XCF
Encyclopedia
XCF, short for eXperimental Computing Facility
, is the native image format of the GIMP
image-editing program. It supports saving each layer
, the current selection, channels, transparency, paths and guides.
The image data saved are compressed only by a simple RLE
algorithm, but GIMP supports compressed files, using either gzip
or bzip2
. The compressed files can be opened as normal image files.
The XCF file format is mostly backward compatible. For example, GIMP 2.0 can save text in text layers while GIMP 1.2 can not. Text layers saved in GIMP 2.0 will open as ordinary image layers in GIMP 1.2.
The use of XCF as a data interchange format is not recommended by the GIMP developers, since the format reflects the GIMP's internal data structures, and there may be minor format changes in future versions. The source code of GIMP itself (which is freely available) is the reference documentation of the format. Henning Makholm (see XCFTools below) has written a specification which has been adopted by the GIMP developers. In addition, a collaborative effort between the GIMP developers and Krita
developers is underway to design a raster file format called OpenRaster
, modelled on the OpenDocument
format, for use in both applications in a future version.
Some image viewers and conversion software can read the format with varying degrees of success:
EXperimental Computing Facility
Founded in 1986, the eXperimental Computing Facility is an undergraduate computing-interest organization...
, is the native image format of the GIMP
GIMP
GIMP is a free software raster graphics editor. It is primarily employed as an image retouching and editing tool and is freely available in versions tailored for most popular operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux.In addition to detailed image retouching and...
image-editing program. It supports saving each layer
Layers (digital image editing)
Layers are used in digital image editing to separate different elements of an image. A layer can be compared to a transparency on which imaging effects or images are applied and placed over or under an image...
, the current selection, channels, transparency, paths and guides.
The image data saved are compressed only by a simple RLE
Run-length encoding
Run-length encoding is a very simple form of data compression in which runs of data are stored as a single data value and count, rather than as the original run...
algorithm, but GIMP supports compressed files, using either gzip
Gzip
Gzip is any of several software applications used for file compression and decompression. The term usually refers to the GNU Project's implementation, "gzip" standing for GNU zip. It is based on the DEFLATE algorithm, which is a combination of Lempel-Ziv and Huffman coding...
or bzip2
Bzip2
bzip2 is a free and open source implementation of the Burrows–Wheeler algorithm. It is developed and maintained by Julian Seward. Seward made the first public release of bzip2, version 0.15, in July 1996.-Compression efficiency:...
. The compressed files can be opened as normal image files.
The XCF file format is mostly backward compatible. For example, GIMP 2.0 can save text in text layers while GIMP 1.2 can not. Text layers saved in GIMP 2.0 will open as ordinary image layers in GIMP 1.2.
The use of XCF as a data interchange format is not recommended by the GIMP developers, since the format reflects the GIMP's internal data structures, and there may be minor format changes in future versions. The source code of GIMP itself (which is freely available) is the reference documentation of the format. Henning Makholm (see XCFTools below) has written a specification which has been adopted by the GIMP developers. In addition, a collaborative effort between the GIMP developers and Krita
Krita
Krita is the digital painting and illustration software included based on the KDE Platform and Calligra Suite libraries. Designed as a digital painting and illustration suite, Krita is free software and distributed under GNU General Public License...
developers is underway to design a raster file format called OpenRaster
OpenRaster
OpenRaster is a file format proposed for the common exchange of layered images between raster graphics editors. It is meant as a replacement for later versions of the Adobe PSD format. OpenRaster is still in development and so far is supported by a few programs...
, modelled on the OpenDocument
OpenDocument
The Open Document Format for Office Applications is an XML-based file format for representing electronic documents such as spreadsheets, charts, presentations and word processing documents....
format, for use in both applications in a future version.
