- Extension
- .cal
- .vst
- Format
- Binary
- Binary
- Category
- Raster Image
- Raster Image
- Developer
- U.S. Department of Defense
- Truevision
- Description
- The CALS raster file format, commonly known by the extension ".cal" or ".cals," is a bitmap file format designed primarily for the storage and interchange of digital images, especially in the field of computer-aided design (CAD) and engineering. Developed by the United States Department of Defense, it was intended to standardize the exchange of graphics data for electronic publishing of technical manuals. This format supports monochrome (1-bit) images and is distinguished by its efficient compression methods for reducing file sizes, facilitating easier storage and transmission. Despite its specific initial use case, the CALS raster format has found application in various industries for the archiving and sharing of high-resolution, scanned documents.
- Raster image based on the Targa Truevision format; can store data up to 32 bits per pixel, with 24 bits for the RGB information and 8 bits for the alpha channel; may also incorporate lossless RLE compression to reduce the file size.
- MIME Type
- image/cals
- image/x-targa