The complete toolbox for photographers.

User Guide
ACDSee Pro 2
User Guide
Notice of Liability
The information in this document is distributed on an ―As Is‖ basis, without any representation or warranty of any kind wheth er
express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability, title or fitness for a particular purpose or use. While every
precaution was taken in the preparation of this document, neither the author nor ACD Systems International Inc. shall have an y
liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly in
connection with the use or inability to use the instructions contained in this document. ACD Systems reserves the right to ma ke
changes to this document without notice.

Trademarks and Copyrights

ACDSee Pro 2 Photo Manager Software and documentation was designed, programmed and is Copyright (c) 2005 -2007 ACD Systems
International Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

ACD, ACD Systems, ACDSee and ACDSee logo are trademarks of ACD Systems International Inc. or its subsidiaries and may be
registered in Canada, the United States, European Union, Japan or certain other jurisdictions.

Adobe, Acrobat, Photoshop, PostScript and XMP are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in
the United States and/or other countries.

This product includes DNG technology under license by Adobe Systems Incorporated. More information may be found at:
http://www.adobe.com/products/dng/main.html. All rights reserved.

Apple, Macintosh and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY AS TO THE QUALITY OR PERFORMANCE OF THE
SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, IS GIVEN BY CANON
U.S.A., INC, ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AFFILIATES AND THEIR REPSECTIVE DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS, AND ALL SUCH
WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED.

Canvas is a trademark of ACD Systems of America, Inc and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Trademarks of ACD Systems of
America, Inc. are used under license by ACD Systems International Inc. or its subsidiaries.

Paint Shop Pro is a trademark or registered trademark of Corel Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in Canada, the United States
and/or other countries.

This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

Info-ZIP source code is copyright (c) 1990-2005 Info-ZIP. All rights reserved. For the purposes of this copyright and license, "Info-
ZIP" is defined as the following set of individuals: Mark Adler, John Bush, Karl Davis, Harald Denker, Jean -Michel Dubois, Jean-loup
Gailly, Hunter Goatley, Ed Gordon, Ian Gorman, Chris Herborth, Dirk Haase, Greg Hartwig, Robert Heath, Jonathan Hudson, Paul
Kienitz, David Kirschbaum, Johnny Lee, Onno van der Linden, Igor Mandrichenko, Steve P. Miller, Sergio Monesi, Keith Owens,
George Petrov, Greg Roelofs, Kai Uwe Rommel, Steve Salisbury, Dave Smith, Steven M. Schweda, Christian Spieler, Cosmin Truta,
Antoine Verheijen, Paul von Behren, Rich Wales, Mike White. This software is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, express
or implied. In no event shall Info-ZIP or its contributors be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential
damages arising out of the use of or inability to use this software.

TIFF support based on LibTIFF, Copyright (c) 1988-1997 Sam Leffler, Copyright (c) 1991-1997 Silicon Graphics, Inc. This notice
must appear in all copies of the Software and related documentation. The names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be
used in any advertising or publicity relating to the software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon
Graphics. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT
SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

MPEG 1 codec provided by Mainconcept AG. Copyright © 1999/2000-2006 Mainconcept AG

TIFF support based on LibTIFF, Copyright (c) 1988-1997 Sam Leffler, Copyright (c) 1991-1997 Silicon Graphics, Inc. This notice
must appear in all copies of the Software and related documentation. The names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be
used in any advertising or publicity relating to the software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon
Graphics. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT
SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

Portions utilize Microsoft Windows Media Technologies. Copyright (c) 1999-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved

DirectX, Internet Explorer Microsoft, Windows, Windows logo, Windows Media, Windows Vista and Windows Vista Start button are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

CD/DVD recording software developed under license from Padus, Inc. – http://www.padus.com Copyright 1996-2007 Padus, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.

This software contains portions of imaging code owned and copyrighted by Pegasus Imaging Corp., Tampa FL, ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.

All other marks, products and company names are the property of their respective owners.
Contents
Chapter 1: Getting started .................................................... 1
Welcome to ACDSee Pro 2 ............................................................................... 2
What's new in ACDSee Pro 2 ........................................................................... 3
Certified for Vista ™ .................................................................................................. 3
Improved RAW performance .................................................................................... 3

Viewing and Browsing: ...................................................................... 3

Copy and paste RAW settings: ............................................................ 3
Rotate and crop in one step: .............................................................. 4
Export to multiple formats and resolutions: .......................................... 4
Recover detail in RAW photos: ............................................................ 4
New RAW file formats: ...................................................................... 4
Superior browsing, viewing, and organizing ............................................................ 4

Pop-up previews: ............................................................................. 4

Browse by date: ............................................................................... 5
View photos faster: ........................................................................... 5
Organize, sort, and navigate: ............................................................. 5
Support for .abr file format (Adobe brushes): ....................................... 5
Improved metadata support...................................................................................... 6

Multi-word keyword support:.............................................................. 6

XMP and DNG support: ...................................................................... 6
Automatic categorizing based on metadata: ......................................... 7
User-friendly, advanced image editing ..................................................................... 7

Improved Shadows/Highlights: ........................................................... 7

RAW Shadows and Highlights: ............................................................ 7
Expanded Batch Processing:............................................................... 8
Creative editing with Selections: ......................................................... 8
Opacity and Blending: ....................................................................... 8
Channel Mixer: ................................................................................. 8
Advanced red-eye correction: ............................................................. 8
Integration and sharing ............................................................................................ 8

Export photos directly to PowerPoint: .................................................. 8

Unzip archives from right inside ACDSee: ............................................ 9

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Upload to online services:.................................................................. 9

Photo widget: .................................................................................. 9
Print Templates: .............................................................................. 9
Starting ACDSee Pro 2 ..................................................................................... 9
To start ACDSee: ............................................................................. 9
About the ACDSee user interface .................................................................. 10
The Browser .............................................................................................................10
The Viewer ...............................................................................................................11
Edit Mode .................................................................................................................11

Using the Browser .......................................................................................... 11

About Browser panes ..............................................................................................11
Working with Browser panes ...................................................................................12

To open or close a Browser pane: ..................................................... 12

Moving panes ...........................................................................................................13

To move a pane: ............................................................................ 13

To move a docked or floating pane: .................................................. 13
Docking panes .........................................................................................................13

