AFF to SIX Converter

Free AFF to SIX conversion — SIXEL terminal graphics

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Terminal Graphics

AFF to SIX conversion produces SIXEL graphics — displayable inline in compatible terminal emulators for command-line workflows.

Open Access

No registration, no login. The converter is free and ready to use immediately.

Automatic Cleanup

AFF uploads vanish after conversion. SIX output is purged from servers within 24 hours.

How to convert AFF to SIX

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose six or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your six file right afterwards

About formats

AFF (Acorn Draw) is a vector graphics file format native to Acorn Computers' RISC OS operating system, introduced with the Draw application bundled in RISC OS 2 in April 1989. The Draw application shipped as a standard component of every RISC OS installation, providing users with a capable vector illustration tool at no additional cost. AFF files store vector objects as a sequence of tagged data blocks, each containing object type, bounding box, and type-specific data — supported objects include paths with straight lines and Bezier curves, text objects with font references, sprite (bitmap) objects, groups, and tagged objects for application-specific extensions. Path objects use cubic Bezier curves with move, line, and curve elements, supporting variable line widths, join styles, dash patterns, and flat color fills. The coordinate system uses RISC OS draw units at 1/180 inch resolution, providing precision for both screen display and print output. One advantage is the straightforward binary structure — the tagged block architecture makes AFF files simple to parse and generate programmatically. Native operating system integration is another strength: RISC OS renders Draw files natively in its desktop environment, treating vector graphics as first-class objects alongside bitmaps. While Acorn Computers ceased operations in the late 1990s, RISC OS continues under active open-source development, and AFF files remain supported through the platform's drawing applications and conversion utilities.
Developer: Acorn Computers
Initial release: 1989
SIX is a file extension for SIXEL (Six Pixel) graphics data, a bitmap graphics format developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1983 and introduced with the LA50 dot matrix printer. SIXEL encodes images as a sequence of printable ASCII characters, where each character represents a column of six vertical pixels (a 'sixel') — the character's ASCII value minus 63 provides a 6-bit binary pattern, with each bit controlling one pixel in the vertical column. The encoding is structured as a series of sixel bands (each six pixels tall) across the image width, with control sequences for color selection (up to 256 registers with HLS or RGB specification), repeat counts (run-length encoding for efficiency), carriage return, and newline commands. SIXEL data is transmitted to the output device using DEC's standard escape sequence protocol, embedded within the text stream alongside regular character output. Originally designed for DEC's line of printers and later supported by DEC VT-series terminals (VT240, VT330, VT340), SIXEL has experienced a remarkable revival in modern terminal emulator software. One advantage is terminal-native image display: SIXEL allows images to be rendered directly within a text terminal session without requiring a graphical window system, enabling command-line tools to display graphs, photographs, and previews inline with text output. This capability has driven adoption in modern terminals like mlterm, xterm, WezTerm, and foot. SIX/SIXEL data can be generated by ImageMagick, libsixel, and chafa, and viewed in any SIXEL-capable terminal emulator.
Initial release: 1983

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert AFF to SIX?

AFF is locked to obsolete Acorn Draw. SIX (SIXEL) enables graphics display in terminal emulators — useful for command-line workflows and retro computing.

What displays SIX/SIXEL files?

Terminal emulators like mlterm, xterm (with SIXEL support), mintty, and libsixel-enabled tools display SIXEL graphics inline.

Is the conversion free?

Yes — free with no account needed. Premium plans add batch conversion features.

What is SIXEL graphics?

SIXEL is a bitmap graphics protocol for terminals, originally from DEC. It allows image display within text-based terminal sessions.

How fast is it?

Conversion takes seconds. Cloud servers handle processing for consistent results.