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BoxLang : A Modern Dynamic JVM Language
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Fluent Builder

The BoxImage class provides a fluent, chainable API for image manipulation in BoxLang. All methods return the BoxImage instance, allowing you to chain multiple operations together in a single expression.

Creating Images

ImageNew()

Create a new image from various sources:

// From file path
img = ImageNew("images/photo.jpg");

// From URL
img = ImageNew("https://example.com/image.png");

// From base64 string
img = ImageReadBase64(base64String);

// Blank canvas
img = ImageNew(800, 600);
img = ImageNew(800, 600, "rgb");
img = ImageNew(800, 600, "rgb", "white");

Transformations

resize(width, height, [interpolation], [blurFactor])

Resize the image to specific dimensions.

img.resize(800, 600);
img.resize(400, 300, "bicubic");
img.resize(1200, 800, "highestQuality", 1);

Interpolation methods: nearest, bilinear, bicubic, highestPerformance, highestQuality

scaleToFit(size, [interpolation])

Scale image proportionally to fit within a bounding box.

// Single size - fits within size x size box
img.scaleToFit(400);
img.scaleToFit(800, "bicubic");

// Width and height - fits within maxWidth x maxHeight box
img.scaleToFit(800, 600);
img.scaleToFit(1024, 768, "highestQuality");

rotate(angle)

Rotate the image by degrees (clockwise).

img.rotate(90);
img.rotate(45);
img.rotate(-30);

crop(x, y, width, height)

Crop a rectangular region from the image.

img.crop(50, 50, 200, 150);

transpose(operation)

Flip or rotate the image in various ways.

img.transpose("horizontal");  // Flip horizontally (mirror)
img.transpose("vertical");    // Flip vertically
img.transpose("diagonal");    // Flip along main diagonal (top-left to bottom-right)
img.transpose("antidiagonal"); // Flip along anti-diagonal (top-right to bottom-left)
img.transpose("90");          // Rotate 90° clockwise
img.transpose("180");         // Rotate 180°
img.transpose("270");         // Rotate 270° clockwise (90° counter-clockwise)

Aliases: flip() is an alias for transpose()

translate(x, y)

Move the image content by offset.

img.translate(100, 50);

shear(amount, dimension)

Shear the image horizontally or vertically.

img.shear(0.5, "horizontal");
img.shear(0.3, "vertical");

Color Adjustments

grayScale()

Convert the image to grayscale.

img.grayScale();

negative()

Invert the colors (create a negative).

img.negative();

Filters & Effects

blur([radius])

Apply a blur effect.

img.blur();       // Default blur
img.blur(5);      // Custom blur radius

sharpen(gain)

Sharpen the image.

img.sharpen(0.5);
img.sharpen(1.0);

addBorder(thickness, color)

Add a solid border around the image.

img.addBorder(5, "black");
img.addBorder(10, "#FF0000");
img.addBorder(3, "navy");

Colors: Accepts color names ("red", "blue", "black") or hex codes ("#FF0000")

Compositing

overlay(imageToOverlay, overlayRule, transparency)

Overlay another image on top of this one.

overlay = ImageNew("watermark.png");
img.overlay(overlay, "normal", 0.5);

Overlay rules: normal, add, subtract, difference, multiply, screen, overlay, hardlight, softlight

drawImage(image, x, y)

Draw another image onto this image at specific coordinates.

logo = ImageNew("logo.png");
img.drawImage(logo, 10, 10);

Drawing Operations

Drawing Setup

Before drawing, configure colors, stroke, and transparency:

// Set drawing color for shapes and lines
img.setDrawingColor("red");
img.setDrawingColor("#0000FF");

// Set background color
img.setBackgroundColor("white");

// Set drawing transparency (0.0 = transparent, 1.0 = opaque)
img.setDrawingTransparency(0.7);

// Enable/disable anti-aliasing for smoother edges
img.setAntiAliasing(true);

// Configure stroke (line style)
img.setDrawingStroke({
    width: 3,
    endCaps: "round",
    lineJoins: "miter",
    miterLimit: 10,
    dashArray: [5, 3],
    dashPhase: 0
});

Stroke Attributes:

  • width (numeric): Line thickness in pixels (default: 1)

  • endCaps (string): Line end style - "butt", "round", "square" (default: "square")

  • lineJoins (string): Corner style - "miter", "round", "bevel" (default: "miter")

  • miterLimit (numeric): Limit for miter joins (default: 10)

  • dashArray (array): Dash pattern [dash, gap, dash, gap...] (default: solid line)

  • dashPhase (numeric): Offset for dash pattern (default: 0)

Shape Drawing

drawRect(x, y, width, height, [filled])

Draw a rectangle.

img.drawRect(50, 50, 200, 100);          // Outline
img.drawRect(50, 50, 200, 100, true);    // Filled
img.fillRect(50, 50, 200, 100);          // Filled (convenience method)

drawRoundRect(x, y, width, height, arcWidth, arcHeight, [filled])

Draw a rounded rectangle.

img.drawRoundRect(50, 50, 200, 100, 20, 20);
img.drawRoundRect(50, 50, 200, 100, 20, 20, true);

drawOval(x, y, width, height, [filled])

Draw an oval/ellipse.

img.drawOval(100, 100, 150, 100);
img.drawOval(100, 100, 150, 100, true);

drawBeveledRect(x, y, width, height, raised, [filled])

Draw a 3D beveled rectangle.

img.drawBeveledRect(50, 50, 200, 100, true);         // Raised
img.drawBeveledRect(50, 50, 200, 100, false, true);  // Lowered, filled

drawArc(x, y, width, height, startAngle, arcAngle, [filled])

Draw an arc or pie slice.

img.drawArc(100, 100, 200, 200, 0, 90);        // Quarter circle outline
img.drawArc(100, 100, 200, 200, 45, 180, true); // Pie slice filled

Line Drawing

drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2)

Draw a straight line.

img.drawLine(0, 0, 100, 100);

drawLines(xCoords, yCoords, isPolygon, [filled])

Draw connected lines or polygons.