To dock a pane in the Browser window: ............................................. 13

Stacking panes ........................................................................................................13

To stack panes: ............................................................................. 13

Resizing panes .........................................................................................................14

To resize a docked pane: ................................................................. 14

To resize a floating pane: ................................................................ 14
Resetting the Browser layout ..................................................................................14

To reset the Browser layout: ............................................................ 14

Using the Viewer ............................................................................................ 14
To open an image or media file in the Viewer: .................................... 15
To open a group of images in the Viewer: .......................................... 15
Viewing images in full screen mode ........................................................................15

To view images in full screen mode: ................................................. 15

To exit full screen mode: ................................................................. 15
Using the Viewer panes ...........................................................................................16

To open the Viewer panes: .............................................................. 16

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Returning to the Browser ........................................................................................16

To return to the Browser from the Viewer window: .............................. 16

Using Edit Mode ............................................................................................. 17
To open an image in Edit Mode: ........................................................ 17
To edit an image in another image editing application:......................... 17
Organizing and managing files in ACDSee ................................................... 17
Searching with ACDSee ...........................................................................................18

Sharing images with ACDSee ........................................................................ 19

System requirements ..................................................................................... 20
Getting help .................................................................................................... 21
Using the ACDInTouch Service ...............................................................................21
Using myACD ...........................................................................................................21

To open the myACD Control Panel: ................................................... 21

To obtain a full license for trial software installed on your hard drive: .... 21
To update a trial version with a full version license code: ..................... 21
To download and install free software: ............................................... 22
To download and install trial version software:.................................... 22
To buy, download, and install full version software: ............................. 22
Contacting ACD Systems ........................................................................................22

Chapter 2: Getting photos .................................................. 25

Getting photos with ACDSee ......................................................................... 26
About removable devices ........................................................................................26
About the Device Detector .......................................................................................26

To start Device Detector: ................................................................. 26

Using device profiles ...............................................................................................27
Configuring a device ................................................................................................27

To configure a device the first time you acquire images: ...................... 27

Custom settings for destination and naming options .............................................28
To set the custom destination and naming options: ............................. 28
Custom settings for device storage options ...........................................................29

To set the custom device storage options: ......................................... 29

Getting photos from a profiled device .....................................................................30

To acquire files from a profiled device: .............................................. 30

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Updating or deleting a device profile ......................................................................30

To update or delete a profile: ........................................................... 30

Getting photos from a digital camera ......................................................................30

To download photos using the Get Photos Wizard: .............................. 31

Getting photos from a scanner (TWAIN) .................................................................31
To download photos from a scanner: ................................................. 31
Getting photos from a mass storage device ...........................................................32

To download using the Get Photos Wizard: ......................................... 32

Getting photos from a CD ........................................................................................33

To download photos from a CD using the Get Photos Wizard: ............... 33

Getting photos from a mobile phone .......................................................................33
To download photos from your mobile phone: .................................... 33
Creating a renaming template .................................................................................34

To use a renaming template: ........................................................... 34

Taking a screen capture ..........................................................................................34

To take a screen capture: ................................................................ 34

Chapter 3: Browsing ........................................................... 37

The Browser ................................................................................................... 38
Browsing files in the File List pane .........................................................................38

The Contents bar ........................................................................... 38

Maximizing the File List pane ..................................................................................39
To maximize the File List pane: ........................................................ 39
Using the Windows Explorer right-click menu: .......................................................39

To open files in Windows Explorer: ................................................... 39

Browsing using the Folders pane ............................................................................40

To open or close the Folders pane: ................................................... 40

Selecting multiple folders ........................................................................................40

To use the Easy-Select bar: ............................................................. 40

Creating and managing folders ...............................................................................40

To manage your folders: ................................................................. 41

Browsing files by category, rating, auto category, or classification ......................41

To view organized files:................................................................... 41

To use the Easy-Select bar: ............................................................. 41

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Organize pane classifications .................................................................................42

Categories ..................................................................................... 42
Ratings ......................................................................................... 42
Auto Categories.............................................................................. 42
Special Items ................................................................................. 42
Browsing files by date or event ...............................................................................42

To open the Calendar pane: ............................................................. 43

Adding descriptions and thumbnails in Events view ..............................................44
To add a description to a date in Events view: .................................... 44
To select a specific thumbnail in Events view or Photo Calendar: ........... 44
To navigate a long list of dates in Events view: ................................... 44
Using favorites ............................................................................................... 45
Creating a favorite (shortcut) ..................................................................................45

To create a Favorites shortcut: ......................................................... 45

Creating a new folder ...............................................................................................45

To create a new folder: ................................................................... 45

Deleting a shortcut or folder ....................................................................................46

To delete a shortcut or folder: .......................................................... 46

Browsing RAW files........................................................................................ 46
Changing view modes .................................................................................... 47
Customizing the Details view mode ........................................................................47

To select columns and set column order: ........................................... 47

Filtering files ................................................................................................... 48
To filter files in the File List pane: ..................................................... 48
To create a custom filter: ................................................................ 48
Grouping files ................................................................................................. 49
To group files in the File List: ........................................................... 49
Navigating through groups in the File List..............................................................49

To expand and collapse specific groups: ............................................ 49

To expand and collapse all groups: ................................................... 49
To display a preview of the images in a closed group: .......................... 49
To scroll through multiple groups:..................................................... 49
To display the table of contents: ....................................................... 50

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

To quickly jump to a specific group ................................................... 50

To change the sort order of the groups: ............................................ 50
Removing groups from the File List ................................................... 50
To remove a group: ........................................................................ 50
Selecting files in one or more groups .....................................................................50

To select files in groups: ................................................................. 50

Sorting files .................................................................................................... 51
To sort items in the File List: ........................................................... 51
Sorting files using column headers ........................................................................51

To sort files using a column header:.................................................. 51

Custom sorting files ................................................................................................52

To customize the sorting order of your files: ...................................... 52

Selecting files ..........................................................................................................52

To select your files or folders: .......................................................... 52

Previewing images ...................................................................................................52

To open or close the Preview pane: ................................................... 52

To show or hide the histogram from Preview pane: ............................. 52
Comparing images ......................................................................................... 53
To compare images: ....................................................................... 53
Gathering images in the Image Basket ......................................................... 56
To use the Image Basket:................................................................ 56

