This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list contains information on graphics file formats, including, raster, vector, metafile, Page Description Language, 3D object, animation, and multimedia formats. This FAQ is divided into four parts, each covering a different area of graphics file format information: Graphics File Formats FAQ (Part 1 of 4): General Graphics Format Questions Graphics File Formats FAQ (Part 2 of 4): Image Conversion and Display Programs Graphics File Formats FAQ (Part 3 of 4): Where to Get File Format Specifications Graphics File Formats FAQ (Part 4 of 4): Tips and Tricks of the Trade Please email contributions, corrections, and suggestions about this FAQ to jdm@ora.com. Relevant information posted to newsgroups will not automatically make it into this FAQ. -- James D. Murray
Subjects marked with <NEW> are new to this FAQ. Subjects marked with <UPD> have been updated since the last release of this FAQ.
Subject: I. General questions about this FAQ
Subject: 0. Maintainer's Comments One of the reasons you are looking through this FAQ collection is most likely to locate the specification for one or more graphics file formats. That assumption on my part makes this file one of the most important parts of the Graphics File Formats FAQ collection. I therefore wish to make this section as complete as possible. If you have any suggestions for formats to include then please email me at jdm@ora.com and let me know!
Subject: 1. What's new in this latest FAQ release? o Many URLs updated o Updated MNG and PNG (thanks Tom)
Subject: II. Where to Get File Format Specifications
This section contains an alphabetical listing of file formats, the
names of the creators/caretakers, and where to obtain the official
specifications, and a brief description of each format.
If you are searching for detailed information on the internals of a
file format, then I suggest you check out the resources listed here,
and have a look at the books and journals articles listed in Part 1
of this FAQ.
Each format section contains a common header that is a quick reference to
the file format.
Type: Bitmap, Vector, Metafile, 3D, VRML, general data, PDL, multimedia
Extension: File extension(s) or type
Version: Latest version number
Compression: All supported compression methods
Color Depth: Pixel depth and maximum number of colors supported
Maintainer: Who created and/or maintains the format
Specification: Where to get a copy of the format
Subject: 3DMF - QuickDraw 3D Metafile
Type: 3D
Extension: 3DMF
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Apple Computer
Specification: http://product.info.apple.com/qd3d/3DMFspec.HTML
http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/files/3DMF.pdf
Apple's 3D Metafile is a format used for the storage and interchange of
3D data.
Subject: 3DS - Autodesk 3D Studio
Type: 3D
Extension: 3ds
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Autodesk
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_3ds.html
http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_3DS_details.html
http://homepage.eznet.net/~frac/3dsform.txt
3DS is the native file format of Autodesk's 3D Studio program.
3D Studio is an interactive 3D modeling, rendering and animation
package from the makers of AutoCAD. 3DStudio runs under MS-DOS
and is used to create three-dimensional, photo-realistic images
for a variety of applications.
You can find Autodesk's home page and ftp site at:
http://www.autodesk.com/
ftp://ftp.autodesk.com/
Other 3D Studio Web pages include:
http://homepage.eznet.net/~frac/3ds.html
FRiC's 3D Studio Web Page
http://www.armory.com/~gandalf/3dsfaq.html
3DS Interactive FAQ
http://www.det.mun.ca/staff/gporter/3dsfaq.htm
3D Studio FAQ
And other 3D Studio information can be found on the
comp.graphics.packages.3dstudio Usenet newsgroup.
Subject: ABF - Adobe Binary Screen Font
Type: bitmap font
Extension: abf
Version: 2.0
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification: http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/PDFS/TN/5006.ABF_Spec.pdf
ABF is Adobe Systems' binary screen font format. ABF is, in fact, the binary
version of the Adobe's ASCII-based Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format (BDF).
Each ABF file is a sequence of 8-, 16-, or 32-bit words in either big- or
little-endian order. Each file stores information for one font.
The specification for the ABF format is:
Adobe Binary Screen Font Files Specification (Version 2.0),
Adobe Developer Support, 31 March 1992, P/N LPS5006.
This document available via FTP as a Tech Note in PostScript format,
or as hardcopy when obtained directly from Adobe (see the PostScript
section for information on how to contact Adobe Systems, Inc.).
Subject: ADI - AutoCAD Device-Independent Binary Plotter Format
Type: Vector
Extension: adi
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Autodesk
Specification:
ADI is a plotter file format generated by AutoCAD. They are rendered as
monochome bitmaps when viewed on a display. Information on ADI may be found
in the AutoCAD Installation and Performance Guide.
Subject: AFM - Adobe Font Metrics File Format
Type: font metric
Extension: afm
Version: 4.0
Compression: None
Color Depth: N/A
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification: ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/DeveloperSupport/TechNotes/PSfiles/5004.AFM_Spec.ps
AFM is Adobe's ASCII-based file format used for storing font metric data as
human-readable data. AFM is the standard Adobe font file format.
This format is also known as the Adobe Multiple Font Metrics (AMFM) and
Adobe Composite Font Metrics (ACFM) file formats. In fact, AFM, AMFM, and
ACFM are actually three variations of the same format. AFM files contain
base or composite font information. One AFM file is used per master design
of a font. AMFM files store control and global font information for a
group of AFM files. And ACFM files contain the global metrics of the
composite font program.
The specification for the AFM format is:
Adobe Font Metrics File Format Specification (Version 4.0),
Adobe Developer Support, 14 February 1992, P/N LPS5004.
This document available via FTP as a Tech Note in PostScript format, or as
hardcopy when obtained directly from Adobe (see the PostScript section for
information on how to contact Adobe Systems, Inc.).
Subject: AI - Adobe Illustrator File Format
Type: Metafile
Extension: ai
Version: 3.0
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification: http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/PDFS/TN/5007.AI_Spec_v3.0_Draft.pdf
Native file format of Adobe Illustrator. AI is actually a varitaion of the
Adobe Encapsulated PostScirpt (EPS) format.
Subject: ART - Another Ray Tracer
Type: 3D
Extension: art
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Tom Wilson <twilson@sunny5.dab.ge.com>
Specification:
Native file format of the RAT (Another Ray Tracer) ray tracing package
included with the VORT ray tracing package.
Subject: Atari ST Graphics File Formats
Type: Bitmap and animation
Extension: .ANI, .ANM, .CE?, .FLM, .NEO, .PAC, .PC?,
.PI?, .RGB, .SEQ, .TNY, .TN?, .UC?
Version: Variuos
Compression: None, RLE
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
The primary graphics file format of the Atari ST system is the
Electronic Arts Interchange File Format (IFF). However, a collection
of poorly documented image file formats native to the Atari ST
computer do exist as well. These formats are used primarily for
storing still-images, animations, and screen dumps.
The Computer Eyes Raw Data Format (.CE1, .CE2), Imagic File/Picture
Format (.IC1, .IC2, .IC3), NEOchrome Format (.NEO), RGB Intermediate
Format (.RGB), STAD Format (.PAC), Tiny Format (.TNY, .TN1, .TN2,
.TN3) are bitmap file formats. The Animatic File Format (.ANM), Cyber
Paint Sequence Format (.SEQ), DEGAS Format (.PI1, PI2, .PI3, .PC1,
.PC2, .PC3), and NEOchrome Animation Format (.ANI) are animation file
formats.
There seems to be no official documentation for most of these
formats. The document, "Atari ST Picture Formats", by David M.
Baggett <dmb@ai.mit.edu> does seem to be the definitive reference.
You can find it at:
ftp://atari.archive.umich.edu/.../picfmts.doc
You may also find information on Atari ST formats on the
comp.sys.atari.st Usenet newsgroup, and on the following Web sites:
Dan's Atari ST Web Pages
http://newton.ex.ac.uk/general/ug/jones/
Atari ST FAQ
http://www.smartpages.com/faqs/csas-faq/top.html
Subject: AVS - Application Visualization System
Type: 3D
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
AVS is a package that allows non-programmers to build visualization
applications for scientific and engineering problem solving.
Have a look at the Introduction to AVS page at http://www.bion.kth.se/~pgr/AVS/howToStart.html
The AVS home page and FTP site may be found at:
http://iac.ncsc.org/
ftp://avs.ncsc.org/
Subject: AWD - Microsoft Fax At Work Document
Type: Bitmap
Extension: AWD
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Microsoft Corporation
Specification:
AWD is an OLE compound object file that stores bilevel facsimile data.
The compression algorithm used by AWD is not published, but it is based
on CCITT Group 4. The format of OLE compound object files also seems not
to be published, but there much OLE information available:
http://www.microsoft.com/oledev/oleocx/ole11.htm
OLE Control and Control Container Guidelines, Version 1.1
Subject: BDF - Adobe Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format
Type: Bitmap font
Extension: bdf
Version: 2.2
Compression: None
Color Depth: 1-bit
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification: ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/DeveloperSupport/TechNotes/PSfiles/5005.BDF_Spec.ps
BDF is an ASCII-based file format used to store Adobe screen fonts as
human-readable data. The BDF sister format, ABF, stores the same font data
using a binary format.
This format was previously known as the Character Bitmap Distribution
Format, but was renamed to the Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format to bring
the format's name into agreement with current industry terminology.
The specification for the BDF format is:
Glyph Bitmap Distribution Format (BDF) Specification (Version 2.2),
Adobe Developer Support, 22 March 1993, P/N LPS5005.
This document available via FTP as a Tech Note in PostScript format, or as
hardcopy when obtained directly from Adobe (see the PostScript section for
information on how to contact Adobe Systems, Inc.).
Subject: BIN - SGI Powerflip
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: BMP - Windows Bitmap Format
Type: Bitmap
Extension: BMP
Version:
Compression: RLE
Color Depth: 1- to 24-bit
Maintainer: Microsoft Corporation
Specification:
BMP is the native bitmap file format of the Microsoft Windows environment.
It efficiently stores mapped or unmapped RGB graphics data with pixels 1-,
4-, 8-, or 24-bits in size. Data may be stored raw or compressed using a
4-bit or 8-bit RLE data compression algorithm. BMP is an excellent choice
for a simple bitmap format which supports a wide range of RGB image data.
There is not single document that is the official "BMP Format Specification".
