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Micrografx Graphics Suite was the name for a bundle of graphics applications, not one fixed program. Its contents changed by edition: Graphics Suite 2 included tools for vector art, photo editing, diagrams, 3D graphics, media organization, and interactive web graphics, while ABC Graphics Suite 95 focused on illustration, bitmap editing, and printed materials.
What the name means
Micrografx Graphics Suite refers to packages of software published by Micrografx. Because the applications varied by edition, the name alone does not identify a specific set of tools. To know what a copy contained, look for its edition or version—for example, Graphics Suite 2 or ABC Graphics Suite 95.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Learning Micrografx Graphics Suite 2 | $6.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
ABC Graphics Suite: The Most Complete Graphics for Every Office | $5.97 | Buy on Amazon |
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What came in Graphics Suite 2
A 1997 WinMag review lists six applications in Micrografx Graphics Suite 2:
| Application | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| FlowCharter | 7 | Business diagrams and charts |
| Designer | 7 | Vector image design and editing |
| Picture Publisher | 7 | Raster image editing |
| Simply 3D | 2 | 3D graphics and animation |
| Media Manager | 2 | Clip-art management |
| QuickSilver | 3 | A plug-in and ActiveX control for interactive web graphics |
Together, these programs covered several kinds of graphics work rather than relying on one all-purpose editor. This list describes Graphics Suite 2; it should not be treated as the component list for every Micrografx suite.
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How ABC Graphics Suite 95 differed
The University of Huddersfield catalogue describes ABC Graphics Suite 95 as containing three applications: ABC FlowCharter 6.0 for diagrams and flowcharts, Designer 6.0 for vector illustration, and Picture Publisher 6.0 for bitmap editing. A February 1996 Personal Computer World review presents it as a package for home and small-business users making printed material.
The review describes a workflow that linked the applications: edit pictures in Picture Publisher, create a flowchart in FlowCharter, then bring the elements into Designer to finish a document. It also reports more than 30,000 pictures and images, with two additional CDs supplying clip art. That number is the magazine’s contemporary report, not a current library count or an independently attributed Micrografx statistic.
What happened to Micrografx Designer
Designer has a documented lineage beyond the original suites. Corel’s retrospective says it began as In*A*Vision for Windows 1.0 in 1986 and was renamed Micrografx Designer with version 2. Corel identifies CorelDRAW Technical Suite as the current package representing the Designer lineage. This applies to Designer; it does not mean that all programs from the historical bundles remain part of that package.
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Opening old Designer files
Legacy Designer compatibility depends on the file extension, the file’s version, and the documentation for the particular Corel application installed. Corel lists these Designer formats and version ranges:
.dsf: Designer versions 6–9.ds4: Designer version 4.drw: Designer versions 2–3.dst: template files.des: Designer version 10 and later
Corel says its Designer product can import the legacy formats listed in its documentation. The National Archives’ PRONOM record notes that versions 6–9 used Microsoft Compound Object storage. These details concern Designer files only; they do not establish compatibility for Picture Publisher, FlowCharter, or other suite applications. Check the documentation for your exact installed version before relying on an import.
What the available information does not establish
The edition descriptions come from a contemporary magazine review and an academic software catalogue; Corel and The National Archives document Designer’s lineage and file formats. The available information does not establish whether the original suites run on current Windows versions, whether a particular copy can be transferred or licensed, or whether physical copies are currently available. Those points should not be inferred from the historical component lists.
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