RECOIL - Retro Computer Image Library

RECOIL 7.0.0 (2026-10-20)

Changed the license to MIT, which is more permissive than the previous GPL 2+.

New formats:

• Amstrad CPC: SCR without PAL
• eLeMeNt ZX: 546, HAM, HGH, HGL, HGS, HKL, HRC, HRX, SHR, SKL, XKL
• Timex 2048: TCU, THC, THR
• ZX Spectrum: GSC
• ZX-Uno: RAD

Improved formats:

• Atari Falcon: UIMG
• Atari Portfolio: PGC, PGF (LCD screen colors)
• C64: SHS
• MSX: SR5, SR6, SR7, SR8, SRA, SCC
• SAM Coupe: SS4

Ports:

• New Quick Look plugin, compatible with macOS 10.15+ (the old plugin stopped working on macOS 15)
• GIMP 3 plugin
• "Share as PNG" was crashing on Android 9 and older, and is now disabled on these systems
• Fixed TortoiseGit/TortoiseSVN plugins that were not working in recent releases
• Updated the install location for the new XnView MP on Windows
• Support for both ImageMagick 6 and 7 on Linux

Infrastructure:

• Made the website mobile-friendly
• Switched to GitHub.com for the code repository, tickets and discussions

RECOIL 6.4.5 (2024-10-27)

• Added VIC-20 "MINIPAINT" format (MG)
• Fixed colors in palette-less XIMG
• Recognized 7680-byte "PAINT?.PIC" files as Paint 256
• Removed PMD and PMG associations from the Windows 10 app

RECOIL 6.4.4 (2024-05-18)

Fixed crashes on malicious ABK, CGX, CHR, EPA, MAG, PIC, PNT, Q4, RIP, SHP, SHR/32K/GS and SPX files.

RECOIL 6.4.3 (2024-05-10)

• Fixed repeated lines in Atari ST IMG
• Fixed Palette Master (ART) colors
• Fixed the dimensions of MegaPaint images (BLD)
• Restricted the bit depth in MAG, PI and PIC
• The Windows 10 app now opens multi-file images

RECOIL 6.4.2 (2024-03-09)

• Fixed the Windows installers that were broken in 6.4.1
• Fixed invalid decoding of some Apple Preferred Format (SHR) files

RECOIL 6.4.1 (2024-02-26)

• Fixed some variants of IMG, MAG, PIC and RAG
• Added a black background to the Android app

RECOIL 6.4.0 (2023-10-30)

New formats:

• Atari 8-bit: PIC v2
• C64: PETSCII BOT (PBOT), C64 OS screenshot v2 (PET), Commodore Grafix (CGX)
• PC-88: KTY, KT4

RECOIL 6.3.4 (2023-03-26)

• New Atari ST/TT/Falcon formats: Grafix (GRX), UIMG (BP1/BP2/BP4/BP6/BP8/C01/C02/C04/C06/C08/C16/C24/C32)
• New SAM Coupe formats: SS1, SS2, SS3, LCE
• More variants of the ABK, G9B, SS4 and TIM formats
• Fixed colors in CWG, PI4, PI5 and MSX2+ YJK mode

RECOIL 6.3.3 (2023-03-08)

• New formats: Atari Image Manager (COL, IM), MSX Interchange Format (MIF)
• Improved formats: CH8, IIM, RAG, SPX, SXG, VIC, VZI
• Alias extensions: GLB/SHA/SHB, SCB, SH5, SH6, SH7, SH8, SHC

RECOIL 6.3.2 (2022-12-11)

• New C64 formats: Printfox (BS, GB), Pagefox (PG), Star Painter (GR/CS, ZS)
• New Atari 8-bit format: SprEd (SPR)
• Fixed crashes on some invalid files

RECOIL 6.3.1 (2022-10-05)

• New format: C64 Loadstar (SHP)
• Improved formats: NEC PC-98 IMG, Apple IIGS SHR
• Fixed the Android 6.3.0 app, which failed to open some formats

RECOIL 6.3.0 (2022-08-26)

New formats:

