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Summary of file formats

Canvas 5 supports a wide range of file formats to help you convert your old files into Canvas 5 format, or use your Canvas 5 documents in other applications. Use the following list to jump to a brief description of a specific file format, or scroll down to browse through the descriptions. Some file formats are available for Mac OS or Windows only.


Adobe Illustrator

This proprietary PostScript-based format supports vector objects, raster images, and formatted text. The files use the extension AI.

Canvas can open Adobe Illustrator files, but does not save in this format. However, you can use EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) and PDF (Portable Document Format) to transfer graphics to Illustrator and other PostScript-based graphics programs.

Adobe PDF ­ Portable Document Format

Portable Document Format (also referred to as Acrobat format) files can contain graphics and text. PDF files can be exchanged across platforms and can be viewed on any system using Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Canvas can open and save PDF files.

Amiga IFF

A format that originated on the Amiga computer. IFF files can store various types of data, including images, text, and music. The AccuSoft image filter in Canvas supports raster images in IFF files, with 24-bit color (16.7 million shades). Canvas can open and save IFF files.

BMP ­ Windows Bitmap

A common raster image format for Windows; supports compression schemes and 8-bit and 24-bit color. Canvas can open and save files in BMP format.

Brooktrout

This black and white fax format (CCITT Group 3) is associated with proprietary faxing hardware and software. As a bitmap fax format, it supports only raster images and no colors. Canvas can open Brooktrout files, but does not save files in this format.

CALS

CALS is a file format that stores black and white raster images with Fax Group IV compression. These files use the extension CAL. Canvas can open and save files in CALS format.

Canvas 3.5

This is the native file format of Canvas 3.5 on Mac OS and Windows platforms. Canvas 3.5 format supports vector objects, raster images, and text. These files use the extension CVS. Canvas 5 can open and save files in Canvas 3.5 format.

Canvas 5

This is the native file format of Canvas 5 on Mac and Windows systems. Use Canvas 5 format to store all your Canvas documents so you can edit and revise them later as needed. These files use the extension CV5.

Canvas 5 Template

This format is identical to the Canvas 5 document format, except that it is used to create new documents. You can select Canvas 5 Template documents from the pop-up menu in the New dialog box. Like regular Canvas 5 documents, template documents can be either illustration, presentation, or publication template documents. These files use the extension TPL.

CGM ­ Computer Graphics Metafile

This is an ANSI format for storing vector and raster graphics, layers, and formatted text, with support for RGB (24-bit) color. Canvas can open and save files in CGM format. Canvas also supports several CGM standards to make files you save compatible with other applications.

Corel Draw

This is a proprietary format of the CorelDRAW! graphics program. Canvas can open Corel Draw files on Mac and Windows systems, but does not support saving files in this format.

DCX (Multiple PCX format)

This file format stores multiple raster images in PCX file format.

DXF ­ Drawing Interchange Format

This is a popular metafile format that supports plain text, 2-D and 3-D geometric data, and 8-bit color. Canvas can open and save files in DXF format.

EPSF ­ Encapsulated PostScript Format

A file format for storing individual PostScript graphics (including vector, raster, and type objects) for embedding in other applications. Supports RGB, CMYK and spot colors. Can also include a preview image, although previews are not compatible with all programs and platforms. Canvas can open or place and save files in EPS format.

EMF ­ Enhanced Metafile (Windows only)

A Windows (32-bit) format that supports vector objects, images and text, and 24-bit color. Canvas (Windows only) can open and save files in EMF format.

GEM IMG

This raster image format originated in the GEM operating system. Supports 4-bit color and 8-bit grayscale. Canvas can open GEM Image files but does not save files in this format.

GIF ­ Graphics Interchange Format

A widely used format for storing raster images with compression. Supports grayscale and 8-bit (256-color) images. GIF is often used for graphics transmitted on the Internet and other networks. Some variations in the format specification can cause incompatibilities. For example, some GIF variations support transparency, interleaving, and animated images; these are not supported in Canvas 5. Canvas 5 can open and save files in standard GIF format. A new GIF89a tool is currenlty in the works and will support transparency, interleaving, and animations.

Halo CUT

A raster image format used by some MS-DOS-based paint programs. Supports 8-bit color. Canvas can open CUT files, but does not save files in this format.

HPGL - Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language

A vector file format for plotter printing files. Supports 8-bit color. Files use the extension .PLT. Canvas can save HPGL files, but does not open files in this format.

