Q59665: Loss of Colors in Paintbrush File

Article: Q59665
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 12-DEC-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Microsoft Windows Paintbrush can save files only up to the number of
simultaneous colors the current display allows. For example, if you are using
the standard Windows 16-color VGA video driver, Paintbrush can save files with
16 colors or less. If you are using a 256-color video driver, Paintbrush can
save 256 color files. Even if you select a specific number of colors when saving
a file, the file is saved only with the maximum number of colors that the
current display supports.

Applications such as Microsoft Word for MS-DOS version 5.0 don't recognize
pictures in the 256-color format and are unable to use pictures in that format.

WORKAROUND
==========

To convert these pictures to a 16-color format, do the following:

1. Run Windows Setup and install the standard VGA driver.

2. Restart Windows and run the Windows Paintbrush.

3. Load the 256-color files and then save them in the .PCX format. This will
  save them in a format Word 5.0 can read.

4. Run Windows Setup again and reinstall the original 256-color video driver.

Paintbrush can load files with any number of colors. However, if you load a
256-color file on a 16-color VGA and immediately save it, the file is
irrevocably converted to 16 colors.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows Paintbrush versions 3.0
and 3.0a. This problem was corrected in later versions of Paintbrush.

Additional query words: 3.0 3.00 3.0a 3.00a 5 5.0 5.00

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a

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