• Dozens of Commodore 64 formats, thanks to Soci for sample files and a reference implementation in view64
• Atari 8-bit: Graph2Font vertical scroll (VSC+G2F)
• Electronika BK: BKS
• Electronika MC 0515: SCR
• Vector-06C: SPR
• ZX Spectrum: big font (CHX), SevenuP (SEV), SpecSCII (ZXS)

Improved formats:

• Commodore 64: 4BT, DD, ECI, GIG, HLF, HPI, ILE, KLA, MCI, MIL
• Commodore 128: VBM
• ZX Spectrum: ZX-Paintbrush (ZXP)
• Alias extensions: BED, BFL, BPL, FFL, FLG, HIE, MPI, MPIC, MWIN

Android:

• Save as PNG, Share as PNG

RECOIL 6.2.0 (2022-07-12)

New formats:

• Atari 8-bit: ASCII Maker (ASC), OD Font Editor (ODF), RastaConverter (MIC+PMG+RP+RP.INI), Visualizer (PIC)
• Atari ST: ColorSTar (BIL), ColorSTar object (OBJ), MonoSTar object (OBJ)
• VIC-20: Best Paint (BP), Picasso (PIC0+PIC1)
• C64: CFLI Designer (CFLI), GoDot clip (CLP), Hires-Editor (HET), PetDraw64 (PDR)
• HP 48: GROB (GRB/GRO)
• SAM Coupe: SSX
• ZX Spectrum Profi: GRF

Improved formats:

• Additional variants of: GFA Artist (ART), Turbo Rascal Syntax Error (FLF), PI
• Alias extensions: MonoSTar (ART), DDP, FLY, HFD, HRE, LRE

Rendering:

• Pixel Aspect Ratio is implemented for the BBC Micro, Commodore 16/116/Plus4, VIC-20, Oric, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum
• A Commodore 16/116/Plus4 palette can be loaded from a VPL file in recoil2png and RECOILWin

Ports:

• GIMP plugin (Windows/macOS/Linux)
• The Android app now uses the system file picker. It requires Android 4.4 or newer and supports local and cloud storage. To swipe between images or view multi-file images, use ZIP files.
• Improved Windows 10 app icons

RECOIL 6.1.1 (2021-07-16)

• New Atari 8-bit formats: Mad Studio (AN2, AN4, AN5, TL4), Zoom-4 graphics editor (ZM4)
• Improved formats: MSX Screen 4 (SC4), Amiga icon (INFO), Mad Studio (GR1, GR2, MPL)
• Notarized the macOS package

RECOIL 6.1.0 (2021-03-07)

• Lifted limits on file size (from 6 MB to 2 GB) and the number of pixels (from 3 MP to 134 MP)
• New format: Tandy 1000 DeskMate Paint (PNT)
• Apple silicon compatibility
• win64.zip package
• Restored Windows XP compatibility

RECOIL 6.0.0 (2021-02-04)

Rendering:

• PAL/NTSC can be selected in recoil2png and RECOILWin, which affects Pixel Aspect Ratio and the Atari 8-bit palette
• Pixel Aspect Ratio (PAR) is implemented for these platforms: Apple II, Atari 8-bit (PAL/NTSC), Atari Portfolio, C64 (PAL/NTSC) and MSX. It is available in recoil2png, the ImageMagick/Paint.NET/XnView plugins, the Windows 10 app and RECOILWin (save as PNG and copy to clipboard only)
• A C64 palette can be loaded from a VPL file in recoil2png and RECOILWin

New formats:

• Atari 8-bit: ART, MGA, PI8, PI9, PIX, Print Shop (PSF)
• C64: Image System Hires (ISH)
• MSX2: Dot Designer's Club (CMP)
• NEC PC-98: ARTV (ARV), EBD

Improved formats:

• Graphics expansions are identified: Amiga DCTV/HAM-E, Atari 8-bit VBXE, MSX V990 VDP, ZX Spectrum ULAplus/Next, ZX Evolution
• RECOIL now decodes more Atari ST PaintShop files (PSC)

Ports:

• Fixed "No supported files" on Android 11
• XnView MP plugin released for Ubuntu
• Unicode filenames are now supported in Windows Explorer, RECOILWin and Imagine
• Imagine now supports multi-file images
• Updated to ImageMagick 7
• TortoiseSVN/TortoiseGit plugins for comparing images
• Windows binaries are now signed

RECOIL 5.1.1 (2020-10-30)

• New format: NEC PC-88 ArtMaster88 (IMG).
• Fixed colors in Amstrad CPC Mode 1 (SCR+PAL, PPH+ODD+EVE).
• Decode multiple tiles in a Mapletown Network MX1 file (MX1).

