2008.12.17 15:54 "Re: [Tiff] Extracting layers from a TIFF file", by Gerben Vos

Our tiff files are created in Photoshop composing of several layers (50 +) and then saved in a tiff file.

Now I have to write code to separate each layer information embedded in the tiff file and GENERATE A SEPARATE FILE for each layer. Or in other words decompose the combined layers

Layers do not exist in standard TIFF.

Because TIFF is very flexible and extendable, it is possible that Adobe has defined a method to store layers in TIFF. This would be non-standard, which is perfectly fine by the way. However, I do not know about how they did it, and I get the impression that most people on this mailing list do not.

Look on Adobe's web site, or ask them.

It is actually quite likely that when you save a PSD to TIFF, the layers information is not saved at all to the TIFF.

Maybe we can help you a little bit further if you post the output of the "tiffinfo" utility, applied to your TIFF, to the mailing list, like others have also already asked.

Do you all mean to say in Tiff layer data is stored as channels?

I don't know. One of the ways I can think of that Adobe *may* have used to implement layers in TIFF would be by using channels. If they did, that would be a non-standard use of channels, however. For example, a normal RGB TIFF contains exactly three channels: red, green and blue.

Again, post the tiffinfo output and we can maybe help you.

Gerben Vos.