Chapter 4: Viewing.............................................................. 57
Zooming .......................................................................................................... 58
Zooming an image ...................................................................................................58

To zoom an image in or out: ............................................................ 58

Setting the zoom level .............................................................................................59

To set a specific zoom level: ............................................................ 59

Automatically shrinking or enlarging images .........................................................59

To automatically shrink or enlarge images: ........................................ 59

Displaying a thumbnail of a magnified image .........................................................61

To display and use the Navigator pane: ............................................. 61

Panning a magnified image .....................................................................................61

To pan an image: ........................................................................... 61

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Using Pan Lock ........................................................................................................61

To use Pan Lock: ............................................................................ 61

Magnifying specific areas of an image ....................................................................62

To use the Magnifying Glass pane: .................................................... 62

Viewing and configuring a slide show.....................................................................62
To start a slide show from the Browser: ............................................. 62
To start a slide show in the Viewer:................................................... 62
To configure a slide show: ............................................................... 63
Starting a slide show automatically ........................................................................65

To configure a slide show to start automatically: ................................. 65

To start a slide show automatically: .................................................. 65
Example One ............................................................................................................65
Example Two ............................................................................................................66
Viewing images with Auto Advance ........................................................................66

To start Auto Advance: .................................................................... 66

Displaying text on images in the Viewer ....................................................... 67
To edit image headers and footers: ................................................... 67
To insert metadata in image text: ..................................................... 67
Hiding image text .....................................................................................................68

To hide the image text: ................................................................... 68

Viewing RAW images ..................................................................................... 68
Synchronizing the Viewer to a folder ............................................................ 68
To synchronize to a folder: .............................................................. 68
To stop synchronizing to a folder: ..................................................... 69
Viewing offline images ................................................................................... 69
To add a Photo Disc: ....................................................................... 69
Rebinding Photo Discs ............................................................................................70

To rebind a Photo Disc to its ACDSee database information: ................. 70

Using ACDSee Quick View ............................................................................. 70
To open an image in Quick View: ...................................................... 70
To set an image as your desktop wallpaper: ....................................... 71
To restore your system to the default desktop wallpaper: ..................... 71

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Viewing images other applications ............................................................... 72

To use the shell open and edit commands: ......................................... 72
Creating a desktop screen saver .............................................................................72

To create a screen saver: ................................................................ 72

To activate the screen saver on your computer:.................................. 72
Setting an image as the desktop wallpaper.............................................................73

To set an image as the desktop wallpaper: ........................................ 73

To automatically stretch wallpapered images to fit the screen: .............. 74
To display the previous wallpaper: .................................................... 74
Creating a desktop slide show ................................................................................74

To create a desktop slide show with ACDSee Showroom: ..................... 74

Using the ACDSee Showroom slide show controls ................................................75
To create more than one ACDSee Showroom: .................................... 75
To close ACDSee Showroom: ........................................................... 75
Viewing and using brush files .................................................................................75

To view brush files: ........................................................................ 75

To use brush files in Adobe Photoshop: ............................................. 76

Chapter 5: Editing ............................................................... 79

Edit Mode ........................................................................................................ 80
To open an image in Edit Mode: ....................................................... 80
To edit an image in another image editing application: ........................ 80
Working in Edit Mode...............................................................................................80

Zoom controls................................................................................ 82
Closing Edit Mode ....................................................................................................82

To close Edit Mode: ........................................................................ 82

Using the undo/redo system ....................................................................................83

To undo a change: ......................................................................... 83

To redo a reversed change: ............................................................. 83
Previewing changes to images ................................................................................83

To open the Preview bar: ................................................................ 83

Resizing an image ....................................................................................................84

To resize an image: ........................................................................ 84

Resizing tips: ................................................................................. 85

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Rotating an image ....................................................................................................85

To rotate an image at a custom angle: .............................................. 85

Flipping an image ....................................................................................................86

To flip an image: ............................................................................ 86

Cropping an image...................................................................................................86
To crop an image: .......................................................................... 86
Resizing the crop window........................................................................................87

To resize the crop window by dragging: ............................................. 87

To specify an exact size for the crop window: ..................................... 87
To constrain the crop window to a ratio: ............................................ 87
Using selections ............................................................................................. 88
To open the Selections panel: .......................................................... 88
The selection tools ..................................................................................................88
Combining the tools ................................................................................................88

To use the Freehand Lasso: ............................................................. 88

To use the Magic Wand: .................................................................. 90
To use the Marquee: ....................................................................... 91
Applying edits or effects to selections ....................................................................92

To apply an edit or effect to a selection: ............................................ 92

Using Blend Modes and Opacity .............................................................................92

Opacity ......................................................................................... 93
Blend modes .................................................................................. 93
Selecting part of an image .......................................................................................94

To select part of an image: .............................................................. 94

Adding text and watermarks .......................................................................... 95
Adding text to an image ...........................................................................................95

To add text to an image: ................................................................. 95

About text blend modes................................................................... 97
Adding a watermark to an image .............................................................................98

To add a watermark to an image: ..................................................... 98

Saving ............................................................................................................. 99
Saving or discarding changes in Edit Mode ............................................................99

To overwrite the original image: ....................................................... 99

To save the image with a new file name or format: ............................. 99

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To discard the changes you made to the image: ................................. 99

Saving tool settings .................................................................................................99

To save tool settings: ..................................................................... 99

To use a previously-saved preset: .................................................. 100
To delete a preset: ....................................................................... 100
Pixel-resize options and resulting action.................................................... 100
Repairing images ......................................................................................... 102
Removing flaws...................................................................................................... 102

To remove flaws from a photo: ....................................................... 102

Reducing red-eye ................................................................................................... 103

To correct red-eye:....................................................................... 103

Straightening crooked photos ............................................................................... 104
To correct a crooked photo: ........................................................... 104
Correcting perspective distortion ......................................................................... 104

To correct perspective distortion: ................................................... 104

Correcting barrel, pincushion, and fisheye distortion .......................................... 105

To correct barrel, pincushion, or fisheye distortion: ........................... 105

Adjusting image light levels ........................................................................ 106
Adjusting Levels automatically ............................................................................. 106

To automatically correct an image's Levels: ..................................... 106

