UPDATE 4/25/10
-lots of UI improvements
-preview added when selected image, and when converting colors
-automatic '#' border option added
-conversion progress bar added (it will no longer appear to have crashed when converting larger images)
-replace file confirmation dialog (no more overwriting files accidentally)
-.csv suffix added automatically
-scrapped the exe

note: I have had a few crashes when trying to convert very large (200 or so pixels high and wide) images

ChromaFort allows the conversion of 24-bit bitmap images (most .bmps) into comma delimited text files (.csv) for use with Quickfort.

This should greatly speed up the process of macroing elaborate designations with Quickfort, and allow users to visualize better what the end result will be.

If you are unfamiliar with Quickfort, learn the basics of that first. There are things you need to know about QF before you can begin to use CF properly.

Instructions (all this is included in the readme by the way)

map out what you want the csv to look like in any kind of simple image-editing software like MS Paint

use any colors you want, but distinct colors should be distinguishable from one another (the goal is a blueprint that is easy to read)

save the image as a 24-bit bitmap (.bmp)

the same kind of common-sense applies here as it does in Quickfort; generally you don't want an enormous image with tons of distinct colors

run Chromafort (just double click the .jar file), and open your image; if the jar file does not open, you may need to update java
note: the image must have a .bmp suffix

a list will appear of all the distinct colors your image contains

type in (into the box corresponding to each color) the values you want each pixel of that color to be converted to
(such as "d", "Cu", "#", or a combination of commands--without quotes)

you may choose to include a header (such as "#dig level 1", "#build") by checking the appropriate box; this will be the first cell of your csv file (with a new line added automatically)

you can also choose to have a border of '#' cells around your blueprint, which could presumably speed up QF's macroing

remember, each pixel will correspond to a string separated by commas, or one "cell" in programs like Excel, so anything goes as long as Quickfort can recognize it

click the convert button at the bottom of the list and specify a location to save your file

if you don't include the ".csv" suffix, it will be added automatically

Your .csv file has been created, and can now be opened with Quickfort.

Happy forting!

final note: this runs independently of both Dwarf Fortress and Quickfort, and is thus compatible with any version of either (provided QF does not change the way it works without you knowing)

EDIT: presumably, this would be useful for LinDesignator as well, though I have never used that.