public final Image toImage(Component root) {
        return root.createImage(new MemoryImageSource(width, height, pixel, 0, width));
    }
	

    public class ppmDecoder {
        Raster imgRaster;	// declare a Raster

        public ppmDecoder() { }
        public Image getppmImage(URL url) {
            // open url and read image header
                .
                .
                .
            // create imgRaster
                .
                .
                .
            // copy data from file into imgRaster
                .
                .
                .
            return (imgRaster.toImage());
       }
    }