winget install --id=floyd68.FICture2 -e FICture2 is a high-performance image viewer built with DirectX for smooth rendering and navigation. Features include support for multiple image formats, thumbnail preview, DDS texture support, and archive browsing.
FICture2 is an ultra-lightweight, high-performance image viewer and comparison tool built specifically for game modders and texture artists.
It aims for a sub-1MB executable with near-instant startup — no splash screen, no heavy frameworks, no delay. Double-click a texture and you're already comparing it.
> FICture2 is an acronym for Floyd's Image Compare miniaTURE 2.
Watch the demo: https://youtu.be/2eowYOEa5dw
FICture2 is available on NexusMods: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/100267
Most image viewers claim to support DDS — but in reality:
FICture2 was built because no existing lightweight tool handled DDS BCn textures correctly and fast enough for real modding workflows.
What you see in FICture2 is what the engine actually gets.
When comparing two folders:
FICture2 is a natural companion tool for Vortex.
..)> A sub-1MB, ultra-fast image viewer that finally handles DDS BCn textures correctly — built for modders.
This repository is the “app shell” that wires the UI and decode pipeline together:
FD2D/ (submodule): lightweight Win32 UI framework using Direct2D/DirectWrite (and optional D3D11 swapchain renderer)ImageCore/ (submodule): async image decode pipeline (WIC + DirectXTex)external/DirectXTex/ (submodule): DirectXTex library (external dependency)external/libarchive/ (submodule): ZIP/7Z/RAR archive support (built as a minimal static library)git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/floyd68/FICture2.gitFICture2.slnx in Visual StudioFICture2 projectgit clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/floyd68/FICture2.gitcmake -S . -B build -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" -A x64cmake --build build --config Releasebuild\Release\FICture2.exeNotes:
FICTURE2_USE_LIBARCHIVE_CMAKE=ON).FICTURE2_USE_LOCAL_ARCHIVE_DEPS=ON).Top-level options:
FICTURE2_BUILD_THUMBNAIL_PROVIDER (default: ON): build the ThumbnailProvider DLL.FICTURE2_USE_LIBARCHIVE_CMAKE (default: ON): build external/libarchive via CMake and link archive_static.FICTURE2_USE_LOCAL_ARCHIVE_DEPS (default: ON): build external/zlib and external/xz locally and wire them into libarchive.DirectXTex (forced in root CMake):
BUILD_TOOLS=OFF: do not build texconv/texdiag tools.BUILD_SAMPLE=OFF: do not build DirectXTex sample projects.BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF: build DirectXTex as a static library.libarchive (forced in root CMake):
ENABLE_ZLIB=ON: ZIP/deflate support.ENABLE_LZMA=ON: 7z/XZ support (via liblzma).ENABLE_BZip2=OFF, ENABLE_ZSTD=OFF, ENABLE_LZ4=OFF, ENABLE_LZO=OFF: disabled to minimize size.ENABLE_CNG=ON: use Windows CNG (bcrypt) for hashes.ENABLE_OPENSSL=OFF, ENABLE_MBEDTLS=OFF, ENABLE_NETTLE=OFF: disabled.ENABLE_TAR=OFF, ENABLE_CPIO=OFF, ENABLE_CAT=OFF, ENABLE_UNZIP=OFF: no CLI utilities.ENABLE_XATTR=OFF, ENABLE_ACL=OFF, ENABLE_ICONV=OFF: disabled to reduce surface area.ENABLE_PCREPOSIX=OFF, ENABLE_PCRE2POSIX=OFF: disable regex backends.ENABLE_TEST=OFF, ENABLE_INSTALL=OFF: no tests/install targets.POSIX_REGEX_LIB=LIBC: prefer libc regex if available.zlib (forced when FICTURE2_USE_LOCAL_ARCHIVE_DEPS=ON):
ZLIB_BUILD_STATIC=ON: static zlib.ZLIB_BUILD_SHARED=OFF: no shared zlib.ZLIB_BUILD_TESTING=OFF: no zlib tests.ZLIB_INSTALL=OFF: no zlib install step.xz/liblzma (forced when FICTURE2_USE_LOCAL_ARCHIVE_DEPS=ON):
BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF: static liblzma.XZ_NLS=OFF: no gettext-based translations.XZ_DOC=OFF, XZ_DOXYGEN=OFF: no docs.XZ_TOOL_XZ=OFF, XZ_TOOL_XZDEC=OFF, XZ_TOOL_LZMADEC=OFF,
XZ_TOOL_LZMAINFO=OFF, XZ_TOOL_SCRIPTS=OFF,
XZ_TOOL_SYMLINKS=OFF, XZ_TOOL_SYMLINKS_LZMA=OFF: no CLI tools or symlinks.Override options on configure, for example:
cmake -S . -B build -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" -A x64 -DFICTURE2_BUILD_THUMBNAIL_PROVIDER=OFFcmake -S . -B build -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" -A x64 -DFICTURE2_USE_LOCAL_ARCHIVE_DEPS=OFFFICture2 expects a locally built, minimal libarchive static library in:
external/libarchive/build-minimal/libarchive/Debug/archive.libexternal/libarchive/build-minimal/libarchive/Release/archive.libWe keep the submodule clean and do not commit libarchive build outputs or local patches, so you must build it yourself:
git submodule update --init --recursivebuild-libarchive-minimal.ps1For details and the exact CMake flags used, see docs/libarchive_integration.md.