Adjusting image Exposure .................................................................................... 107
To adjust an image's Exposure: ...................................................... 107
A brief technical explanation of eV........................................................................ 107
Adjusting shadows and highlights ........................................................................ 108

To open the Shadows/Highlights tool: ............................................. 108

Using the Basics tab ..................................................................... 108
To add light to dark areas: ............................................................ 108
To darken areas that are too bright: ............................................... 108
Using the Light EQ tab .................................................................. 109
To use the Light EQ tab: ............................................................... 110
Using the Advanced tab ................................................................. 110
Sliders ........................................................................................ 110
Checkboxes ................................................................................. 110
Graphs ....................................................................................... 111

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To use the Advanced tab: .............................................................. 111

Adjusting image Levels ......................................................................................... 114

To adjust image levels: ................................................................. 114

Adjusting brightness curves ................................................................................. 116

To adjust the brightness curves in an image: .................................... 116

Adjusting image color .................................................................................. 117
Using the Histogram .............................................................................................. 117

To display and use the Histogram: .................................................. 117

Applying Auto Color .............................................................................................. 117

To automatically adjust image colors: .............................................. 117

Removing a color cast ........................................................................................... 117

To remove a color cast from an image: ............................................ 117

Changing image color depth ................................................................................. 118

To change the color depth of an image: ........................................... 118

Changing HSL values ............................................................................................ 118

To adjust an image's HSL: ............................................................. 118

Changing RGB values ............................................................................................ 119

To adjust an image's RGB values: ................................................... 119

Creating a gray scale image (Channel Mixer) ........................................................ 119

In the Viewer ............................................................................... 119

To create a gray scale image in the Viewer: ..................................... 119
In Edit Mode - Channel Mixer ......................................................... 119
To create a grayscale image using the Channel Mixer: ....................... 119
Sharpening and blurring an image .............................................................. 120
Using the Sharpness tool ...................................................................................... 120

To sharpen an image using the Sharpness tool: ................................ 120

Using the Unsharp Mask tool ................................................................................ 120

To sharpen an image using the Unsharp Mask tool: ........................... 120

Blurring an image .................................................................................................. 121

To blur an image: ......................................................................... 121

About noise and noise reduction .......................................................................... 122
Removing noise from an image ............................................................................. 123
To remove noise from an image: .................................................... 123

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Adding noise to an image ...................................................................................... 124

To add noise to an image: ............................................................. 124

Batch editing ................................................................................................ 125
About batch editing ............................................................................................... 125
Converting multiple images to another file format ............................................... 125
To convert an image to another file format: ..................................... 125
Rotating or flipping multiple images ..................................................................... 126

To rotate or flip an image: ............................................................. 126

Resizing multiple images ....................................................................................... 128

To resize a group of images: .......................................................... 128

Adjusting exposure for multiple images ............................................................... 129
To adjust image exposure: ............................................................ 129
Changing the color profiles of multiple images .................................................... 130

To change the color profiles used in images: .................................... 130

Using the Batch Processor .......................................................................... 131
To open the Batch Processor: ......................................................... 131
To preview changes: ..................................................................... 131
To use Zoom features: .................................................................. 131
To add or remove images: ............................................................. 131
To set output options and complete the process: .............................. 132
Batch Processor rotate options ............................................................................. 134
Batch Processor crop options ............................................................................... 135
Batch Processor resize options ............................................................................ 135
Batch Processor color options .............................................................................. 138

To use the Color cast options: ........................................................ 138

To increase or decrease Saturation: ................................................ 138
Batch Processor Channel Mixer options ............................................................... 138

To create a grayscale image: ......................................................... 139

Batch Processor sepia ........................................................................................... 139

To change images to sepia: ........................................................... 139

Batch Processor exposure options ....................................................................... 140
Batch Processor Shadows/Highlights options ..................................................... 142

To adjust the shadows and highlights: ............................................. 142

Batch Processor noise removal options ............................................................... 142

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Batch Processor sharpening options .................................................................... 143

Batch Processor vignette options ......................................................................... 144
Batch Processor text overlay options ................................................................... 145
Batch Processor watermark options ..................................................................... 148

To set Watermark options:............................................................. 148

RAW image processing ................................................................................ 148
About RAW image processing ............................................................................... 148
Processing a RAW image ...................................................................................... 149

To process a RAW image: .............................................................. 149

To crop a RAW image:................................................................... 150
To copy and apply settings from one image to others: ....................... 150
Zoom controls and Histogram ............................................................................... 150
RAW Processing options ....................................................................................... 151
Exporting a RAW image to multiple formats and resolutions ............................... 156
To export a RAW image to multiple formats and resolutions: .............. 156
Renaming options ......................................................................... 157
To embed a color profile into the exported images: ........................... 157
To process a batch of RAW files: ..................................................... 157
Sharing RAW processing settings ........................................................................ 158

To export your RAW processing settings: ......................................... 158

To import RAW processing settings: ................................................ 158
Removing RAW processing settings ..................................................................... 158

To remove RAW processing settings from a single RAW file: ............... 158
To remove RAW processing settings from a batch of RAW files: ........... 159
Editing RAW images .............................................................................................. 159

Applying special effects filters .................................................................... 159

About special effect filters ..................................................................................... 159

To access the special effects filters: ................................................ 159

Applying a Bathroom Window effect ..................................................................... 160

To apply a Bathroom Window effect: ............................................... 160

Applying a Blinds effect......................................................................................... 160

To apply a Blinds effect: ................................................................ 160

Applying a Bulge effect ......................................................................................... 161

To apply a Bulge and Shrink effect: ................................................. 161

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Applying a Colored Edges effect ........................................................................... 161

To apply a Colored Edges effect: .................................................... 161

Applying a Contours effect .................................................................................... 162

To apply a Contours effect: ............................................................ 162

Applying a Crayon Drawing effect ......................................................................... 162
To use the Crayon Drawing effect: .................................................. 162
Applying a Crosshatch effect ................................................................................ 163

To use the Crosshatch effect: ......................................................... 163

Applying a Dauber effect ....................................................................................... 163

To use the Dauber effect: .............................................................. 163

Applying an Edge Detect effect ............................................................................. 163
To use the Edge Detect effect: ....................................................... 163
Applying an Emboss effect .................................................................................... 164

To emboss an image:.................................................................... 164

