Novell LINUX ENTERPRISE DESKTOP 10 - KDE 21-06-2006 Manual page 238

XCF
This is the native format of the application. It saves all layer and path information
along with the image itself. Even if you need an image in another format, it is
usually a good idea to save a copy as XCF to simplify future modifications.
PAT
This is the format used for GIMP patterns. Saving an image in this format enables
using the image as a fill pattern in GIMP.
JPG
JPG or JPEG is a common format for photographs and Web page graphics without
transparency. Its compression method enables reduction of file sizes, but information
is lost when compressing. It may be a good idea to use the preview option when
adjusting the compression level. Levels of 85% to 75% often result in an acceptable
image quality with reasonable compression. Saving a backup in a lossless format,
like XCF, is also recommended. If editing an image, save only the finished image
as JPG. Repeatedly loading a JPG then saving can quickly result in poor image
quality.
GIF
Although very popular in the past for graphics with transparency, GIF is less often
used now because of license issues. GIF is also used for animated images. The
format can only save indexed images. The file size can often be quite small if only
a few colors are used.
PNG
With its support for transparency, lossless compression, free availability, and in-
creasing browser support, PNG is replacing GIF as the preferred format for Web
graphics with transparency. An added advantage is that PNG offers partial trans-
parency, which is not offered by GIF. This enables smoother transitions from colored
areas to transparent areas (antialiasing).
To save the image in the chosen format, press Save. To abort, press Cancel. If the image
has features that cannot be saved in the chosen format, a dialog appears with choices
for resolving the situation. Choosing Export, if offered, normally gives the desired re-
sults. A window then opens with the options of the format. Reasonable default values
are provided.
238 KDE User Guide