DataTranslations

# DataTranslations

Deskbar: |  | Preferences
Location: |  | /boot/system/preferences/DataTranslations
Settings: |  | ~/config/settings/* - Every Translator creates its own settings file here after you've changes its defaults. ~/config/settings/system/DataTranslations settings - Stores the panel's window position.

Every application has the ability to open and save every file format for which there's a Translator installed. The settings for these Translators are configured in the DataTranslations preferences.

Depending on its capabilities, each Translator offers different settings. At least you'll get an Info... button that opens a window with the credits and the installation path.
The following table gives an overview of the default Translators and their most useful options.

BMP Images | 24bit, uncompressed, no transparency
EXR Images | ILM's high dynamic-range (HDR) format
GIF Images | 8bit, lossless compression, transparency You can reduce the filesize by limiting the number of used colors and the palette. You can write images with transparency, either by automatically using the alpha channel or by setting the RGB value that will be transparent by hand.
JPEG2000 Images | 24bit, compressed, no transparency Here, you normally only care about the output quality.
JPEG Images | 24bit, compressed, no transparency Besides the output quality you can also set a smoothing that will lessen compression artefacts but can blur the picture a little.
PCX Images | 24bit, uncompressed, no transparency, PC Paintbrush Exchange format
PNG Images | 32bit, lossless compression, transparency
PPM Images | 24bit, uncompressed, no transparency, Portable PixMap format
RAW Images | up to 48bit, uncompressed, no transparency
RTF Text Files | Formatted text |
SGI Images | 24bit, optional lossless compression, transparency
StyledEdit Files | Formatted text
TGA Images | 32bit, optional lossless compression, transparency
TIFF Images | 24bit, optional lossless compression, layers, transparency
WonderBrush Images | 32bit, layers, transparency, vector/pixel data

Screenshots, charts, black&white drawings and other images with few used colors, as well as small pictures are best saved as GIF (up to 256 colors) or PNG (millions of colors). JPEG, for example, introduces compression artefacts without gain in smaller filesize.