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Format

PCX

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Summary

Name
PCX
Version
5
Identifiers
  • PUID: fmt/90
  • MIME: image/vnd.zbrush.pcx
Format type
Image (Raster)
Description
PCX (Personal Computer eXchange) is a type of lossless bitmap image format first released in 1985 and last updated in 1991. This record describes the fifth and final version of the format released in 1991. PCX was a popular format among users of MS-DOS operating system and other IBM PC compatibles. It is native image file format for DOS-based program PC Paintbrush from ZSoft Corporation. PC Paintbrush was licensed to Microsoft and evolved into the Paint/Paintbrush application included with Windows operating system. The versions of Windows 3.0 through Windows 95, support the PCX format. The format has since been succeeded by other lossless image formats, such as GIF, BMP, JPEG, and PNG.
Format encoding
Binary
Note
https://web.archive.org/web/20150424232312/http://web.archive.org/web/20100206055706/http://www.qzx.com/pc-gpe/pcx.txt http://formats.kaitai.io/pcx/index.html http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/wiki/PCX
File extensions
pcx, pcc
Submitted by
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives

Relationships

Has priority over
Is subsequent version of

Internal signatures

PCX 5

Description
BOF; Offset: 0; Magic Bytes: 0x0A0501

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
0A0501
Endianness
Little-endian

Changelog

  • V106

    Release date
    4 July 2022

    • Updated

      PCX (5): Added priority over fmt/134. Submitted by Digital Preservation Department, The National Archives (UK).

  • V105

    Release date
    29 June 2022

    • Added signature

      PCX (5): Signature researched and samples provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    • Updated

      PCX (5): Adjusted signature for a broader identification. Updated note in signature, description, reference links and compression type. Extension 'pcc' was added. Submitted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  • V84

    Release date
    21 January 2016

    • Updated

      PCX 5: Added MIME.

  • V55

    Release date
    4 January 2012

    • Updated

      PCX 5: Existing signature refined through PRONOM Research.