Applying a Furry Edges effect ............................................................................... 164

To use the Furry Edges effect: ....................................................... 164

Applying a Glowing Edges effect .......................................................................... 165
To apply a Glowing Edges effect: .................................................... 165
Applying a Granite effect ....................................................................................... 166

To use the Granite effect: .............................................................. 166

Applying a Mirror effect ......................................................................................... 166

To apply a Mirror effect: ................................................................ 166

Applying a Negative effect ..................................................................................... 166
To create an image negative: ......................................................... 166
Applying an Oil Paint effect ................................................................................... 167

To create an oil painting from a photo: ............................................ 167

Applying the Old effect .......................................................................................... 167

To apply the Old effect: ................................................................. 167

Applying an Outline effect ..................................................................................... 168
To use the Outline effect: .............................................................. 168
Applying a Pencil Drawing effect .......................................................................... 168

To create a pencil drawing from an image: ....................................... 168

Applying a Pixel Explosion effect .......................................................................... 168

To use the Pixel Explosion effect: ................................................... 168

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Applying a Pixelate effect ...................................................................................... 169

To apply a Pixelate effect: ............................................................. 169

Applying a Posterize effect .................................................................................... 170

To apply a Posterize effect: ............................................................ 170

Applying a Radial Waves effect ............................................................................. 170
To apply a Radial Waves effect: ...................................................... 170
Applying a Rain effect............................................................................................ 171

To apply rain to a photo: ............................................................... 171

Applying a Ripple effect......................................................................................... 172

To apply a Ripple effect: ................................................................ 172

Applying a Scattered Tiles effect ........................................................................... 172
To apply a Scattered Tiles effect: .................................................... 172
Applying a Sepia effect .......................................................................................... 173

To add a sepia tone to an image: .................................................... 173

Applying a Sheet Metal effect ................................................................................ 173

To apply a Sheet Metal effect: ........................................................ 173

Applying a Shift effect ........................................................................................... 174
To apply a Shift effect: .................................................................. 174
Applying a Slant effect........................................................................................... 174

To apply a Slant effect: ................................................................. 175

To use the Sobel effect: ................................................................ 175
Applying a Solarize effect ...................................................................................... 175

To apply a Solarize effect: ............................................................. 175

Applying a Stained Glass effect ............................................................................ 176
To apply a Stained Glass effect: ..................................................... 176
Applying a Sunspot effect ..................................................................................... 177

To apply a Sunspot effect: ............................................................. 177

Applying a Swirl effect ........................................................................................... 177

To apply a Swirl effect: ................................................................. 177

Applying the Threshold effect ............................................................................... 178

To apply the Threshold effect: ........................................................ 178

Applying a Topographic Map effect....................................................................... 178

To apply a Topographic Map effect: ................................................. 178

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Applying a Vignette effect ..................................................................................... 178

To apply a Vignette effect:............................................................. 179

Applying a Water effect ......................................................................................... 180

To apply a Water effect: ................................................................ 180

Applying a Water Drops effect ............................................................................... 180
To apply water drops to a photo: .................................................... 180
Applying a Waves effect ........................................................................................ 181

To apply a Waves effect: ............................................................... 181

Applying a Weave effect ........................................................................................ 182

To apply a Weave effect: ............................................................... 182

Applying a Wind effect ........................................................................................... 182
To apply a Wind effect: ................................................................. 182
Creating a custom special effect filter ................................................................... 183

To create a custom effect filter:...................................................... 183

Chapter 6: Organizing ...................................................... 185

Copying and moving files ............................................................................ 186
To copy or move files: .................................................................. 186
Copying images ..................................................................................................... 187

To copy an image: ........................................................................ 187

Pasting files and folders ........................................................................................ 187

To cut and paste files: .................................................................. 187

Replacing or overwriting files................................................................................ 187

To use the Confirm File Replace dialog box: ..................................... 187

Renaming a file or folder ....................................................................................... 188

To rename a file or folder: ............................................................. 188

Storing files in private folders ..................................................................... 188
To create a private folder: ............................................................. 188
To open a private folder: ............................................................... 189
To close a private folder: ............................................................... 189
To add files to a private folder: ...................................................... 189
To add an existing folder and its contents to a private folder: ............. 189
To restore folders and files from a private folder: .............................. 189
To delete a private folder, or the folders or files in the private folder: .. 190

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Renaming multiple files ............................................................................... 190

To rename a group of files: ............................................................ 190
Tagging images ............................................................................................ 192
To tag a photo in the Browser or Viewer: ......................................... 192
To tag a photo when you are comparing images: .............................. 193
To display a tagged photo: ............................................................ 193
Categories ..................................................................................................... 193
Creating categories................................................................................................ 193

To create a category: .................................................................... 193

To manage your categories: ........................................................... 194
Assigning categories and ratings .......................................................................... 194
To assign files to a category or rating: ............................................. 194
Removing files from classifications .................................................. 194
To remove files from a category: .................................................... 195
Creating and assigning keywords ......................................................................... 195

To create and maintain the master keyword list: ............................... 195

Metadata........................................................................................................ 196
Adding database, EXIF, and IPTC information to multiple files ............................ 196

To set database, EXIF, and IPTC information for a group of files: ......... 196
To insert data into the fields in the Batch Set Information dialog box: .. 196
Removing IPTC keywords and supplemental categories ...................................... 197

To remove IPTC keywords and supplemental categories: .................... 197

Changing the date and time properties of images ................................................ 198
To change the date and time properties of a file: .............................. 198
Viewing file properties in the Viewer ..................................................................... 199

To view an image‘s properties: ....................................................... 199

Using the Properties pane ..................................................................................... 199

To open the Properties pane: ......................................................... 199

Properties pane areas ................................................................... 199
Database tab ............................................................................... 199
File tab ....................................................................................... 199
EXIF tab ...................................................................................... 200
To edit EXIF metadata: ................................................................. 200
IPTC tab ...................................................................................... 200

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To edit IPTC metadata: ................................................................. 200

Custom tab ................................................................................. 200
To configure the Custom tab: ......................................................... 200
Backing up your files to another computer ................................................ 201
To create a synchronization: .......................................................... 201
Updating or deleting a synchronization ................................................................ 201

To update or delete a saved synchronization: ................................... 201

Running a saved synchronization ......................................................................... 202

