[comp.sys.mac.programmer] MacPaint file format.

death@btr.btr.com (David john burrowes) (03/04/91)

I apologize if this is a well-worn question, and encourage direct replies
rather than further postings that cluter the net up.

Perhaps I'm overlooking something painfully obvious, but I can't figure out
what format the data in a MacPaint document is formatted in.  Initially I
assumed it would be a direct dump of a bitmap or perhaps a picture data type.
But the information in a test file I created doesn't mesh with these at all.
Indeed.  I couldn't find a direct hex representation of the bitmap I'd created
anywhere in the file.  And I can't find further help in Inside Mac anywhere.

Thus.  I would appreciate: pointers to the portion(s) of IM that I should read.
or explanations of the format of a MacPaint file.  or  aid in getting a
tech note that would explain it (my copy of the tech notes stack is zapped,
and I don't have FTP access).   or any other nifty ideas you have.

Thanks very much in advance.

\david john burrowes			death@brt.com

Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org.org (Jim Spencer) (03/06/91)

David john burrowes writes in a message to All

DJB> Perhaps I'm overlooking something painfully obvious, but I can't 
DJB> figure out what format the data in a MacPaint document is formatted 
DJB> in. Initially I assumed it would be a direct dump of a bitmap 
DJB> or perhaps a picture data type. But the information in a test 
DJB> file I created doesn't mesh with these at all. Indeed. I couldn't 
DJB> find a direct hex representation of the bitmap I'd created anywhere 
DJB> in the file. And I can't find further help in Inside Mac anywhere. 
DJB> 
DJB> Thus. I would appreciate: pointers to the portion(s) of IM that 
DJB> I should read. or explanations of the format of a MacPaint file. 
DJB> or aid in getting a tech note that would explain it (my copy 
DJB> of the tech notes stack is zapped, and I don't have FTP access). 
DJB> or any other nifty ideas you have. 

The MacPaint document format is detailed in Tech Note 86.  There's got to be someone around who can print that one document for you or send you a fresh copy of the stack.
 

Ken.Knight@f421.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Ken Knight) (03/08/91)

>From: Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org.org (Jim
>Spencer)
>Date: 6 Mar 91 00:22:24 GMT
>Message-ID: <668300445.2@mmug.mmug.edgar.mn.org.org>
>Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
>
>
>David john burrowes writes in a message to All
>
>DJB> Perhaps I'm overlooking something painfully obvious, but I can't
>DJB> figure out what format the data in a MacPaint document is
>formatted
>DJB> in. Initially I assumed it would be a direct dump of a bitmap
>DJB> or perhaps a picture data type. But the information in a test
>DJB> file I created doesn't mesh with these at all. Indeed. I
>couldn't
>DJB> find a direct hex representation of the bitmap I'd created
>anywhere
>DJB> in the file. And I can't find further help in Inside Mac
>anywhere.
>DJB>
>DJB> Thus. I would appreciate: pointers to the portion(s) of IM that
>DJB> I should read. or explanations of the format of a MacPaint file.
>DJB> or aid in getting a tech note that would explain it (my copy
>DJB> of the tech notes stack is zapped, and I don't have FTP access).
>DJB> or any other nifty ideas you have.
>
>The MacPaint document format is detailed in Tech Note 86.  There's got
>to be
>someone around who can print that one document for you or send you a
>fresh
>copy of the stack.
 
Actually, all the technote says it that it doesn't apply anymore since
MacPaint went over to Claris. Let's see in my original copy of the note
it says the format is like this:
  MPHeader = record
     version: longint;
     patArray: array [1..38] of pattern;
     futureStuff: packed array [1..204] of signedbyte;
  end;
 
If version is 0 then ignore the 512 bytes of the header. In fact, you
might as well just ignore it. What follows is a compressed (via
_PackBits) 576x720 bitmap. Hope that helps...
 
  ** Ken **


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