Convert XBM to ART

Understanding xbm and art file formats

XBM (X BitMap) is a monochrome image file format used primarily in the X Window System for storing simple bitmap graphics, such as icons and cursors. XBM files are plain text files containing C source code, which defines the image as an array of bits.

ART is a proprietary image file format developed by America Online (AOL) for compressing graphics, mainly for use in AOL's online services. ART files are highly compressed and were designed to speed up image loading times over slow internet connections. They are less commonly used today and may require specialized software to view or convert.

How to convert xbm to art

Converting an XBM file to an ART file is not a common workflow, as ART is a proprietary and less-supported format. However, the conversion can be achieved by first converting the XBM file to a more widely supported format (such as BMP or PNG), and then converting that file to ART using specialized tools.

Recommended software for conversion

• IrfanView (Windows): This versatile image viewer and converter supports XBM files and, with the appropriate plugins, can save images in the ART format. To convert:
  1. Open your XBM file in IrfanView.
  2. Go to File → Save As.
  3. Select ART as the output format.
  4. Click Save.
• XnConvert (Windows, macOS, Linux): This batch image converter supports XBM as input and, with the right plugins, may support ART as output. The process is similar: open the XBM file, choose ART as the output format, and convert.

If direct conversion to ART is not available, convert XBM to BMP or PNG first, then use IrfanView or XnConvert to convert the intermediate file to ART.

Tips and considerations

• ART format is rarely used today and may not be supported by modern software.
• Quality loss may occur due to ART's high compression.
• Always keep a backup of your original XBM file before conversion.