correctly opening Tiff with layers

[scatolabox]

Hi you all,


Many colleague of mine work with TIFF files, in which (opening them with some apps like Photoshop) you can find several layers (brightness, shades, paints etc.).
How can I open them correctly and save them again with similar information?

I didn't find any working plugin. Even this one https://wiki.panotools.org/Multi-Layer_T...h_the_Gimp does not work with my version (2.10).
What can I do?

Thank you very much in advance

S


-------------- I searched this question through the forum without result - then sorry if I didn't find an already answered topic. Or if the section is wrong!

[rich2005]

Some of that wiki post is obviously old Gimp script save-layers-tiff-24 (For GIMP 2.4 and later) I think "later" is probably Gimp 2.6

As stated the most recent Gimp 2.10 will open multi-page tiff files and open as layers. I do not know if your versions open correctly or not. Regular multi-pages tiffs are no problem.

Can you provide an example tiff ? Maybe post one on dropbox if it is large.

Saving, again Gimp 2.10 will export to multiple pages. The only other way I know is Imagemagick command line. Where
convert file1 file2 file3 -type TrueColorAlpha multilayer.tif packs the files together.

----
Edit: A quick test, I made a multilayer image, various layer sizes, one layer has 50% transparency, one layer has a layer mask.
Exporting using Gimp 2.10.22 looks like this: https://i.imgur.com/kC7ssMu.jpg  If you use Windows make sure you turn save thumbnail off.
Importing back in: https://i.imgur.com/IBighMe.jpg  The layer offsets are retained, the layermask has been applied, but the 50% transparency has been lost.  That might be a killer.

Edit2: Just out of interest the save-layers-tiff-24.scm fixed as much as I can fix it. (attached, unzip it and put in C:\Users\"yourname"\AppData\Roaming\GIMP\2.10\scripts)
The only problem is the Gimp 2.10 multi-layer tiff procedure seems to break it, Makes a multi-layer tiff per layer. The script works fine in Gimp 2.8. Probably works OK in a pre Gimp 2.10.12 version.

[scatolabox]

Hi rich2005, I think that multipage is something different from my case, but here I attach an example that it is much more clear.

First, the composition of the image, made with Photoshop - and therefore the expected layers
https://ibb.co/KsVZd2V

the result, opening it by Gimp
https://ibb.co/pX4f1wh

the tiff image of reference
https://ibb.co/860J093


thank you!

[rich2005]

Quote:..Many colleague of mine work with TIFF files, in which (opening them with some apps like Photoshop) you can find several layers (brightness, shades, paints etc.).

I was really hoping for one of those TIFF files, AFAIK PS does not support multi-layer tif, of course files can be added as layers and adjusted.

From your screenshot https://ibb.co/KsVZd2V I can make a PS .psd (albeit an ancient PS7) with text and adjustment layers. My screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/0UY5jm5.jpg
You can see that the dark green patch has been 'adjusted' to a lighter green by those 'adjustment' layers.

Opening that .psd in Gimp (2.10.22) I get this: https://i.imgur.com/0dsjlEV.jpg Problems with PS .psd files
1. Text layers are rasterized, no longer adjustable as text.
2. Adjustment layers are discarded. Gimp does not use 'adjustment' layers. That puts the green layer back to its original hue.
3. Layer masks are saved, which might be useful.

Not much you can do about that, PS and .psd are propriety formats and change depending on version of PS used.

What can you do with that psd ? Using command line ImageMagick (IM) you get some information about the various layers, and extract individual layers. Here I pulled out the 5 layers identified by IM as individual parts. https://i.imgur.com/fxNtGTO.jpg

Open-As-layers in Gimp gives this https://i.imgur.com/fSRgdmW.jpg Not a lot of use, since the layer offsets are lost and all the layers are centered. Green layer is dark green.
However there is a flattened layer there. Layer 0 which has positions and adjusted color. https://i.imgur.com/WKkZM0T.jpg
It would be possible to re-construct the original from that but a big job if there are dozens of layers. Then export as a mult-layer tif.

Best I can do with the information available.

[scatolabox]

your research is deep and accurate, thank you very much. I understand that you have done everything possible and that there are copyright limits between the two apps. But (you know if) there will be the possibility in the future to "read" these files well in the new versions of gimp? Or a plugin that will sooner or later be developed?

Which is the multi-layer file most compatible with all apps at the moment that you know?

Thank you very very much

[rich2005]

The multilayer formats are really intermediate formats leading to a final single layer output for :- printing / web use , such as jpeg / png ...So PS / Gimp / JASC / Corel native formats are not really meant for other application use. Since PS .psd has become an industry standard, often some (partial) support is available.

Then there are final 'page' formats PDF / dejavu Again meant for viewing, not for editing, although sometimes they can be edited.

There is a format openraster (ora) which would be good if PS supported it.  
Amusing post: https://blog.alexgleason.me/photoshop-su...penraster/  worth a read as to why .psd files are a problem.

Since you use Windows, have you tried Paint.Net ? it has a psd plugin https://www.psdplugin.com/docs/compatibi...-photoshop

As far as Gimp goes. The developers try and improve psd support, such as text layers.  There is adjustment layer for Gimp planned in the (distant) future. Maybe one day Gimp will open a .psd file 100% but do not hold your breath.