PixFolio catalog - Revision history

Jsummers: Added a category

2024-12-18T13:37:55Z

Added a category

Jsummers: /* Software */

2024-09-09T23:27:03Z

‎Software

Sembiance: /* Sample files */

2024-07-30T13:25:12Z

‎Sample files

Jsummers at 12:55, 2 July 2024

2024-07-02T12:55:20Z

Jsummers: /* Identification */

2024-07-01T18:04:19Z

‎Identification

Jsummers: /* Identification */

2024-07-01T13:17:32Z

‎Identification

Jsummers: /* Identification */

2024-06-30T21:02:51Z

‎Identification

Jsummers: Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Graphics |extensions={{ext|cat}}, {{ext|cix}} |released=≤1991 }} '''PixFolio''', including its predecessor '''ShowGIF''' (also wr..."

2024-06-30T18:46:56Z

Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Graphics |extensions={{ext|cat}}, {{ext|cix}} |released=≤1991 }} '''PixFolio''', including its predecessor '''ShowGIF''' (also wr..."

New page

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Graphics
|extensions={{ext|cat}}, {{ext|cix}}
|released=≤1991
}}
'''PixFolio''', including its predecessor '''ShowGIF''' (also written '''Showgif'''), is an image viewer and image file management application for Windows 3.x. It was developed by Allen C. Kempe and (for some versions) Paul R. Hachey.

It "catalog" database consists of a '''.CAT''' data file, and a companion '''.CIX''' index file. The CAT file contains thumbnail images, and other metadata.

== Disambiguation ==
Note that there are several other unrelated programs named ShowGIF.

== Identification ==
CAT: There's no ''nice'' way to identify a CAT file. But it can be identified reliably, say by using the predictable positions of the fields of the first item. For example, bytes (hex) {{magic|28 00 00 00}} (from a [[BMP]] header) appear at offset 374. <code>0x3a</code> appears at offsets 356 and 359, as part of the ASCII timestamp. Etc.

CIX: ''(TODO)''

== Software ==
There are many versions of PixFolio. Selected versions are listed here.

* {{CdTextfiles|gigabytesw/017c/showgif.zip|ShowGIF v1.08}}
* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/VIEWERS/SGI109.ZIP|ShowGIF v1.09l}}
* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/GRAPHICS/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v1.00}}
* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/VIEWERS/PIXF1414.ZIP|PixFolio v1.04.14}}
* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/GRAPHICS/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v2.0.29 (beta)}}
* {{CdTextfiles|swheaven3/WINGRAPH/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v2.0.104}}
* {{CdTextfiles|cream07/windows/pixf2015.zip|PixFolio v2.0.155}}
* [https://archive.org/details/chiphitwarevol3 Chip Hitware Vol. 3] → CHIPHIT3/MULTMEDI/GRAFIK/PIXFOLIO/PIXF16.ZIP - PixFolio v2.0.170

== Sample files ==
* [https://archive.org/details/Aztechs_Super_Games_Aztech_New_Media_Corp_1994 Aztech's Super Games] → FOR_PC/*.{CAT,CIX}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:37, 18 December 2024
Line 38:		Line 38:
	* [https://archive.org/details/MasterClipsBusiness Masterclips - The Art of Business] → CATALOGS/		* [https://archive.org/details/MasterClipsBusiness Masterclips - The Art of Business] → CATALOGS/
	* {{DexvertSamples\|archive/pixfolioCatalog}}		* {{DexvertSamples\|archive/pixfolioCatalog}}
		+
		+	[[Category:Multi-file formats]]

