---
title: "FormatManager Class"
canonical: https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager.htm
product: "Graphics Mill 5.5 for .NET"
---

This documentation is for the old version. [Go to the latest Graphics Mill docs](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm/)

# FormatManager Class
 
This class enables you to manage installed format readers and writers.
 
**Namespace:** [Aurigma.GraphicsMill.Codecs](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/N_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs.htm.md)
 **Assembly:** Aurigma.GraphicsMill (in Aurigma.GraphicsMill.dll)
 
## Syntax
  
```
Public NotInheritable Class FormatManager
```
 
```csharp
public sealed class FormatManager
```
 
## Remarks
  
This class provides a number of static method and properties related with format readers and writers. In particular it serves as a class factory that creates proper [FormatReader](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatReader.htm.md) or [FormatWriter](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatWriter.htm.md) descendant class from specified media. It is extremely useful, for example, when you do not know the format of the file to load beforehand. In this case you do not know what exact format reader implementation to create. Here format manager comes into play: you just call [CreateFormatReader(String)](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/M_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager_CreateFormatReader_1_bb3a7a4f.htm.md) and format manager automatically determines file format. This way it creates proper format reader and returns it. The same is true for format writers: method [CreateFormatWriter(String)](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/M_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager_CreateFormatWriter_1_bb3a7a4f.htm.md) analyzes file extension and return proper format writer instance.
 
Another useful feature of this class is automatic retrieval of filter for file dialog. Using [FilterStringForLoad](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/P_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager_FilterStringForLoad.htm.md) property you can get a filter string for open file dialog, using [FilterStringForSave](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/P_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager_FilterStringForSave.htm.md) property - a filter string for save file dialog.
 
Each format supported with Graphics Mill for .NET has its own format ID. They are represented by static fields of this class, such as [JpegFormat](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/F_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager_JpegFormat.htm.md), [GifFormat](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/F_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager_GifFormat.htm.md), etc. This ID is passed to number of methods of this class, and also returned by format readers and writers.
 
## Inheritance Hierarchy
  
- [System.Object](http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/e5kfa45b)
    - Aurigma.GraphicsMill.Codecs.FormatManager
 
## Thread Safety
 Static members of this type are safe for multi-threaded operations. Instance members of this type are not safe for multi-threaded operations.
 
## Object Model

[![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/Aurigma.GraphicsMill_ObjectModel_112.png)](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager.htm.md)
![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/ObjectModel2.png)[![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/Aurigma.GraphicsMill_ObjectModel_113.png)](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_IEncoderOptions.htm.md)
![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/ObjectModel2.png)[![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/Aurigma.GraphicsMill_ObjectModel_114.png)](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_IFormatReader.htm.md)
![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/ObjectModel2.png)[![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/Aurigma.GraphicsMill_ObjectModel_115.png)](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_IFormatWriter.htm.md)
![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/ObjectModel2.png)![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/Aurigma.GraphicsMill_ObjectModel_116.png)
![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/ObjectModel1.png)![](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/Aurigma.GraphicsMill_ObjectModel_117.png)
  
## See Also

### Reference

- [FormatManager Members](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/AllMembers_T_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs_FormatManager.htm.md)
- [Aurigma.GraphicsMill.Codecs Namespace](https://www.graphicsmill.com/docs/gm5/N_Aurigma_GraphicsMill_Codecs.htm.md)