RECOIL 5.1.0 (2020-09-08)

New formats:

• Apple II: Apple Preferred Format (GS/IIGS/PNT/SHR), Multi-palette (32K), 3201
• Atari 8-bit: Mad Studio (GR0/ASC/SCR, SPR, MSL, MPL)
• C64: CharPad (CTM), Centauri Logo-Editor (CLE)
• NEC PC-88: DaVinci (IMG)
• NEC PC-98: Mapletown Network (ML1, MX1, NL3)
• ZX Spectrum: ZX Spectrum Next (NXI), Border Screen by Trefi (BSP)

RECOILWin:

• Multiple-monitor support: full screen on the current monitor, and the window adapts to the DPI when switching monitors.
• Press 5-9 for 5x-9x zoom.

Windows 10 app:

• Full-screen mode.

RECOIL 5.0.1 (2020-03-18)

• Fixed colors in the ICE format.
• Fixed search and the app icon on newer Android versions.

RECOIL 5.0.0 (2019-11-12)

• New formats: AMOS (ABK), Z's Staff Kid98 (ZIM), Turbo Rascal Syntax Error (FLF).
• Upgraded the Ć programming language and C code to C99.

RECOIL 4.3.2 (2019-07-06)

• New formats: APS, G9S/SFD, HPS, ILS, INS, PLS, GR9P, AGS, Electronika BK (PIC), STL.
• Additional variants of the Japanese formats: SC5, SC6, SC7, GL5, GL7, MAG, PI, PIC, SCC+S1C, SR6. Also added new platforms: FM Towns, NEC PC-80 and NEC PC-88 VA.
• Alias extensions: 256, HAM, APA.

RECOIL 4.3.1 (2018-12-05)

• New formats: HAME, DCTV, HRG
• Improved formats: PI, SPX, PCS, PI4, IFF (RAST chunk), IMG (STTT/HyperPaint), SRT
• Android: fixed a startup crash on some devices; the file picker now asks for permission (previously granted at installation)
• Windows 10: open multiple files
• HTML5: save as PNG

RECOIL 4.3.0 (2018-06-10)

New ports:

• Plugin for XnView MP (Windows, macOS and Linux), which requires XnView MP 0.91 or newer
• A macOS binary of recoil2png

New formats:

• Amstrad CPC: SymbOS graphic (SGX)
• Atari 8-bit: Graph2Font (MIC+COL)
• Atari ST: Canvas (CPT+HBL, FUL), Palette Master (ART)
• C64: Pixel Perfect (PP, PPP), FLI Profi (FPR), Flip (FBI)
• MSX: GFX9k (G9B), MIG
• NEC PC-98: PI
• PC: Handy Scanner 2000 POSTERING (HS2)
• Psion Series 3: PIC/ICN

Improved formats:

• Atari 8-bit: added a VBXE color map (G2F) and raster changes (PGR)
• Atari ST: fixed Art Director colors (ART)
• C64: fixed the background color (CHE)
• MSX: improved colors (SC2, SC3, SC8) and fixed odd widths (GL6, GL7)
• Alias extensions: DHGR, HPL, FCP

RECOIL 4.2.1 (2018-03-02)

This is a Windows 10-only release because 4.2.0 failed Windows Store certification.

New Atari 8-bit formats: F80, FN2.

