ImageGear .NET - Updated
RAS
User Guide > File Formats and Compressions > File Formats > File Formats Reference > RAS
Full Name RAS (Sun Raster Data Format)
Format ID ImGearFormats.RAS
File Extension(s) *.ras
Data Type Raster Image
Data Encoding Binary
Multi-Page Support No
Alpha Channel Support No
Metadata Update Support No
ImageGear Platforms Support WIN32, WIN64, Unix, Unix64, .NET, .NET64, MAC

ImageGear Supported Versions

N/A

ImageGear Supported Features

ImageGear Read Support

ImageGear Write Support

ImageGear Filter Control Parameters

None

Comments

Bitmap images used under the SunOS system and UNIX imaging applications are usually stored in Sun Raster form.

The Sun Raster header contains image data (size and type), and the type and size of the colormap, if present. It also contains a Sun Raster identifying tag called "MagicNumber," which always contains the same value. A type field identifies the version of Sun Raster, the most common are called "Old" and "Standard". These are actually the same format and indicate that the image is not compressed. Other possible versions of Sun Raster files include TIFF and IFF, meaning that the image data was converted from one of these formats.

Following the header is a colormap, if applicable. Most 24 or 32-bit raster images do not use a colormap, but rather store the color values directly with the image data. This is known as "truecolor".

The last element of the Sun Raster file is the image data itself. It is usually in 2D raster format.

References Used

Brown, C. Wayne, and Barry J. Shepherd. Graphics File Formats: Reference and Guide. Greenwich, CT.: Manning Publications, 1992.

Kay, David C. and John R. Levine. Graphics File Formats. Windcrest Books, 1992.

Murray, James D. and William vanRyper. Encyclopedia of Graphics File Formats. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1994.