Graphics Files on Linux
Note: I haven't tested any of this stuff out yet, it's all from online documentation. I want to play with the pnm/pbm/ppm stuff a little more and explain how they work.
Graphics files on Linux come in roughly three flavours:
Screen-size Bitmap
Use the netpbm package to convert bitmap files. It supports the following formats commonly found on the Atari:
- PI1, PC1, PI3
- NEO
- IFF (ILBM)
It converts to a dedicated portable format (ppm), from which most other formats can be produced, such as GIF or BMP.
For other formats such as Spectrum 512, there is a freeware program called XnView which is also available on an astonishing number of platforms and supports a vast array of file types.
One final possibility is to use an emulator to view the file using an appropriate Atari ST application, and then use a screenshot facility (either within the emulator or from tools such as xv or the GIMP) to grab the image.
Variable-size Bitmap
There are several file types that contain bitmaps that are not complete screens:
- IMG
The GEM IMG format stores a bitmap. It can be converted using gemtopnm to create a pnm file.
- RSC
RSC files can contain icons. I don't think there's currently a way to work with these files outside of GEM.
For many of the graphics formats, there are plugins available for the GIMP. See [1] for a complete list.
Vector Graphics
There is a file format listed in the catalogues as "GEM: Ventura Publisher". I have no further information on this.
There may be some CAD files or outline font files that can be considered as vector formats.