RECOIL 4.2.0 (2018-02-20)

New formats:

• Atari 8-bit: SlideShow for VBXE (DAP), KSS-Paint (KSS), PowerGraphics (PGR), Hard Color Map (HCM)
• MSX: GL5+PL5, GL6+PL6, GL7+PL7, GL8, GLA+PLA, GLC, SC3, SC4, SC5+S15, SC6, SC6+S16, SC7+S17, SC8+S18, SCA+S1A, SCC+S1C, SR6, SRI+PL7, PCT, STP, FNT, thanks to FRS
• PC: Image 72 font (FNT)
• Timex 2048: hi-res (SCR)
• TRS-80: MagicDraw (SHR)
• ZX Spectrum: Border Screen (BSC), Border Screen Multicolor 8x4 (BMC4), Speccy eXtended Graphics (SXG), CHR$ (CH$)

Improved formats:

• Atari STE: NEOchrome Master (NEO)
• MSX: implemented sprites (SC2, SC3, SC4, SC5, SC6, SC7, SC8, SCA, SCC) and fixed some files (MAG)

Ports:

• Android: file picker now shows internal storage, SD card and icons
• HTML5: browse multiple images and multi-file images
• Windows 10: added save as PNG, share and copy to clipboard

Platform information is now more detailed for Apple II/IIe/IIGS, MSX/MSX2/MSX2+ and non-standard display adapters (VBXE, ULAplus and Evolution).

RECOIL 4.1.0 (2017-10-18)

New formats:

• Amstrad CPC: Mode 5 (CM5+GFX), Perfect Pix (PPH+ODD+EVE)
• Atari 8-bit: Mad Studio (GR1, GR2, GR3)
• Commodore 64: SpritePad (SPD), SEUCK (A, G), PETSCII Editor (PET, SCR+COL)
• Commodore 128: BASIC 8 (PICT, BRUS), I Paint (IP)
• TRS-80: CompuServe RLE (RLE)

Improved formats:

• Apple Macintosh: PNT
• Atari 8-bit: G2F (GTIA modes, DLI+), MCH
• Atari Falcon: IMG
• Commodore 64: KOA
• Commodore 128: BM

Ports:

• RECOILWin: press 1-4 for 1x-4x zoom
• HTML5: filter in the file picker
• Linux: added recoil2png man page

RECOIL 4.0.0 (2017-05-17)

Formats:

• Atari ST/TT/Falcon: added dozens of formats and improved the existing ones, thanks to Lonny Pursell
• Atari 8-bit: added Graph2Font (G2F), GED, Floor Designer (FGE), Standard Graphics 3 (SG3), Graphic Arts Department (PIC), Texture Maker0 16x16x16 (TX0), DrawIt and Sketch-PadDles (SKP), and improved MCH
• Amiga: slightly improved IFF
• ZX81: added ZXpaintyONE (ZP1, RAW) and fixed the P format

Ports:

• Windows thumbnails are enabled automatically in folders with images
• RECOILWin: support for high-resolution displays
• Windows 10: improved icons and filename display
• recoil2png continues with the next files after an error
• Android: switched to the standard build system

RECOIL 3.5.0 (2016-12-01)

Added a new Windows 10 port.

Decoding additional variants of BEAM, IFF, SC2, SC5, SC7, SCA, SR5, SR7 and XIMG.

New formats:

• Amiga: TVPaint (DEEP)
• Atari Falcon: TIMG
• MSX: Maki-chan Graphics (MAG, MAX)
• NEC PC-88: Maki-chan Graphics (MAG)
• NEC PC-98: Maki-chan Graphics (MAG, MKI), XLD4 (Q4)
• PlayStation: TIM
• Sharp X68000: PIC
• ZX Spectrum: ULAplus (SCR)

RECOIL 3.4.0 (2016-02-02)

• Decoding the exact width of several formats instead of right-padding them.
• Fixed crashes on invalid files.
• Calculating unique colors is now faster.
• The aspect ratio of IFF and IMG is now honored.
• Fixed decoding of some Spectrum 512 SPC.
• Fixed downscaling artifacts in RECOILWin.

IFF improvements:

• Added decoding of multi-palette images.
• Added decoding of RGB8 and RGBN.
• The compression field of ACBM is now ignored.
• Improved EHB and HAM detection.
• Improved contrast for 12-bit CMAP.

New formats:

• Apple IIGS: SH3.
• Atari 8-bit: Envision (MAP), EnvisionPC (MAP), KFX, Texture Editor (TXE), Interlace Logo Designer (ILD).
• Atari ST: NEOchrome Master (NEO, NEO+RST).
• Atari Falcon: XGA, Prism Paint (PNT, TPI).
• Commodore 128: VBM.