Instead, BMP information is spread over several programming references. You
can search the Microsoft Developers Network CD-ROMs and the Microsoft Knowledge
Base (available at ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/ and http://www.microsoft.com/), but your
best source of BMP information lies outside of Microsoft and within the following
references:
Inside Windows File Formats, Tom Swan, Sams Publishing 1993.
ISBN 0-672-30338-8 $24.95 softcover, 337 pages and 1 disk (3.5 in.).
Order: Sams Publishing, 2201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis,
IN 46290
Luse, Marv. "The BMP File Format," Dr. Dobb's Journal, #219 September
1994 (Vol 9, Issue 10), pp. 18-22.
The BMP File Format: Part I, Dr. Dobb's Journal, David Charlap, #228
March 1995 (Vol. 20, Issue 3).
The BMP File Format: Part II, Dr. Dobb's Journal, David Charlap, #229
April 1995 (Vol. 20, Issue 4).
The code for the above issues are available at:
ftp://ftp.mv.com/pub/ddj/1994/1994.09/bmp.zip
ftp://ftp.mv.com/pub/ddj/1995/1995.03/bmp.zip
Also have a look at:
http://www.r2m.com/windev/
Internet Resources for Windows Developers
And look in the OS/2 Developer Connection SDK for OS/2 BMP information.
Subject: BRender
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: BRL-CAD - Ballistic Research Laboratory CAD
Type: Bitmap, 3D, and general data
Extension: .pix, .bw
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
The BRL-CAD Package is a powerful Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) based
solid modeling system. BRL-CAD consists of over 100 different programs,
including an interactive geometry editor, a ray tracing library, two
ray-tracing based lighting models, a generic framebuffer library, a
network-distributed image-processing and signal-processing capability,
and a large collection of related tools and utilities. Release 4.0 is the
latest version of software which has been undergoing continuous development
since 1979.
The BRL-CAD documentation is distributed in five volumes:
Volue I The BRL-CAD Philosophy
Volue II The BRL-CAD User's Manual
Volue III The BRL-CAD Applications Manual
Volue IV The MGED User's Manual
Volue V The BRL-CAD Analyst's Manual
To obtain a copy of this documentation, contact:
BRL-CAD Distribution
Attn: SCLBR-LV-V
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5066
Email: keith@brl.mil
For general information about BRL-CAD, contact:
BRL-CAD Architect
Attn: Mike Muuss
U.S. Army Research Laboratory
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5068
Email: mike@brl.mil
Additional BRL-CAD information may be found at:
BRL-CAD Home Page
http://web.arl.mil/software/brlcad/index.html
BRL-CAD Technical Reports
http://web.arl.mil/reports/
Subject: BUFR - Binary Universal Form for the Representation of Meteorological Data
Type: General data
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: World Meteorological Organization
Specification:
BUFR is a data format used to store quantiative meteorological data.
BUFR is described in the documents:
Guide to the WMO Code Form FM 94-IX EXT. BUFR, W. Thorpe, Fleet Numerical
Oceanography Center, Monterey, California.
Standard Formats for Weather Data Exchange Among Automated Weather
Information Systems, Document Number FCM-S2-1990.
Documents and information on BUFR are available from:
U.S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
Attn: Ms. Lena Loman
Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and
Supporting Research (OFCM)
6010 Executive Blvd, Suite 900
Rockville, MD 20852
Voice: 301.443.8704
U.S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
Attn: Dr. John D. Stackpole
Chief, Production Management Branch, Automation Division
National Meteorological Center
WINMC42, Room 307, WWB
5200 Auth Road
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Voice: 301.763.8115
Fax: 301.763.8381
Email: jstack@sun1.wwb.noaa.gov
BUFR, the WMO standard for point data
http://dao.gsfc.nasa.gov/data_stuff/formatPages/BUFR.html
Subject: BYU - BYU Movie
Type: 3D
Extension: byu
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.cica.indiana.edu/graphics/object_specs/BYU.format.txt
Subject: CAD-3D
Type: 3D
Extension: 3d, 3d2, 3d4
Version: 2.0
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_3d2.html
http://www.cica.indiana.edu/graphics/object_specs/3D2.format.txt
CAD-3D 2.0 stores 3D objects using the 3D, 3D2, or 3D4 file formats. Each format
can store up to 40 objects and contains all information about the objects,
including the lighting and color palette.
CAD-3D files are similar to the older file format, but they no longer require
the Motorola Fast Floating Point library (LIBF) for the storage of vertex
coordinates. Thia new version stores each coordinate in a two-byte word instead
of a four-byte floating-point value, saving a considerable amount of storage,
and making the file more easily usable by programs written with different
floating-point formats.
For more information on CAD-3D, contact Antic Software:
Antic Software
Product Development Department
544 Second Street
San Franscico, CA 94107
Voice: +1 415.957.0886
Subject: CALS - Computer Aided Acquisition and Logistics Support Raster Format
Type: Bitmap
Extension: .cal
Version:
Compression: CCITT Group 4 (MMR)
Color Depth: 1-bit
Maintainer: CALS Management Support Office (DCLSO)
Specification:
CALS files are used for document imaging and therefore only store
black-and-white, 1-bit image data. CALS Type I files only store a single
image per file and the data is always compressed using the CCITT Group 4
encoding algorithm. CALS Type II files may stored multiple images per file,
the image data may be tiled, and tiles stored as raw data or as data
compressed using CCITT Group 4 encoding.
The CALS raster file format is defined primarily in the following
military standards documents:
MIL-STD-1840A, Automated Interchange of Technical Information
MIL-R-28002A, Requirements for Raster Graphics Representation
in Binary Format
The CALS raster file format is supported through the CALS office of the
United States Department of Defense:
CALS Management Support Office (DCLSO)
Office of the Assistant Director for Telecommunications andInformation Systems
Headquarters Defense Logistics Agency
Cameron Station
Alexandria, VA 22314 USA
The CALS Home Page
http://www.acq.osd.mil/cals/
Subject: CAM - Casio Camera
Type: Bitmap
Extension: .cam
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Casio
Specification: Not available
CAM is the native bitmap format of the Casio QV series digital camera
software. The CAM format specification is not published, but Photoshop
plug-ins and a TWAIN toolkit for CAM are available, as is a developmant kit
for Visual Basic and Visial C++ applications. Email Scott Nelson at
SNELSON921@aol.com for more information on the toolkits. Visit the Casio
home page at http://www.casio.com/ for more information on their QV-10 and
QV-30 digital cameras.
You can find a description of the CAM file internals at:
http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~with/QV10/index_e.html
Subject: CCITT - CCITT Group 3 and Group 4 Encoding
Type: Data encoding format
Extension: .g3, .g4, .cit
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth: Bilevel
Maintainer: http://www.itu.ch/
Specification:
Subject: CDF - Common Data Format
Type: General data
Extension: CDF
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
CDF is a scientific data management package (known as the "CDF Library")
developed by the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC). CDF allows
application programmers to manage and manipulate scalar, vector, and
multi-dimensional data arrays. The CDF file format is transparently utilized
and made accessible to the through a consistent set of interface routines
known as the "CDF Interface".
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cdf/cdf_home.html
The Common Data Format Home Page
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/about_nssdc.html
National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC)
You can download the CDF software distribution from:
ftp://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/cdf/dist/cdf25/
Subject: CDF - Cyberspace Description Format
Type: VRML
Extension: CDF
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Carl Tollander <carlt@autodesk.com>
Specification: http://vrml.wired.com/proposals/cdf/cdf.html
CDF is an ASCII-based format used for describing cyberspace decks and
virtual worlds. This format provides a standard framework that is used to
store, retrieve, modify, and exchange descriptions of cyberspace objects;
including object initialization, state, and scheduling, and cyberspase
simulation.
CDF is based on the CDF format described in Autodesk's Cyberspace
Development Kit. Autodesk's CDF is a closed format used to support a
proprietary deveoper's tool, while the proposed CDF format is an open
format intended to be accepted as an industry standard.
Subject: CDL - CADKey CADL Language
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Cadkey Inc.
Specification:
Contact Cadkey at:
Cadkey Inc.
4 Griffin Road
Windsor, CT 06095-1511 USA
Voice: 203.298.8888
Voice: 800.394.2231
Fax: 203.298.6590
Email: info@cadkey.com
WWW: http://www.cadkey.com/
Subject: CGM - Computer Graphics Metafile
Type: Metafile
Extension: CGM
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: ANSI, ISO, IEC, DOD, NIST
Specification:
The current version of the CGM ANSI/ISO standard (commonly called
CGM:1992) is:
Information Processing Systems--Computer Graphics Metafile for the
Storage and Transfer of Picture Description Information,
ANSI/ISO 8632-1992.
This standard superseded the early CGM:1986 (ANSI X3.122-1986) ANSI
standard. The CGM standard is contained in four ISO standards documents:
ISO/IEC 8632-1:1992 Part 1: Functional Specification
ISO/IEC 8632-3:1992 Part 2: Character Encoding
ISO/IEC 8632-3:1992 Part 3: Binary Encoding
ISO/IEC 8632-4:1992 Part 4: Clear Text Encoding
These documents may be obtained from the following organizations:
International Standards Organization (ISO)
1 rue de Varembe
Case Postal 56
CH-1211 Geneva 20 Switzerland
Voice: +41 22 749 01 11
Fax: +41 22 733 34 30
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Sales Department
11 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Voice: 212.642.4900
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
Sales Group
178 Rexdale Blvd.
Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 1R3
Voice: 416.747.444
And here are a few CGM Web pages:
MIL-STD-2301, CGM Implementation Standard for the NIST Format Standard
http://www.tasc.com/nitfs/NITFS_docs.html
CGM Home Page at NIST
http://speckle.ncsl.nist.gov/~lsr/cgm.htm
Overview of CGM Standards
http://speckle.ncsl.nist.gov/~lst/cgm_std.htm
The Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM)
http://www.agocg.ac.uk:8080/agocg/CGM.html
A freely available C library for creating CGM files is available at:
http://speckle.ncsl.nist.gov/~lorax/cgm/cd.html
Subject: CIF
Subject: CMP - LeadView
Type: Bitmap
Extension: CMP
Version:
Compression: LEAD CMP compression (proprietary)
Color Depth:
Maintainer: LEAD Technologies
Specification: Not available
LEAD Technologies
Technical Support Department
Voice: 704.372.9681
Fax: 704.332.5868
BBS: 704.334.9045
Email: support@leadtools.com
WWW: http://www.leadtools.com/
Subject: CMU - Carnegie Mellon University Formats
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: COB - Calgari trueSpace2 File Format
Type: 3D
Extension: COB, SCN
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/files/calgari.pdf
Subject: CXS
Subject: Cyberware
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Cyberware
Specification:
Contact Cyberware at:
Cyberware Inc.
