NETPIC (Jim Tucker) - Revision history

Sembiance: sample files

2025-03-01T03:50:34Z

sample files

Jsummers at 16:01, 23 March 2023

2023-03-23T16:01:27Z

Jsummers at 15:20, 23 March 2023

2023-03-23T15:20:51Z

Jsummers: Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Graphics |extensions={{ext|npx}}, others |released=1995 }} '''NETPIC''' is a DOS utility developed by Jim Tucker. Its main feature ..."

2022-08-09T14:40:15Z

Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Graphics |extensions={{ext|npx}}, others |released=1995 }} '''NETPIC''' is a DOS utility developed by Jim Tucker. Its main feature ..."

New page

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Graphics
|extensions={{ext|npx}}, others
|released=1995
}}
'''NETPIC''' is a DOS utility developed by Jim Tucker. Its main feature is to convert a [[GIF]] image file to a [[DOS executable (.com)|COM]] file that, when executed, displays the image.

== Discussion ==
The generated COM file can optionally use an ASCII-only encoding suitable for inclusion in an email. See [[Executable envelopes#Transfer-encoded executables]] for other executable formats of this sort.

Early versions (pre-v1.3) have a <code>-w</code> option to encode an arbitrary COM file in an ASCII-only format. Later, this feature was moved to a separate [[NETRUN]] utility.

ASCII-encoded files are normally wrapped in some plain text instructions, telling you to use a text editor to save the payload data to a .COM file. Most versions have a <code>-z</code> option to omit the wrapper, producing a file that can be executed directly (though you may have to rename it to end in ".COM").

Versions 2.00+ include an NPX2GIF utility that converts an executable image file back to a GIF file.

Versions with the <code>-w</code> option also have a <code>-e</code> option, to recover the original binary COM file from an ASCII-encoded COM file.

== Identification ==
(Based on limited research.)

Binary-encoded graphics files are observed to start with bytes {{magic|f6 06 2f 01 ff 74 ?? ba 15 01 b4 09 cd 21 b4 07}}.

ASCII-encoded graphics files, without the wrapper, older 3→4 format, start with "{{magic|NETPIC.COM}}" (which apparently is valid x86 machine code).

ASCII-encoded graphics files, without the wrapper, newer 4→5 format (default for v2.00+), start with "{{magic|XPPPYZIQD}}". This does not distinguish them from [[NETSEND]] and some [[NETRUN]] files. Files made by NETPIC apparently have "{{magic|NETPIC}}" at offset 47.

ASCII-encoded arbitrary COM files (<code>-w</code> option) start with "{{magic|COM-PRG.COM}}". This does not distinguish them from older [[NETRUN]] files. Files made by NETPIC v1.0d have "{{magic|NETPIC}}" at offset 520.

== Software ==
* {{CdTextfiles|nopv16/029A/NETPIC10.ZIP|NETPIC v1.0d}} - Ambiguous version number -- also uses 1.0e. Claims to be the first release.
* {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9510/disk1/DISC1/GRAPHICS/NETPIC32.ZIP|NETPIC v3.20}} - Includes a partial change log in the NETPIC.TXT file.
* [{{SACFTPURL|graph|netpic42.zip}} NETPIC v4.20]

[[Category:Executable envelopes]]
[[Category:Transfer Encodings]]

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 ASCII-encoded files are normally wrapped in some plain text instructions, telling you to use a text editor to save the payload data to a .COM file. Most versions have a <code>-z</code> option to omit the wrapper, producing a file that can be executed directly (though you may have to rename it to end in ".COM").
 Versions 2.00+ include an NPX2GIF utility that converts an executable image file back to a GIF file.
@@ Line 30: / Line 32: @@
 == Software ==
-* {{CdTextfiles|nopv16/029A/NETPIC10.ZIP|NETPIC v1.0d}} - Ambiguous version number -- also uses 1.0e. Claims to be the first release.
+* {{CdTextfiles|nopv16/029A/NETPIC10.ZIP|NETPIC v1.0d}} (Also uses version number "1.0e", via the NETPIC-S.COM file created with the <code>-!</code> option.)
 * NETPIC v1.4A (1995-04-07): [https://archive.org/details/cd-ascq DP TOOL CLUB CD ASCQ] → CD_ASCQ_22_0695.iso → VRAC/NETPIC14.ZIP
 * NETPIC v1.41 (1995-04-29): [https://archive.org/details/Joystick_Magazine_-_Hors-Serie_Numero_08_CD_-_Avril_1996 Joystick_Magazine_-_Hors-Serie_Numero_08_CD_-_Avril_1996] → cd3.iso → GRAPHISM/DOS/NETPIC14.ZIP

