Galaincha Tutorial: Saving files in Galaincha

How to save your files in Galaincha:

• Go to the File menu and select any of the Save (Shortcut CTRL+S) to save the file and to save the additional changes made in design.

 

• Go to the File menu Save As… (Shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+S)  option to save an existing file to a new place with the identical or another file name. 

Understanding different file formats available in Galaincha:

Galaincha can open different file formats. When saving a design, Galaincha tries to save it in the same format it was opened in.

When creating a new design, if the design is a single layer design, with no carpet specific information, it is saved in PNG format. If it has multiple layers or carpet specific information (such as visualization options, carving etc.), it is saved in CTFX format.

CTFX is Galaincha’s proprietary format and saves information about all Galaincha features such as layers, texture information, color information etc. Files saved in .ctfx can only be opened in Galaincha software. 

The CTF file format is also specific to Galaincha. This is usually used when uploading designs to exploRUG. CTF retains information about all Galaincha features, except layers. All layers are flattened before saving to CTF format. In addition, this format adds an extra layer of security as it can be opened only with the Galaincha account that it was saved with or accounts associated with that account. For example, your manufacturer’s Galaincha may be associated with yours so you can share the CTF file. It cannot be opened by any other Galaincha account.

When you need flat design only, use the PNG file format. GIF, BMP, TIFF, TGA and PCX are also similar, but use them only if you need the designs in these specific formats.  For example, the Indexed Bitmap format is for compatibility with specific carpet weaving machines, so if you intend to load the design in one of these machines, save in the Indexed Bitmap format.

JPEGs are for saving photographic images. In Galaincha, you can save visualizations and photorealistic renderings in JPEG format as they will have the smallest size in this format. However, do not save your designs in JPEG format as this will add a lot of unnecessary colors to your design and you will have to clean the design every time you open it.