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Reading FilmX Picture Files?

Posted by Cliff on from the accessing-unconventional-file-types dept.

bzlman asks: "I just broke my finger and instead of conventional x-rays, the ER gave me a CD with huge picture files on it from the company called FilmX from sorna.com. Unfortunately, the software to read the pics is for Windows, and the file type for the images (each about 10 MB) is 'command line' (the files are of no conventional type). I've tried opening the files with every image program for Mac OS X and Classic, to no avail. These are high quality images I want to see, and I hope someone can help me find a Mac OS X way to view them. Thanks."

20 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. The wonders of searching VT by RalphBNumbers · · Score: 5, Informative

    Hmm... their homepage says they are "a dicom solution".

    A versiontracker search for "dicom" under MacOSX returns these programs.

    Or you could just use the ubiquitous GraphicConverter which handles just about everything, including dicom images iirc.

    --
    "The worst tyrannies were the ones where a governance required its own logic on every embedded node." - Vernor Vinge
  2. Is this a joke? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It says on the freakin' link you supplied what the format is: DICOM

    Use Google and find plenty of viewers (ImageMagick works, for instance).

    It would've taken you less typing then your slashdot story.

  3. Whoa! That's an interesting google... by morgewan · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would warn against a google for 'filmx mac' if you are in a sensitive environment. Are you sure that was a finger they x-rayed???

    Honey, I was just trying to help some guy out on slashdot REALLY!

  4. Try raw image loader by Rikus · · Score: 3, Informative

    I know nothing about the specific file format being used here, but the fact that the images are quite large might suggest that they contain an uncompressed representation of the image data, possibly viewable with a raw image data loader (such as the GIMP plugin called raw.c).
    Of course, even if that is the case, it might not be possible to get a decent picture from it, but it's worth a shot.

  5. use iRad or Osirix by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    the pictures may be in DICOM format, which is the standard for radiographic images. Either of these programs will read that format and allow you to manipulate the image series.

    1. Re:use iRad or Osirix by eyv · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'll be a karma whore. Here is a page of information and links to some free viewers.

    2. Re:use iRad or Osirix by Smurf · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yes, judging from the web page, the pictures appear to be in DICOM format. If so, I highly recommend OsiriX, an extremely cool, free, open source (GPL), DICOM viewer and PACS workstation/server that happens to be Mac only.

      There are other programs that will open DICOM files, like the NIH's ImageJ. There are other cool, free medical image viewers for Mac and other systems (MRIcro comes to mind). And there are professional tools that spank OsiriX's ass, but cost over $70,000. But I have seen nothing for a reasonable price that is as good and as easy to use as OsiriX. Make sure you give it a look!

    3. Re:use iRad or Osirix by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 3, Informative

      There are a few more for OS X:

      Escape Medical Viewer
      DreamFird aka jBoxView
      iRad

      More search results here and here . So in this regards you have your choice of solutions. I think even GraphicsConverter might be able to view the images, but not the associated data.

      --
      Jumpstart the tartan drive.
  6. Here we go again by ravenspear · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I really don't care if I burn Karma here.

    Why is Cliff intent on turning apple.slashdot.org into a tech support forum? I mean I could probably point to at least 10 stories he has posted in the last month or two which are basically some random person who needs help with an OS X issue that a two second search on Google or VT or the Macworld of Macfixit forums or any other number of places would have yielded the answer to.

    1. Re:Here we go again by zo219 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's not Cliff. (Okay, maybe it is Cliff, but that's another story.) Fact is, every damn OS X forum has been clogged - clogged, people! - with questions that a pulldown of the ol' Help Menu would answer. If Google is too much to ask. I don't get it. Why OS X? It is Switchers? Some kind of Learned Helpless that eventually besets all who use Windows?
      In which case one must be patient and charitable. But forget completely about Apple "My screen is all funny writing and grey" Discussions. The dumb-down is everywhere. I have even seen (gasp, I know) semi-boneheaded idling on macosxhints.com. Now, that's serious. Though by this time, Panther hints must be running pretty sparse on the ground. . .

    2. Re:Here we go again by DavidLeblond · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Its partly because when we switched we were told by our friends that we would not be able to find any software on the Mac, so we assume its not there (I'm a recent switcher.) Hell I even have heard people argue that "Apple doesn't have many applications because there aren't any development tools yet for the Mac."

    3. Re:Here we go again by LikelyStory · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sure, it would be a two second search - but only if one knows that DICOM was the name of an image format. Nor does the company's statement "We are a DICOM alternative to film" help unless you already know what DICOM means. Kind of a catch-22, no?

  7. Dear slashdot.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    My friend gave me a shiny flat object. He said it's a "Seedy" and I should put it in my Mac. But my Mac only has a small 3.5-inch slot on the lower right.

    What do I do? Should I cut the seedy in half or what?

    Thanks!

    1. Re:Dear slashdot.... by beelsebob · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, that slots only for small wholemeal rolls, I would suggest getting an external bread oven for your seedy. Bob

    2. Re:Dear slashdot.... by BMonger · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If you Mac only has a 3.5 inch floppy slot and no CD-Rom drive you probably need a new Mac... ;)

  8. 'Command line' huh. by cbiffle · · Score: 3, Informative

    I have to assume you checked the type of the file by pointing at it in the Finder.

    Pull up a Terminal and enter 'file name-of-one-of-the-files' without the quotes. It will tell you.

    It's likely to say DICOM Medical Imaging Data, but we'll see.

    Search for a reader for the format it suggests.

  9. Thoughts by JavaRob · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A few other commenters seem to have found the answer for you already... but if this were a totally non-standard, proprietary format that was impossible to view on anything but Windows, I can still think of possible solutions. E.g., from what I understand Windows is becoming a fairly widespread operating system nowadays; perhaps you have a neighbor, or a friend, or a relative, or a coworker, who has one of these unusual machines? :)

    Seriously, though, you should complain. All they have to do is include a readme file that says "Users of other operating systems can open these images using any image viewer with DICOMM support" or something along those lines. It's not hard -- but they may not have bothered yet simply because they aren't getting any real complaints. It's like all of the websites out there that are only tested on IE. No complaints, so why change?

    Fortunately, as more people use Firefox, and (possibly?) more people use Macs, the common understanding that you're "safe" to only include support for Windows and IE will start to disappear.

  10. openrad.com to the rescue! by whiteSanjuro · · Score: 5, Informative

    what you are looking for is an open-source DICOM Viewer. OpenRad is a great source for open source radiology projects and information.

  11. Just relax by nycroft · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Dude, seriously, all these guys that are giving you crap are just a bunch of Mac snobs. They've been working with their computers so long that they don't remember what it was like to feel helpless when encountered by a strange file. Sure you could've done a little research, but that's not your fault.

    What is the Apple section for anyway? Is it just for a bunch of flamers to sit around bitching? Or are we here to actually help the Mac user community grow a little?

    Try Graphic Converter, it should be in your Applications Folder or Utilities folder. If that fails, OsiriX has an open source, OSX compatible viewer.

    Sorry about my compatriots here, we'll try and be more tolerant next time.

    --
    Mr. Bond, they have a saying in Chicago: Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time is enemy action.
  12. DICOM Files by Macgoon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Graphic Converter opens this kind of file with no problem. Photoshop CS does not. Go figure.