Microsoft Agent character

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(Sample Files: Added more; fixed link syntax)
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{{FormatInfo
 
{{FormatInfo
 
|formattype=electronic
 
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Graphics
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|subcat=Animation
 
|extensions={{ext|acs}}, {{ext|acf}}, {{ext|aca}}
 
|extensions={{ext|acs}}, {{ext|acf}}, {{ext|aca}}
 
|released=1997
 
|released=1997
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== Extensions ==
 
== Extensions ==
Normal character files have the extension ".acs". For distribution online (back when a megabyte download would be too long of a wait for most users), characters can be split into .acf files, containing the "core information" of the character; and .aca files, which contain individual animations.<ref name="acfspec">http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d → ACF Format</ref>
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Normal character files have the extension ".acs". For distribution online (from when a megabyte download would be too long a wait for most users), characters can be split into .acf files, containing the "core information" of the character; and .aca files, which contain individual animations.<ref name="acfspec">http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d → ACF Format</ref>
  
 
== Identification ==
 
== Identification ==
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== Specifications ==
 
== Specifications ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20200517075707/http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d Unofficial V2 specification]
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* [http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d Unofficial V2 specification]
  
 
== Sample Files ==
 
== Sample Files ==
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* [https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%23microsoft+agent%23 Various agents uploaded to the Internet Archive], e.g. [https://archive.org/details/quittermicrosoftagent Quitter]<!-- Finding the "Quitter" upload was the starting point of this page being written. -->
 
* [https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%23microsoft+agent%23 Various agents uploaded to the Internet Archive], e.g. [https://archive.org/details/quittermicrosoftagent Quitter]<!-- Finding the "Quitter" upload was the starting point of this page being written. -->
 
* [https://microsoftagent.weebly.com/downloads-page.html Page listing various (mostly archived) collections of characters]
 
* [https://microsoftagent.weebly.com/downloads-page.html Page listing various (mostly archived) collections of characters]
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* {{DexvertSamples|other/microsoftAgentCharacter}}
  
 
== Software ==
 
== Software ==
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[[Category:Microsoft]]
 
[[Category:Microsoft]]
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[[Category:Windows]]

Latest revision as of 18:33, 18 May 2024

File Format
Name Microsoft Agent character
Ontology
Extension(s) .acs, .acf, .aca
Released 1997

Microsoft Agent was a Windows API, released in 1997 and abandoned by 2003[1], for creating animated characters (sometimes also called "agents") that would serve as part of a program's interface. It allowed for the creation of new characters, beyond the default provided by Microsoft.

Apparently there was both a "version 1" and "version 2" agent format.[2]

Contents

[edit] Extensions

Normal character files have the extension ".acs". For distribution online (from when a megabyte download would be too long a wait for most users), characters can be split into .acf files, containing the "core information" of the character; and .aca files, which contain individual animations.[3]

[edit] Identification

At least for version 2 files, ACS files begin with 0xAB 0xCD 0xAB 0xC3 and ACF files with 0xAB 0xCD 0xAB 0xC4; ACA files apparently begin with a minor version number[4].

[edit] Specifications

[edit] Sample Files

[edit] Software

[edit] Links

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

  1. Wikipedia:Microsoft Agent
  2. http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d → Introduction
  3. http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d → ACF Format
  4. http://fileformats.lebeausoftware.org/downloadfile.aspx?ID=25001fc7-18e9-49a4-90dc-21e8ff46aa1d
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