2110 Del Monte Avenue
Montery, CA 93940 USA
Voice: 408.657.1450
Fax: 408.657.1494
Email: sales@cyberware.com
WWW: http://www.cyberware.com/
Subject: DEM - Digital Elevation Model
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Specification:
The format of DEM map files is described in the publication:
Data Users Guide 5 - Digital Elevation Models
and is available for $1.00 US from:
Earth Science Information Center (ESIC)
U. S. Geological Survey
507 National Center
Reston, VA 22092 USA
Voice: 1.800.USA.MAPS
Voice: 703.860.645
The Andrew Consortium
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/atk-ftp/web/andrew-home.html
http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/glis/hyper/guide/1_dgr_dem
Subject: DGN - Microstation
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: DKB - DKB-Trace
Type: 3D
Extension: dkb
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: DLG - Digital Line Graph
Type: Vector
Extension: dlg
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Specification:
DLG is used by USGS to store geographical data. Documentation on this
format is available at:
ftp://spectrum.xerox.com/depts/markc/demtools/demwork/dlg/doc/dlgguide.txt.Z>.
The format of DLG graph files is described in the publications:
Data Users Guide 1 - Digital Line Graphs from 1:24,000-Scale Maps
Data Users Guide 2 - Digital Line Graphs from 1:100,000-Scale Maps
Data Users Guide 3 - Digital Line Graphs from 1:2,000,000-Scale Maps
and each is available for $2.00 US from:
Earth Science Information Center (ESIC)
U. S. Geological Survey
507 National Center
Reston, VA 22092 USA
Voice: 1.800.USA.MAPS
Voice: 703.860.645
Subject: DPX - Digital Moving Picture Exchange
Type: Bitmap
Extension: dpx, cin
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: SMPTE <http://www.smpte.org/>
Specification:
DPX is the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers)
standard file format for Digital Moving Picture Exchange. DPX is, in fact,
the Kodak Cineon raster file format with just a few slight modifications to
the file's header.
The DPX specification is referred to as the ANSI/SMPTE 268M-1994 Standard
(dated: 18 February 1994) and is available directly from SMPTE:
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
595 W. Hartsdale Avenue
White Plains, NY 10607 USA
Voice: 914.761.1100
Fax: 914.761.3115
Web: http://www.smpte.org/
You can find a complete listng of all SMPTE standards at
http://www.smpte.org/stds/stscope.html
Subject: DRW - Micrografx Designer/Draw Plus Format
Type: Vector
Extension: DRW
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Micrografx
Specification:
Subject: DWB - Coryphaeus Software Designers Workbench
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Contact Coryphaeus at:
Coryphaeus
985 University Avenue
Suite 31
Los Gatos, CA 95030 USA
Voice: 408.395.4537
Fax: 408.395.6351
Email: sales@coryphaeus.com
WWW: http://www.coryphaeus.com/
Subject: DWG - Autodesk drawing
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Autodesk
Specification:
http://www.kovac.com/software/index.html
Subject: DXF - Autodesk Drawing eXchange Format
Type: Vector and 3D
Extension: DXF
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Autodesk
Specification:
The AutoCAD DXF (Drawing eXchange Format) and AutoCAD DXB (Drawing eXhange
Binary) formats are the native vector file formats of Autodesk's AutoCAD
CAD application.
DXF is probably one of the most widely supported vector formats in the
world today. DXF is rich in features, including: support for 3D objects,
curves, text, associative dimensioning, and is an easy format to parse.
The DXB format is a binary representation of a DXF file and they are
usually smaller and faster to load than the equivalent DXF file.
The latest "official" DXF revision is Release 12. However, there is an
even newer version of DXF containing several changes and additions to the
format. Apparently the specification of the latest version of the DXF
format is not yet (if it will ever be) freely available. Users are
required to pay $4000US for a license to AutoCAD in to obtain the specs
for this newest release of DXF file format.
The official specification for DXF R12 may be found in the AutoCAD Manual
Release 12:
AutoCAD Customization Manual, Release 12, Autodesk Inc., 1992, pp. 241-81.
The specification for DXF R12 has also been released in electonic form and
is available in several of the Internet file format archives, such as:
ftp://avalon.vislab.navy.mil/pub/format_specs/dxf_r12.txt.Z
http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_dxf12.html
The spec for the most current version, DXF R13, is available at:
ftp://ftp.synapse.net/private/c/cadsyst/misc/r13dxf.zip
And an excerpt of the DXF R10 specification may be found at:
http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_dxf10.html
Many books detail the DXF format, including:
The AutoCAD Database Book, F.H. Jones and L. Martin, Ventana Press,
ISBN 0-940087-04-9. Order: 919.490.0062 voice.
AutoCAD, The Complete Reference, 2nd Ed., Johnson, N., McGraw-Hill,
New York, NY, 1991.
Additonal information may be obtained directly from Autodesk:
Autodesk Inc.
Autodesk Developer Marketing
2320 Marinship Way
Sausalito, CA 94965
Voice: 415.491.8719
FTP: ftp://ftp.autodesk.com/
WWW: http://www.autodesk.com/
Subject: EMF - Microsoft Enhanced Metafile
Type: Metafile
Extension: EMF
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Microsoft Corporation
Specification:
The next generation Windows Metafile. EMF files are not supported by
the 16-bit Windows and OLE environments.
http://www.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/ENMETA.EXE
This archive contains sample Windows code to manipulate EMF files.
Two sample EMF files are included.
http://www.microsoft.com/developr/MSDN/OctCD/EMFDCO.ZIP
This archive contains the Windows source code for the EMF
decoding utility.
http://www.microsoft.com/developr/MSDN/OctCD/ENHMET.ZIP
This archive contains the ENHMETA.HLP help file that describes
the EMF file format.
Also have a look at:
http://www.microsoft.com/kb/developr/win32dk/q145999.htm
Q145999 "SAMPLE: How to Create & Play Enhanced Metafiles in Win32"
http://www.gentech.com/emf/win95emf.html
Enhanced Metafile Test Suite
http://www.r2m.com/windev/
Internet Resources for Windows Developers
Subject: ENFF - Extended Neutral File Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: EPS - Encapsulated PostScript
Type: Metafile
Extension: EPS
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/PDFS/TN/5002.EPSF_Spec_v2.0.pdf
The PostScript Language Software Development Kit is available from the
creator of PostScript, Adobe Systems:
Adobe Systems Inc.
Attn: Adobe Systems Developer Support
1585 Charleston Road
P.O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039-7900
Voice: 415.961.7900
Voice: 800.344.8335
Fax: 415.961.3769
Subject: FACT
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: FBM - Fuzzy Bitmap
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
FBM is the native file format of the Fuzzy pixmap image manipulation and
conversion toolkit written by Michael L. Mauldin at Carnegie Mellon
University.
Code to manipulate FBM (and many other) file formats is found in the
FBM distrbution:
ftp://nl.cs.cmu.edu/usr/mlm/ftp/fbm.tar.Z
Subject: FFIVW - File Format for the Interchange of Virtual Worlds
Type: VRML
Extension: ffivw
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Bernie Roehl <broehl@waterloo.ca>
Kerry Bonin <74367.1630@compuserve.com>
Specification: http://vrml.wired.com/proposals/ffivw.html
FFIVM is an ASCII-based, object-oriented format used to describe virtual
objects and worlds. This format is not intended to be a native file format
of any hardware or software platform, but instead to be used as an
interchange medium used for converting one VRML format to another.
Subject: FITS - Flexable Image Transport System
Type: General data format
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
FITS is a standard data interchange and archival format used by
astronomy software. The FITS data format specification is part of the
NOST Standard and Uer's Guide, available from:
ftp://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/fits/
Other FITS resources include:
FITS Support Office Home Page
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/astro/fits/fits_home.html
Displaying FITS Images
http://astrosun.tn.cornell.edu/FITS.html
http://fits.cv.nrao.edu/
ftp://fits.cv.nrao.edu/fits>
FITS discussions also occur on the sci.data.formats and
sci.astro.fits Usenet newsgroups. Questions about FITS may also be
directed to fits@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov.
Subject: FLASHPIX
Type: Bitmap
Extension:
Version:
Compression: JPEG
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Kodak http://www.kodak.com/
Specification:
FLASHPIX is Kodak's latest "will do everything you will ever need" graphical
file format. It is based on the Microsoft OLE Structured Storage format that
all of Microsoft's newer data files use. The file format will be officially
released by Kodak in late September 1996 in cooperation with Microsoft,
Hewlett-Packard, and Live Picture.
You can get a marketing-oriented whitepaper that contains a very simple
techinical overview of the FLASHPIX format at:
http://www.kodak.com/aboutKodak/cmo/drg/productsTechnologies/niftyTech.shtml
A two-page write up of FLASHPIX also appears in Photo Electronic Imaging
Magazine (Vol. 29, No. 7, 1996, pp. 18,22).
Subject: FLT - MultiGen Flight
Type:
Extension: flt
Version: 14.2.4 Rev A
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/files/opnflt.pdf
Subject: GDS - McDonnell-Douglas Things
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: GFO - SGI Radiosity
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: GIF - Graphics Interchange Format
Type: Bitmap
Extension: GIF
Version: 87a, 89a
Compression: LZW
Color Depth: 8-bit
Maintainer: Compuserve
Specification: ftp://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu:/misc/file.formats/graphics.formats/gif87a.doc
ftp://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu:/misc/file.formats/graphics.formats/gif89a.doc
GIF is a data stream-oriented file format used to define the transmission
protocol of LZW-encoded bitmap data. GIF images may be up to eight bits
(256 colors) in depth and are always compressed. Despite the fact that GIF
supports only 8-bits worth of colors, and the multimedia extensions
introduced in the 89a release have not been widely utilized, GIF still
remains a popular choice for storing lower resolution image data.
