Color Picker Next Gen

A cross-platform tool for capturing and analyzing colors on the screen with support for multiple color models and color palettes that works with standard Python libraries.

I developed this ColorPicker to solve a specific challenge - working on a restricted Windows system where I had limited permissions. Unable to install additional software or use pip to add Python modules, I needed to create a tool that would function using only standard libraries.

Despite these constraints, the result is a versatile ColorPicker that works seamlessly across Windows, macOS, and Linux - all without requiring external dependencies that would have been cumbersome to install manually due to their complex dependency chains.

Features

• Cross-platform compatibility - Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Real-time color capture - Captures colors under the mouse cursor in real-time
• Multiple color models - Shows color values in various formats:
  • Web formats: HEX/HTML, RGB
  • HSx models: HSL, HSV, HSI
  • Print: CMYK
  • Advanced models: CIE LAB, CIELCh, CIE XYZ, YCbCr
• Color history - Keeps track of captured colors for easy reference
• Palette management - Save and load color palettes
• Freeze function - Pause color picking to examine a specific color
• Stay on top - Option to keep the tool in the foreground
• Keyboard shortcuts - Quick access to common functions
• Clipboard integration - Easily copy color values to clipboard

Requirements

Windows

• No special requirements

macOS

• Access to Accessibility features (System Preferences → Security → Privacy → Accessibility)
• Terminal or Python interpreter should be added to the allowed applications

Linux

• xdotool - For mouse tracking
• imagemagick - For screenshots and image processing (provides import and convert commands)

You can install these requirements on:

• Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt-get install xdotool imagemagick
• Fedora: sudo dnf install xdotool ImageMagick

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/rtulke/ColorPickerNG.git
   

2. Make sure you have Python 3 installed.

3. Install required Python packages:

   pip install tkinter
   

4. Run the application:

   python color_picker.py
   

Usage

• Move your mouse to see the color under the cursor
• Spacebar to freeze/unfreeze color capturing
• Ctrl+C to copy the current color value to clipboard
• Right-click on a color in history to see available actions
• File > Save palette to store your current color history
• File > Load palette to restore previously saved colors
• ESC to exit the application

Debug Mode

You can run the application in debug mode for troubleshooting:

python color_picker.py --debug

This will print detailed information about operations and enable additional testing options in the Help menu.

Technical Details

Color Conversion

The tool implements various color model conversions:

• RGB to HSL/HSV/HSI (Hue, Saturation, Lightness/Value/Intensity)
• RGB to CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key)
• RGB to CIE LAB/LCh (device-independent color models)
• RGB to YCbCr (used in video processing)
• RGB to CIE XYZ (standardized color model)

Platform-Specific Implementation

The application uses different methods to capture screen colors depending on the operating system:

• Windows: Uses Windows API (GDI) to get pixel color
• macOS: Uses a combination of AppleScript and screen capture
• Linux: Uses xdotool and ImageMagick for cursor position and screen capture

Contributing

Contributions to improve the Color Picker are welcome. Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.