Software support
XCF is used as a file format in other programs besides the GIMP:- SeashoreSeashore (software)Seashore is an image editor for Mac OS X, which was influenced by the GIMP and written using the Cocoa API. Seashore uses GIMP's native file format, XCF, and has support for a handful of other graphics file formats, including full support for TIFF, PNG, and JPEG, and read-only support for BMP, PDF...
is a lightweight native Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
image editingImage editingImage editing encompasses the processes of altering images, whether they be digital photographs, traditional analog photographs, or illustrations. Traditional analog image editing is known as photo retouching, using tools such as an airbrush to modify photographs, or editing illustrations with any...
program based on the GIMP. - CinePaintCinePaintCinePaint is an open source computer program for painting and retouching bitmap frames of films. It is a fork of version 1.0.4 of the GNU Image Manipulation Program...
is a fork of the GIMP with support for 16 bit and 32 bit floating point channels, and 16 bit integer channels. There are plans for CinePaint to move away from XCF as a file format. The XCF file format used in CinePaint has diverged from the GIMP's native format, so XCF files created in the GIMP cannot be opened in Cinepaint, and vice versa.
Some image viewers and conversion software can read the format with varying degrees of success:
- DBGalleryDBGalleryDBGallery is a Digital Asset Management software package. It has a special focus on utilizing image meta-data for finding, exploring and organizing photos. It is a multi-user system for use in organizations.- History :...
displays multi-layer non-indexed images and allows indexing, searching and other photo database operations. - ImageMagickImageMagickImageMagick is an open source software suite for displaying, converting, and editing raster image files. It can read and write over 100 image file formats. ImageMagick is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license.- Features and capabilities:...
has an XCF reader module that can read single-layer non-indexed images. - Project DogwaffleProject DogwaffleProject Dogwaffle is a raster graphics editor with animation capabilities.The program, written by Dan Ritchie, runs on the Windows platform and has both freeware and commercial versions. The commercial version, PD Pro Digital Painter, is updated frequently while the most recent freeware version is...
including PD Pro, PD Particles and PD Artist imports XCF files using the ImageMagick library. - KritaKritaKrita is the digital painting and illustration software included based on the KDE Platform and Calligra Suite libraries. Designed as a digital painting and illustration suite, Krita is free software and distributed under GNU General Public License...
imports XCF files using the GraphicsMagick library. - ShowImgShowImgShowImg is an open-source image viewer for the KDE desktop environment by Richard Groult. According to the website there have been no releases since the 0.95 release in 2006.-External links:*...
can display multi-layer non-indexed images. - GwenviewGwenviewGwenview is an image viewer for the KDE Software Compilation desktop environment. The current maintainer is Aurélien Gâteau. The word "Gwen" means "white" in the Breton language and is commonly used as a first name....
can display multi-layer non-indexed images. - GImageView http://gtkmmviewer.sourceforge.net/ can display multi-layer non-indexed images.
- DigikamDigiKamdigiKam is an image organizer and editor using KDE Platform. It runs on most known desktop environments and window managers if the required libraries are installed. It supports all major image file formats, and can organize collections of photographs in directory-based albums, or dynamic albums by...
can display multi-layer non-indexed images. - ImagineImagine (graphics software)Imagine is an image and animation viewer developed by Chun Sejin for Microsoft Windows, capable of viewing numerous image formats, including ANI, ANM , BMP, CorelDRAW, CDT, PAT, CMX, CUR, DCX, DDS, EMF, GIF, ICL, ICO, JPE, JPEG, MacPaint, MNG, PBM, PCD, PCX, PGM, PIC, CEL, PNG, PPM, PSD, PSP , RAS,...
can display single-layer non-indexed images. - XnViewXnViewXnView is a cross-platform image viewer used for viewing, converting, organising and editing graphical & video files. It is free of charge for private, educational and non-profit organisations...
can display single-layer non-indexed images. - InkscapeInkscapeInkscape is a free software vector graphics editor, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Its goal is to implement full support for the Scalable Vector Graphics 1.1 standard....
added support for XCF export in the 0.44 release. - XCFTools http://henning.makholm.net/software by Henning Makholm is a set of utilities which deformats and composes XCF images. It allows extraction of individual layers, or an entire composed image, as PNG or PNM.