The GIF89a specification is available via many BBSs and on-line information
services. You may also obtain the specification directly from CompuServe:
CompuServe Incorporated
Attn: Graphics Technology Department
5000 Arlington Center Boulevard
Columbus, OH 43220
Voice: 614.457.8600, 800.848.8199
FTP: ftp://ftp.compuserve.com/
WWW: http://www.compuserve.com/
Note: Any software created or modified after 01 January 1995 that supports
the capability of reading and/or writing GIF files must obtain a patent
license agreement from Unisys Corporation. See Part I of the FAQ for more
details on the Unisys GIF-LZW license agreements.
Here are a few links specializing in GIF89a animations:
http://www.fastlane.net/~samiel/anim.shtml
GIF Animation Secrets
http://member.aol.com/royalef/gifanim.htm
Royal Frazier's GIF Animation on the WWW
http://www.peritas.com/~abw/multigif.html
MultiGIF GIF89a Animation Utility
http://www.iis.ee.ethz.ch/~kiwi/GIFMerge/
GIFMerge Utility
Subject: GKS - Graphics Kernel System
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
GKS is a standard specifying the input and output primitives for displaying
2D and 3D graphical data. Although GKS has no native file format, the CGM
(Computer Graphics Metafile) format is often closely associated with its use.
The following ISO documents describe the GKS standard:
ISO 7942 Functional Specification
ISO 8651-1 Fortran Binding
ISO 8651-2 Pascal Binding
ISO 8651-3 Ada Binding
ISO 8651-4
ISO 8805 GKS-3D
ISO 8806 GKS-3D Bindings
These documents are available from ISO, ANSI, and CSA (see the CGM section
for the addresses of these organizations).
Subject: GrADS - GrADS Metafile
Type: Metafile
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
http://grads.iges.org/grads/
Grid Analysis and Display System
ftp://sprite.llnl.gov/pub/fiorino/grads/doc/grads.www/grads.htm
GrADS Documentation
Subject: GRASP - Graphical System for Presentation
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Paul Mace Software Home Page
http://www.pmace.com/pms.htm
Subject: GRIB - Gridded Binary
Type: General data format
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Specification:
GRIB is the standard format for the storage and interchange of
meteorological data. Several "flavors" of GRIB exist, prompting the
original format to be called WMO GRIB. The format specification and
software may be found at:
ftp://ncardata.ucar.edu/libraries/grib/
ftp://nic.fb4.noaa.gov/pub/nws/nmc/docs/gribguide/guide.txt
The specification for the ECMWF GRIB format is at:
ftp://ncardata.ucar.edu/datasets/ds111.2/format
ftp://ncardata.ucar.edu/datasets/ds111.2/software
UW-NMS Home Page
http://java.meteor.wisc.edu/
Subject: HDF - Hierarchical Data Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/files/ncsa_hdf.pdf
HDF is an object-oriented interchange file format used to transport image
data from one machin architecture or operating system to another with no
conversion problems or loss of data. Both 8- and 24-bit raster images are
supported, color palettes, and data compression (RLE, Incomp, and JPEG).
The latest version of HDF is 3.3 and comes with a complete library of
functions for manipulating HDF files, includeding the netCDF library by
Unidata.
Information on HDF is available from The HDF Information Server maintained
by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications:
http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu:8001/
The HDF FAQ is located at:
http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu:8001/HDF-FAQ.html
Other HDF-related Web sites include:
Heirarchial Data Format (HDF)
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software/HDF/HDFIntro.html
The HDU 3.3 User's Guide in both PostScript and MIF format:
ftp://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HDF/Documentation/HDF3.3/Users_Guide/HDF3
Source code for HDF may be FTPed from:
ftp://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HDF
And HDF-related discussions may also be found on the Usenet newsgroup
sci.data.formats and in the FAQ for that newsgroup.
Subject: HDS - Hierarchical Data System
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: HPGL - Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language (HP-GL/2)
Subject: HPPCL - Hewlett-Packard Printer Control Language
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
PCL is capable of rendering both raster and vector graphics.
The official specification and toolkit for PCL is contained in the following
Hewlett-Packard manuals:
PCL 5 Printer Language Technical Reference Manual
PCL 5 Developer's Guide, 3rd Edition, Part No. 5002-1847
The technical reference manual contains a complete description of PCL 5. The
developer's guide contains many software examples illustracting how to
design PCL-compatable software. These maunals may be obtained directly from
Hewlett-Packard
Subject: HRF - Hitachi Raster Format
Type: Bitmap
Extension: HRF
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth: 1-bit
Maintainer: Hitachi Corporation
Specification: Chris Till (Voice: 303.449.3200, Fax: 303.449.1996)
HRF is typcailly used to store scanner output data.
The HRF specification is not available unless a non-disclosure agreement
is signed with Hitachi.
Subject: IFF - Electronic Arts Interchange File Format
Type: Bitmap, audio, multimedia
Extension: IFF, LBM, and many more
Version:
Compression: Uncompressed, PackBits
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Electronic Arts Home Page
http://www.ea.com/
Subject: IGES - Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
IGES is a set of protocols for the transfer and display of graphical
information on remote devices via a telephone or computer communications
network. IGES does not define any new graphical file formats, but instead
uses existing formats (such as CGM) to encapsulate graphical data.
IGES is associated with the NCGA (National Computer Graphics Association) and
is part of the U.S. Product Data Association (USPRO) and the IGES/PDES
Organization (IGO). The NCGA administers the National IGES User Group (NIUG),
which provides access to information on IGES.
To obtain the IGES specification, you must be a member of both NIUG and a
Regional Interest Group (RIG). The IGES specification is available through
the NCGA for $100US. For more information about the NIUG, RIGs, and IGES,
contact:
National Computer Graphics Association
2722 Merrilee Drive
Suite 3200
Fairfax, VA 22031 USA
Voice: 703.698.9600
IGES - Reference Documents
http://elib.cme.nist.gov/nipde/stds/wh-iges.html
Subject: IM - Performer
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: IMA - Zenographics Mirage Graphics File Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Zenographics
Specification:
IMA is the native file format of the Zenographics Mirage program.
The older version of this format was used by Mirage v5.12 and
eariler. Mirage 5.20 introduced the newer version of IMA.
Subject: IMJ - Image JPEG
Type: Bitmap
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
IMJ was created by Pegasus Image Corporation as a variation of the JFIF file
format. IMJ is essentially a JFIF file with a Microsoft Windows BMP header
and enhanced palette optimization. The IMJ format is used in several
screensaver applications, and by orgainizations such as Delrina and the
National Center for Missing Children.
See the section describing the PIC - Pegasus Imaging Corporation Format
for more information.
Subject: INGR - Intergraph Raster File Format
Type: Bitmap
Extension: Many (not standardized)
Version: 3
Compression: RLE, CCITT Group 4, JPEG, quad tree, Uncompressed
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Intergraph Corporation <http://www.intergraph.com/>
Specification: ftp://ftp.intergraph.com/pub/bbs/scan/note/rffrgps.zip
Intergraph publishes the INGR format specification in the following document:
"Intergraph Raster File Format Reference Guide", Intergraph Corporation,
DRA220700, March 1994, Version 3.2.0, 84 pages.
You may order this specifiction from:
Scanning Systems Division
Intergraph Corporation
Huntsville, AL 35894-0001 USA
Voice: 205-730-5441, 800-345-4856
Fax: 205-730-9441
BBS: 205-730-8786
Email: info@intergraph.com
WWW: http://www.intergraph.com/
FTP: ftp://ftp.intergraph.com/
It is also available in PostScript format on Intergraph's FTP site.
Sampleimages are availble at:
ftp://ftp.intergraph.com/pub/bbs/scan/note/bilevel.exe
Subject: IRTP - Graphicon-2000 Interactive Real-Time PHIGS
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: IV - SGI Inventor
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: IV-VRML - Inventor VRML Format
Type: VRML
Extension: iv
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Silicon Graphics
Specification: http://www.sgi.com/tech/Inventor/VRML/VRMLDesign.html
Subject: JBIG - Joint Bilevel Image Group
Type: Compression Method
Extension: Not specified by specification
Version:
Compression: JBIG
Color Depth: 1-bit (see text)
Maintainer: ISO, IEC and ITU
Specification:
JBIG is a lossless method for compressing black and white (1-bit) raster
image data. Its primary benefit is as a method for transmitting bi-level
image data across a communications channel. JBIG's progressive encoding
scheme allows lower resolution version of the image to be sent first,
followed by higher resolution images which build on the previously
transmitted data (e.g. 75, 150, 300, 450, and 600 DPI). This capability makes
JBIG ideal for replacing less-efficient document imaging transmissions
methods, such as CCITT Group 3 & 4, but thus far JBIG has not been marketed
in such a way as to make this possible.
There is no official JBIG file format. You just dump a JBIG data stream into
a disk for tape file, give it the extension JBG or JBIG, and you have a JBIG
file.
