PAT File Extension

What is the .PAT file type?

Primarily, the .pat filename extension designates the Adobe Photoshop Pattern (.pat) file type and format. PAT is Adobe's private binary format for saving patterns in Adobe Photoshop, an extra-popular commercial image manipulation software from Adobe Systems.

The .pat file is a Photoshop texture pattern, a rectangular bitmap image that can be used with Photoshop's area fill or pattern stamp tools for seamless textured backdrops. Photoshop pattern (.pat) files can hold multi-layered images and can be easily created through the 'Define Pattern...' command. The Microsoft Windows version of Adobe Photoshop keeps its pattern files (.pat) in the "Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop..\Presets\Patterns" folder. PAT files in that directory are automatically picked up by Photoshop and made available in the Pattern Palette.

Adobe Photoshop patterns (.pat) can be imported into other graphics editors. There are numerous sources of free and paid Photoshop patterns on the Internet.

Confusingly enough, the .pat extension also represents the GIMP Pattern (.pat) file type and format. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a major open-source (GNU GPL) cross-platform graphics editor, offering a powerful set of features to Microsoft Windows and GNU/Linux users.

Like in Adobe Photoshop, the .pat file in GIMP is also a pattern, albeit using a totally different file format. GIMP patterns cannot be used with Adobe Photoshop, while GIMP is capable of importing some Photoshop patterns via plugins. Custom GIMP patterns are saved into the "~/.gimp-2.x/patterns/" directory, while the default ones reside in "/usr/share/gimp/2.0/patterns" (GNU/Linux).

In AutoCAD, a famous versatile CAD system from Autodesk, the .pat extension represents the AutoCAD Hatch Pattern (.pat) file type. Here, the .pat file is a text file with a list of ordered numbers interpreted into vector shapes that can be used to fill areas within an AutoCAD drawing. When applied, PAT hatch patterns can be freely resized and scaled. Entire libraries of AutoCAD hatch patterns (.pat) exist on the Internet.

Similarly, the .pat extension designates the CorelDRAW Pattern (.pat) file type, referring to the commercial vector-based graphics suite CorelDRAW from Corel Corp. In CorelDRAW, the .pat file is a regular drawing (.cdr) with a different extension saved in the "Program Files\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X..\Custom Data\Patterns" folder, to be used as a fill pattern.

Another association of the .pat extension goes together with the PCStitch Cross-Stitch Pattern (.pat) file type/format. PCStitch from M&R Technologies is a paid Microsoft Windows-based embroidery design editor that uses a proprietary format to save its cross-stitch patterns (.pat). Authored in PCStitch only, such .pat files can also be opened for viewing and printing with the free PCStitch Pattern Viewer.

Standing for 'Pattern,' the .pat extension additionally serves as a generic label for all kinds of pattern files. A pattern can refer to a set of rules (search pattern), a template, a tiled image, a code or signal sequence, etc. Due to the multitude of possible areas of applications, pattern files (.pat) may serve different purposes and use different and incompatible formats.

In relation to Synology Disk Station NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices, the .pat extension associates with the Synology Firmware Install File (.pat) file type/format. Before its first use, each Synology DS unit must have its firmware uploaded into it using the Synology Assistant tool. The .pat file is such a compressed (IZArc-wrapped tar.gz) firmware bundle packaging the Linux-based Disk Station OS and accessory tools. Device-specific PAT firmware packages are provided by Synology on their download center under the Disk Station Manager (DSM) section.

As a short for 'Patch,' the .pat extension is additionally used for various patch files. Patches are widely used in software engineering as a means of updating and/or fixing computer programs. A patch is a set of source code snippets intended to be merged into the main source code—or a series of byte chains to be applied to a compiled binary at certain addresses. Since the .pat extension only conveys a generic purpose, patch files may come in a variety of formats, both text-based and binary.

Software to open or convert PAT files

GNU Image Manipulation Program

 

Adobe Photoshop CC by Adobe Systems Incorporated

 

Corel Graphics Applications

 

Adobe Photoshop CS6 by Adobe Systems Incorporated

 

Adobe Photoshop by Adobe Systems, Inc.

 

Free File Viewer Pro

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