---
title: "Selecting Color Management Engine"
canonical: https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/selecting-color-management-engine.htm
product: "Graphics Mill"
---

# Selecting Color Management Engine
 
Graphics Mill allows using LittleCMS and Adobe® Color Management Module (CMM) color management engines. They both use the International Color Consortium (ICC) standard for converting colors and both produce almost the same results.
 
The method to specify the exact color management engine depends on the method used to transform images:
 
- For in-place transformation, use the [ColorManagementProvider.ColorManagementEngine](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/P_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_ColorManagementProvider_ColorManagementEngine.htm.md) property: 
```csharp
    using (var bitmap = new Bitmap(@"Images\in.jpg"))
    {
        bitmap.ColorManagement.ColorManagementEngine = ColorManagementEngine.LittleCms;
        //bitmap.ColorManagement.ColorManagementEngine = ColorManagementEngine.AdobeCmm;
    }
    ```
- For out-of-place transformation, use the [ColorConverter.ColorManagementEngine](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/P_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Transforms_ColorConverter_ColorManagementEngine.htm.md) property: 
```csharp
    using (var cc = new ColorConverter(PixelFormat.Format24bppRgb))
    {
        cc.ColorManagementEngine = ColorManagementEngine.LittleCms;
        //cc.ColorManagementEngine = ColorManagementEngine.AdobeCmm;
    }
    ```

You can find additional code snippets demonstrating both in-place and out-of-place color conversions in the [Converting Colors with Color Management](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/converting-color-with-color-management.htm.md) topic.
 
**Note** 
If the [AdobeCmm](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Transforms_ColorManagementEngine.htm.md) engine is selected, Graphics Mill requires Adobe® CMM to be installed on a target machine. Otherwise, the [CMAdobeModuleLoadException](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_CMAdobeModuleLoadException.htm.md) is thrown.
 
## Little CMS
  
The Little CMS (LCMS) is an open source color management library which is built in Graphics Mill.
 
## Adobe® CMM
  
The Adobe® CMM is the color conversion engine based on the Adobe Color Engine (ACE) and is provided in a form which can be used by non-Adobe applications. Before developing an application that uses Adobe® CMM, this module must be installed on the development machine.
 
**Note** 
Adobe® CMM can be used with x86 version of Graphics Mill only.
 
### System Requirements
 
Adobe® CMM requires Microsoft® Windows XP with Service Pack 2/Vista/7/8 or Windows Server 2003/2008/2012.
 
### Installation
 
To install Adobe® CMM on the development machine, perform the following steps:
 
1. Download the Adobe® CMM for Windows from [helpx.adobe.com](https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/adobe-color-management-module.html).
2. Unzip the downloaded file.
3. Double-click the installer and follow the instructions provided.

When the Adobe® CMM is successfully installed on your development machine, you can use it with Graphics Mill.
 
### Redistribution
 
If the application is based on Graphics Mill and uses Adobe® CMM for color conversion operations, you should guarantee that Adobe® CMM is installed on your users' systems. You need to be sure to describe this dependency in your documentation and should also consider redistributing Adobe® CMM with your installation package.
 
## See Also
  
### Manual
 
- [Converting Colors with Color Management](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/converting-color-with-color-management.htm.md)

### Reference
 
- [ColorManagementProvider.ColorManagementEngine Property](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/P_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_ColorManagementProvider_ColorManagementEngine.htm.md)
- [ColorConverter.ColorManagementEngine Property](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/P_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Transforms_ColorConverter_ColorManagementEngine.htm.md)