JBIG is jointly sponsored by the ITU (CCITT) and ISO/IEC JTCI/SC29
committees. The JBIG standard may be found in the following documents:
Information technology -- Coded representation of picture and audio
information -- Progressive bi-level image compression, ISO/IEC 11544:1993
ITU/CCITT Recommendation T.82
Subject: JCAMP
Subject: JFIF - JPEG File Interchange Format
Type: Bitmap
Extension: JPG
Version: 1.02
Compression: JPEG
Color Depth: 24-bits
Maintainer: C-Cube
Specification: See below
JFIF is a data stream-oriented file format used to define the transmission of
JPEG-encoded bitmap data. The specification for JFIF may be obtained directly
from C-Cube Microsystems:
C-Cube Microsystems
Attn: Scott Sinclair
Corporate Communications
1778 McCarthy Blvd.
Milpitas, CA 95035
Voice: 408.944.6300
Fax: 408.944.6314
The Independent JPEG Group archive on ftp.uu.net also contains an on-line
copy of the JFIF specification and additional JPEG information as:
ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg/jfif.ps.gz
ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg/jpeg.documents.gz
If you need code to read/write JFIF files and/or a JPEG data stream, then
please use the IJG's JPEG library, available at:
ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg/
Any other questions you have about JPEG will be answered by Tom Lane's
JPEG FAQ, which may be found at:
comp.graphics.misc
http://www.smartpages.com/faqs/jpeg-faq/top.html
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/jpeg-faq/
Subject: LSA/LSB - Lightscape Technologies ASCII and Binary
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: LWOB - Lightwave Object Format
Type: 3D
Extension: IFF
Version: 2.0
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.pb.net/usrwww/w_limg/LWOB.HTM
http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_lightwave.html
LightWave is part of a suite of application that is bundled with the
Amiga Video Toster system. LightWave 3D objects are stored as IFF files
with a FORM type of LWOB. Other chunks stored in a FORM LWOB file are
PNTS, SRFS, SURF, CRVS, and POLS chunk.
Also have a look at the LightWave newsgroup:
comp.graphics.apps.lightwave
Subject: MedFileS
Subject: MGF - Materials and Geometry Format
Type: 3D
Extension: mgf
Version: 1.1
Compression: None
Color Depth: full spectral colors (i.e., infinite)
Maintainer: Greg Ward <GJWard@lbl.gov>
Specification: http://radsite.lbl.gov/mgf/HOME.html
MGF is an ASCII-based 3D rendering format designed to model surface geometry
and materials for the purpose of visible-light simulation and rendering. The
overall objective of this format is to provide a very simple yet fairly
complete modeling language that does not place unreasonable demands on the
applications programmer or the object library creator.
The materials are physically-based and rely on standard and well-accepted
definitions of color, reflectance and transmittance for good accuracy and
reproducibility. The geometry is based on boundary representation using
simple geometric primitives such as polygons, spheres and cones. The file
format itself is terse but human-readable ASCII text. Translators are
available from 3D Studio and Radiance rendering formats, and to Inventor,
VRML and Radiance. An ANSI-C standard parser is freely distributed, along
with many models and examples at the official web site.
The format specification is available bundled with an MGF file reader
and is distributed in the file mgflib0.7.tar.Z on the following sites:
http://radsite.lbl.gov/mgf/HOME.html
ftp://hobbes.lbl.gov/www/mgf
The MGF software is currently in its second official release (version 1.1).
Questions about MGF should be directed to:
Greg Ward
Voice: 510.486.4757
Fax: 510.486.4757
Email: GJWard@lbl.gov
Subject: MIFF - Magick Image File Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
MIFF is a bitmap format native to the ImageMagick toolkit which runs under
the X Window System. ImageMagick is capable of displaying and converting a
variety of still and animated graphics file formats.
The specification for MIFF is available in the ImageMagick distribution
available from:
ftp://ftp.wizards.dupont.com/pub/ImageMagick/ImageMagick-3.7.tar.gz
For more information about ImageMagick and MIFF, contact:
duPont de Nemour & Company
Attn: John Cristy
Central Research and Development
Experimental Station
P.O. Box 80328
Room 162-A
Wilmington, DE 19880-0328
Voice: 302.695.1159
Email: cristy@dupont.com
Subject: MNG - Multiple Network Graphics
Type: Bitmap, animation
Extension: MNG
Version:
Compression: GZIP + optional filtering, delta images
Color Depth: 1 to 48 bits
Maintainer: MNG discussion list, mpng-list@dworkin.wustl.edu
Specification: ftp://swrinde.nde.swri.edu/pub/mng/documents/
MNG (pronounced "ming") is a proposed multiple-image
extension of the PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format.
To join the discussion list working on this format,
send the message body "help" to mpng-list-request@dworkin.wustl.edu.
Subject: MSDL - Manchester Scene Description Language
Type: 3D
Extension: msdl
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://hobbes.lbl.gov/www/mgf/HOME.html
Subject: MTL - Wavefront
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: NAPLPS - North American Presentation Layer Protocol Syntax
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
NAPLPS is a protocol for transferring ASCII-based graphical information to
remote terminals via a communications channel (telephone systems, computer
networks, and so forth). It is specifically designed to provide usable
information transfer rates, even at data rates as low as 2400bps.
NAPLPS is used by many Videotext services, Prodigy, the commercial on-line
information service, and in standalone information kiosk systems.
Although there is no NAPLPS file format, NAPLPS data streams are often saved
as files, and the files are then referred to as using the "NAPLPS file
format".
The NAPLPS specification is a standards documents available through ANSI, ISO,
or CSA. (See the CGM section for the addresses of these organizations). The
CSA document (T500-1983) also contains a supplement (1-1991) which is not
included in the ANSI version of this standard.
Further information may be found in the February, March, April, and May 1983
issues of Byte Magazine. These articles explain much of the NAPLPS coding
system and discuss the potential for NAPLPS.
Michael Dillon has authored a paper on NAPLPS and started a NAPLPS section on
SIMTEL20, which may be access via the mirror site:
ftp://oak.oakland.edu/pub/simtel/msdos/naplps
Michael Dillon may be contacted at:
CompuServe: 71532,137
Internet: mpdillon@halcyon.halcyon.com
BBS: 604.546.2705
The BBS also contains NAPLPS Shareware and art.
Subject: netCDF - Network Common Data Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/netcdf/
netCDF Home Page
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/netcdf/utilities.html
Software for Manipulating or Displaying NetCDF Data
ftp://ftp.unidata.ucar.edu/pub/netcdf/
netCDF Software Distribution
Subject: NFF - Haines Neutral File Format
Type:
Extension: NFF
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Eric Haines <erich@eye.com>
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_nff.html
NFF is a minimal scene description language used to test rendering algorithms
and efficiency schemes. It supports basic geometry of objects, surface
characteristics, placement of lights, color of objects, and the viewing angle
of the human eye. NFF is ASCII-based and is used with the Standard Procedural
Database (SPD) software package used for creating databases for testing
rendering schemes.
The specification for NFF is available on numerous FTP sites which archive
file format documents, such as:
ftp://zamenhof.cs.rice.edu/pub/graphics.formats
and is available along with the SPD test programs, which produce NFF objects:
ftp://ftp.princeton.edu/pub/Graphics/SPD
You may also contact the author of NFF:
Eric Haines
3D/Eye Inc.
1050 Craft Road
Ithica, NY 14850
Email: erich@eye.com
Subject: NFF - WorldToolKit Neutral File Format
Type: 3D
Extension: nff bff
Version: 2.1
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Sense8 Incorporated
Specification: ftp://avalon.vislab.navy.mil/pub/format_specs
http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/h_nffwtk.html
The WorldToolKit Neutral File Format is a creation of Sense8 for their
WorldToolKit software product. WorldToolKit is a C language library providing
the functionality needed to do virtual reality, including file parsing,
sensor drivers, object management, behavior, and rendering.
Sense8's NFF format was loosely adapted from the Videoscape (.geo) format,
with the addition of 12-bit color, per-polygon texture application, and
portals. It was later extended to support vertex normals, 24-bit color, and
vertex uv coordinates. The current version of NFF is 2.1.
Sense8 also supports a binary format of NFF called BFF (.bff file extension)
The BFF format layout and order is identical to the ASCII version, with the
exception that only 24-bit, and not 12-bit, colors are not supported.
The WorldToolKit Neutral File Format was created and is maintained by:
Sense8
100 Shoreline Hwy. Ste. 282
Mill Valley, CA 94941
Voice: 415.331.6318
Fax: 415.331.9148
Email: info@sense8.com
WWW: http://www.sense8.com/
Questions about Sense8's NFF format should be directed to:
Ben Discoe <ben@sense8.com>
Subject: NITF - National Imagery Transmission Format
Type: Page Layout
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Defense Information Systems Agency
Specification:
The National Imagery Transmission Format Standard (Version 2.0) is documented
as a collection of military standards documents. The actual file format is
documented in the following standard:
MIL-STD-2500, National Imagery Transmission Format (Version 2.0) for
the National Imagery Transmission Format Standard, 18 June 1993
The remaining standards are as follows:
MIL-HDBK-1300, National Imagery Transmission Format Standard (NITFS),
18 June 1993
MIL-STD-3201, Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) Implementation Standard
for the National Imagery Transmission Format Standard, 18 June 1993
MIL-STD-188-196, Bi-Level Image Compression for the National Imagery
Transmission Format Standard, 18 June 1993
MIL-STD-188-197 Adaptive Recursive Interpolated Differential Pulse
Code Modulation (ARIDPCM) Compression Algorithm for the National
Imagery Transmission Format Standard, 18 June 1993
MIL-STD-188-198A, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) Image Compression
for the National Imagery Transmission Format Standard, 15 December 1993
MIL-STD-188-199, Vector Quantization Decompression for the National Imagery
Transmission Format Standard, 27 June 1994
MIL-STD-245-44500, Tactical Communications Protocol 2 (TACO2) for the
National Imagery Transmission Format Standard, 18 June 1993
JIEO Circular 9008, National Imagery Transmission Format Standards (NITFS)
Certification Test & Evaluation Program Plan, 30 June 1993
The NITFS standards may be obtained via FTP from the ITSI (Information
Technology Standards Integrated) BBS at:
ftp://jcdbs.2000.disa.mil/pub/library
ITSI BSS may also be reached by modem at 703.834.6501 (14.4kbps, N-8-1).