// Polyline
img.drawLines([10, 50, 90], [10, 50, 10], false);

// Polygon (auto-closes)
img.drawLines([50, 150, 100], [50, 150, 100], true);

// Filled polygon
img.drawLines([50, 150, 100], [50, 150, 100], true, true);

Curve Drawing

drawCubicCurve(x1, y1, ctrlx1, ctrly1, ctrlx2, ctrly2, x2, y2)

Draw a cubic Bézier curve.

img.drawCubicCurve(20, 20, 100, 200, 200, 100, 300, 300);

drawQuadraticCurve(ctrlx, ctrly, x1, y1, x2, y2)

Draw a quadratic Bézier curve.

img.drawQuadraticCurve(150, 200, 50, 50, 250, 50);

Text Drawing

drawText(text, x, y, [fontConfig])

Draw text on the image.

// Simple text
img.setDrawingColor("black")
   .drawText("Hello World", 100, 100);

// Styled text
img.drawText("Styled Text", 100, 200, {
    font: "Arial",
    size: 24,
    style: "bold",
    underline: true,
    strikethrough: false
});

Font config attributes:

  • font (string): Font family name (default: system default)

  • size (numeric): Font size in points (default: 12)

  • style (string): "plain", "bold", "italic", "bolditalic" (default: "plain")

  • underline (boolean): Underline text (default: false)

  • strikethrough (boolean): Strikethrough text (default: false)

Utility Drawing

clearRect(x, y, width, height)

Clear a rectangular region (makes it transparent).

img.clearRect(50, 50, 100, 100);

Drawing Axis Transformations

Apply transformations to the drawing coordinate system:

rotateDrawingAxis(angle, x, y)

Rotate the drawing axis around a point.

img.rotateDrawingAxis(45, 100, 100);

translateDrawingAxis(x, y)

Translate (move) the drawing origin.

img.translateDrawingAxis(50, 50);

shearDrawingAxis(x, y)

Shear the drawing coordinate system.

img.shearDrawingAxis(0.5, 0.5);

Copying & Duplication

copy()

Create a duplicate of the entire image.

copy = img.copy();

copy(x, y, width, height, dx, dy)

Copy a region within the image to another location.

img.copy(50, 50, 100, 100, 200, 200);

Writing Images

write([path])

Write the image to disk.

// Write to original source path (if loaded from file)
img.write();

// Write to specific path
img.write("output/processed.jpg");
img.write("output/converted.png");

Notes:

  • Parent directories are automatically created

  • Format is determined by file extension

  • File handles are properly closed (no Windows locking issues)

Information & Metadata

getWidth() / getHeight()

Get image dimensions.

width = img.getWidth();
height = img.getHeight();

info()

Get comprehensive image information.

info = img.info();
// Returns struct with: width, height, colormodel, source, transparency, EXIF, IPTC

getExifMetadata() / getIPTCMetadata()

Get metadata as a struct.

exif = img.getExifMetadata();
iptc = img.getIPTCMetadata();

getExifTag(tag) / getIPTCTag(tag)

Get specific metadata tag value.

camera = img.getExifTag("Model");
keywords = img.getIPTCTag("Keywords");

getBlob()

Get the image as a byte array.

bytes = img.getBlob();

getBufferedImage()

Get the underlying Java BufferedImage object.

bi = img.getBufferedImage();

Complete Chaining Example

The fluent API allows complex image processing pipelines:

result = ImageNew("photo.jpg")
    .scaleToFit(1200, 800, "bicubic")
    .crop(100, 100, 800, 600)
    .setAntiAliasing(true)
    .setDrawingColor("white")
    .setDrawingStroke({ width: 3, endCaps: "round" })
    .drawRect(10, 10, 780, 580)
    .setDrawingColor("black")
    .drawText("Copyright 2025", 20, 560, {
        font: "Arial",
        size: 16,
        style: "bold"
    })
    .sharpen(0.5)
    .write("output/processed.jpg");

Working with Multiple Images

// Load and process multiple images
base = ImageNew(800, 600, "rgb", "white");

logo = ImageNew("logo.png")
    .scaleToFit(100)
    .setDrawingTransparency(0.8);

watermark = ImageNew("watermark.png")
    .scaleToFit(200);

// Composite them
result = base
    .drawImage(logo, 10, 10)
    .overlay(watermark, "normal", 0.3)
    .write("output/composite.png");

Important Notes

File Handling

  • Images loaded from files are immediately read into memory - no file locking issues

  • Files can be deleted immediately after ImageNew() or ImageRead()

  • write() automatically creates parent directories if they don't exist

Lazy Loading

  • Images are fully loaded upon creation - no lazy loading issues

  • Safe to use immediately after ImageNew() without calling info() first

Color Format

  • Colors accept both names ("red", "blue", "navy") and hex codes ("#FF0000", "#0000FF")

  • See BoxImage.COLORS map for supported color names

Method Chaining

  • All transformation and drawing methods return BoxImage for chaining

  • Getters (info, getWidth, getBlob, etc.) return their respective types and break the chain

Metadata

  • EXIF and IPTC metadata extracted automatically when loading from files

  • Metadata is preserved when copying images

  • Use info() to access all metadata in a single struct

Related Documentation

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