File Format Information Database Home Update

Portable Bitmap

Quick Info

This is actually a set of three file formats. They are used by PBMPlus, which is an image conversion utility for UNIX. The different sub-formats are:

Each type may appear in two different versions: ASCII and binary coded. Binary files are smaller, faster to process, but less flexible. ASCII files are extremely big, but hundred per cent portable. Color maps and compression are not supported.

Quick Info:

Name: Portable Bitmap
Type: Bitmap Image
Extension: PBM, PGM, PPM
Native Application: PBMPlus (Unix)
Viewer Application:
Specification: Included in the documentation of PBMPlus
If you have additional information, send mail to
Alexander Krauss