To receive hardcopies any or all of these documents, send a request via mail,
fax, or email to:
DISA/JIEO/CFS/TBCE
c/o Logicaon
Fay Mignone
1831 Wiehle Avenue
Reston, VA 22090 USA
Fax: 703.318.1098 Attn: Fay Mignone
Email: mignone@cdbs.itsi.disa.mil
or:
Defense Information Systems Agency
Center for Standards
Carol Ciepiela
Attn: TBCE, Rm 3304
10701 Parkridge Blvd
Reston, VA 22091 USA
Voice: 703.487.3536
Email: edi@itsi.disa.mil
Questions may be directed to:
NITFS Certification Test Facility
Voice: 602.538.5458 x5494
And NITF Web pagea include:
http://www.tasc.com/NITFS/
NITFS Home Page
http://www.itsi.disa.mil/ismc/ntb/ntb.html
The NITFS Technical Board
http://topaz.sensor.com/work/fmt/nitf/
Subject: OBJ - Wavefront Object
Type:
Extension: obj
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/files/off.pdf
Subject: ODIF - Open Document Interchange Format
Type: Binary
Extension: .odf
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Open Document Architecture Consortium (ODAC)
Specification: http://www.itu.ch/itudoc/itu-t/rec/t.html
The Open Document Interchange Format (ODIF) is the data stream interchange
format associated with the Open Document Architecture (ODA). ODA is an
object-oriented document architecture for the description of both the logical
layot stuctures of a docuemnt. ODA also supports the transfer of documents in
processable form. The ODA and ODIF standard is described in ITU docuemnts
T.411 through T.421.
More information on ODIF files and ODA is available from:
ODAC
Avenue Marcel Thiry 204
1200 Brussels
Belgium
Voice: +32 2 774 9623
Fax: +32 2 774 9690
WWW: http://titan.orem.novell.com/
Subject: ODL - Object Description Language
Subject: OFF - Object File Format
Type: 3D
Extension: off
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
OFF was developed in 1986 at Digital Equipment Corporation's Workstation
Systems Engineering for the interchange and archiving of 3D objects. OFF is
an ASCII-based format and is independent of languages, devices, and operating
systems.
The specification for OFF is:
Rost, Randi, OFF--A 3D Object File Format, November 6, 1986 (updated
October 12, 1989).
The OFF archive is available at:
ftp://gatekeeper.dec.com/pub/DEC/
This archive contains the format specification, tools, and objects. It is not
currently supported and is copyrighted.
Subject: OpenMath
Subject: PBM - Portable Bitmap
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
The Portable greymap file format is part of the Extended Portable Bitmap
Utilities (PBMPLUS). PBM is used as an intermediate format for storing
monochrome bitmap information generated by the PBMPLUS toolkit. PBM files may
be either binary or ASCII and store data one-bit-per-pixel in size.
Information and source code for PBM can be found in the distribution for
PBMPLUS located at:
ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/graphics/graphics/packages/pbmplus/pbmplus10dec91.tar.Z
The specification for the PBM format can also be found in the manual page for
pbm(5) on many Unix systems.
Subject: PCX - ZSoft Paint
Type: Raster
Extension: PCX, PCC
Version:
Compression: RLE
Color Depth: 1 to 24 bits
Maintainer:
Specification:
PCX is one of the oldest bitmapped formats popularized by MS-DOS paint
programs that first appeared in the early 1980's. PCX files may store mapped
and unmapped image data from 1- to 24-bits in pixel depth, always contain
RLE-compressed image data, and are recognized by almost all still-image
graphics programs ever written.
But because of the kludged evolution of the PCX format (caused partly by the
efforts of Zsoft to continue to support the ever-changing world of graphics
display adapters) it is generally advised that the MS Windows BMP format be
used in place of PCX whenever possible.
Once upon a time ZSoft was bought by Wordstar, who was then bought by
SoftKey. It is not currently known if anyone distributes the original,
poorly written, specification for PCX. No matter, as most book on graphics
file format completely describe the PCX format.
Subject: PDF - Portable Document Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
PDF files are viewable using Adobe's Acrobat Reader 2.0 program.
PDF was created and is maintained by Adobe Systems Incorporated:
Adobe Systems Incorporated
1585 Charleston Road P.O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039-7900
Voice: 415.961.4400
Voice: 415.961.4111 (Developer Support)
Fax: 415.961.3769
Sample PDF images files may be found at:
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/Acrobat/PDFsamples/
The Adobe Acrobat Software Developer's Kits for Unix, Macintosh, Microsoft
Windows, and MS-DOS may be found at:
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/Acrobat/SDK/
You can download a PDF plug-in for your Web browser from:
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/Acrobat/
Additional PDF information may also be gathered from Adobe's home Web page:
http://www.adobe.com/
Subject: PDS - Planetary Data System Format
Type: General data format
Extension: PDS
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: NASA
Specification:
PDS was created by the Planetary Branch of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) to store solar, lunar, and planetary data collected both
on Earth and by spacecraft. And as with most U.S. Government documents, the
specification is quite large and spread over several documents:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Standard for the Preparation and Interchange of
Data Sets, JPL Document D-4683, NASA, Pasadena, CA, 1988.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Data Preparation Workbook,
JPL Document D-7669, NASA, Pasadena, CA, 1990.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Planetary Data System Standards Reference,
JPL Document D-4683, NASA, Pasadena, CA, 1990.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Specification for the Object Description
Language, NASA, Pasadena, CA, 1990.
These documents are available from:
NASA
Planetary Branch
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mail Stop 525-3610
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
Voice: 818.354.7587
Email: PDS_Operator@jplpds.jpl.nasa.gov
The PDS Standards Reference Document may also be found at:
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/stdref/stdref.htm
Subject: PGM - Portable Greymap
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
The Portable greymap file format is part of the Extended Portable Bitmap
Utilities (PBMPLUS). PGM is used as an intermediate format for storing
greyscale bitmap information generated by the PBMPLUS toolkit. PGM files may
be either binary or ASCII and store pixel values up to 8 bits in size.
Information and source code for PGM can be found in the distribution for
PBMPLUS (see the section on the PBM format for information on PBMPLUS). The
specification for the PGM format can also be found in the manual page for
pgm(5) on many Unix systems.
Subject: PHD - PolyHedra Database
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: PIC - Lotus PIC Graphics Format
Type: Vector
Extension: PIC
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: PIC - Micrografx Draw! Graphics Format
Type: Vector
Extension: PIC
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Micrografx
Specification:
Subject: PIC - Pegasus Imaging Corporation Format
Type:
Extension: PIC
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Pegasus Image Corporation
4350 W. Cypress Street, Suite 908
Tampa, FL 33607
Voice: 813.875.7575
Fax: 813.875.7705
BBS: 813.874.5515 Name: guest guest, Password: demo
CIS: GO PEGASUS
Subject: PIC - Video Show Graphics Format
Type: PIC
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: General Parametrics Corporation
Specification:
Native file format used by the General Parametrics Corporation Video
Show Film Recorder.
Subject: PICT - Macintosh Picture
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Apple Computer
Specification:
The book Inside Macintosh, Volume 5, contains a description of PICT.
The Macintosh Technical note #27 also describes PICT.
The book Inside Machintosh: Quicktime, describes PICT-JPEG.
You can obtain the Inside Macintosh books in electronic form from:
http://dev.info.apple.com/insidemac.html
ftp://ftp.info.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/Developer_Services/Technical_Documentation/Inside_Macintosh
ftp://ftp.info.euro.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/Developer_Services/Technical_Documentation/Inside_Macintosh
Subject: PIX - Inset Pix
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Quarterdeck Home Page
http://www.insetusa.com/
Subject: PLY - ZipPack
Type: 3D
Extension: ply
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Silicon Graphics
Specification:
PLY is a polygon mesh format used by the Silicon Graphics ZipPack program.
ZipPack includes the program ply which reads and writes the PLY file format.
The ZipPack distribution is available at:
ftp://graphics.stanford.edu/pub/zippack
The ZipPack distribution is also available from the ZipPack Web page:
http://www-graphics.stanford.edu/software/zippack
Subject: PNG - Portable Network Graphics
Type: Raster
Extension: PNG
Version:
Compression: RLE
Color Depth: 1 to 48 bits
Maintainer: Tom Boutell
Specification: http://www.boutell.com/boutell/png/
PNG (pronounced "ping"), Portable Network Graphics, is a new bitmap format
whose creation was spurred by the unfortunate legal situation surrounding
the GIF format. The PNG specification explains its basic rationale thus:
The PNG format provides a portable, legally unencumbered, well-compressed,
well-specified standard for lossless bitmapped image files. Although the
initial motivation for developing PNG was to replace GIF, the design
provides some useful new features not available in GIF, with minimal cost
to developers.
The PNG specification is now frozen, and has been approved as a W3C
Recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium. It has also been
approved as an informational RFC, but (as of Jan 1997) has not yet been
formally issued by IETF.
Questions about PNG may be asked on the comp.graphics.misc newsgroup, or via
email at:
png-info@uunet.uu.net
Several PNG-related mailing lists are available:
png-list@dworkin.wustl.edu General PNG discussion
png-announce@dworkin.wustl.edu Announcements related to PNG (low volume)
png-implement@dworkin.wustl.edu Discussion of PNG implementations
To find out more about the mailing list server, send mail to
png-list-request@dworkin.wustl.edu with the word "help" (and nothing else)
in the message body.
The official PNG FTP archive is:
ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/png/
which is currently mirrored at
ftp://swrinde.nde.swri.edu/pub/png/
The archives include the specification text in several formats (the spec
is also available from W3C at the URL cited above), a reference
implementation in portable C (still in development, as of 1996), and sets
of test images. Note that in the case of any discrepancy between the
specification and the reference implementation, the specification is to be
considered correct and the code in error.
The PNG group has a home page with pointers to many other PNG resources at:
http://www.wco.com/~png/
PNG's very first journal article has appeared:
PNG: The Portable Network Graphic Format, Dr. Dobb's Journal,
Lee Daniel Crocker, #232 July 1995 (Vol 20, Issue 7), pp. 36-44.
The code for the above issues are available at:
ftp://ftp.mv.com/pub/ddj/1995/1995.07/ptot.zip
And another article:
Portable Network Graphics, Web Techniques, Paul Atzberger and
Andrew Zolli, Vol 1. Issue 9, December 1996, pp. 65-70.
See also MNG (Multiple Network Graphics)
Subject: PPM - Portable Pixmap
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
The Portable pixmap file format is part of the Extended Portable Bitmap
Utilities (PBMPLUS). PPM is used as an intermediate format for storing color
bitmap information generated by the PBMPLUS toolkit. PPM files may be either
binary or ASCII and store pixel values up to 24 bits in size.
