# Picture It/Microsoft Digital Imaging



## jub_jub_kiwi (May 29, 2006)

I have Picture It, an old microsoft photo editing program. I burned some files on to a CD in the picture file format and nothing can open it. Only microsoft Picture It can. Now I seem to have misplaced my CD. If I buy the new Microsoft Digital Imaging does anyone know if that is compatible with the Picture It document so that it can be viewed there?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

I wouldn't bother with Microsoft Digital Imaging, see this bad review... http://www.computerpoweruser.com/ed...rticles/archive/c0303/42c03b/42c03b.asp&guid=


> The default file format for DIP 7.0 is PNG+, Microsoft's version of the Portable Network Graphic standard.


Try *Paint Shop Pro*, $30 cheaper and much better at handling file formats.

Microsoft Picture It uses the non-standard Microsoft Image eXtensions (.mix) as its default file format. I can't find any .mix converters but there is a complicated workaround that involves importing the files into MS Word and saving as a webpage. Seems like too much hard work.


If you need to use Picture It to retrieve your saved files, you can download the full version by joining *FullSoftwareDownload* for $1.49/month. Microsoft don't provide a demo, so this is the cheapest way I can find of getting it.


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## Inactive (Apr 11, 2005)

if you have ms-word, use the insert a picture from a file option and browse to the .mix file. insert it then save the word document as a web page. then browse to the location where you just saved that htm file and you you'll have a subfolder with the graphic image saved as a .jpg


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## jub_jub_kiwi (May 29, 2006)

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Koala: Thanks for your help but i have some questions? Does paintshop Pro support the mix file? 

Freddyhard: Your advice works. Thanks so much!

Also, does anyone know if Microsoft Digital Imaging 2006 supports the mix file?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

Paint Shop Pro supports about 50 file formats, including BMP, CDR, CGM, CLP, CMX, CUT, DCX, DIB, DRW, DXF, EMF, EPS+, FPX, GEM, GIF, HGL, IFF, IMG, JPG, KDC, LBM, MAC, MSP, PBM, PCD, PCT, PCX, PGM, PIC, PIC, PNG, PPM, PSD, PSP, RAS, RAW, RLE, SCT, TGA, TIF, WMF, WPG, WPG......... *but not .MIX* which is a non-standard format that can only be used by Microsoft products like MS Picture It, MS Digital Imaging Pro, MS PhotoDraw and MS Word, and possibly some earlier versions of Corel Draw.

Paint Shop Pro features and file support




The .MIX format is similar to the more commonly used .PSD format (Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc) in that it stores the elements of an image as separate entities rather than a single flat image. .PSD stores these elements as layers, text objects, selected areas, etc. which makes it ideal for editing purposes before finally saving as TIF or JPG.



MS Digital Imaging Pro supports .MIX, but unfortunately Microsoft appears to have produced more than one version of the format, so files saved in one program may not work in another. In other words, it's not a very good file format and should be avoided.



*ReaConverter* ($50) is the only program I can find that can convert .MIX files, but I haven't used it so I can't say how good it is, and you may need the Pro version ($100).


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## jub_jub_kiwi (May 29, 2006)

Okay, thanks for clearing that up for me. For now I will follow freddyhard to retrive the images until I decide what kind of the program to use that was mentioned above.


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## alli3 (Jul 23, 2006)

Try XnView; it will open .mix files and you can convert them to another format
that you can use. It's easy to use, and best of all, it's free.


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## Tewfik (Jul 29, 2008)

im having the same problem with .mix files... im using Windows XP Pro, MWord 2002

this is like the 3rd forum ive been to looking for answers... 

i have tried importing to MWord 2002 via insert, from file, then it shows a convert file window and when i click "Picture It! Format" it gives me a error while importing msg...

i have also tried using "PolyView" that looked like it was going to work but it wouldnt let me save my converted photos

and have also tried XnView, which seems to view the .mix files fine but when i try to open them to convert them i get a msg saying "Format of the file ____ could not be determined"

anyone have any other suggestions, or is the failure of all 3 of the options that seem to work for everyone saying my files are corrupt...

if anyone has anymore idea's i would appreciate it!! 

~Chris


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## SNAPPYSCRAPPER (Feb 28, 2011)

I am having the same problem...I have an idea that i want to try, if it works, I will post it on here.


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