Extract text from PA files
To convert your PA file to another format, you need Print Artist or other Page Layout software.
To convert other file formats to the "Greeting Card Project" file type, you need software like Print Artist or a similar tool.
Most commonly, a .PA file is a desktop publishing project created by Print Artist, software originally developed by Sierra and now managed by Nova Development. These files contain rich layout data - including vector graphics, text, photos, and formatting - used to create greeting cards, banners, and brochures.
The frustrating part with .PA files is their proprietary nature; they are essentially "locked" to the Print Artist ecosystem. If you send a .PA file to a professional print shop or a friend who doesn't own the software, they simply cannot open it. Furthermore, older project files (from the Sierra era) may struggle to open in modern versions of the application.
To make these files usable outside of the original software, conversion is essential. For printing and archiving, the best target is PDF, which preserves the layout and vector quality while ensuring universal compatibility. For sharing on the web or social media, converting the final output to JPG or PNG is recommended. Note that .PA can also refer to PulseAudio startup scripts (text-based) or PowerArchiver compressed files, so checking your file source is crucial before attempting conversion.
Convert.Guru analyzes your PA file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted PA9, IPA, JPG, SGN, PRA, QXP, PSI, BAR, MPA and ATM files.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our PA converter.