Graphics files consist of two classes of files--bitmap (or "raster") and vector files. A bitmap file stores graphic information via a pixel by pixel representation. A vector file, on the other hand, stores graphic information via its mathematical representation. So if you're working with a drawing which has lots of different color shadings and which allows you to modify an object by zooming down to its pixel representation, you're working with a bitmap file. If, however, you can resize an object by using your mouse to pull on little, dark-square "handles", you're working with a vector file.

Here's a list of the extensions for some of the graphic files you might run across in your computing. Included in this list, in addition to bitmap and graphics files, are template, chart, slideshow, project, workspace, and designer files which are associated with various graphics programs that produce 2D and/or 3D bitmap and/or vector drawings.

Ext. Associated Program Notes Ext. Associated Program Notes .3do 3D Canvas  3D Canvas Object .ms3d  MilkShape 3D Designer File .3ds 3D Studio   .msp Microsoft Paint A Bitmap File .3dt Genesis 3D Genesis Level Editor file .mst Corel Presentations Master File .8b* Adobe Photoshop Plug-in file .mts Viewpoint Experience VET file .abc Micrografx ABC Flowcharter Flowchart .mtx .aft Micrografx ABC Flowcharter Template .obj Wavefront Object file; readable by serveral other graphics programs like DAZ Studio .afw Micrografx ABC Flowcharter Workspace .obp Bryce Object file .bmp Various Bitmap File; has two flavors: RGB & RLE compressed .pcx Microsoft Paint & ZSoft's PC Paintbrush Bitmap File .br5 Bryce 5.x Native Bryce graphics file format .pd .pdd Photo Deluxe   .brt Bryce Texture File       .bsk Bryce Sky Presets File .pct1 or .pct2 Various Macintosh PICT Image-Could be Vector or a Bitmap File .bto Bryce Tree Object File       .bum Poser Bump file       .chs Corel Presentations Chart Style .pgm Various Portable Grey Map File .cdr Corel Draw Graphics File .pic or.pict Various Macintosh PICT Image-Could be Vector or a Bitmap File .cgm Computer Graphics Metafile Vector Graphics File .png Various CompuServe Bitmap Format; uses LZW compression and has internal gamma correction .c3d Cult 3D Designer File .pov POV-Ray Scene File .c3p Cult 3D Project File p4 p5 pp DAZ Studio Poser Prop Files .car Carrara Carrara Native Graphics format .pp2 Poser   .cm2 Poser   .pp4 Micrografx Picture Publisher 4.0   .co Cult 3D Player Format (distributable) .pp5 Micrografx Picture Publisher 5.0   .cob Truespace Graphics Object File .pqf or .pqw Corel Presentations Slideshow Runtime file .cr2 DAZ Studio Poser Character File .ppf Micrografx Picture Publisher   .cur Windows Cursor File .ppm Netpbm Adobe Photoshop with CartaPGM plug-in Portable Pixel Map bitmap .cut Dr. Halo Bitmap File .prt Corel Presentations Template .d3d Ray Dream   .psd Adobe Photoshop May or may not be compressed using RLE compression .daz DAZ Studio Scene File .psp Paint Shop Pro Paint Shop Pro's native graphic format; may or may not be compressed using LZ77 compression .dib Windows or OS/2 Device Independent Bitmap File .pxa Pixia Bitmap file .dcx Various Kodak Image Doc or a Fax document .pza MGI Photosuite An Album File .dds Direct Draw Sufrace file       .drw Micrografx Designer; Micrografx Drawing; and others   .pz2 DAZ Studio Poser Pose, Clothing, or Prop File .ds DAZ Studio   .pz3 Poser   .dsb DAZ Studio Pose/Lighting/Material file       .dsd DAZ Studio Morph file       .dso DAZ Studio         .dsv DAZ Studio Map file .ras Various Sun Raster (bitmap) file .dtx LitTech Texture File .rd3 Ray Dream   .dxf AutoCAD An AutoCAD Drawing--A Vector File .rd4 .fax Various A FAX file--a Bitmap File .rdd .flc Various Flic animation file; predecessor of .avi .rds .fli .sbp IBM Storyboard A Bitmap File .flic .sct Various Scitex CT File .fpx MGI Photosuite   .rem DAZ Studio Morph Remover .fpx Microsoft PhotoDraw, Picture It! Corel Paint Shop Pro XnView Flashpix bitmap .rsr DAZ Studio   .fsc DoGA DoGA Native Graphics file format .sdl SmartDraw Symbol library .gem Digital Research GEM and various others GEM Metafile--a Vector File .sdr Diagram, flowchart, etc.       .sdt Template File       .sdl Bryce/ DAZ Studio Shader file .gif Various CompuServe's Graphic Interchange Format File; has two flavors: 87a and 89a. Files are compressed using LZW compression scheme .shd Bryce Shader File .gra Microsoft Graph A Chart .sgi/.rgb Silicon Graphics Bitmap file       .shw Corel Presentations  A Slide Show .hr2 Poser   .sky Bryce Sky file .hxn Hexagon Native Graphics file format .spc Smartdraw Stock Clipart file .ico Windows, OS/2 and DOS programs An Icon File .sun Various Sun Bitmap file .inj DAZ Studio Morph Injector .tex Serious Sam Textures file .jfif Various JPEG Image; three flavors: Progressive, Lossless compressed, and Lossy compressed .jpe Various JPEG Image; uses lossy compression .tif .tiff Various Bitmap--Tagged Image File Format; may or may not be compressed using RLE, packbits, or LZW compression .jpg .tga Various Targa Bitmap File (developed by Truevision [now Pinnacle]); may or may not be compressed .lps Bryce Leaves file .tps Bryce Tree Shape file .lt2 Poser   .wbmp WAP WAP Bitmap file .lwo Lightwave 3-D image file .wmf or .emf Corel Presentations Can be either a vector or bitmap file .mac MacPaint Bitmap File .wpg Corel Presentations Can be either a vector or a bitmap file .mat Bryce DAZ Studio Material/texture file .wsp Paint Shop Pro Workspace file .mcs MathCAD MathCAD Drawing--A Vector File .xbm X11 X bitmap file .md3 Quake 3 Model Format File .xpm X Windows System on Unix and Linux X PixMap file; does not use compression .met Various PM Metafile--A vector file .yal Arts & Letters Graphics data file

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