Data file
What is a .pgm file?
A .pgm file is a Portable Grey Map - Binary. This is a data file — structured information used by a program rather than read directly. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 2 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .pgm over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .pgm file
- Start with the program that produced it; that's almost always the right tool.
- Open it in a text editor to see whether it's readable text or binary.
- For database formats, DB Browser for SQLite or LibreOffice Base can often import it.
The registry records this extension against Portable Grey Map - Binary, Portable Grey Map - ASCII, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .pgm file
- If you can view the data, exporting to .csv is usually the most portable option.
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .pgm.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable Grey Map - Binary | — | — | fmt/406 |
| Portable Grey Map - ASCII | — | — | fmt/407 |