How can I convert Microsoft Image Composer files into a usable format?

November 15, 2009 1:33 PM

I have a bunch of old Microsoft Image Composer (.mic) files. Nothing in my current toolkit can handle the format. How can I view them and/or convert them to something useful?

Google consensus seems to be I should torrent a copy of Image Composer -- which used to come with FrontPage, IIRC -- but I'd rather not risk downloading a trojan. I'm running Windows.

Thanks!

posted by Lazlo to computers & internet (7 answers total)

Do you know anyone who has an MSDN subscription?
posted by jkaczor at 1:38 PM on November 15, 2009

I can probably find a copy of the program at work, if you wanted to email me the files and get some more useful format back.
posted by jacalata at 1:59 PM on November 15, 2009

As far as I can tell, it used to be bundled with frontpage 98 and 2000, but was subsequently discontinued. The spec for the format was never released, so it's unlikely to available in any 3rd party image converters, according to this thread.

I've had a look on technet, and can't see anything older than frontpage 2003 still available.

However - microsoft did offer image composer 1.5 for free as a standalone package, so if you can find a mirror for it, then it should be OK.
posted by ArkhanJG at 2:48 PM on November 15, 2009

The Python Imaging Library claims to be able to read MIC files, and should be able to save them in a more useful format.
posted by yarmond at 3:15 PM on November 15, 2009

The pilconvert command-line script in the Python Imaging Library claims to read .MIC files but can't read mine; they may be from an earlier version than PIL works with. Nice suggestion though.

I may give the torrented version a shot by running it in a sandbox or VM.
posted by Lazlo at 4:01 PM on November 15, 2009

they may be from an earlier version than PIL works with

Newer, more likely. PIL's MIC reader was written in 1997, so I suspect they've had plenty of chances to make things more complex since then... (wouldn't be Microsoft otherwise, right? :)
posted by effbot at 4:17 PM on November 15, 2009

Well, either way, the MIC 1.5 download did the job; everything exported cleanly to .psd (Photoshop 3 version -- gah!). Thanks to all for your suggestions. I'll spare everyone the rant about Microsoft, closed file formats, etc.
posted by Lazlo at 8:24 PM on November 15, 2009