What file formats are supported by the NBS Perspective Viewer?

Applies to: NBS Perspective

Summary

NBS Perspective can view and print over 250 document types, even if you don’t have the software associated with that document. For example someone who does not have MicroStation software can quickly view a MicroStation drawing in the NBS Perspective viewer.

More information

NBS Perspective supports the viewing of many different file types. Below is a list of all document types that the NBS Perspective Viewer supports.

Archive formats

Format description	File type	Extension	Version support
Zip file format		ZIP

Microsoft Office formats and PDF

Format description	File type	Extension	Version support
Adobe PDF		PDF	v1.6
Adobe PDFW	Writer	PDF	v1.3
Microsoft Word		DOC	95, 6.0, 97, 2000, XP, 2003
Microsoft PowerPoint		PPT	97, 2000, XP, 2003
Microsoft Excel		XLS95, 97, 2000, XP, 2003
Binary		*
Text file		TXT	ASCII
Windows meta file		WMF, EMF	Enhanced and Standard

Raster formats

Format description	File type	Extension	Version support
Adobe Photoshop		PSD
CALS		CAL	Type 1 Group 4
Compuserve GIF		GIF	GIF 87a / 89a
EDMICS		TG4	Tiled Group 4
GTX		G3, G4, RNL
Image Systems	Group 4	IG4
Intergraph	Group 4	CIT
Intergraph	RGB	RGB	Type 27
Intergraph	RLE	RLE
Intergraph	Tiled raster	TG4
JBIG		JBG
JPEG		JPG	JF IF compient
Paintbrush		PCX
Portable network graphics		PNG
Run length		RLC	RLC, RLC-2
SUN		RAS
TIFF		TIF
TARGA	Image	TGA
Windows bitmap		BMP	Windows BMP and OS/2 DIB
X-Windows dump		XWD

Vector formats

Format description	File type	Extension	Version support
Anvil 1000	Drawing	DRW	1, 2 and 3
AutoCAD	Drawing	DWG	2, 5 - 14, 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
AutoCAD	Drawing Exchange	DXF	2, 5 - 14, 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
AutoCAD	Drawing Web	DWF	→ 6.0
Autodesk	Render	RND
Autodesk	Slide	SLD
Cadkey	Drawing	PRT	Part File
Calcomp	Plotter	CCP
CGM		CGM PIP, +	Binary only
Design Systems		VEC Data
ESRI	Drawing	SHP
FelixCAD	Drawing	FLX	2, 3 and 4
Gerber	Plotter	GBR	RS274, RS-274X
HPGL	Plotter	PLT	HPGL
HPGL/2	Plotter	PLT	HPGL/2
HP RTL	Plotter	PLT	HP-RTL
ME 10/30	Drawing	MI
MicroStation	Drawing	DGN	v3, 4, 5, 7, 8.x
RxSpotlight	Vector	VC5	v5.x

Hybrid formats

Format description	File type	Extension	Version support
AutoCAD	Hybrid	DWG	DWG 2, 5 - 14, 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
CAD Overlay	Hybrid	RES
GTX RasterCAD	Hybrid	REF
MicroStation	Hybrid	DGN	v3, 4, 5, 7, 8.x
Tessel CAD Raster	Hybrid	TAF

To learn more about the NBS Perspective Viewer watch our online tutorial: How to use the NBS Perspective Viewer.

KB number: P005
Keywords: File format, File formats, Supported, File, Files, Extension, Type, Zip, Adobe, Microsoft, Doc, XLS, PowerPoint, CAD, JPEG, GIF, JPG, Bitmap, BMP, AutoCAD, MicroStation, Drawing, View, Open, Edit, Preview
Issue revision no.: 1.0