Information and source code for PPM can be found in the distribution for
PBMPLUS (see the section on the PBM format for information on PBMPLUS). The
specification for the PPM format can also be found in the manual page for
ppm(5) on many Unix systems.
Subject: POL - InnovMetric Software Polygon Models Format
Type: 3D
Extension: pol
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.mediatel.lu/mmedia/render/files/pol.pdf
POL is the native 3D file format for software products created by InnovMetric
Software. The POL format was created to fill the need of storing data
representing multi-contour, simple, planular, polygons using a binary file
format.
InnovMetric Software is developing a complete line of software products for
building 3-D polygonal models using a 3-D imaging system. Two of these
software tools are targeted at real-time 3-D graphics applications.
IMCompress and IMFilter are two complementary tools for optimally reducing
the number of polygons in a 3-D model. IMCompress uses a surface-based
algorithm to downsize highly redundant models such as Digital Terrain Models
and polygonal models generated by a CAD or a 3-D imaging system. IMFilter
uses a volume-based algorithm to create ultra-compact models (20 to 500
triangles) for level of details management in applications requiring
real-time 3-D graphics.
The POL file format specification is primarily distributed as Appendix B of
the IMCompress User's Guide published by InnovMetric Software. The
specification is also available in PostScript format as the file pol.ps in a
few of the graphics file format specification archived listed in part 1 of
this FAQ.
POL was created and is maintained by:
InnovMetric Software Inc.
2065 Charest ouest, Suite 218
Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Canada, G1N 2G1
Questions about POL may be directed to:
Marc Soucy <msoucy@imetric.qc.ca>
Subject: POV - Persistence of Vision Raytracing
Type: 3D scene description language
Extension: pov
Version: 2.2
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: POV-Ray Team
Specification: ftp://ftp.povray.org/pub/povray/Official/docs/povdoc-2_2.zip
The POV-Ray format is used to store a scene description language used by the
POV-Ray ray tracing software package. POV-Ray files are always ASCII to allow
easy transportation between different file systems.
The specification for the POV file format and scene description language is
found in the file povray.doc in the POV-Ray distribution. You may obtain
this file (and the entire POV-Ray package) from the official POV-Ray FTP
archive and Web sites:
ftp://ftp.povray.org/pub/povray/Official/docs/povdoc-2_2.zip
http://www.povray.org/pub/povray/Official/docs/povdoc-2_2.zip
or from these official mirror sites:
ftp://alfred.ccs.carleton.ca/
ftp://uniwa.uwa.edu.au/
Questions about POV-Ray may also be direct to:
Chris Young
POV-Team Coordinator
76702.1655@compuserve.com
or to the comp.graphics.rendering.raytracing newsgroup on Usenet.
The following is an excellent book on ray tracing using the POV-Ray tracing
software package for the PC:
Ray Tracing Creations: Generate 3D Photo-Realistic Images on the PC,
Drew Wells and Chris Young, Waite Group Press 1993.
It is also worth noting that not only is POV-Ray an excellent ray
tracing package, but its source and binaries are availble for most
systems and widely distributed free of cost.
Subject: PS - PostScript
Type: Page Description Language
Extension: PS
Version:
Compression: None, LZW
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification:
PostScript was created and is maintained by Adobe Systems Incorporated:
Adobe Systems Incorporated
1585 Charleston Road P.O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039-7900
Voice: 415.961.4400
Voice: 415.961.4111 (Developer Support)
Fax: 415.961.3769
BBS: 206.623.6984 (14.4-N-8-1)
FTP: ftp://ftp.adobe.com/
WWW: http://www.adobe.com/
The primary source of PostScript formation may be found in the Adobe
PostScript Langauge books:
Red Book: Postscript Language Reference Manual, 2nd ed.
Adobe Systems Inc., Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-18127-4,
$26.95US softcover
Blue Book: Postscript Language Tutorial and Cookbook,
Adobe Systems Inc., Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-10179-3,
$16.95US softcover
Green Book: PostScript Language Program Design,
Adobe Systems Inc., Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-14396-8,
$22.95US softcover
Black Book: Adobe Type 1 Font Format Specification,
Adobe Systems Inc., Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-57044-0,
$14.95US softcover
Purple Book: Programming the Display PostScript System with NeXTstep,
Adobe Systems Inc., Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-58135-3,
$26.95US softcover
You may order these books directly from Adobe Systems in Mountain View,
California, by calling 1.800.83.FONTS (U.S. and Canada only) or 415.961.4400
(ask for "Inside Sales"). Or from Hayden Publishing at 1.800.428.5331.
Additional information on PostScript may be found on Adobe's FTP server and
Web site:
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/DeveloperSupport/Technotes/
http://www.adobe.com/
The Usenet newsgroup comp.lang.postscript covers issues relating to the Adobe
PostScript language. The PostScript FAQ is available at:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/postscript-faq/top.html
The Usenet newsgroup comp.fonts also covers issues relating to fonts. The
comp.fonts FAQ is available at:
http://jasper.ora.com/comp.fonts/FAQ/
The Usenet newsgroup comp.sources.postscript contains source code of
PostScript programs. Other newsgroups that may be of interest are:
comp.periphs.printers, comp.laser-printers, comp.text.pdf, comp.text.desktop,
and comp.publish.prepress.
The Encapsulated PostScript specification (v2.0) may be found at:
http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/PDFS/TN/5002.EPSF_Spec_v2.0.pdf
Subject: PSD - Adobe Photoshop
Type: Bitmap
Extension: PSD
Version: 3.0
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification:
PSD is the native bitmap file format of the Adobe Photoshop graphical editing
application. PSD files have the extension .PSD under MS Windows and the file
type code 8PBS on the Macintosh.
Other file formats associated with Photoshop include: Arbitrary Map (.AMP),
Brushed (.ABR), Color Table (.ACT), Colors (.ACO), Command Buttens (.ACM),
Curves (.ACV), Duotone Options (.ADO), Halftone Screens (.AHS),
Hue/Saturation (.HSS), Ink Colors Setup (.API), Custom Kerenel (.ACF), Levels
(.ALV), Monitor Setup (.AMS), Replace Color/Color Range (.AXT), Scratch Area
(.ASR), Selective Color (.ASV), Separation Setup (.ASP), Separation Tables
(.AST), and Transfer Function (.ATF).
The format specification for PSD 2.5 and other file formats associated
with Adobe Photoshop may be found in the document PSAPIDOC.*
(distributed in the Microsoft Write, Macintosh MacWrite, and Adobe
Acrobat format) under the heading "Document File Formats".
These documents are part of the Photoshop Plug-In Software Developers
Kit, available via FTP and from the Adobe Developers Association's
home page:
http://www.adobe.com/Support/ADA.html
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/Applications/Photoshop/*/Plug-In-SDK/
This SDK is also available directly from Adobe (see the PostScript section
for information on how to contact Adobe Systems, Inc.).
The specification for the Adobe Photoshop Raw File Format may be found at:
http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/custsupport/SOLUTIONS/25c6.htm
Subject: PTU - Performer Terrain Utilities
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: QT - QuickTime
Type: Multimedia
Extension: QT
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Apple Computer
Specification:
You can obtain the Inside Macintosh books in electronic form from:
http://dev.info.apple.com/insidemac.html
The complete QuickTime section from Inside Macintosh in PDF formats is
available at:
http://dev.info.apple.com/Developer_Services/Technical_Documentation/Inside_Macintosh/QuickTime/CompleteBookPkg/
Subject: QTVR - QuickTime VR
Type: Scene
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: Object Movie http://dev.info.apple.com/Technotes/tn1036.html
Panorama Movie http://dev.info.apple.com/Technotes/tn1035.html
You can find the QuickTime VR FAQ at
http://dev.info.apple.com/techqa/qtvr/qtvr.html
Contact Apple Developer Support at DEVSUPPORT@applelink.apple.com.
To join the QuickTime Developer mailing list, send an email to
listproc@abs.apple.com with the body "subscribe quicktime-dev
yourfirstname yourlastname".
Subject: RAD - Radience
Type: 3D
Extension:
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Greg Ward <gjward@lbl.gov>
Specification:
RAD is the native file format for the public domain Unix Radiance radiosity
renderer. An MS-DOS version is available as part of the ADELINE 1.0 package.
The RAD specification and Radience package are available at:
http://radsite.lbl.gov/radience/HOME.html
For information on ADELINE, check out:
http://radsite.lbl.gov/adeline/HOME.html
Subject: RAS - Sun Rasterfile
Type: Bitmap
Extension: ras
Version:
Compression: None, RLE
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Sun Microsystems
Specification:
Sun rasterfile is the native bitmap format of Sun Microsystem Unix systems.
The rasterfile format has become more wide-spread with the growing popularity
of the SunOS operating system and Sun SPARCStation family of Unix
workststaions.
Sun rasterfiles store images up to 32 bits in pixel depth and support a basic
for of run-length data compression.
The primary source of information for Sun Rasterfiles is the SunOS include
file /usr/include/rasterfile.h and the rasterfile online manual page:
Sun Microsystems, rasterfile (5), Sun OS 4.0 Programmer's Manual, 1990.
The following jounal article is devoted to the Sun rasterfile:
McGee, Format for Byte-Encoded Rasterfiles, Sun-Spots Digest, Volume 6,
Issue 84.
And several books on graphics file formats also feature the rasterfile format.
Subject: RAY - Rayshade
Type: 3D
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Rayshade is a ray-tracing application for the Unix environment. The
Rayshade format is the native scene description language used by Rayshade.
And like most 3D scene-rendering formats it is ASCII-based and supports
most features commonly found in these formats.
The specification is available in the Rayshade distribution on many BBSs
and FTP archive sites. The official Rayshade FTP site is:
ftp://princeton.edu/pub/Graphics/
And the format is detailed in the document:
Rayshade 4.0 Quick Reference
The author may be contacted at:
Princeton University
Attn: Craig Kolb
Department of Computer Science
35 Olden Street
Princeton, NJ 08544
Email: cek@princeton.edu
Subject: RFT-DCA - Revisable-Form Text Document Content Architecture
Type: Word processing
Extension: RFT
Version: Many
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: IBM Corporation
Specification:
RFT was developed by IBM for transfering documents between IBM and non-IBM
word processing systems. It is most commonly assocated with the DisplayWrite
word processor on the IBM 360, 370, and AS/400 systems. Information on
RFT-DCA may be found in the following IBM document:
Document Content Architecture: Revisable-Form-Text Reference,
Document SC23-0758-1, Second Edition, August 1986
RFT is often confused with the Microsoft RTF (Rich Text Format), which also
enables the portability of word processing documents between dis-similar
systems.
