HSL to RGB color conversion [closed]

Question

I am looking for a tool or the algorithm to convert between HSL color to RGB. It seems to me that HSL is not very widely used so I am not having much luck searching for a converter.

Answer 1

Here's a fast, super-simple, branchless version in GLSL:

vec3 hsl2rgb( vec3 c ) {
    vec3 rgb = clamp(abs(mod(c.x*6.0 + vec3(0.0, 4.0, 2.0), 6.0)-3.0)-1.0, 0.0, 1.0);
    return c.z + c.y * (rgb-0.5)*(1.0-abs(2.0*c.z-1.0));
}

Doesn't get much shorter than that ~

---

Link to the original proof-of-concept: https://www.shadertoy.com/view/XljGzV

(Disclaimer: not my code!)

Answer 2

For all who said that Garry Tan solution converting incorrect from RGB to HSL and back. It because he left out fraction part of number in his code. I corrected his code (javascript). Sorry for link on russian languadge, but on english absent - HSL-wiki

function toHsl(r, g, b)
{
    r /= 255.0;
    g /= 255.0;
    b /= 255.0;
    var max = Math.max(r, g, b);
    var min = Math.min(r, g, b);
    var h, s, l = (max + min) / 2.0;

    if(max == min)
    {
        h = s = 0; 
    }
    else
    {
        var d = max - min;
        s = (l > 0.5 ? d / (2.0 - max - min) : d / (max + min));

        if(max == r && g >= b)
        {
            h = 1.0472 * (g - b) / d ;
        }
        else if(max == r && g < b)
        {
            h = 1.0472 * (g - b) / d + 6.2832;
        }
        else if(max == g)
        {
            h = 1.0472 * (b - r) / d + 2.0944;
        }
        else if(max == b)
        {
            h = 1.0472 * (r - g) / d + 4.1888;
        }
    }
    return {
        str: 'hsl(' + parseInt(h / 6.2832 * 360.0 + 0.5) + ',' + parseInt(s * 100.0 + 0.5) + '%,' + parseInt(l * 100.0 + 0.5) + '%)',
        obj: { h: parseInt(h / 6.2832 * 360.0 + 0.5), s: parseInt(s * 100.0 + 0.5), l: parseInt(l * 100.0 + 0.5) }
    };
};

Answer 3

Garry Tan posted a Javascript solution on his blog (which he attributes to a now defunct mjijackson.com, but is archived here and the original author has a gist - thanks to user2441511).

The code is re-posted below:

HSL to RGB:

/**
 * Converts an HSL color value to RGB. Conversion formula
 * adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSL_color_space.
 * Assumes h, s, and l are contained in the set [0, 1] and
 * returns r, g, and b in the set [0, 255].
 *
 * @param   {number}  h       The hue
 * @param   {number}  s       The saturation
 * @param   {number}  l       The lightness
 * @return  {Array}           The RGB representation
 */
function hslToRgb(h, s, l){
    var r, g, b;

    if(s == 0){
        r = g = b = l; // achromatic
    }else{
        var hue2rgb = function hue2rgb(p, q, t){
            if(t < 0) t += 1;
            if(t > 1) t -= 1;
            if(t < 1/6) return p + (q - p) * 6 * t;
            if(t < 1/2) return q;
            if(t < 2/3) return p + (q - p) * (2/3 - t) * 6;
            return p;
        }

        var q = l < 0.5 ? l * (1 + s) : l + s - l * s;
        var p = 2 * l - q;
        r = hue2rgb(p, q, h + 1/3);
        g = hue2rgb(p, q, h);
        b = hue2rgb(p, q, h - 1/3);
    }

    return [Math.round(r * 255), Math.round(g * 255), Math.round(b * 255)];
}

RGB to HSL:

