecessary disc IO. If more than one CPU is available, then VIPS operations will automatically evaluate in parallel, giving an approximately linear speed-up. The evaluation system can be controlled by the application programmer. We have implemented a user-interface for the VIPS library which uses expose events in an X window rather than disc output to drive evaluation. This makes it possible, for example, for the user to rotate an 800 MByte image by 12 degrees and immediately scroll around the result.