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 * {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9510/disk1/DISC1/GRAPHICS/NETPIC32.ZIP|NETPIC v3.20}} - Includes a partial change log in the NETPIC.TXT file.
 * [{{SACFTPURL|graph|netpic42.zip}} NETPIC v4.20]
 [[Category:Executable envelopes]]
 [[Category:Transfer Encodings]]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 The generated COM file can optionally use an ASCII-only encoding suitable for inclusion in an email. See [[Executable envelopes#Transfer-encoded executables]] for other executable formats of this sort.
-Early versions (pre-v1.3) have a <code>-w</code> option to encode an arbitrary COM file in an ASCII-only format. Later, this feature was moved to a separate [[NETRUN]] utility.
+Early versions (pre-v1.3) have a <code>-w</code> option to encode an arbitrary COM file in an ASCII-only format. There is also a <code>-e</code> option, to recover the original binary COM file. Later, this feature was moved to a separate [[NETRUN]] utility.
 ASCII-encoded files are normally wrapped in some plain text instructions, telling you to use a text editor to save the payload data to a .COM file. Most versions have a <code>-z</code> option to omit the wrapper, producing a file that can be executed directly (though you may have to rename it to end in ".COM").
 Versions 2.00+ include an NPX2GIF utility that converts an executable image file back to a GIF file.
 == Identification ==
-(Based on limited research.)
+''Note that some versions, notably 2.00 and 3.10, have not been located for evaluation. We'll assume the text wrapper has been deleted or suppressed, though robust identification would have to account for it.''
-Binary-encoded graphics files are observed to start with bytes {{magic|f6 06 2f 01 ff 74 ?? ba 15 01 b4 09 cd 21 b4 07}}.
+Version 1.x ASCII-encoded GIF→COM (NPX) files, without the wrapper, start with "{{magic|NETPIC.COM}}" (which apparently is valid x86 machine code).
-ASCII-encoded graphics files, without the wrapper, older 3→4 format, start with "{{magic|NETPIC.COM}}" (which apparently is valid x86 machine code).
+Version 3.02 ASCII-encoded GIF→COM (NPX) files, without the wrapper, start with "{{magic|ZRX-sm-sm-Z}}". The string "{{magic|NETPIC_COPYRIGHT_1995_BY_JIM_TUCKER}}" appears in the file, at offset 462 by default, or offset 396 for 3→4 encoding (<code>-3</code> option).
-ASCII-encoded graphics files, without the wrapper, newer 4→5 format (default for v2.00+), start with "{{magic|XPPPYZIQD}}". This does not distinguish them from [[NETSEND]] and some [[NETRUN]] files. Files made by NETPIC apparently have "{{magic|NETPIC}}" at offset 47.
+Version 3.20-4.20 ASCII-encoded GIF→COM (NPX) files, without the wrapper, start with "{{magic|XPPPYZIQD}}". This does not distinguish them from [[NETSEND]] and some [[NETRUN]] files. Files made by NETPIC apparently have "{{magic|NETPIC}}" at offset 47.
-ASCII-encoded arbitrary COM files (<code>-w</code> option) start with "{{magic|COM-PRG.COM}}". This does not distinguish them from older [[NETRUN]] files. Files made by NETPIC v1.0d have "{{magic|NETPIC}}" at offset 520.
+The ASCII-encoded arbitrary COM files from v1.0's <code>-w</code> option, without the wrapper, start with "{{magic|COM-PRG.COM}}". This does not distinguish them from older [[NETRUN]] files. Files made by NETPIC have "{{magic|NETPIC}}" at offset 520.
 == Software ==
 * {{CdTextfiles|nopv16/029A/NETPIC10.ZIP|NETPIC v1.0d}} - Ambiguous version number -- also uses 1.0e. Claims to be the first release.
 * {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel9510/disk1/DISC1/GRAPHICS/NETPIC32.ZIP|NETPIC v3.20}} - Includes a partial change log in the NETPIC.TXT file.
 * [{{SACFTPURL|graph|netpic42.zip}} NETPIC v4.20]