Saving Images; About File Formats - Adobe PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS Manual

Chapter 12: Saving Images
dobe Photoshop Elements supports a
A
variety of file formats to suit a wide
range of output needs. You can save or
export your image to any of these formats. You
can also use special Photoshop Elements features
to add information to files, and set up multiple
image layouts.
About file formats
You can use various file formats to get images
into and out of Photoshop Elements. Graphic file
formats differ in the way they represent graphic
information, in how they compress image data,
and in which Photoshop Elements features
they support.
Note: If a supported file format does not appear in
the appropriate dialog box or submenu, you may
need to install the format's plug-in module. (See
"Using plug-in modules" on page 40.)
Choosing a file format
Different file formats cater to the needs of different
applications. The file format you choose depends
on the content of your image and how you plan to
use it. For example, if you're saving an image for
use in a page-layout application, TIFF format and
Photoshop EPS format are your best bets. If you're
saving an image for use on the Web, you should
choose JPEG, GIF, or PNG format. Then there are
the specialized formats for use in specific applica-
tions, such as Filmstrip, PCX, Pixar, and Targa.
Until you've finished creating an image and have
decided how you want to use it, you should save
the image in Photoshop format or Photoshop PDF
format. Photoshop format (PSD) is the default file
format for newly created images and supports all
image data that Photoshop Elements is capable of
producing—layers, shapes, editable type, and so
on. Photoshop PDF format (PDP) also supports
all of Photoshop Elements' features and is portable
to other Adobe applications, such as Adobe
Acrobat and Adobe Illustrator. Saving your image
in either of these formats guarantees that you will
be able to access all of the image data when you
reopen the image.
Note: If you choose a format that does not support all
of the data in an image, a warning appears at the
bottom of the Save As dialog box. If you see this
warning, it is recommended that you save a copy of
the file in Photoshop format or Photoshop PDF
format in order to support all of the image data.
For more information about specific file formats,
see "Saving images in specific formats" on
page 247.
Understanding file compression
Many image file formats use compression
techniques to reduce the storage space required by
bitmap image data. Compression techniques are
distinguished by whether they remove detail and
color from the image. Lossless techniques
245