File Formats Etc.

ClipArt Library File Formats Revealed

All the Library File Formats supported by ClipShop are proprietary unpublished formats, but are very simple to figure-out. These Library File Formats all contain multiple graphics images, and text descriptions for each image (usually in seperate matching files... see below).

The 3 - Main Library File Formats supported by ClipShop are the 88 pixels wide X 52 rasters high UNCOMPRESSED .DAT, .POG, and .SHP files ("Old PrintShop", "New PrintShop", and "Old PrintMaster" graphics formats). There is not much different between these formats, except that the .POG and .SHP files each have some extra information mixed in with the graphics, and the .DAT file is raw. Other than that, they are all identical.

These are really "File Pairs". Each file also has a matching caption file of descriptions of the graphics that must be kept synchronized with the graphics file. These files are .NAM (name) , .PNM (printshop name), and .SDR (shape header) files and correspond with their partner files; .DAT (data), .POG (printshop old graphics), and .SHP (shape) files.

The technical details of reading these files is already included in the ClipShop Source Code, which is distributed with ClipShop. Please refer to the source code for additional details if you are so inclined.

Teacher's Choice Productions

Acropolis Software of Fair Oaks, California, developed Print Partner as a competing ShareWare product to PrintShop and PrintMaster. A Windows ShareWare product competing against PrintShop and PrintMaster would be difficult today, since TLC (The Learning Company) who now own both The PrintShop and PrintMaster, distribute fairly recent (2 year old) versions of PrintMaster on CD almost for free through their SoftKey division. But in the DOS world it is/was different, and Acropolis created a decent competing product that has been referred to as "The Shareware Alternative".

If you want to see what Acropolis is up to now, or if you want to download an Evaluation Version of PrintPartner v3.5 (still a DOS based product), use the following URL to visit their website...

http://www.wwmen.com/acropolis

In an earlier version of PrintPartner, ShareWare Version 1.1 (distributed by Digital Horizons and perhaps others), a user had the option of creating and saving custom graphics libraries in a non-compressed format. Maybe this user library feature was in other versions of Print Partner as well, but for sure it was in Version 1.1.

The support for PrintPartner is limited to this particular flavour of non-compressed monochrome graphics (Version 1.1).

Print Partner graphics are variable size (not 88 x 52 like the others). They stored their graphics name in the same file as the graphics (not in a second file like the others) and they allowed longer names than the others. Because they are just too different, only basic support for Print Partner graphics is offered in this version of ClipShop.

This support was added out of tribute for the excellent aspirations of Acropolis Software, whose ambitions were (or so it appears) to single handedly provide a better product than the other ones that were available for that time and place in history, and to market that product (Print Partner) as relatively inexpensive shareware.

Using the "Old Print Partner" (Version 1.1) Image Format


Print Partner offers a way to import graphics from other applications, but no way to get them back out again (except by printing them, of course). ClipShop solves this problem by allowing you to view graphics libraries (.GPH files) created in Print Partner Version 1.1, and to copy these to the Windows Clipboard, to Paste directly in other programs.

Since Print Partner version 1.1 was shipped with many very good graphics, if you have the original graphics, or additional high quality Print Partner graphics, you may find this feature handy.

Raw black and white data (Type 1) is the only type of Print Partner data storage that this program supports. Compressed black and white data (Type 2) is not supported.

The Picture files that Print Partner 1.1 is shipped with (Standard.Gph) are in Compressed Format (Type 2). You must convert these inside of Print Partner in order to use them with this program.

In order to use this program to convert Print Partner files that have been provided in compressed format you must do the folowing:

Resave Print Partner Files In Non-Compressed Format. Resave these in the Print Partner Picture Maker editor by adding them to a New Library. The new library will be saved as Raw data (Type 1). Now these can be used by ClipShop.

Note: Files that have been converted from PrintMaster to Print Partner using the pmtopp.exe utility that was shipped with Print Partner are saved in non-compressed format and therefore can be used directly by ClipShop.


Disclaimer: We are not suggesting that you steal Print Partner or anyone else's graphics, and Print Partner strictly prohibits redistributing files that are "altered in any way".("Distribution with one or more of the files missing or altered in anyway is strictly prohibited.") Technically, if you copy a clipboard image of one of the Graphics that was originally supplied with Print Partner and send it to a friend, you have broken this rule. Since you don't need ClipShop to copy a screenshot of Graphics from PrintPartner to the Windows Clipboard, you can break this rule anytime even without ClipShop... Microsoft themselves have enabled you capture the screen of any Graphics Program by giving you the Windows ClipBoard and the ability to press [Alt]+[PrintScreen]... (not that we're suggesting you break any rules...).

Leather Winged Demons of the Night could possibly descend upon you in retribution for doing so, if they existed and were summoned by Acropolis Software, but as you know, this is unlikely. Acropolis likely only want you and others to register your Print Partner shareware, and they likely want to keep their program files together if you pass them on, so the next person gets a fair chance to try their product... it's better for product advertising and protects Acropolis's Property Rights, that's all.

However, in the case of using graphics, the usual laws of Copyright and Fair Use apply. You can't use Print Partner's graphics, or anyone else's graphics for that matter, especially in commercial work, without following copyright law. At the same time, if you are a registered user of Print Partner (or another Print Program that comes with artwork) and print a poster for a garage sale (which is technically a Commercial Use) using graphics that were supplied with the program, it is unlikely that anyone will be damaged or even mind that you do so. In fact it is probably expected and arguably part of your software licence agreement... commercial work may be a licenced use for your software too for all we know. Similarily we would argue that the same law should apply to using a Graphic on a WebPage, and it is probably even more ok if the WebPage is for yourself...

But We are not lawyers, We are Software Developers, and cannot advise you one way or the other. So especially if you build a thriving business using Acropolis's or anyone else's artwork to build WebPages, or do commercial work, and you are not sure if your use is legal, your best action might be to get both the artist's permission and the publisher's permission, stating your intended use. The artist may say something like "OK, great. It's fine with me to reprint those graphics, but I don't know how the ownership works - I suspect the company would think they're theirs...", so if the publisher says yes too, you are probably ok.

If it is not possible to find out who the artist is, or if the publisher does not know who the artist is, you may wish to reconsider using the graphic in question. At the very least, you should probably always consider if your use is fair, and credit the source of your artwork when it practical to do so.

The proceeding is the opinion of The Author. It is presented for general information and discussion only. For a specific legal opinion, consult your lawyer.


© CopyLeft Bill Buckels 1999
All Rights Reversed.