Subject: RAW - Photoshop RAW
Type: Bitmap
Extension: RAW
Version:
Compression: None
Color Depth: 24-bit
Maintainer: Adobe Systems
Specification: http://www.adobe.com/
A Photoshop Raw file is a Photoshop PSD file without a header. The header
information must be entered when the file is imported into Photoshop. The
raw format is used import and export bitmap data using a very simple,
uncompressed binary format.
Subject: RIB - Renderman Interface Bytestream
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
The RenderMAN file format specification may be found in the following
document available from Pixar:
The RenderMAN Interface, Version 3.1, September 1989. San Rafael, CA.
Pixar
1001 West Cutting Blvd.
Richmond, California 9484 USA
Voice: 415.236.4000
Also of interest is the following publication:
The RenderMan Companion: A Programmer's Guide to Realistic Computer
Graphics, Steve Upstill, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company,
ISBN 0-201-50868-0, $26.95
Subject: RIFF - Microsoft Resource Interchange File Format
Type: Multimedia
Extension: AVI, BND, WAV
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Microsoft Corporation
Specification:
Microsoft Corporation
Attn: Multimedia System Group
Product Marketing
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399
Voice: 206.882.8080
BBS: 206.637.9009
Information on RIFF may be found in the following documents:
Microsoft Windows Multimedia Programmer's Guide, Microsoft
Corporation, Microsoft Press, Redmond, WA.
Microsoft Windows Multimedia Programmer's Reference, Microsoft
Corporation, Microsoft Press, Redmond, WA.
The specification is also available in the Microsoft Multimedia Development
Kit (MDK), the Microsoft Video for Windows Development Kit (VFWDK), and
the Microsoft Developers Network CDs.
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/developr/drg/Multimedia/Jumpstart/VfW11e/DK/VFWDK/
Video for Windows Development Kit, v1.1e
Also have a look at:
http://www.r2m.com/windev/
Internet Resources for Windows Developers
Subject: RIX - ColoRIX Image File
Type: Bitmap
Extension: RIX
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
ColorRIX is the native bitmap format of the ColorRIX VGA Paint application
for MS-DOS.
The ColorRIX format is documented in the ColorRIX VGA Paint manual
distributed with the ColorRIX program. The last known address of
RIX Softworks was:
RIX SoftWorks Inc.
Attn: Richard Brownback or Paul Harker
18023 Sky Park Circle, Suite J
Irvine, CA 92714
Voice: 714.476.8266
Voice: 714.476.8486
ColorRIX is also bundled with several different VGA cards and the
specification may also be found on numerous FTP archive sites.
Subject: RTF - Rich Text Format
Type: Word processing
Extension: RTF
Version: 1.4
Compression: None
Color Depth: 24-bits
Maintainer: Microsoft Corporation
Specification:
Upon the official Microsoft blurbs I cannot improve:
"The Rich Text Format (RTF) standard is a method of encoding
formatted text and graphics for easy transfer between MS-DOS,
Windows, Windows 95, OS/2, and Apple Macintosh applications."
"The RTF standard provides a format for text and graphics
interchange that can be used with different output devices, operating
environments, and operating systems. RTF uses the ANSI, PC-8,
Macintosh, or IBM PC character set to control the representation and
formatting of a document, both on the screen and in print. With the
RTF standard, you can transfer documents created under different
operating systems and with different software."
"Version 1.4 of the RTF Specification contains all RTF controls
introduced by Microsoft applications through the release of Word
7.0."
A self-extracting archive containing the RTF 1.4 specification and a
sample RTF reader may be FTPed from Microsoft:
Or downloaded from Microsoft's BBS at: +1.206.936.6735
RTF is often confused with the IBM Revisable-Form Text Document
Content Architecture (RFT), which also enables the portability of
word processing documents between dis-similar systems.
Subject: RWX - MEME Shape File
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: RWX - Criterion RenderWare
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: S1K - S1000 Simnet Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: SAF - Standard Archive Format
Type: General
Extension: SAF
Version:
Compression: None, GZIP
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Advanced Missle Signature Center (AMSC)
Specification:
Subject: SAIF - Spatial Archive Interchange Format
Type: General data format
Extension:
Version: 3.2
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/~srmb/saif32/toc.html
SAIF (pronounced "safe") is a standard format for the storage and interchange
of geographical data.
The SAIF format specification is available at:
ftp://s2k-ftp.cs.berkeley.edu/pub/sequoia/schema/STANDARDS/SAIF
ftp://moon.cecer.army.mil/ogis/related/SAIF3.1
And visit the SAIF home page at:
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/~srmb/saif.html
For more information contact:
SAIF Info
Surveys and Resource Mapping Branch
B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Parks
Fourth Floor, 1802 Douglas Street
Victoria, BA CANADA V8T 4K6
Voice: 604.387.1353
Fax: 604.356.7831
WWW: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/saif.htm
The following company provides software tools for using SAIF:
Safe Software
Voice: 604.241.4424
Voice: 604.583.2016
Email: infosafe@safe.com
WWW: http://www.wimsey.com/~infosafe/saif/saifHome.html
Subject: SAT - ACIS
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: Scene
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: Scitex HandShake Formats
Type: Bitmap
Extension: CT, LW, BM, PG, and TX
Version: April 1988
Compression: None and RLE
Color Depth: 1-bit to 128-bit
Maintainer: Scitex Corporation <http://www.scitex.com>
Specification: Howard White <whiteh@s9gate.sta.scitex.com>
The most well-known of the HandShake formats is Scitex CT (continuous tone).
This format may store from 1 to 16 8-bit color separations (color planes).
Typical CT files store four separation of CMYB image data. Adobe Photoshop
is an application that is commonly used to create Scitex CT image files.
The other HandShake formats include LW (linework, 16 color separations, 255
color maximum), BM (bitmap, 1-bit RLE image data), PG (page layout), and TX
(textual typesetter data). Of these formats, PG and BM have not been fully
implemented by Scitex and may not be in general use elsewhere.
The Scitex HandShake data formats and data exchage protocols are described
in the following document:
HandShake Foreign File Transfer Protocol, Scitex Corporation, Ltd.,
Revision A: April 1988, Document No. 788-37898A, Catalog No. 399Z37898
Subject: SCN - SCeNe RTrace
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: SDL - Alias Wavefront Scene Description Language
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
comp.graphics.apps.alias
Subject: SDML - Spacial Data Modeling Language
Type: VRML
Extension: sdml
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Silicon Graphics
Specification: http://www.clr.toronto.edu:1080/CLRMOSAIC/SDML.html
SDML is a spatial description language used for storing CAD and GIS data,
such as found in Landscape Planning, Design, and Architectural databases.
SDML currently exists in two versions: the old SDML format and the new
(Version 1.0) format. The old format is derived from the ASCII-based format
used in the Silicon Graphics CLRview and PolyTRIM software environments. The
new format, released in 05Feb95, is a more detailed, capable, and
size-optimized revision of the old SDML and supports all the features of the
Silicon Graphics CLRMosaic software.
Additional information on CLRMosaic can be found at:
http://www.clr.toronto.edu:1080/CLRMOSAIC/help-about.html
Questions about SDML should be directed to:
Rodney Hoinkes, Head of Design Applications
Centre for Landscape Research
University of Toronto
230 College St.
Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1
Voice: 416.978.3551
Fax: 416.971.2094
Email: rodney@clr.toronto.edu
WWW: http://www.clr.toronto.edu/PEOPLE/RODNEY/rodney.html
Subject: SDTS - Spatial Data Transfer Standard
Type: General data format
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
SDTS is a standard (FIPS 173) format used for the storage and interchange
of gelogical data.
SDTS documentation and files are available from:
ftp://sdts.er.usgs.gov/pub/sdts/www/html/sdts.html
SDTS questions may be directed to sdts@usgs.gov.
Subject: SFF - Scene File Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
Subject: SGI - Silicon Graphics Image File Format
Type:
Extension:
Version:
Compression:
Color Depth:
Maintainer:
Specification:
SGI is the native file format of the limage image library found on Silicon
Graphics workstations. The limage library provides a set of functions used
to read and write SGI images.
The SGI file format is a creation of Paul Haeberli (paul@sgi.com) at Silicon
Graphics Computer Systems. The SGI format specification may be found at:
ftp://ftp.sgi.com/graphics/SGIIMAGESPEC
The SGI format is also known as the RGB file format. On SGI workstations
you can get info on RGB and the limage library by using the following
command:
% man 4 rgb
Subject: SHG - Segmented Hyper-Graphic
Type: Bitmap
Extension: SHG
Version:
Compression: None, RLE
Color Depth:
Maintainer: Microsoft Corporation
Specification: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/developr/drg/Multimedia/SHED.ZIP
SHG is a file format used by Microsoft in the WinHelp on-line help facility
found in Windows 3.1. This format is used to save a Microsoft Bitmap (BMP) or
Windows Metafile (WMF) graphic and store the coordinates of specific areas of
the bitmap known as "hotspots". When the bitmap is displayed and the user
selects a hotspot, WinHelp jumps to another part of the help documentation
via a hyper-text link macro stored in the SHG file.
Another file format used with SHG files is the Multiple-Resolution Bitmap
(MRB) format. MRB files contain one or more SHG images, each rendered at a
different resolution. Several SHG files are typically created using the
SHED.EXE utility and then fed into the MRB compiler to create a single MRB
file. When WinHelp reads the MRB file it chooses which bitmap most closely
matches the resolution of the display.
SHG is currently officially undocumented by Microsoft, but a rather
questionable specification may be found at:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/developr/drg/Multimedia/SHED.ZIP
Information on SHG and MRB may be found in the following journal article