XV to FIG Converter

XV to FIG online — precision vector output

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Visual Fidelity

Faithful reproduction of XV imagery in FIG format. Color accuracy and detail are priorities in every conversion.

Format Flexibility

Beyond FIG, Convertio supports dozens of other output formats for your XV files. Explore the full format list.

Works on Any Device

Convert XV to FIG from Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android — any device with a modern browser works.

How to convert XV to FIG

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

XV is an alternate file extension for the VIFF (Visualization Image File Format) developed by Khoral Research as part of the Khoros scientific image processing environment, which originated at the University of New Mexico around 1990. The .xv extension and the .viff extension refer to the same underlying format — a container with a 1024-byte header encoding image dimensions, data type (from single-bit to double-precision float and complex numbers), color space, band count, and optional spatial location metadata, followed by color map data and pixel values. The XV extension became common on systems where Khoros was installed alongside other X Window System tools, and in some research communities .xv was preferred over .viff as a shorter alternative. Khoros itself was a pioneering visual programming system where scientists assembled image processing pipelines by wiring together processing nodes in a graphical canvas — an approach that predated and influenced similar environments in MATLAB, LabVIEW, and commercial remote sensing packages. One advantage of the VIFF/XV format is its ability to store data at scientific precision levels — floating-point and complex number pixel values preserve measurement accuracy that would be lost in photographic formats limited to 8-bit or 16-bit integers, making it valuable for spectral analysis, computational physics output, and satellite imagery. The multi-band architecture provides another strength, allowing a single file to hold dozens of spectral channels from multispectral or hyperspectral sensors without splitting data across multiple files. XV files are supported by ImageMagick and can be converted to modern image formats for visualization or publication.
Developer: Khoral Research
Initial release: 1990
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.
Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert XV to FIG?

The XV format has limited viewer support. Converting to FIG ensures broad compatibility across devices.

How do I open FIG files?

FIG files open in Xfig, Transfig, or LaTeX workflows — widely supported across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.

What quality can I expect from FIG output?

FIG provides structured vector for academic figures. The converter optimizes output for the best balance of quality and compatibility.

What platforms support this conversion?

Convertio works in any modern browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — on Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile.

How long does XV to FIG conversion take?

Conversion is fast — usually a matter of seconds. Complex or large XV files may need slightly more time.

Does the conversion happen on my device?

No — conversion runs on Convertio servers. Your device handles only the upload and download, not the processing.