Saving as .TIFF

1. Open an AVA file and go to File Menu > Save As.
2. Click on the Format pop up bar, select TIFF and click Save and the following window will open:
   
   

Compression

Choose between No Compression and PackBits compression 

Byte Order

Choose between Motorola (Mac) and Intel (PC). Saving the TIFF as Motorola (Mac) will be more efficient, however a minority of TIFF readers on the Macintosh can only read TIFF files saved in PC format. Also there are a few TIFF readers on the PC which do not support the Motorola format, and therefor you may wish to save as Intel if you know the TIFF file will be read on a PC.

Unit

Choose between dots per inch (dpi) and dots per centimetre (dpc)

Layer Method

Choose between Multi Channel and Multi Layer

• Multi Channel - saves each layer of the active colourway as a channel in one directory. It is often recommended because most TIFF readers only read the first directory. One limitation of Multi Channel mode is that each layer has to be 8 bit and each layer resolution has to be the same as the document resolution. If each layer is not 8 bit you will get a warning asking if the layers should be converted to 8 bit.
• Multi Layer - saves each layer as a separate directory. You can have either 1bit or 8 bit layers and different layer resolutions in the same file.

CMYK

Saves the selected information as a combined 32bit CMYK layer. This is only available if four layers are active when you save the file, or if there is an image in the file

Use Single Block

When TIFF files are created they can either be processed in a ‘single block’, or broken down into ‘strips’. When in strips each strip can be dealt with independently, and two or more strips can be processed at the same time. This makes saving or opening that TIFF file quicker. Strips also allow for compression like LZW and Packbits. Although it would be quicker to save and open TIFFs using strips, some readers can only read TIFF files in a single block. By ticking the box users have the option to force AVA to save their file and use a single block.

Importing and setting up the TIFF file in Photoshop™ 

1. Open the saved TIFF into Photoshop™. If it asks, tell Photoshop™ not to colour manage the file as it imports.
2. In Photoshop™, go to Window > Channels. You will see RGB or CMYK channels, and below those a set of spot channels with the AVA layer names on them (the word ‘Layer’ will appear if the layers were not named in AVA). Double check all layers and content are there.
3. Colours onscreen may appear washed out so you need to change the colour mode in Photoshop™. To do this go to Image > Mode > Multichannel. The design should match the separated design in AVA now.
4. Save the file as PSD format to preserve everything you have just done. You will notice rogue, blank Cyan, Magenta and Yellow channels in the Channels window. These can be selected and deleted in the side menu as are not needed.
   
   

Exporting colour information and layer names to Photoshop™ 

1. Open the separated design in AVA and add a blank RGB layer at the top of the separated layer order. Photoshop™ requires an image mode such as RGB or CMYK to import the spot channels correctly.  If you do not do this, Photoshop™ will make the first separated channel a grayscale image.
2. Go to File Menu > Save As > TIFF. Set the Layer Method to Multi Channel and Compression to None, then click OK.
   
   When using the Multichannel method, the active colourway will be saved.

Reading and writing TIFF files with embedded .icc profiles

If you save a TIFF file and the current colourway contains an embedded profile, the profile is also written within the TIFF file. When opening a TIFF file, the embedded ICC profile is automatically extracted and set. These functions facilitate interaction with other non-AVA applications.

BigTIFF

BigTIFF files are TIFF files which exceed 4Gb in size.  AVA can open and save these files.

Lab TIFF and Photoshop™ files

Lab image files are becoming more popular in users’ workflows and AVA supports this image type. The advantage with Lab files is that Lab is device independent (not linked to printer or monitor gamut) and results in a stable colour representation of images.

Lab TIFF and Photoshop™ files can be opened as Lab layers. If the Image Icons option in the Layer Palette Preferences is activated, Lab layer icons will display a preview of the image. If this option is switched off, the image icon will display the word Lab instead.

Lab layers use Relative colourimetric rendering intent which shifts the white point of the image to that of the printer substrate. This helps to maintain consistency with the original image and does not cause any shift in gamut.

To edit Lab layers you can copy and paste elements of the Lab layer. Most editing tools like the Brush Tool, the Pipette Tool, the Carbon Copy Tool, Partial Images and masks, work as normal on Lab layers. You cannot however, copy elements from other layer types and paste them onto Lab layers.

Colour files and colour palettes cannot be used to change or add colours on Lab layers but you can use the Pipette Tool to select existing colours in the Lab image and then paint with them if required.

When using the Gamma panes, the channels displayed are L (lightness to darkness), a (red to green) and b (blue to yellow).

Lab layers can only be saved in AVA 3 or TIFF file formats. Currently, AVA does not save Lab layers in any other file formats.

LZW compression

With constant improvement in TIFF compression, opening and saving files in AVA is becoming continuously faster. In comparison to Adobe Photoshop™ CC 2018, LZW is currently 1.3x faster at opening and 2.1x faster at saving files (please see below graph for reference).

Planar configuration

AVA supports the opening of ‘Planar Configured’ TIFF files. The Planar configuration (RRGGBB per channel order) is an option in some third party applications which can result in faster file saving with greater compression but is mainly reserved for those working with files locally.