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 There are many versions of PixFolio. Selected versions are listed here.
-* {{CdTextfiles|gigabytesw/017c/showgif.zip|ShowGIF v1.08}}
+* PixFolio/ShowGIF
-* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/VIEWERS/SGI109.ZIP|ShowGIF v1.09l}}
+** {{CdTextfiles|gigabytesw/017c/showgif.zip|ShowGIF v1.08}}
-* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/GRAPHICS/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v1.00}}
+** {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/VIEWERS/SGI109.ZIP|ShowGIF v1.09l}}
-* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/VIEWERS/PIXF1414.ZIP|PixFolio v1.04.14}}
+** {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/GRAPHICS/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v1.00}}
-* {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/GRAPHICS/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v2.0.29 (beta)}}
+** {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/VIEWERS/PIXF1414.ZIP|PixFolio v1.04.14}}
-* {{CdTextfiles|swheaven3/WINGRAPH/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v2.0.104}}
+** {{CdTextfiles|ccbwindows93/GRAPHICS/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v2.0.29 (beta)}}
-* {{CdTextfiles|cream07/windows/pixf2015.zip|PixFolio v2.0.155}}
+** {{CdTextfiles|swheaven3/WINGRAPH/PIXF20.ZIP|PixFolio v2.0.104}}
-* [https://archive.org/details/chiphitwarevol3 Chip Hitware Vol. 3] → CHIPHIT3/MULTMEDI/GRAFIK/PIXFOLIO/PIXF16.ZIP  - PixFolio v2.0.170
+** {{CdTextfiles|cream07/windows/pixf2015.zip|PixFolio v2.0.155}}
-* {{CdTextfiles|cica/cica9608/disk2/DISC2/GRAPHICS/PIXF32.ZIP|PixFolio 32-bit v2.0.176}}
+** PixFolio v2.0.170: [https://archive.org/details/chiphitwarevol3 Chip Hitware Vol. 3] → CHIPHIT3/MULTMEDI/GRAFIK/PIXFOLIO/PIXF16.ZIP
 == Sample files ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:25, 30 July 2024
Line 35:		Line 35:
	* [https://archive.org/details/Aztechs_Super_Games_Aztech_New_Media_Corp_1994 Aztech's Super Games] → FOR_PC/*.{CAT,CIX}		* [https://archive.org/details/Aztechs_Super_Games_Aztech_New_Media_Corp_1994 Aztech's Super Games] → FOR_PC/*.{CAT,CIX}
	* [https://archive.org/details/MasterClipsBusiness Masterclips - The Art of Business] → CATALOGS/		* [https://archive.org/details/MasterClipsBusiness Masterclips - The Art of Business] → CATALOGS/
		+	* {{DexvertSamples\|archive/pixfolioCatalog}}

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 == Identification ==
-CAT format is quirky, and potentially difficult to identify. It consists of a sequence of items, almost all of which contain an image. Each item seems to have a 373-byte fixed header, followed by variable-length segments. Provided the first item contains an image, a CAT file can probably be identified fairly reliably, particularly by testing the timestamp for the expected format. Also, bytes (hex) {{magic|28 00 00 00}} (a [[BMP]] header field) should appear at offset {374 + {the 2-byte integer at offset 369}&#x7d;.
+CAT format is quirky, and potentially difficult to identify. It consists of a sequence of items, almost all of which contain an image. Each item seems to have a 373-byte fixed header, followed by variable-length segments. Provided the first item contains an image, a CAT file can probably be identified fairly reliably, but more research is needed. The timestamp is the most distinctive field, but it has different formats in different files. Bytes (hex) {{magic|28 00 00 00}} (a [[BMP]] header field) should appear at offset {374 + {the 2-byte integer at offset 369}&#x7d;.
 CIX: ''(TODO)''

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 == Identification ==
-CAT: There's no ''nice'' way to identify a CAT file. Robust identification seems possible, though. The first 373 bytes of the file (and of each item) possibly have a fixed layout, but variable-length segments exist after that.
+CAT format is quirky, and potentially difficult to identify. It consists of a sequence of items, almost all of which contain an image. Each item seems to have a 373-byte fixed header, followed by variable-length segments. Provided the first item contains an image, a CAT file can probably be identified fairly reliably, particularly by testing the timestamp for the expected format. Also, bytes (hex) {{magic|28 00 00 00}} (a [[BMP]] header field) should appear at offset {374 + {the 2-byte integer at offset 369}&#x7d;.
-−
-For example, byte <code>0x3a</code> appears at offsets 356 and 359, as part of the ASCII timestamp. Certain bytes must be ASCII digits. Etc.
 CIX: ''(TODO)''

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |released=≤1991
 }}
-'''PixFolio''', including its predecessor '''ShowGIF''' (also written '''Showgif'''), is an image viewer and image file management application for Windows 3.x. It was developed by Allen C. Kempe and (for some versions) Paul R. Hachey.
+'''PixFolio''', including its predecessor '''ShowGIF''' (also written '''Showgif'''), is an image viewer and image file management application for Windows. It was developed by Allen C. Kempe and (for some versions) Paul R. Hachey.
-It "catalog" database consists of a '''.CAT''' data file, and a companion '''.CIX''' index file. The CAT file contains thumbnail images, and other metadata.
+Versions exist for Windows 3.x, and 32-bit Windows. This article might only cover the Windows 3.x versions.
 == Disambiguation ==
@@ Line 28: / Line 30: @@
 * {{CdTextfiles|cream07/windows/pixf2015.zip|PixFolio v2.0.155}}
 * [https://archive.org/details/chiphitwarevol3 Chip Hitware Vol. 3] → CHIPHIT3/MULTMEDI/GRAFIK/PIXFOLIO/PIXF16.ZIP  - PixFolio v2.0.170
 == Sample files ==
 * [https://archive.org/details/Aztechs_Super_Games_Aztech_New_Media_Corp_1994 Aztech's Super Games] → FOR_PC/*.{CAT,CIX}