Android changes:

• Added favorite files and folders, and a shortcut to Downloads.
• Added another "back" button on the action bar.
• Added compatibility with older Android versions.
• Full-screen error messages.

RECOIL 3.3.0 (2015-08-07)

• Added support for multi-file pictures (extensions listed below with a plus sign).
• Added more variants of ICE and MAC formats.
• The LUM format contains 119 lines, not just 96.
• Fixed a crash when saving a PNG on Windows.
• Fixed Atari ST/STE formats that were unavailable on OS X.
• On Android, files are now sorted case-insensitively.

New formats:

• Amstrad CPC: SCR+PAL, WIN+PAL.
• Apple II: SPR.
• Atari 8-bit: CPI, CUT, KPR, LDM, LUM+COL, RAP, TXS.
• Commodore 64: KLA.
• MSX: SC5/GE5, SC7/GE7, SR5+PL5, SR7+PL7, YJK.
• Oric: CHS, HIR/HRS.
• Timex 2048: MLT.
• TRS-80: HR.
• TRS-80 Color Computer: CLP, GRF/MAX/P41/PIX, P11.

RECOIL 3.2.0 (2015-01-28)

New formats:

• Amiga: INFO
• Amstrad CPC: SCR, HGB, FNT
• Apple II: HGR, DHR, SHR
• Atari 8-bit: RYS, HCI, MCPP
• Atari ST/STE: DUO/DU1, DU2, PL4
• BBC Micro: BB0, BB1, BB2, BB4, BB5, BBG
• Commodore 16: P4I
• Commodore 64: A64/WIG
• MSX: SCA, SCC, SRS
• PC: EPA, MSP
• ZX81: P

RECOIL 3.1.0 (2014-06-25)

New formats:

• Commodore 64: GoDot (4BT), VIC, FLI Designer (FD2), Multi-Lace Editor (MLE)
• ZX Spectrum: 3
• Macintosh 128K: MacPaint (MAC)
• MSX: SC2, GRP, SC8, Graph Saurus (SR8)
• SAM Coupe: SCS4

New ports:

• OS X Quick Look plugin.
• GNOME 3 thumbnailer.
• Linux DEB and RPM binary packages.

Android changes:

• Search for filenames using the on-screen keyboard.
• Added file information and About boxes.
• The gallery is no longer reset when the orientation changes.

Other changes:

• Disabled the per-line background color in the Funpaint (FUN) format.
• RECOILWin now resets the zoom after a large image is opened.

RECOIL 3.0.0 (2014-02-26)

RECOIL is a continuation of the First Atari Image Library (FAIL) project. In addition to the Atari 8-bit/Portfolio/ST/Falcon formats, RECOIL decodes Amiga, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum files.

Other changes since FAIL 2.0.2:

• New ports: Android, Paint.NET plugin.
• New Atari 8-bit formats: BGP, DGI, LEO, LUM, SIF.
• The default Atari 8-bit palette is now Altirra's PAL.
• The XnView plugin is now a single file and requires XnView 2.11 or newer.

FAIL 2.0.2 (2013-09-15)

New formats: Interlace Character Editor font (ICE), GEM Bit Image (IMG), Multi Palette Picture (MPP).

This is the last release of FAIL. But don't worry! We are just renaming our project to Retro Computer Image Library (RECOIL), because we are going to support formats from 8-bit and 16-bit machines other than Atari. Stay tuned!

FAIL 2.0.1 (2013-04-24)

• Added Atari 8-bit formats: IP2, IMN, ICN, DIN, IRG, IR2, VZI.
• Added "DEGAS Elite" icon (ICN).
• Fixed decoding of IPC.
• Implemented a thumbnail provider for Windows 2000/XP.
• Added fullscreen mode to the HTML5 port.

