TheDraw COM File

Revision as of 15:10, 10 February 2026

TheDraw COM File is a format for ANSI Art-style character graphics, associated with the DOS software TheDraw. The format was introduced in TheDraw v3.20 (1989-04).

It is in the form of a DOS .COM file that, when executed, prints the graphics to the screen.

Format details

There are three "types" of the format, distinguished by the byte at offset 6 having value 0, 1, or 2.

Types 1 and 2 were introduced in version 4.00. TheDraw selects the type to use automatically. Type 1 seems to be rare, and is used only if the image is incompressible.

Identification

Type 0 files start with bytes eb 3d 90, and have 00 at offset 6.

Type 1 files start with bytes eb 18 90, and have 01 at offset 6.

Type 2 files start with bytes eb 3d 90, and have 02 at offset 6.

Types 0 and 2 have the signature string "TheDraw COM file Screen Save" at offset 9, followed by byte 0x1a.

Type 1 has the shorter string "TheDraw COM file" at offset 9, followed by 0x1a.

See also P-Screen COM Screen, which looks a lot like type 0, except for the different signature string.

Specifications

• An overview of the decompression algorithm for type 2 is in the UNCRUNCH.PAS file included with TheDraw 4.x.

Software

• TheDraw - Refer to TheDraw Save File#Software (v3.20+)
• Deark

(Or just execute the file in a DOS environment.)

Sample files

• TACT538.ZIP - Most of the .COM files
• dexvert samples — image/theDrawCOM
• S. A. T. Survival Kit → MENU/{KIT.COM, SATS.COM} (type 1 files)

Examples of modified files:

• SAVE____.ZIP → SCREEN*.COM
• NU_ART.ZIP → PS.COM
• DVFAX.ZIP → *.COM
• s_nws500.zip → *.COM