ICON

A Microsoft Corp. format for storing bitmap icon images in Windows 3.1. Supports 16 colors in a standard uncompresses device-independent bitmap format. These files use the extension ICO. Canvas can open Icon files but does not save files in this format.

IGES ­ Initial Graphics Exchange Specification

A 2-D and 3-D vector graphics format used in CAD and rendering applications. Supports 8-bit color. These files use the extension IGS. Canvas can open and save files in IGES format.

IOCA

A raster image format for faxing that supports CCITT G3, CCITT G4, and MMMR 1-bit (black and white) images. These files use the extension ICA. Canvas can open IOCA files but does not save files in this format.

JPEG ­ Joint Photographic Experts Group

A popular raster image format (created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group) that offers variable compression of photographic images. Supports 24-bit color. JPEG allows significant file size reduction at the expense of some image data. These files use the extension JPG. Canvas can open and save files in JPEG format.

MacDraw Pro (Mac OS only)

A Mac OS-only vector and basic bitmap graphics format. Canvas 5 (Mac OS only) can open MacDraw Pro files, but does not save files in this format.

MacPaint

A raster image format that originated on the Mac. Supports 1-bit (black and white) images up to 720x 576 pixels. These files use the extension MAC. Canvas can open MacPaint files but does not save files in this format.

Micrografx Draw

This proprietary format supports vector objects and text, with support for 8-bit color. These files use the extension DRW (which is supported by several Micrografx products. Canvas can open DRW files, but does not save files in this format.

Microsoft Paint

This is a raster image format developed by Microsoft Corp. for simple graphics applications in the Windows operating system. Supports monochrome images with run-length encoded compression. These files use the extension MSP. Canvas can open Microsoft Paint files but does not save files in this format.

PCX ­ PC Paintbrush

A raster image format developed by ZSoft Corp., with support for 1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, and 24-bit color. The DCX format is a variation that stores more than one PCX image in a single file. Canvas can open and save files in PCX and DCX formats.

Kodak Photo CD 3.0

Photo CD is a unique format that stores photos at several resolutions in RGB and YCC color systems. The files use the extension PCD. Canvas can acquire (using the Acquire command in the Image menu) Photo CD images. Photo CD files can be created only on proprietary Kodak systems. You can't use the Place or Open commands to acquire Photo CD images.

Photoshop

A proprietary format native to Adobe Photoshop for storing raster images with 8-bit (grayscale) 24-bit (RGB) or 32-bit (CMYK) color information. Canvas flattens (merges) multiple layers when opening Photoshop files. These files use the extension PSD. Canvas can open and save files in Photoshop format.

PICT

PICT (which is a name, not an abbreviation) is a Mac QuickDraw graphics metafile format. PICT supports vector objects, 72 PPI (pixels per inch) images, and formatted text. The original PICT format supports 1-bit color and files up to 32 Kb. On Windows, these files use the extension PCT. On Mac systems, Canvas can open and save files in PICT format. On Windows, Canvas can open PICT files but doesn't save files in PICT format.

QuickTime Movie

QuickTime Movie is a file format developed by Apple Computer for storing and compressing animated photographic and other images. Compressing and decompressing QuickTime files requires that you have QuickTime software installed on your system. Canvas (Mac only) can open and save files in QuickTIme format.

RTF ­ Rich Text Format

A text-only format in which type formatting and layout information can be encoded. Canvas can open RTF files but does not save files in this format.

Sound

A Mac OS audio data file format used for system sounds. This format is available for opening and saving files in Canvas for Mac OS only.

Targa

A raster image format developed by Truevision Inc. for video and image-processing applications. Supports 24-bit color. These files use the extension TGA. Canvas can open and save files in Targa format.

TIFF ­ Tag Image File Format

This widely used raster image format supports high resolution RGB color images. Although some programs encode CMYK images in TIFF format, this color information is not supported in Canvas. Also, non-standard tags from some programs can cause problems or be ignored when files are opened in other programs. Canvas can open and save files in TIFF format.

WMF ­ Windows Metafile (Windows only)

The standard metafile format for Windows applications; offers compression for 4- and 8-bit images. Canvas (Windows only) can open files in WMF format.

WPG ­ WordPerfect Graphics

A proprietary format for clip art; Canvas supports only raster images in WPG files. Canvas can open and save raster images in WPG format.



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