| Full Name | Mac PICT |
| Format ID | IG_FORMAT_PCT = 30 |
| File Extension(s) | *.pct, *.pict |
| Data Type | Metafile (2D raster, 2D geometry) |
| Data Encoding | Binary |
| Color Profile Support | No |
| Multi-Page Support | No |
| Alpha Channel Support | Supports single alpha channel for read only. Alpha channel has to be 8-bit image. |
| Filter Control Parameter | Type | Default Value | Available Values | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORCE_VERSION | AT_BOOL | FALSE | TRUE, FALSE | TRUE means saving of PCT in version 1. |
The PICT is one of the most widely-supported graphics file formats for the Macintosh.
PICT files begin with a fixed length header containing application-specific data, followed by fields that store the image size and location. If it is a PICT2 file, an additional header follows that contains the original resolution data of the image.
The bitmap data in the PICT2 format is referred as a Pixmap, from older terminology where Pixmap meant a bitmap with color.
The PICT file uses "opcodes". These are similar to the fields found in most file formats, and are associated with data that describes different shapes, lines, fill patterns, etc.
The lengthy list of opcodes is followed by the bitmap or "pixmap" data that describes the image data's address and resolution. The color table follows the opcodes. Next, source and destination rectangles are defined by their top left and lower right coordinates.
The pixel data, stored in the "PixData" field, is the last data to appear in the file. Each value is an index to the color table. This data is represented by 1, 2, or 4 bits.
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.