FIG to PDB Converter

Free FIG to PDB converter — readable on e-readers

Choose Files

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up

Accurate Results

FIG to PDB conversion that respects your original layout. Elements, shapes, and text carry over faithfully.

Flexible Export

Download your result locally or send it to cloud storage. Google Drive and Dropbox export is built right in.

Guided Process

Follow the clear step-by-step interface — upload, select output, download. No learning curve, no confusion.

How to convert FIG to PDB

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

Choose pdb or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

Let the file convert and you can download your pdb file right afterwards

About formats

FIG is the native file format of Xfig, a free vector graphics editor for the X Window System, originally written by Supoj Sutanthavibul at the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. The format uses a plain-text structure where each graphic object is described on one or more lines with numeric parameters specifying object type, coordinates, line properties, fill attributes, and depth ordering. FIG supports compound objects (groups), polylines, polygons, splines, arcs, ellipses, text strings, and imported bitmaps, each with configurable colors, line styles, arrow heads, and area fills. Files begin with a header line declaring the format version (currently 3.2), followed by a resolution specification and the object definitions. One advantage is exceptional simplicity — the entirely text-based format is trivially parsed, generated, and manipulated by scripts, making FIG popular as an intermediate format in automated diagram generation pipelines. The rich ecosystem of conversion tools is another strength: fig2dev exports FIG files to dozens of output formats including EPS, PDF, SVG, LaTeX picture environments, PSTricks, and TikZ. This made Xfig and FIG especially popular in academic and scientific communities, where authors generate publication-quality figures that integrate seamlessly with LaTeX documents. While graphical tools have evolved since the 1980s, FIG remains in use among researchers who value its scriptability, LaTeX integration, and well-documented format stability.

Developer: Supoj Sutanthavibul

Initial release: 1985

PDB (Palm Database) is a generic database container format created by Palm, Inc. for the Palm OS platform, first appearing with the original PalmPilot in March 1996. In the ebook context, PDB files most commonly use the PalmDOC or Plucker encoding to store readable text with basic formatting. The format consists of a 78-byte header identifying the database name, creation date, and record count, followed by a record index table and the data records themselves. PalmDOC-encoded PDB files use a simple LZ77-based compression scheme to pack plain text efficiently, while Plucker extends this with HTML rendering, image support, and hyperlink navigation. PDB ebooks powered a thriving mobile reading ecosystem years before dedicated e-readers existed — millions of Palm OS users carried entire libraries on devices like the Palm V, Tungsten, and Treo handhelds. A primary advantage is extreme simplicity: the flat record structure and minimal overhead mean PDB files parse instantly even on severely constrained hardware with limited memory and processing power. The open, well-documented structure is another strength, having spawned numerous reader applications across Palm OS, Windows, and later mobile platforms. Though the Palm platform is long discontinued, PDB ebooks remain accessible through conversion tools and readers like Calibre, and the format holds historical significance as one of the earliest practical mobile ebook solutions.

Developer: Palm, Inc.

Initial release: March 1996

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert FIG to PDB?

FIG is a niche Unix format. Converting to PDB makes your drawings portable and viewable on e-book devices and apps.

Which applications support PDB?

You can open PDB files with Palm device emulators, Calibre, and e-book readers that support PDB format.

Can I batch convert multiple FIG files to PDB?

Absolutely. Add several FIG files at once and convert them all to PDB in a single batch — saves time on bulk tasks.

Is my FIG file safe during conversion?

Uploaded FIG files are deleted immediately after conversion. PDB output files are removed from servers within 24 hours for your privacy.

Do I need to register to convert FIG to PDB?

No account is required. You can convert FIG to PDB directly without signing up — just upload, convert, and download.

Does converting FIG to PDB preserve quality?

Convertio optimizes the conversion to retain as much quality as possible. The output closely matches your original FIG diagram.

Related Conversions

FIG to JPG

FIG to PDF

FIG to PNG

FIG to EPS

FIG to SVG

FIG to JPEG

FIG to BMP

FIG to PSD

FIG to DOC

FIG to GIF

FIG to DXF

FIG to DOCX

FIG to TIFF

FIG to AI

FIG to EMF

FIG to HTML

FIG to ODT

FIG to WMF

FIG to PCX

FIG to SGI

FIG to SK

FIG to OTB

FIG to DOT

FIG to RGB

FIG to PS

FIG to CGM

FIG to SK1

FIG to PLT

FIG to JP2

FIG to WBMP

FIG to TGA

FIG to ICO

FIG to CUR

FIG to PBM

FIG to PGM

FIG to PPM

FIG to WEBP

FIG to EXR

FIG to FAX

FIG to FTS

FIG to G3

FIG to HDR

FIG to HRZ

FIG to IPL

FIG to MAP

FIG to MNG

FIG to MTV

FIG to PAL

FIG to PALM

FIG to PAM

FIG to PCD

FIG to PCT

FIG to PDB

FIG to PFM

FIG to PICON

FIG to PICT

FIG to PNM

FIG to RAS

FIG to RGBA

FIG to RGBO

Specific converters

PDF to PDB

FB2 to PDB

EPUB to PDB

DOCX to PDB

DOC to PDB

JPG to PDB

BIN to PDB

TXT to PDB

MOBI to PDB

PPTX to PDB

RTF to PDB

XLSX to PDB

DJVU to PDB

ODT to PDB

PNG to PDB

JPEG to PDB

HTML to PDB

XLS to PDB

HEIC to PDB

AZW3 to PDB

CSV to PDB

PPT to PDB

JFIF to PDB

BMP to PDB

XPS to PDB

TTF to PDB

GIF to PDB

WEBP to PDB

PPSX to PDB

EPS to PDB