XBM File Converter
Online XBM File Converter - Instant Download!
Drag your file here to to upload.
Up to 250MB
How to Use XBM Converter
Step 1 – Upload XBM file
Drag your .XBM file or use the browse button.
Step 2 – Choose Format
Select the desired output format from the dropdown list.
Step 3 – Download File
Click "Convert" and download your converted file once ready.
About XBM (.XBM)
XBM stands for X BitMap, a plain text image format used primarily in the X Window System for storing monochrome bitmaps. It was developed in the 1980s to facilitate easy sharing and display of simple graphics on Unix-based systems. The simplicity of XBM made it popular for icons and cursors in graphical user interfaces. Despite being replaced by more advanced formats, XBM files are still recognized for their straightforward structure.
Technical Details
An XBM file encodes an image as a C array of unsigned chars, with each bit corresponding to a pixel toggled on or off. The file begins with #define statements specifying the image width and height, followed by the bitmap data. Due to its text-based nature, XBM files are human-readable and editable with any text editor. However, their simplicity limits them to monochrome graphics, making them unsuitable for complex images.
Additional Information & Use Cases
XBM files are unique because they are actually C source code files containing hexadecimal values representing the bitmap image. This design choice allowed developers to include image data directly into C programs without needing external image loading code. The format supports only black-and-white images with no grayscale or color. Understanding XBM provides insight into early graphical computing and image representation.