To run a saved synchronization: ..................................................... 202

Managing database information .................................................................. 202
About the ACDSee database ................................................................................. 202
Excluding folders from the database .................................................................... 203
To manage your excluded folders settings: ...................................... 203
Cataloging files in the database ............................................................................ 203

To catalog your files: .................................................................... 203

Converting an older database ............................................................................... 204

To convert an older database: ........................................................ 204

Importing database information ............................................................................ 204
To use the ACD Database Import Wizard: ........................................ 205
Importing file information from other sources ...................................................... 205
Importing Photo Discs ........................................................................................... 205

To import a Photo Disc: ................................................................. 205

Importing albums ................................................................................................... 206
To import album information into the database: ............................... 206
Working with descript.ion files .............................................................................. 206
To import a descript.ion file: .......................................................... 206
To export captions to a descript.ion file: .......................................... 206
Exporting database information ............................................................................ 206

To use the ACD Database Export Wizard: ......................................... 207

Generating file lists ................................................................................................ 207

To generate a list of your files: ....................................................... 207

Backing up your database ..................................................................................... 207
To back up your database information: ............................................ 208

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Database backup tips and strategies .................................................................... 209

Backup schedule .......................................................................... 209

Backup location ............................................................................ 209
Backup size ................................................................................. 209
Restoring database information from a backup .................................................... 209

To restore database information: .................................................... 209

Maintaining the database ....................................................................................... 210

Database content icons ................................................................. 210

To perform database maintenance: ................................................. 210
Optimizing the database ........................................................................................ 211

To optimize your database: ............................................................ 211

Rebuilding thumbnails ........................................................................................... 211

To rebuild thumbnails: .................................................................. 211

Quarantined files.................................................................................................... 211
To view quarantined files: .............................................................. 211
Creating and assigning keywords ......................................................................... 211

To create and maintain the master keyword list: ............................... 212

Mapping drives for an incoming database ............................................................ 212

To select new drive mappings: ....................................................... 212

Searching ...................................................................................................... 213
Using the Quick Search bar ................................................................................... 213

To run a Quick Search:.................................................................. 213

Quick Search operators ......................................................................................... 213
Using the Search pane ........................................................................................... 214

To open the Search pane: .............................................................. 214

Search pane areas ................................................................................................. 214

Files and Text .............................................................................. 214

Properties area....................................................................................................... 215
To use the Properties area: ............................................................ 215
Searching with file name patterns ......................................................................... 215
Using selective browsing ...................................................................................... 216

To use selective browsing: ............................................................. 216

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Setting selective browsing criteria ........................................................................ 216

To add selective browsing criteria: .................................................. 217

Tips for selective browsing: .................................................................................. 217
Hiding the Selective Browsing pane ...................................................................... 217
Searching with auto categories ............................................................................. 218
Identifying commonly used search categories ..................................................... 218

To add an auto category grouping to the Commonly Used grouping: .... 218
To remove an auto category grouping from the Commonly Used grouping:218
Refining your auto category search ...................................................................... 219
Finding duplicate files ........................................................................................... 219

To find duplicate files: ................................................................... 220

Finding images quickly .......................................................................................... 220

To find all of your images at once: .................................................. 220

To locate uncategorized images: .................................................... 220

Chapter 7: Sharing ............................................................ 221

E-mailing images ................................................................................................... 222

To e-mail your images: ................................................................. 222

Sharing slide shows and screen savers ................................................................ 222

To create a slide show: ................................................................. 223

Creating a PDF ....................................................................................................... 224

To create a PDF: .......................................................................... 224

Burning a CD or DVD ............................................................................................. 224

To create a CD or DVD: ................................................................. 224

Creating video files and VCDs ............................................................................... 226

To create a video file or VCD: ........................................................ 226

Creating an HTML album ....................................................................................... 226

To create an HTML album: ............................................................. 227

Uploading images to photo Web sites ................................................................... 228
Authorizing.................................................................................. 228
To read about a service:................................................................ 228
To upload images to a Web site: ..................................................... 228
New Services ............................................................................... 228
To install a new service: ................................................................ 228

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Creating a contact sheet ........................................................................................ 229

To create a contact sheet: ............................................................. 229

Creating archives of your files .............................................................................. 230

To create an archive: .................................................................... 230

Extracting archived (.zip) files ........................................................ 231
To extract an archived file to a folder: ............................................. 231
To view files inside an archived file: ................................................ 231
Publishing images to TiVo ..................................................................................... 232
To publish your images to TiVo: ...................................................... 232
Creating a SendPix album ..................................................................................... 232

To share your images with SendPix: ................................................ 232

To create a Photo Widget: ............................................................. 233
Creating a PowerPoint presentation ...................................................................... 233

To create a PowerPoint presentation: .............................................. 233

Playing .......................................................................................................... 234
Playing audio and video files................................................................................. 234

To play audio or video files: ........................................................... 234

Automatically playing audio and video files ......................................................... 234

To start playing media files automatically: ....................................... 234

The Media toolbar ......................................................................... 235
Selecting part of a media file ................................................................................. 236

To select part of an audio or video file: ............................................ 236

Saving video frames as images ............................................................................. 236

To extract and save a single video frame as an image: ...................... 236

To extract and save multiple video frames as images: ....................... 236
Adding or editing image audio .............................................................................. 237

To add audio to an image: ............................................................. 237

Recording audio to an image ................................................................................. 237

To record and add an audio file to an image: .................................... 237

Chapter 8: Printing ............................................................ 239

Printing images in ACDSee ................................................................................... 240

To print your images:.................................................................... 240

Setting printer options ........................................................................................... 240
Setting image size and positioning ....................................................................... 242

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Adding text to pages .............................................................................................. 242

To add captions to your printed images: .......................................... 242

To add headers and footers to your printed pages: ............................ 243
Setting contact sheet printing options .................................................................. 243
Creating custom print layouts ............................................................................... 244
To create a custom print format: .................................................... 244

Chapter 9: Customizing .................................................... 245

Setting options ............................................................................................. 246
Setting the General options ................................................................................... 246

To access the General options: ....................................................... 246

Setting Browser options ........................................................................................ 247

To set the Browser options: ........................................................... 247

Setting the Quick Search options .......................................................................... 248

To set Quick Search options:.......................................................... 248

