PFB to RAS Converter

Render PFB fonts as Sun raster images — free online

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Unix Native

RAS integrates with Sun/Solaris imaging tools — your PFB font renders are immediately usable on Unix workstations.

Cross-Platform Bridge

Move PFB font data from the Windows PostScript world into the Sun raster format used by Unix graphics workflows.

No Local Tools

Skip installing Unix imaging utilities — Convertio renders PFB to RAS on cloud servers from any platform.

How to convert PFB to RAS

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

PFB (Printer Font Binary) is the compact binary representation of Adobe's PostScript Type 1 font format, introduced alongside PFA in 1984. Where PFA stores the entire font program as hex-encoded ASCII text, PFB wraps the same data in a lightweight binary container that uses segment headers to mark regions as ASCII or binary. The encrypted glyph outline section (eexec) is stored as raw bytes rather than hex characters, cutting the file size roughly in half compared to PFA. Each segment begins with a marker byte and a 32-bit length field, making the format simple to parse while still significantly more compact. PFB became the dominant Type 1 distribution format on Windows and DOS platforms, used in combination with PFM (Printer Font Metrics) or AFM files that supply the character width and kerning data needed for text layout. One advantage is storage and transfer efficiency — the binary encoding means a typical text font occupies 30-50 KB rather than the 60-100 KB its PFA equivalent would require. The segmented structure also allows PostScript interpreters to stream font data efficiently, processing ASCII and binary portions with their respective handlers. Adobe Type Manager (ATM) on Windows relied on PFB files to render smooth Type 1 text on screen, a capability that transformed desktop publishing on the PC platform. While OpenType fonts have largely replaced Type 1 for new work, PFB files persist in established print workflows, archival font libraries, and systems that depend on PostScript output.
Developer: Adobe Systems
Initial release: 1984
RAS (Sun Raster) is a raster image format developed by Sun Microsystems for their SunOS and Solaris Unix workstations, dating to approximately 1982. Sun Raster files store 2D bitmap images with support for 1-bit monochrome, 8-bit indexed color (with a color map), 24-bit true color (BGR byte order), and 32-bit XBGR (with an unused alpha byte). The format uses a 32-byte header containing a magic number (0x59a66a95), width, height, bit depth, data length, raster type (indicating compression), color map type, and color map length, followed by the optional color map data and the pixel data. RAS supports three encoding modes: standard (uncompressed, with each scanline padded to a 16-bit boundary), byte-encoded (run-length encoded using a simple escape-code scheme), and RGB (uncompressed with RGB rather than BGR byte order). Sun Raster was the native image format for Sun's window system and later the OpenWindows desktop environment, serving as the standard format for screenshots, icons, backgrounds, and application graphics on Sun workstations throughout the 1980s and 1990s. One advantage is the format's representation of Unix workstation computing heritage: Sun Raster files from the SunOS/Solaris era document the visual culture of an important computing platform that drove advances in networking, multiprocessing, and graphics workstation design. The format's straightforward structure is another practical strength — the 32-byte header and simple encoding make RAS files easy to parse and convert, even with custom code. RAS files are supported by ImageMagick, GIMP, XnView, and other image processing tools.
Developer: Sun Microsystems
Initial release: 1982

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PFB to RAS?

RAS is the native image format for Sun/Solaris systems — converting PFB creates font images that Unix workstation tools handle natively.

How to open RAS?

RAS files open in ImageMagick, XnView, GIMP, and are natively supported on Solaris and other Sun-derived Unix systems.

Is RAS still relevant today?

RAS is a legacy format but remains in use on Solaris installations and in Unix environments where Sun raster compatibility is required.

Does RAS support color images?

Yes — Sun raster format supports 1-bit, 8-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit color depths including an alpha channel in the 32-bit variant.

Can I process multiple fonts?

Yes, batch conversion is available — render several PFB fonts to RAS in a single upload session.