FAIL 2.0.0 (2013-02-15)

• The library was rewritten from C to the Ć programming language. This made it possible to create the HTML5 port.
• The rewrite included code clean-up and bug fixes in the decoding of RIP, TIP, SGE, HR2, AGP, AP3/APV/DGP/ESC/ILC/PZM, APP, CIN, CCI.
• Added new formats: ICE PCIN (IPC), Daisy-Dot font (NLQ), PMG Designer (PMD), AtariTools-800 font (ACS), PhotoChrome (PCS), HPM, MCS, Anime 4ever (A4R), DuneGraph compressed (DGC, DC1), Canvas compressed (CPT), Interchange File Format (IFF), DEGAS Elite block (BL1, BL2, BL3), DEGAS Elite brush (BRU).
• Added auto-detection of Atari STE 4096-color palette.
• FAILWin and XnView show the computer family of the file format.
• FAILWin shows the number of alternating frames.
• The win64 package is now sufficient on 64-bit Windows; there's no need to install the win32 package.
• Reduced CPU and memory usage in fail2png.

FAIL 1.4.0 (2012-11-28)

• Added Atari Falcon formats: Fuckpaint (PI4, PI9), DuneGraph (DGU, DG1), EggPaint (TRP), IndyPaint (TRU), GodPaint (GOD), Falcon True Color (FTC), DelmPaint (DEL, DPH).
• Added Atari ST formats: Spectrum 512 Smooshed (SPS), DeskPic (GFB), 416x560 DEGAS (PI1).
• Created a plugin for Imagine (might be interesting for Total Commander users, as Imagine includes a Total Commander plugin).
• Reduced CPU and memory usage in Windows thumbnail provider, ImageMagick and XnView.

FAIL 1.3.0 (2012-07-23)

• Added Atari ST formats: DEGAS (PI1, PI2, PI3), DEGAS Elite (PC1, PC2, PC3), NEOchrome (NEO), Spectrum 512 (SPU, SPC), Tiny Stuff (TNY, TN1, TN2, TN3), STAD (PAC), CrackArt (CA1, CA2, CA3), Doodle (DOO), Art Director (ART).
• Added Atari Portfolio formats (PGF, PGC).
• More Atari 8-bit formats: Atari Player Editor (APL), Artist (ART), Ascii-Art Editor (ART), Atari CAD (DRG), AtariTools-800 (AGP, PLA, MIS, 4PL, 4MI, 4PM), ING 15 (ING), Lepix dialect of CIN, raw images (GR7, G10, G11).
• Fixed non-interlaced RIP modes.
• Extended FAILWin with "First/Last file in directory" and "Skip files on error".
• Narrow pictures are no longer cropped in FAILWin.

FAIL 1.2.0 (2011-12-16)

• Added decoding of ColorViewSquash (RGB), Blazing Paddles (CHR, SHP, WND), Magic Painter (MGP), Mad Designer (MBG), AtariGraphics (MIC), Fun with Art (FWA), Rambrandt (RM0, RM1, RM2, RM3, RM4), XL-Paint (XLP), XL-Paint MAX (MAX), SHIMC (SHC), Graph (ALL), APP View (APP), Semi-Graphic logos Editor (SGE), Dir Logo Maker (DLM), Movie Maker (BKG, SHP), BG9, G09, The Graphics Magician Picture Painter (SPC).
• Improved decoding of all RAW and MIC files, and of some RIP and FNT files.
• Added the APV extension for the AP3 format.
• Created a GNOME thumbnailer (for Nautilus, the Linux file browser).
• You can drag and drop files onto the FAILWin window.
• GR8 is now registered in ImageMagick.

FAIL 1.1.0 (2011-04-18)

• Fixed decoding of ILC, AP3, RIP, PIC, CPR, HIP and CIN.
• Added support for MCH, IGE, 256, AP2, JGP, DGP, ESC, PZM, IST and RAW.
• Created a Windows thumbnail provider.
• Fixed user interface issues in FAILWin.
• Fixed compilation errors with the new libpng.
• Updated the installation for the new ImageMagick.
• Moved source code from SVN to Git.

FAIL 1.0.1 (2010-08-25)

• Created a Windows setup.
• Created a coder for ImageMagick.
• Added MCP, GHG and HR2 formats.
• Improved the build process.

FAIL 1.0.0 (2009-08-25)

Initial release.