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PPM File - What is a .ppm file and how do I open it?
Learn about .PPM files and view a list of programs that open them.
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Overview
What is a PPM file? A PPM file is a raster image saved in the Portable Pixmap format. It contains plain text that specifies the image's type (plain or "raw"), its number of columns and rows, and its maximum color value . Plain PPM files then specify each pixel's color using ASCII-encoded numbers, while "raw" PPM files specify each included pixel's color using raw binary data.
More Information PPM file open in XnViewMP In the late 1980s, developer Jef Poskanzer created the PPM image format and added tools that could create and read PPM images to Pbmplus, his library of tools used to create and manage .PBM , .PGM , and PPM images. PPM files contain color images saved using an RGB color model. Typically, the images use a 24-bit color depth. In most PPM files, each pixel's color is specified using a trio of ASCII numbers that set the pixel's red, green, and blue color values. Image rows are comprised of sets of RGB values equal to the image's width. These types of PPM files are referred to as plain PPM files and can be identified by the magic number P3 in their header . "Raw" PPM files, on the other hand, specify each pixel's color using raw binary data, instead of ASCII-encoded numbers. If you were to open a "raw" PPM file in a text editor, its body would appear as gibberish instead of an understandable series of numbers. These files include the magic number P6 in their header. While many programs support the PPM format, PPM images have quite large file sizes when compared with images saved in other formats, because they are not compressed . Thus, the PPM format is not used much.
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DeveloperN/A
Popularity2.4 | 13 Votes
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.PPM File Extension
3 file types use the .ppm file extension.
Portable Pixmap Image
| Developer | Jef Poskanzer |
| Popularity |
3.6 | 63 Votes |
NEW: Open your .PPM file online with File Helper . View Online
What is a PPM file?
A PPM file is a raster image saved in the Portable Pixmap format. It contains plain text that specifies the image's type (plain or "raw"), its number of columns and rows, and its maximum color value . Plain PPM files then specify each pixel's color using ASCII-encoded numbers, while "raw" PPM files specify each included pixel's color using raw binary data.
More Information
PPM file open in XnViewMP
In the late 1980s, developer Jef Poskanzer created the PPM image format and added tools that could create and read PPM images to Pbmplus, his library of tools used to create and manage .PBM , .PGM , and PPM images. PPM files contain color images saved using an RGB color model. Typically, the images use a 24-bit color depth.
In most PPM files, each pixel's color is specified using a trio of ASCII numbers that set the pixel's red, green, and blue color values. Image rows are comprised of sets of RGB values equal to the image's width. These types of PPM files are referred to as plain PPM files and can be identified by the magic number P3 in their header .
"Raw" PPM files, on the other hand, specify each pixel's color using raw binary data, instead of ASCII-encoded numbers. If you were to open a "raw" PPM file in a text editor, its body would appear as gibberish instead of an understandable series of numbers. These files include the magic number P6 in their header.
While many programs support the PPM format, PPM images have quite large file sizes when compared with images saved in other formats, because they are not compressed . Thus, the PPM format is not used much.
How to open a PPM file
You can open a PPM file with many image viewing and editing programs. For example, you can open a PPM file with GIMP (multiplatform), XnViewMP (multiplatform), or Netpbm (multiplatform).
How to convert a PPM file
You can use Netpbm, ImageMagick or XnViewMP to convert PPM files to other image formats. For example, XnViewMP can convert PPM files to the following formats (and many others):
Programs that open PPM files
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Pricing
Program Name
Platform
Reset
X
Windows
File Viewer Plus
—
Get it from Microsoft
Free +
GIMP
Free
ImageMagick
Free
Corel PaintShop Pro 2023
Free Trial
Adobe Photoshop with CartaPGM plugin
Free Trial
Canvas GFX Canvas X Pro
Free Trial
ACD Systems ACDSee Photo Studio
Free Trial
Netpbm
Free
LibreOffice
Free
qView
Free
Mac
Apple Preview
Included with OS
GIMP
Free
ImageMagick
Free
Adobe Photoshop with CartaPGM plugin
Free Trial
Netpbm
Free
LibreOffice
Free
qView
Free
Linux
GIMP
Free
ImageMagick
Free
Netpbm
Free
LibreOffice
Free
qView
Free
Web
FileHelper.com
Free
Android
File Viewer for Android
Free +
Category: Raster Image Files
Updated: August 3, 2022
Flipnote Studio Animation
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Popularity |
4.0 | 5 Votes |
A PPM file may also be an animation created by Flipnote Studio, a free animation app available for the Nintendo DSi. It contains animation frames and audio. PPM files are typically stored on a Nintendo DSi SD card .
More Information
Flipnote Studio is an animation app that Nintendo DSi players can download from the DSi Shop. It allows gamers to create simple animations and save them to their DSIs' SD cards. These animations are saved as PPM files.
PPM files are typically stored in the following locations:
Some players have uploaded their PPM files to online Flipnote repositories, such as Flipnote Hatena or PPM Archive, from which other Flipnote users can download them.
NOTE: The PPM extension comes from Flipnote Studio's in-development name, P ara P ara M anga Koubou.
How to open a PPM file
In addition to being able to open and play PPM files in Flipnote Studio, you can open them in the web-based Flipnote Player.
Programs that open PPM files
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Platform
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Web
Flipnote Player
Free
Category: Game Files
Updated: July 18, 2022
Post Programmable Memory File
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
2.4 | 13 Votes |
Data file used to "flash" some Nokia mobile phones; sometimes used to change the language pack on a phone to support a different language; may also use the .PPM_B , PPM_C, or PPM_D file extensions.
Programs that open PPM files
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Platform
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Windows
BB5 FLS Editor
Category: System Files
Updated: October 17, 2011