FIG to PCX Converter

Convert Xfig drawings to PCX images online

Choose Files

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up

Lossless Process

Convert FIG to PCX while retaining the integrity of your Xfig diagrams — no detail gets dropped.

Browser Freedom

Use whichever browser you prefer — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. The converter runs the same everywhere.

Lightning Fast

Cloud infrastructure means fast turnaround. Most FIG conversions finish in seconds, regardless of your device speed.

How to convert FIG to PCX

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

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

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

About formats

FIG is the native file format of Xfig, a free vector graphics editor for the X Window System, originally written by Supoj Sutanthavibul at the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. The format uses a plain-text structure where each graphic object is described on one or more lines with numeric parameters specifying object type, coordinates, line properties, fill attributes, and depth ordering. FIG supports compound objects (groups), polylines, polygons, splines, arcs, ellipses, text strings, and imported bitmaps, each with configurable colors, line styles, arrow heads, and area fills. Files begin with a header line declaring the format version (currently 3.2), followed by a resolution specification and the object definitions. One advantage is exceptional simplicity — the entirely text-based format is trivially parsed, generated, and manipulated by scripts, making FIG popular as an intermediate format in automated diagram generation pipelines. The rich ecosystem of conversion tools is another strength: fig2dev exports FIG files to dozens of output formats including EPS, PDF, SVG, LaTeX picture environments, PSTricks, and TikZ. This made Xfig and FIG especially popular in academic and scientific communities, where authors generate publication-quality figures that integrate seamlessly with LaTeX documents. While graphical tools have evolved since the 1980s, FIG remains in use among researchers who value its scriptability, LaTeX integration, and well-documented format stability.

Developer: Supoj Sutanthavibul

Initial release: 1985

PCX (PiCture eXchange) is a raster image format created by ZSoft Corporation in 1985 as the native format of their PC Paintbrush application, one of the first painting programs for IBM PC compatibles. The format uses a simple run-length encoding (RLE) compression scheme that works by replacing consecutive identical pixel values with a count-value pair, achieving modest compression on images with large areas of uniform color. A PCX file consists of a 128-byte header (specifying dimensions, color depth, palette information, DPI, and encoding method), the RLE-compressed pixel data organized in scan-line order, and an optional 256-color palette appended after the image data. The format evolved through several versions supporting increasing color depths: 1-bit monochrome, 4-bit (16 colors), 8-bit (256 colors), and 24-bit true color using multiple color planes. PCX became one of the most popular image formats during the DOS era, widely supported by paint programs, word processors, desktop publishers, and early games throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. One advantage was broad DOS-era software compatibility — PCX served as a practical interchange format when competing programs used proprietary raster formats. The simplicity of RLE decoding is another strength, requiring minimal CPU and memory resources ideal for the hardware of that period. While PNG, JPEG, and other modern formats have replaced PCX in contemporary use, the format remains encountered in legacy archives and retro computing contexts.

Developer: ZSoft Corporation

Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert FIG to PCX?

Nobody outside the Xfig world can view FIG files easily. PCX gives you an image version that works across all platforms.

What opens PCX files?

You can open PCX files with IrfanView, XnView, GIMP, and legacy graphics applications.

How accurate is FIG to PCX conversion?

Convertio processes each file carefully to produce faithful PCX output. Results match the source drawing as closely as possible.

Can I use the FIG to PCX converter on Chromebook?

Yes — the converter is entirely browser-based and works on Chromebooks, along with any other device with a modern browser.

Do I need to know FIG format details to convert?

Not at all. Just upload your FIG file, select PCX, and Convertio handles the technical details automatically.

What happens to my FIG files after conversion?

Uploaded FIG files are deleted right after processing. Results remain available briefly, then are also removed from servers.

Related Conversions

FIG to JPG

FIG to PDF

FIG to PNG

FIG to EPS

FIG to SVG

FIG to JPEG

FIG to BMP

FIG to PSD

FIG to DOC

FIG to GIF

FIG to DXF

FIG to DOCX

FIG to TIFF

FIG to AI

FIG to EMF

FIG to HTML

FIG to ODT

FIG to WMF

FIG to PCX

FIG to SGI

FIG to SK

FIG to OTB

FIG to DOT

FIG to RGB

FIG to PS

FIG to CGM

FIG to SK1

FIG to PLT

FIG to JP2

FIG to WBMP

FIG to TGA

FIG to ICO

FIG to CUR

FIG to PBM

FIG to PGM

FIG to PPM

FIG to WEBP

FIG to EXR

FIG to FAX

FIG to FTS

FIG to G3

FIG to HDR

FIG to HRZ

FIG to IPL

FIG to MAP

FIG to MNG

FIG to MTV

FIG to PAL

FIG to PALM

FIG to PAM

FIG to PCD

FIG to PCT

FIG to PDB

FIG to PFM

FIG to PICON

FIG to PICT

FIG to PNM

FIG to RAS

FIG to RGBA

FIG to RGBO

Specific converters

JPG to PCX

PNG to PCX

BMP to PCX

PDF to PCX

GIF to PCX

JPEG to PCX

PPTX to PCX

PSD to PCX

TTF to PCX

WEBP to PCX

DOCX to PCX

TIFF to PCX

AI to PCX

PPSX to PCX

DXF to PCX

XLSX to PCX

SVG to PCX

EPS to PCX

DOC to PCX

HTML to PCX

XCF to PCX

XPS to PCX

JFIF to PCX

WPS to PCX

PPT to PCX

AVIF to PCX

TXT to PCX

DDS to PCX

ODP to PCX

OTF to PCX

FIG to PCX Quality Rating

4.0 (1 votes)

You need to convert and download at least 1 file to provide feedback!