diff --git a/fourcc.cpp b/fourcc.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..485a8182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fourcc.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of libgim.
+ *
+ * libgim is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * libgim is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more
+ * details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with libgim. If not, see .
+ *
+ * Copyright 2011 Danny Robson
+ */
+
+#include "fourcc.hpp"
+
+
+fourcc
+fourcc::from_chars (uint8_t a, uint8_t b, uint8_t c, uint8_t d) {
+ fourcc lhs;
+
+ lhs.data[0] = a;
+ lhs.data[1] = b;
+ lhs.data[2] = c;
+ lhs.data[3] = d;
+
+ return lhs;
+}
+
+
+fourcc
+fourcc::from_str (const char data[4]) {
+ fourcc lhs;
+
+ lhs.data[0] = (uint8_t)data[0];
+ lhs.data[1] = (uint8_t)data[1];
+ lhs.data[2] = (uint8_t)data[2];
+ lhs.data[3] = (uint8_t)data[3];
+
+ return lhs;
+}
+
+
+bool
+fourcc::operator== (const char rhs[4]) const {
+ return data[0] == rhs[0] &&
+ data[1] == rhs[1] &&
+ data[2] == rhs[2] &&
+ data[3] == rhs[3];
+}
+
+
+fourcc::operator uint32_t (void) const {
+ return (uint32_t)(data[0] << 24U |
+ data[1] << 16U |
+ data[2] << 8U |
+ data[3]);
+}
+
+
+ostream&
+operator<< (ostream &os, fourcc f) {
+ os << f.data[0] << f.data[1] << f.data[2] << f.data[3];
+ return os;
+}
+
diff --git a/fourcc.hpp b/fourcc.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ed8eef1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fourcc.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of libgim.
+ *
+ * libgim is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * libgim is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more
+ * details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with libgim. If not, see .
+ *
+ * Copyright 2011 Danny Robson
+ */
+
+#ifndef __UTIL_FOURCC_HPP
+#define __UTIL_FOURCC_HPP
+
+#include
+#include
+
+struct fourcc {
+ uint8_t data[4];
+
+ static fourcc from_str(const char[4]);
+ static fourcc from_chars(uint8_t, uint8_t, uint8_t, uint8_t);
+
+ bool operator== (const char[4]) const;
+ operator uint32_t (void) const;
+};
+
+std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream&, fourcc);
+
+#endif