QuickDrawViewer: A Mac OS X utility to visualise QuickDraw (PICT) files
8 comments
·October 19, 2025JKCalhoun
duskwuff
Given that PICT is a vector format at heart, what'd be ideal would be a conversion to SVG. At one point I had part of a tool written to do that, but it didn't handle text very well.
JKCalhoun
Is it a vector format? It could capture pixels as well, and patterns.
It is, in one variant anyway, a re-playing (capture) of the QuickDraw drawing commands. It is one reason it is a hard format to decode without having the original Mac Toolbox QuickDraw code handy.
relium
PICT supported vector commands like FrameRect and FillOval, bitmap commands like BitsRect, and even embedded PostScript via PicComments.
Version 1 PICTs: https://show.docjava.com/posterous/file/2012/07/9614411-DOC0...
I have the Version 2 documentation around here somewhere. I don't think I've looked at it in 20 years, though.
duskwuff
It was a vector format which could contain embedded bitmaps - which also neatly describes SVG. The format was fairly well documented in "Inside Macintosh: Imaging With QuickDraw", particularly appendix A ("Picture Opcodes").
cactusplant7374
I just opened a PICT file in Preview on Mac and it also offers PDF export. What's the advantage of using this app?
teruakohatu
> What's the advantage of using this app?
From the README:
> Preview can only open a small subset of the files I have.
cactusplant7374
Ah, I missed that part.
Opened a few PICT files I threw at it.
Looking for an Export… item but did not see that. I suppose one reason to open an old PICT file is to save it as a PNG or something that will be easier to open in the future.