Setting File List pane options ................................................................................ 248

To adjust the File List pane options: ................................................ 248

Setting the Thumbnail Info options ....................................................................... 251

To adjust the Thumbnail Info options: ............................................. 251

Setting the Thumbnail Style options ..................................................................... 252

To adjust the Thumbnail Style options:............................................ 252

Setting the Details View options ............................................................................ 253
To adjust the Details View options: ................................................. 253
Setting the Preview pane options .......................................................................... 254

To set the Preview options:............................................................ 254

Setting the Folders pane options .......................................................................... 255

To customize the Folders pane: ...................................................... 255

Setting the Organize pane options ........................................................................ 255

To set the Organize pane options: .................................................. 255

Setting the Calendar pane options ........................................................................ 256

To set the Calendar pane options: .................................................. 256

Setting the CD/DVD Management options ............................................................. 257

To change the Burn Basket options: ................................................ 257

To change the Photo Disc identification method: ............................... 257
Setting the Properties Pane options...................................................................... 258

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To add a custom tab to the Properties pane: .................................... 258

Setting File Management options .......................................................................... 258

To set the File Management options: ............................................... 258

Setting the Color Management options ................................................................. 259
Color Management options.................................................................................... 259
Setting file options for the Adjust Image Exposure tool ....................................... 260
Setting the Database options ................................................................................ 261

To set the database options: .......................................................... 261

Setting Viewer options ........................................................................................... 262
To set the Viewer options: ............................................................. 262
Setting the Viewer Display options ....................................................................... 263

To set the Viewer Display options: .................................................. 263

Setting RAW Image Preview options ..................................................................... 264

To change the RAW Image Preview options: ..................................... 264

Setting ACDSee Showroom options ...................................................................... 265

To customize the ACDSee Showroom desktop slide show: .................. 265

Setting ACDSee Quick View options ..................................................................... 266

To customize ACDSee Quick View: .................................................. 266

Setting JPEG options............................................................................................. 267
Setting resized file options .................................................................................... 268
Setting rotated and flipped file options ................................................................. 269

Customizing and configuring ...................................................................... 270

Creating custom Browser layouts ......................................................................... 270

To create and save a custom Browser layout: ................................... 270

To load a saved Browser layout: ..................................................... 270
To restore the default Browser layout: ............................................. 270
Auto-hiding panes and panels ............................................................................... 270

To set or remove auto-hide:........................................................... 271

Using the Custom tab in the Properties pane ....................................................... 271
To configure the Custom tab: ......................................................... 271
Using the Task Pane .............................................................................................. 272

To open or close the Task pane: ..................................................... 272

Using the Context Sensitive toolbar ...................................................................... 272
Customizing toolbars............................................................................................. 272

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Displaying and hiding toolbars.............................................................................. 272

To display or hide a toolbar: .......................................................... 272

Customizing toolbar contents ............................................................................... 273

To display the Customize dialog box: .............................................. 273

To add or remove buttons on the toolbar: ........................................ 273
To display or hide text labels below toolbar buttons: ......................... 273
To display or hide tool tips for toolbar buttons: ................................. 274
To change the toolbar button size: .................................................. 274
Resetting toolbars ................................................................................................. 274

To reset the toolbars: ................................................................... 274

Customizing the Edit Panel ................................................................................... 274

To customize the Edit Panel: .......................................................... 274

Configuring image editors ..................................................................................... 275

To add an image editor to ACDSee: ................................................ 275

To manage your image editors: ...................................................... 275
Customizing keyboard shortcuts .......................................................................... 275

To customize keyboard shortcuts: ................................................... 276

To define a new keyboard shortcut: ................................................ 276
Plug-ins ......................................................................................................... 277
Working with plug-ins ............................................................................................ 277
Types of plug-ins: .................................................................................................. 277
Managing plug-ins ................................................................................................. 277

To access the Plug-in Settings dialog box: ....................................... 277

Disabling a plug-in ................................................................................................. 278
To disable a plug-in: ..................................................................... 278
Changing the plug-in order .................................................................................... 278

To change the plug-in order:.......................................................... 278

Viewing plug-in properties and getting help ......................................................... 278

To view plug-in properties: ............................................................ 278

To view a plug-in's Help file: .......................................................... 278

Appendices ....................................................................... 281

Shortcuts ...................................................................................................... 282
Browser keyboard shortcuts ................................................................................. 282
Viewer keyboard shortcuts .................................................................................... 286

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Viewer mouse shortcuts ........................................................................................ 291

Calendar pane shortcuts ....................................................................................... 292
File formats ................................................................................................... 292
Supported file formats ........................................................................................... 292
Image formats ........................................................................................................ 292
Archive formats ..................................................................................................... 292
Video and audio formats ........................................................................................ 292

Supported RAW formats .............................................................................. 299

Registering and Associating files................................................................ 303
For Microsoft XP .................................................................................................... 303

To associate files with ACDSee: ...................................................... 303

For Microsoft Windows Vista ................................................................................. 303
To set file association options in ACDSee: ........................................ 303
To register new file extensions with Microsoft Windows Vista : ............ 304

Glossary ............................................................................ 305

Index .................................................................................. 321

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Chapter 1: Getting started

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Welcome to ACDSee Pro 2

Welcome to ACDSee Pro 2, and congratulations on choosing the industry-leading digital photo
management software.
ACDSee is the essential application for acquiring, organizing, viewing, enhancing, and sharing
your digital photos and other media files.
ACDSee's Browser lets you copy photos from your camera to your computer, categorize and rate
your files, and manage photo collections of any size - from a few hundred to a few hundred
thousand. Choose to view thumbnail previews of any size, or use a detailed list of file properties
to sort your files. Can't find a particular photo? No problem - ACDSee includes a variety of
powerful searching tools and a Compare Images feature to eliminate duplicates.
ACDSee's full-featured image viewer and media player quickly generates high-quality displays of
your images and media files. You can run slide shows, play embedded audio, and display
multiple-page images in any of the more than 50 image and multimedia file formats.
Also, ACDSee includes a wide variety of image editing tools you can use to create, edit, and
touch-up your digital images. Use tools such as red-eye reduction, crop, sharpen, blur, and
photo repair to enhance or correct your images. Image management tools, such as exposure
adjustment, convert, resize, rename, and rotate, can be performed on multiple files at the same
time.
The user interface is completely customizable, and provides quick access to tools and features.
You can customize the screen layout, the order of images, toolbar display, and many other
options to suit your preferences. ACDSee contains extensive context-sensitive Help to assist you
as you move through the application.
ACDSee is a fast, powerful, and easy-to-use image management system that everyone from
beginners to professionals can use and enjoy.

