how to convert a bmp image to a binary file?

[ankitabhatia]

i have to convert a black and white bmp image into a binary file..
i have to use the binary file to perform rle(run length encoding) compression techinque...
i have to do it in c...
thnx a lot:)

[Banfa]

A bitmap is already a binary file. Just read the file in and perform you RLE compression and write it out.

[ankitabhatia]

oh ..ok ..ill do that..thnx a lot:)

[YarrOfDoom]

I don't know anything about the bitmap file format, but aren't there headers and stuff which should remain untouched (and some specifically changed) for the image to still work?