Formats Originating From Specific Applications (cont.)

MSP (MicroSoft Paint)

• MSP files originated in the prehistoric Microsoft Paint (A paint program that was in the MS Windows version 2.0).
• MSP files can be converted into BMP files. The opposite is not possible.
• MSP and PCX formats are not compatible.
• MSP files are monochromatic only.
• Characteristics:
  • MSP - Old version format supports 1 bit per pixel.
  • MSP - New version format supports 1 bit per pixel.

PCX

• PCX format, established by Zsoft for its PC Paintbrush software, is commonly used by IBM compatible computers.
• With no standard to the industry, this format became the standard by default. This format is supported by more applications than any other format.
• Version 3 does not contain palette information. Some applications will override this by using the default VGA colors used by Windows as the palette. This may result in a different looking images when using different viewers.
• Most PC software support version 5 of the PCX format.
• Tip: In order to allow older applications the ability to read PCX files use the lowest version possible. On the other hand, some applications do not have add support for versions 0, 2, and 3. If you are using such an application - save your images as a version 5.
• Characteristics:
  • PCX - version 0 format supports 1 bit per pixel.
  • PCX - version 2 format supports 1, 4 bits per pixel.
  • PCX - version 3 format supports 1, 4 bits per pixel.
  • PCX - version 5 format supports 1, 4, 8, 24 bits per pixel.

PIC (Pictor)

• PIC format files are generated and used by PICTOR, PC-Paint and GRASP.
• This PIC file format is not compatible with the Lotus 1-2-3 PIC drawing files.
• 16 color PIC files have a non-common structure in their color manifestations. For this reason, graphic applications (rather then the 3 mentioned above) will produce a temporary scratch file while packing or unpacking a 16 color PIC file.
• Characteristics:
  • PIC - Pictor format supports 1, 8 bits per pixel.
  • PIC - PC Paint format supports 4 bits per pixel.

TGA (Targa)

• The Targa TGA format was developed by Truevision for their Targa and Vista products.
• The TGA format file is widely used by high-end paint programs and ray tracing packages. It can handle images with up to sixteen million unique colors. It is an industry standard but is not as widely supported as PCX or TIFF formats. The TGA format was designed for use on systems that use MS-DOS color applications.
• TGA files may be saved compressed (run length encoded) or not compressed. Since Windows does not recognize 16 & 32 bits per pixel, some applications will treat them as 24 bits per pixel. A 16 bits per pixel image will be up-graded to 24 bits per pixel, and a 32 bits per pixel image will be down-graded to a 24 bits per pixel image. This procedure will not affect the image since the 8 extra bits of a TGA 32 bits per pixel file are used to store Alpha or transparency information.
• Characteristics:
  • TGA format supports 8, 16, 24, 32 bits per pixel - not compressed.
  • TGA format supports 8, 16, 24, 32 bits per pixel - RLE compression.