No - BIL is not an ESRI proprietary format. Lots of remote sensing and GIS
software will display BIL files.
BIL stands for Band Interleaved by Line (not to be confused with BIP - band
interleaved by pixel, BIB - band interleaved by band, or BSQ - band
sequential) and is the most commonly used format for grid and raster data
for image processing/remote sensing applications such as ER Mapper. MapInfo
directly supports the reading of BIL format files (they refer to it as SPOT
Image format) with a couple of caveats:
1. Single band, 8-bit or 24-bit RGB (ie. 3 band, 8-bit per band) only are
supported. However, this covers all panchromatic and RGB satellite images.
2. A valid .hdr file must accompany the .bil file. If the .hdr file is not
present, then MapInfo will report an unrecognized raster format. The hdr
file describes the geometry of the raster image (number of rows, columns,
bits per cell etc). You can look at the printed MapInfo documentation (v5.0
Users Guide Appendix E) to help create a .hdr file if you don't have one.
Once you have a .hdr file, then the BIL file can be registered directly in
MapInfo. Colour information for a single-band BIL file is stored in a .clr
file. If you don't have one then it will display in grey-scale. Colours
for an RGB BIL file are taken directly from the cell values for red, green
and blue.
Martin Higham
Manager - GIS Services
Encom Technology ph (61 3) 9428 4088
PO Box 727, Richmond fx (61 3) 9428 0470
VIC, 3121, Australia mobile 0414 624117
www.encom.com.au
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of James F. Koennicke
> Sent: Thursday, 17 June 1999 22:29
> To: 'Tom Brockenbrough'; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: MI .BIL files
>
>
> Tom,
>
> The .BIL format is an ESRI proprietary image format. You will
> need ArcView
> or ArcInfo to view/use these images.
>
> James F. Koennicke
> GIS Programmer
> Vista Information Technologies, Inc
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> On Behalf Of Tom Brockenbrough
> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 1999 2:46 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: MI .BIL files
>
> Hello All:
>
> I have some aerial imagery with a .BIL extension. Does anyone know in
> what software I can open this image? Have had no luck in
> MapInfo 4.1 or
> the few image software formats (Paintshop Pro, etc.) I have available.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Tom Brockenbrough
> Accomack County, VA
> Dept. of Building, Planning, & Zoning
>
>
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