/**
 * Converts an RGB color value to HSL. Conversion formula
 * adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSL_color_space.
 * Assumes r, g, and b are contained in the set [0, 255] and
 * returns h, s, and l in the set [0, 1].
 *
 * @param   {number}  r       The red color value
 * @param   {number}  g       The green color value
 * @param   {number}  b       The blue color value
 * @return  {Array}           The HSL representation
 */
function rgbToHsl(r, g, b){
    r /= 255, g /= 255, b /= 255;
    var max = Math.max(r, g, b), min = Math.min(r, g, b);
    var h, s, l = (max + min) / 2;

    if(max == min){
        h = s = 0; // achromatic
    }else{
        var d = max - min;
        s = l > 0.5 ? d / (2 - max - min) : d / (max + min);
        switch(max){
            case r: h = (g - b) / d + (g < b ? 6 : 0); break;
            case g: h = (b - r) / d + 2; break;
            case b: h = (r - g) / d + 4; break;
        }
        h /= 6;
    }

    return [h, s, l];
}

Answer 4

Found the easiest way, python to the rescue :D

colorsys.hls_to_rgb(h, l, s)

Convert the color from HLS coordinates to RGB coordinates.

Answer 5

The article for HSL and HSV on wikipedia contains some formulas. The calculations are a bit tricky, so it might be useful to take a look at existing implementations.

Answer 6

C# Code from Mohsen's answer.

Here is the code from Mohsen's answer in C# if anyone else wants it. Note: Color is a custom class and Vector4 is from OpenTK. Both are easy to replace with something else of your choosing.

Hsl To Rgba

/// <summary>
/// Converts an HSL color value to RGB.
/// Input: Vector4 ( X: [0.0, 1.0], Y: [0.0, 1.0], Z: [0.0, 1.0], W: [0.0, 1.0] )
/// Output: Color ( R: [0, 255], G: [0, 255], B: [0, 255], A: [0, 255] )
/// </summary>
/// <param name="hsl">Vector4 defining X = h, Y = s, Z = l, W = a. Ranges [0, 1.0]</param>
/// <returns>RGBA Color. Ranges [0, 255]</returns>
public static Color HslToRgba(Vector4 hsl)
{
    float r, g, b;

    if (hsl.Y == 0.0f)
        r = g = b = hsl.Z;

    else
    {
        var q = hsl.Z < 0.5f ? hsl.Z * (1.0f + hsl.Y) : hsl.Z + hsl.Y - hsl.Z * hsl.Y;
        var p = 2.0f * hsl.Z - q;
        r = HueToRgb(p, q, hsl.X + 1.0f / 3.0f);
        g = HueToRgb(p, q, hsl.X);
        b = HueToRgb(p, q, hsl.X - 1.0f / 3.0f);
    }

    return new Color((int)(r * 255), (int)(g * 255), (int)(b * 255), (int)(hsl.W * 255));
}

// Helper for HslToRgba
private static float HueToRgb(float p, float q, float t)
{
    if (t < 0.0f) t += 1.0f;
    if (t > 1.0f) t -= 1.0f;
    if (t < 1.0f / 6.0f) return p + (q - p) * 6.0f * t;
    if (t < 1.0f / 2.0f) return q;
    if (t < 2.0f / 3.0f) return p + (q - p) * (2.0f / 3.0f - t) * 6.0f;
    return p;
}

Rgba To Hsl

/// <summary>
/// Converts an RGB color value to HSL.
/// Input: Color ( R: [0, 255], G: [0, 255], B: [0, 255], A: [0, 255] )
/// Output: Vector4 ( X: [0.0, 1.0], Y: [0.0, 1.0], Z: [0.0, 1.0], W: [0.0, 1.0] )
/// </summary>
/// <param name="rgba"></param>
/// <returns></returns>
public static Vector4 RgbaToHsl(Color rgba)
{
    float r = rgba.R / 255.0f;
    float g = rgba.G / 255.0f;
    float b = rgba.B / 255.0f;

    float max = (r > g && r > b) ? r : (g > b) ? g : b;
    float min = (r < g && r < b) ? r : (g < b) ? g : b;

    float h, s, l;
    h = s = l = (max + min) / 2.0f;

    if (max == min)
        h = s = 0.0f;

    else
    {
        float d = max - min;
        s = (l > 0.5f) ? d / (2.0f - max - min) : d / (max + min);

        if (r > g && r > b)
            h = (g - b) / d + (g < b ? 6.0f : 0.0f);

        else if (g > b)
            h = (b - r) / d + 2.0f;

        else
            h = (r - g) / d + 4.0f;

        h /= 6.0f;
    }

    return new Vector4(h, s, l, rgba.A / 255.0f);
}