How to append a same image to multiple images using imagemagick - imagemagick

Question

Hello I want to add a same image to the left side of multiple images. First image is a legend and it common for all the 6 images which I later want to montage 3x2.
I tried this command below before montaging and it did not work. I wanted to see if I could make it work without adding a for loop, which slows down the code.
convert +append image_3_1.png image_1_[1-6].png -geometry +10+0 test.png
I want the image_3_1 added to all the 6 images starting with image_1. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Your question is unclear about:
what your input and expected output images look like or how big they are,
whether you actually need the intermediate images or just the montage,
what the actual issue is with for loops
So here are some ideas...
Option 1
This one avoids for loops and multiple invocations of magick by using a single magick and loading the side image just once and cloning it in memory:
magick side.png \
\( +clone image_1.png +append -write out_1.png +delete \) \
\( +clone image_2.png +append -write out_2.png +delete \) \
\( +clone image_3.png +append -write out_3.png +delete \) \
\( +clone image_4.png +append -write out_4.png +delete \) \
\( +clone image_5.png +append -write out_5.png +delete \) \
image_6.png +append out_6.png
It produces 6 output files as follows:
Option 2
This one avoids for loops by running 6 copies of magick in parallel:
magick side.png image_1.png +append out_1.png &
magick side.png image_2.png +append out_2.png &
magick side.png image_3.png +append out_3.png &
magick side.png image_4.png +append out_4.png &
magick side.png image_5.png +append out_5.png &
magick side.png image_6.png +append out_6.png &
wait
It produces the same 6 output files as above.
Option 3
This does the same by using GNU Parallel to do it more succinctly:
parallel magick side.png image_{}.png +append out_{}.png ::: {1..6}
Option 4
If you don't need the intermediate files, and just want the montage:
parallel -k magick side.png {} +append ppm:- ::: image_*png | magick montage -tile 2x3 -geometry +5+5 ppm:- montage.png
Option 5
This is much the same, avoiding producing the intermediate output files, and also avoiding using GNU Parallel:
magick side.png \
\( +clone image_1.png +append -write ppm:- +delete \) \
\( +clone image_2.png +append -write ppm:- +delete \) \
\( +clone image_3.png +append -write ppm:- +delete \) \
\( +clone image_4.png +append -write ppm:- +delete \) \
\( +clone image_5.png +append -write ppm:- +delete \) \
image_6.png +append ppm:- | magick montage -background black -geometry +5+10 -tile 2x3 ppm:- montage.png
Option 6
This one uses no for loops, a single process, no separate montage command and generates no intermediate files:
magick side.png -write MPR:side +delete \
\( MPR:side image_1.png MPR:side image_2.png +append \) \
\( MPR:side image_3.png MPR:side image_4.png +append \) \
\( MPR:side image_5.png MPR:side image_6.png +append \) \
-append montage.png
Replace the +append and -append with -smush for more layout and inter-image spacing flexibility.
Option 7
Maybe something like this with -smush:
magick side.png -write MPR:side +delete -background cyan \
\( MPR:side image_1.png MPR:side image_2.png +smush 10 \) \
\( MPR:side image_3.png MPR:side image_4.png +smush 10 \) \
\( MPR:side image_5.png MPR:side image_6.png +smush 10 \) \
-smush 30 montage.png
My guess is that option 6 would be the fastest on most machines in most circumstances, if it is flexible enough for you. If you need more flexibility, go with option 7 or 5.
Keywords: ImageMagick, image processing, montage, layout, parallel, smush.