tif files

Question

Level 1

15 points

tif files

I can't figure out why Preview will not open .tif files. I get a window saying that files may be damaged or Preview doesn't recognize the extension. However, these files open in my wife's pc, so there is no damage. From what I am understanding, Preview does open those files. I take it iPhoto cannot open .tif files?

Thanks for any help.

Message was edited by: Steve Hadeen

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 5, 2010 1:07 PM

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Answer 1

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

Jan 5, 2010 1:17 PM in response to Steve Hadeen

I've never had any problems opening TIFF files in Preview, and still don't (just checked). I suspect there must be something not quite right about the files you're trying to open, though what that might be, I don't know. iPhoto should also be able to open them.

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Answer 2

Steve Hadeen Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 8, 2010 10:11 PM in response to thomas_r.

agreed. thanks for your thoughts.

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Answer 3

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,812 points

Jan 9, 2010 5:41 AM in response to Steve Hadeen

I can't figure out why Preview will not open .tif files.

If you click once on the file icon and do File > Get Info > Open With, what does it say?

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Answer 4

Steve Hadeen Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 9, 2010 10:59 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

It says open with Preview, which is what it should say since I haven't made any changes to what program opens up the file. However, if I either double-click the file icon or try to drag it into Preview, a window comes up saying "The file ("name of file".TIF) could not be opened. It may be damaged or use a file format that Preview doesn't recognize." The only possible thing I can think of, and it makes no sense to me that it wouldn't work, is that the extension is *.TIF, not *.TIFF. Under General in the Get Info, the kind of file listed says "TIFF image". But again, just because the file is TIF and not TIFF just shouldn't make any difference in my mind. By the way, these same files read perfectly fine on my wife's, dare I say it, windows laptop. Hope maybe this might give you some ideas...

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Answer 5

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,812 points

Jan 10, 2010 5:26 AM in response to Steve Hadeen

I can't duplicate your problem. My Preview opens .tif and .tiff. It also converts other things to .tiff and then opens them. Could you send one of the files yours won't open (tom at bluesky dot org)?

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Answer 6

Steve Hadeen Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 11, 2010 7:31 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Will do.

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Answer 7

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Jan 11, 2010 7:36 PM in response to Steve Hadeen

TIF files come in several 'flavors'. The data bit order can be reversed or some form of compression can be used. I've already seen problems opening some TIF files. Did all your files come from the same source? What was the source?

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Answer 8

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,812 points

Jan 11, 2010 8:29 PM in response to Steve Hadeen

Will do.

Thanks! My Preview will not open it, nor will a more versatile app I use called GraphicConverter. It says the file is broken or of unknown format or not a graphic.

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Answer 9

Jan 12, 2010 9:34 AM in response to F Shippey

I also saw a thread where tif files wouldn't open, all of them came from FAX and had different resolutions for the dimensions, so that is still another possible problem. See here:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10760139

If all the files are from the same source it makes it more likely that there may be something "different" about them that Preview won't handle. If the tif files are from a variety of sources then there may be some other problem.
Francine

Francine
Schwieder

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Answer 10

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Jan 12, 2010 9:52 AM in response to Francine Schwieder

One of our fellow L4 users has problems with TIF files generated by an older version of a music scoring program because the TIF files are compressed with a form of fax compression (which gives a very small file size). This form of TIF compression seems to be no longer supported under Snow Leopard.

The OP hasn't replied as to what kind of TIF files he is having problems with - image files or graphics files.

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Answer 11

Steve Hadeen Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 12, 2010 8:19 PM in response to Francine Schwieder

I'll have to take a look at the thread when I have more time. The files are all from the same camera, an older point and shoot digital camera my wife uses when she does decorative paint jobs to document finished jobs. The camera is an Olympus Camedia D-40 Zoom. Any idea if maybe this camera's tif files are not compatible with Snow Leopard? All the jpegs from this camera show up fine....

Steve

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Answer 12

Steve Hadeen Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 13, 2010 4:25 AM in response to F Shippey

The files are image files from a Olympus Camedia D-40, an older point and shoot camera my wife uses. Perhaps this camera is not compatible?.....

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