CUT

Full Name	Dr. Halo
Format ID	ImGearFormats.CUT
File Extension(s)	.cut, .pal (for the separately stored palette)
Data Type	Raster image
Data Encoding	Binary
Multi-Page Support	No
Alpha Channel Support	No
Metadata Update Support	No
ImageGear Platforms Support	WIN32, WIN64, .NET, .NET64, Unix, Unix64, MAC

ImageGear Supported Versions

N/A

ImageGear Supported Features

IGFilterFormatFlags.DETECTSUPPORT - autodetection
IGFilterFormatFlags.PAGEREADSUPPORT - single page file reading
IGFilterFormatFlags.PAGEINSERTSUPPORT - single-page file writing

ImageGear Read Support

ImGearCompressions.RLE - Indexed RGB: 8 bpp

ImageGear Write Support

ImGearCompressions.RLE - Indexed RGB: 8 bpp

ImageGear Filter Control Parameters

None

Comments

The Dr. Halo file format is associated with the HALO Image File Format Library, the Dr. Halo III paint program, and other applications created by Media Cybernetics.

This format consists of two separate files, one with an extension of .CUT and the other with an extension of .PAL. The .CUT file contains the image data and the .PAL file contains the color palette.

The .CUT file begins with a simple header of just three data fields: width and height of the image data (pixels by scan lines), and a reserved field intended for use with any future expansions of the header. The image data is always RLE-encoded and follows the header.

The palette file (.PAL) contains a header, with information about the type of palette used, and the size and maximum values of the Red, Green, and Blue components. The palette can be hardware-specific, in which case it contains additional data.

When a CUT image is loaded into ImageGear, the palette is initialized to a grayscale ramp. In order to achieve the original colors of the palette (PAL file), it must be loaded separately into the HIGEAR image.

When saving an image into the Dr. Halo format, ImageGear creates a .CUT file. In order to save the palette (PAL file), it must be saved separately.

See the RLE Compression for more information.

Auto-detection of CUT format (Dr. Halo CUT) is disabled by default. The format is not popular and has unreliable detection. An application can enable auto-detection of the format if needed, using IImGearFormat Interface.DetectionEnabled Property.

References Used

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