About the Pict file format
- Name
- Picture File
- Extension
- .pict
- Format
- Binary
- Category
- Raster Image
- Developer
- Apple
- Description
- Image file saved in the Macintosh PICT format; may contain both vector and bitmap data and can use thousands of colors; also supports RLE (Run-length encoding) and JPEG compression to reduce the file size.
- MIME Type
- image/pict
- Sample
- sample.pict
- Wikipedia
- .pict on Wikipedia
Picture file (PICT), is a standard metafile format created by Apple. It is a raster image file that uses the binary format. QuickDraw used it as the native file format as it allows the exchange of either bitmap or vector graphics. It also supports some texts in Mac applications.
The file format is made up of serialized QuickDraw opcodes. They mainly intended to be fully compatible in describing vector graphics; its first version, PICT1, got that covered. However, this version proved to be memory efficient but not expandable. It advanced to PICT2, which was better in terms of utility.
Compression of the PICTS files uses JPEG or any supported QuickTime compressor. The first version of PICT only allowed the use of 8 colors and was used on Mac. In the second version, Macintosh computers use PICT 2 that is object-oriented, includes colors, and allows the addition of lines and regions. Besides, it supports both black and white colors.
The format uses.PICT file extension on Windows. Adobe Photoshop 2020, CorelDraw graphics suite 2020, and ACD systems canvas X 2019 are among the many windows programs that can open and edit PICT files. Some MAC programs that open PICT files include: Apple preview, Adobe after effects 2020, and CocoModX, among others.