SFD to PDB Converter

Render FontForge fonts as Palm Database images online

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Palm Compatible

PDB images work natively on Palm OS devices and emulators — render your SFD font glyphs for retro computing and archival projects.

Server-Side Rendering

No FontForge or Palm development tools needed locally. Convertio handles everything in the cloud.

Automatic Cleanup

Uploaded SFD files are erased after processing and PDB outputs are removed within 24 hours to keep your data private.

How to convert SFD to PDB

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

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

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

About formats

SFD (SplineFont Database) is the native source file format of FontForge, the free and open-source font editor originally created by George Williams in 2000 under the name PfaEdit. The format stores a complete font project — glyph outlines (cubic and quadratic splines), advance widths, side bearings, hinting instructions, kerning and OpenType feature tables, naming records, and metadata — in a single human-readable text file. Each glyph is described by its Unicode code point, outline coordinates, reference composites, and anchors, making the entire font design inspectable and diffable with standard text tools. SFD functions as the editable working format during font development, from which finished fonts are compiled to binary formats like OTF, TTF, or WOFF. A primary advantage is version control friendliness — because SFD is plain text, font designers can track changes to individual glyphs, merge contributions from collaborators, and maintain full revision history using Git or any other VCS. The format's completeness is another strength: it preserves every piece of data that FontForge can represent, including TrueType instructions, contextual substitution lookups, and multiple master axes, avoiding round-trip data loss during editing. The SFD specification is publicly documented and has evolved through several versions. FontForge's widespread adoption in the open-source type design community means SFD serves as the source format for hundreds of freely licensed font families distributed worldwide.

Developer: George Williams

Initial release: November 7, 2000

PDB (Palm Database) is a generic database container format created by Palm, Inc. for the Palm OS platform, first appearing with the original PalmPilot in March 1996. In the ebook context, PDB files most commonly use the PalmDOC or Plucker encoding to store readable text with basic formatting. The format consists of a 78-byte header identifying the database name, creation date, and record count, followed by a record index table and the data records themselves. PalmDOC-encoded PDB files use a simple LZ77-based compression scheme to pack plain text efficiently, while Plucker extends this with HTML rendering, image support, and hyperlink navigation. PDB ebooks powered a thriving mobile reading ecosystem years before dedicated e-readers existed — millions of Palm OS users carried entire libraries on devices like the Palm V, Tungsten, and Treo handhelds. A primary advantage is extreme simplicity: the flat record structure and minimal overhead mean PDB files parse instantly even on severely constrained hardware with limited memory and processing power. The open, well-documented structure is another strength, having spawned numerous reader applications across Palm OS, Windows, and later mobile platforms. Though the Palm platform is long discontinued, PDB ebooks remain accessible through conversion tools and readers like Calibre, and the format holds historical significance as one of the earliest practical mobile ebook solutions.

Developer: Palm, Inc.

Initial release: March 1996

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert SFD to PDB?

PDB is the Palm OS database container used for images and data on Palm devices. Use it for font glyph images targeting retro handheld applications.

How do I open a PDB file?

PDB image files open in Palm OS emulators like POSE and in ImageMagick. Dedicated retro computing tools also support the format.

Is PDB only for Palm OS?

The PDB image format is specific to Palm OS. For modern use, consider PNG or WEBP — more practical for current mobile platforms.

Does PDB support color?

PDB images support various color depths depending on the target Palm device generation — from monochrome to 16-bit color.

Is the conversion free?

Convertio provides free SFD to PDB conversion online — no registration, no software download.

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