PCX file format
| Extension | .pcx |
| Category | images |
| Programs | Adobe Photoshop Microsoft Paint Windows Picture and Fax Viewer |
| Description | The PCX file format, created by ZSoft Corporation, debuted in 1985 with the .pcx extension. PCX, short for Picture Exchange, was a groundbreaking file format for bitmap images, using pixels to create visual representations. It was a popular choice for users on DOS and Windows computers during its prime. However, its popularity diminished as more modern formats like JPG, PNG, and GIF gained wider acceptance. ZSoft Corp eventually ceased operations following the format's reduced usage. |
| Technical details | At its peak, the PCX format was favored for its compatibility with bitmap images. A standard PCX file comprised a 128-byte header, the image data, and a 256-color palette for displaying images. In the 1980s, PCX's popularity was also due to its low processing demands for data compression. The limited computing power of computers at that time meant PCX's resource efficiency contributed to its widespread use. |
| MIME type | application/pcx application/x-pcx image/pcx image/x-pc-paintbrush image/x-pcx zz-application/zz-winassoc-pcx application/octet-stream |