diff --git a/examples/pnmshow.c b/examples/pnmshow.c
index 80de8d8..c02be10 100644
--- a/examples/pnmshow.c
+++ b/examples/pnmshow.c
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@ void HandleKey(rfbBool down,rfbKeySym key,rfbClientPtr cl)
 int main(int argc,char** argv)
 {
   FILE* in=stdin;
-  int i,j,k,width,height,paddedWidth;
+  int i,j,k,l,width,height,paddedWidth;
   char buffer[1024];
   rfbScreenInfoPtr rfbScreen;
+  enum { BW, GRAY, TRUECOLOUR } picType=TRUECOLOUR;
+  int bytesPerPixel,bitsPerPixelInFile;
 
   if(argc>1) {
     in=fopen(argv[1],"rb");
@@ -24,7 +26,16 @@ int main(int argc,char** argv)
   }
 
   fgets(buffer,1024,in);
-  if(strncmp(buffer,"P6",2)) {
+  if(!strncmp(buffer,"P6",2)) {
+	  picType=TRUECOLOUR;
+	  bytesPerPixel=4; bitsPerPixelInFile=3*8;
+  } else if(!strncmp(buffer,"P5",2)) {
+	  picType=GRAY;
+	  bytesPerPixel=1; bitsPerPixelInFile=1*8;
+  } else if(!strncmp(buffer,"P4",2)) {
+	  picType=BW;
+	  bytesPerPixel=1; bitsPerPixelInFile=1;
+  } else {
     printf("Not a ppm.\n");
     exit(2);
   }
@@ -37,7 +48,10 @@ int main(int argc,char** argv)
   /* get width & height */
   sscanf(buffer,"%d %d",&width,&height);
   rfbLog("Got width %d and height %d.\n",width,height);
-  fgets(buffer,1024,in);
+  if(picType!=BW)
+	fgets(buffer,1024,in);
+  else
+	  width=1+((width-1)|7);
 
   /* vncviewers have problems with widths which are no multiple of 4. */
   paddedWidth = width;
@@ -45,7 +59,7 @@ int main(int argc,char** argv)
     paddedWidth+=4-(width&3);
 
   /* initialize data for vnc server */
-  rfbScreen = rfbGetScreen(&argc,argv,paddedWidth,height,8,3,4);
+  rfbScreen = rfbGetScreen(&argc,argv,paddedWidth,height,8,(bitsPerPixelInFile+7)/8,bytesPerPixel);
   if(argc>1)
     rfbScreen->desktopName = argv[1];
   else
@@ -57,18 +71,40 @@ int main(int argc,char** argv)
   rfbScreen->httpDir = "./classes";
 
   /* allocate picture and read it */
-  rfbScreen->frameBuffer = (char*)malloc(paddedWidth*4*height);
-  fread(rfbScreen->frameBuffer,width*3,height,in);
+  rfbScreen->frameBuffer = (char*)malloc(paddedWidth*bytesPerPixel*height);
+  fread(rfbScreen->frameBuffer,width*bitsPerPixelInFile/8,height,in);
   fclose(in);
 
-  /* correct the format to 4 bytes instead of 3 (and pad to paddedWidth) */
-  for(j=height-1;j>=0;j--) {
-    for(i=width-1;i>=0;i--)
-      for(k=2;k>=0;k--)
-	rfbScreen->frameBuffer[(j*paddedWidth+i)*4+k]=
-	  rfbScreen->frameBuffer[(j*width+i)*3+k];
-    for(i=width*4;i<paddedWidth*4;i++)
-      rfbScreen->frameBuffer[j*paddedWidth*4+i]=0;
+  if(picType!=TRUECOLOUR) {
+	  rfbScreen->rfbServerFormat.trueColour=FALSE;
+	  rfbScreen->colourMap.count=256;
+	  rfbScreen->colourMap.is16=FALSE;
+	  rfbScreen->colourMap.data.bytes=malloc(256*3);
+	  for(i=0;i<256;i++)
+		  memset(rfbScreen->colourMap.data.bytes+3*i,i,3);
+  }
+
+  switch(picType) {
+	case TRUECOLOUR:
+		  /* correct the format to 4 bytes instead of 3 (and pad to paddedWidth) */
+		  for(j=height-1;j>=0;j--) {
+		    for(i=width-1;i>=0;i--)
+		      for(k=2;k>=0;k--)
+			rfbScreen->frameBuffer[(j*paddedWidth+i)*4+k]=
+			  rfbScreen->frameBuffer[(j*width+i)*3+k];
+		    for(i=width*4;i<paddedWidth*4;i++)
+		      rfbScreen->frameBuffer[j*paddedWidth*4+i]=0;
+		  }
+		  break;
+	case BW:
+		  /* correct the format from 1 bit to 8 bits */
+		  for(j=height-1;j>=0;j--)
+			  for(i=width-1;i>=0;i-=8) {
+				  l=(unsigned char)rfbScreen->frameBuffer[(j*width+i)/8];
+				  for(k=7;k>=0;k--)
+					  rfbScreen->frameBuffer[j*paddedWidth+i+7-k]=(l&(1<<k))?0:255;
+			  }
+		  break;
   }
 
   /* initialize server */