x64\Release\FICture2.exeFICture2.exe "C:\path\to\image.dds"FICture2.exe "C:\path\to\image.dds".. “up” item)ImageBrowser folder/image with the dropped path (red overlay while dragging)ImageBrowser to the right and open the dropped path there (green overlay while dragging)ImageBrowser)..: navigate up..)..) across all ImageBrowser instancesImageBrowser on the right and open there — green overlay while dragging.dds, .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .bmp, .gif, .tif, .tiff, .tga.zip, .7z, .rar, .ba2 (browse images + folders)--renderer=d3d: prefer D3D11 swapchain renderer (default)--renderer=d2d: force D2D-only renderer (more compatible)All settings are stored per-user at:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\FICture2\FICture2.ini[Window]
Left/Top/Right/Bottom/ShowCmd[Viewer]
ShowNavItems (0/1): navigation items visibility (global across all ImageBrowser instances; toggled by N)[Image]
ZoomStiffness (10..500): higher = faster zoom spring response[Thumbnails]
MinSize (default 32)MaxSize (default 256)ItemSpacing, Padding, TileLabelSpacing[Session] (auto-managed)
ViewerCount (1..4)ThumbStripHeightHorizontalSplitRatios[Viewer0]..[Viewer3] (auto-managed)
CurrentFolderDisplayedFileFICture2.cpp: app entrypoint, renderer selection, IPC integration, startup restore logicImageBrowser.cpp/.h: core UI component (thumbnail strip + main image + multi-view + sync)FD2D/: UI framework (submodule)ImageCore/: decode scheduler/dispatcher/cache (submodule)external/DirectXTex/: DirectXTex (submodule; not authored here)git if you want to work with submodulesThis repo uses git submodules. Clone with:
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/floyd68/FICture2.git
If you already cloned without submodules:
git submodule update --init --recursive
FICture2.vcxproj (or open the folder in VS).FICture2.From a Developer PowerShell:
msbuild .\FICture2.vcxproj -m -p:Configuration=Release -p:Platform=x64
This repo can be configured to prioritize output size (even if it costs some runtime speed). Typical knobs include:
/O1 /Os (optimize for size)/Ob1 (limit inlining)/GS- (disable buffer security checks; smaller & faster builds, but reduces mitigation)/Gy /Gw + /OPT:REF /OPT:ICF (dead stripping / folding)/LTCG (link-time code generation)> If you want a speed-first profile again, revert the above to /O2, /Ob2, /GS, and FavorSizeOrSpeed=Speed.
FD2D: https://github.com/floyd68/FD2DImageCore: https://github.com/floyd68/ImageCoreDirectXTex (external): tracked as a submodule under external/DirectXTexThis project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Copyright (c) 2024 EunSuk, Lee (이은석, floyd)
git submodule update --init --recursive.FICture2.exe instance.ImageCore/README.md for pipeline details and tuning points.Does FICture2 connect to the internet?
FICture2 itself does NOT initiate any network connections. The application code contains no network APIs, HTTP requests, or telemetry.
However, Windows may make network requests when FICture2 runs due to system-level security features:
FICture2 v1.1+ uses static runtime linking (/MT) to eliminate dependency on VC Runtime DLLs (vcruntime140.dll, msvcp140.dll). This reduces one major source of Windows certificate validation network requests.
Optimized app.manifest:
Remaining network activity comes from Windows system services only (WIC, DirectX, Common Controls validation). This is standard behavior for all Windows applications using system imaging components.
For advanced users who need to further reduce network activity (e.g., air-gapped systems), see: