Gwyddion (image data analysis program)

Infobox Software
name = Gwyddion



caption = Screenshot is of Gwyddion 2.0 running on Mac OS X.
developer = [http://www.cmi.cz/ Czech Metrology Institute]
released = ?
frequently_updated = yes
programming language = ?
operating system = Cross-platform
language = English
genre = SPM Data Analysis Program
license = GPL
website = [http://www.gwyddion.net/ www.gwyddion.net] [cite web | title = Gwyddion - The SPM Data Analysis Program | url = http://www.gwyddion.net/ | accessmonthday = August 20 | accessyear = 2006 ]

GNU Gwyddion or just Gwyddion is a free software SPM Data Analysis Program. It also has base support for scanning probe microscopy. The project is led by David Necas (Yeti); it is currently licensed under the GNU General Public License.

Overview

Gwyddion, under the direction of David Necas, Petr Klapetek and several various developers across the world, and (quote from the homepage): 'it aims to provide multiplatform modular program for 2D data analysis that could be easily extended by modules and plug-ins. Moreover, the status of free software enables to provide source codes to developers and users, which makes the further program improvement easier.'

Gwyddion can be used, in most cases, for image and/or data analysis. At the time of this writing, this piece of software can remarkably support many different file types and performs many image-based functions, many of which is to be explained below.

Technical features

Quote from homepage of Gwyddion: 'All calculations are performed in double precision, and Gwyddion native data format (.gwy) stores data in double precision too. Under normal circumstances, you should never lose information due to limited range of values or precision.

Gwyddion uses a fairly general physical unit system, there are no principal limitations on the types of physical quantities data (and lateral dimensions) can represent. Units of slopes, areas, volumes, and other derived quantities are correctly calculated. SI unit system is used whenever possible.

Tools and other dialogs remember their parameters, not only between tool invocations during one session, but also between sessions. Gwyddion native file format (.gwy) supports saving all data specific settings: false color palette, masks, presentations, selections, associated 3D view parameters, graphs associated with that data and their settings, etc.'

Additional information

Gwyddion's GUI and user interfaces are based on GTK+, a graphical toolkit that the GNOME, a desktop environment, was created with. Despite the use of the GTK+ interface, Gwyddion can be run under the KDE, XFCE and similar window managers or environments within Linux/BSD.

The only major platform not thoroughly tested and/or developed with for Gwyddion is Apple Darwin, or OpenDarwin, which in recent months has been stopped. Also, theoretically, this program could be ported to other branches of the BSD operating system.

Development

History on Gwyddion will be, for certain, revealed in time.

The current stable version of Gwyddion Project is 2.4.0, and the current unstable is no longer being worked on. It follows standard procedure for stable/unstable releases, as most GPL-licensed programs do.

File types

Gwyddion can open and save the following file formats:

* Windows bitmap (.bmp)
* Joint Photographic Experts Group Images (.jpeg, .jpg, or .jpe)
* Portable Network Graphics (.png)* TARGA (.tga))
* Zsoft PCX (.pcx)

Further formats are to be added as time progresses, although Gwyddion is fully capable of many more formats than what is listed above.

Availability and versions

Gwyddion has Microsoft Windows as its main platform. While the MS Platform does not come by default with a free compiler, hence GNU Compiler Collection, Gwyddion can be compiled on such systems almost as easily as any other OS. Also most major distributions of Linux have packages available.

See also

References

Though not related, please see 'Gwydion', or a prominent god of Welsh Mythology.

External links

* [http://www.gwyddion.net/ Gwyddion Official Homepage]
* [http://gwyddion.net/faq.php Gwyddion FAQ]