Getting started...
Starting ACDSee Pro 2
About the ACDSee user interface
Getting photos with ACDSee
What's new in ACDSee

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 Chapter 1 : Getting Started

What's new in ACDSee Pro 2

Certified for Vista ™

ACDSee Pro 2 is Certified for Windows Vista™, providing the best experience possible on the
Vista™ operating system. ACDSee has worked closely with Microsoft to provide features and
functions at the highest level of compatibility with Windows Vista.

Improved RAW performance

Viewing and Browsing:
Viewing RAW in ACDSee Pro 2 is now incredibly fast. Browse and view huge RAW files as if they
were JPEGs, with new background RAW processing and RAW Image Previews (RIPs).
Performance and handling of RAW files is optimized for dual processors. The quality of
demosaicing and white balance is also improved

Copy and paste RAW settings:

Accelerate and simplify your workflow by copying and pasting RAW settings from one photo to
another.

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Rotate and crop in one step:

Crop and rotate your photos at the same time with the flexible new Crop/Rotate tool

Export to multiple formats and resolutions:

Simultaneously export RAW images to up to 14 file formats and multiple resolutions, rename and
resize your files, and embed a color profile.

Recover detail in RAW photos:

Even when a photo is properly exposed, you can lose highlight details due to clipping by your
camera. In ACDSee Pro 2, recover up to two stops of lost highlight detail with the Highlight
Recovery slider in the Exposure tab of the RAW Processor. Or, use the Light EQ tab to control
up to nine individual tone bands.

New RAW file formats:

ACDSee Pro 2 supports several new RAW formats as well as XMP sidecar files.

Superior browsing, viewing, and organizing

Pop-up previews:
To see the new pop-up previews in the File List pane, hover your mouse over a thumbnail. To
disable pop-up previews, select Tools | Options, under File List, then click off Mouse cursor
hover, activates pop-ups. Or you could deactivate this option, but select <Shift> Key
activates pop-ups. Now the pop-ups will display only if you hold down Shift and hover over your
thumbnails.

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 Chapter 1 : Getting Started

Browse by date:
View your photos by date with the new Photo Calendar or Events View.
To access the Photo Calendar in ACDSee Pro 2, float the Calendar pane, select Month View,
and enlarge the pane.
Events View, a new option in the Calendar pane, displays your photos in an organized event
list. Personalize events with unique descriptions like AutoShow or Jones Wedding.

View photos faster:

See your photos instantly on screen with the Quick View mode. Whether opening an image
attachment to an e-mail, or double-clicking on a JPEG from Windows Explorer, the Quick View
mode is a fast, sleek, and efficient addition to ACDSee‘ powerful viewing tools. Pared down to
include the viewing and browsing essentials, it displays your photos with greater speed than ever
before.

Organize, sort, and navigate:

Group By arranges your photos into subsets, providing a logical viewing structure for faster
viewing. Group by keywords, size, date taken, and other commonly used information.
With Filter By, you get improved sorting and display of photos assigned to particular ratings or
categories. For example, select Filter By | Rating 1. Only the photos in the selected folder(s)
assigned to Rating 1 will be displayed.
Easily navigate a summary list of groups of photos in a folder using the Table of Contents
display. It is available when using the new Group By and Events View features.

Support for .abr file format (Adobe brushes):

In the latest update, ACDSee has added support of the Adobe .abr format. You can now view and
organize brush files quickly and easily, just the same as any other font or file, or you can add
brushes to Photoshop directly from the ACDSee Browser by dragging (or clicking Ctrl + E if you
have Photoshop configured as your default image editor in ACDSee.)

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Brush files are denoted by this icon .

Brush (.abr) files often contain multiple images. The thumbnail in the Browser shows only the
first image. You need to open the file in the Viewer to see all the images. Double-click the file to
open it in the Viewer, where you can click on each image, or scroll through them using the arrow
keys at the top of the sidebar. To open the files in Adobe Photoshop from the Viewer, click Ctrl
+E.

The brushes used in this screen shot were designed by Barbara Speck of Barbara
Speck Designs 2007.

Improved metadata support

Multi-word keyword support:
ACDSee Pro 2 now supports spaces in keywords, making it compatible with the IPTC standard
and with other photo editing software. Enter keywords like "Los Angeles" and no metadata will
be lost when you import or export images from other applications.

XMP and DNG support:

ACDSee now supports the XMP sidecar file format created by Adobe products. These sidecar files
can be used to store metadata for RAW images that cannot be edited directly.
ACDSee also supports reading and writing to XMP metadata for our currently supported IPTC
fields. XMP metadata is a new extensible standard that is becoming more widely adopted. For
backward compatibility, ACDSee reads metadata from or writes it to, both the older IPTC fields
and the newer XMP fields, with the XMP field (if it exists) taking precedence.
You can also edit the metadata in DNG files including EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata.

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 Chapter 1 : Getting Started

Automatic categorizing based on metadata:

Save time sorting your photos - browse through the Auto Categories pane. ACDSee Pro 2 now
leverages metadata from your images to automatically place them in categories based on EXIF
camera information, IPTC data, ACD database information and file properties. Use auto
categories to improve searches too.

User-friendly, advanced image editing

Improved Shadows/Highlights:
The sophisticated image processing behind the Shadows/Highlights tool is now even better! This
patent-pending feature actively analyses each photo to automatically apply optimal settings for
each individual photo. Fine-tune shadows and highlights independently using sliders, or a single
click on the photo.
For greater precision use the Light EQ and Advanced tabs. The Light EQ tab is like a sound
equalizer - for light. You have complete control over 2-9 separate tone bands.

With the Advanced tab, you drag the actual local, tone-mapping curve, which tells you
immediately when clipping starts - or make adjustments directly on the photo itself using mouse
controls. You can even "roll" your own custom curve using the mouse scroll wheel.

RAW Shadows and Highlights:

Even better, controls for adjusting the too-dark or too-bright areas of photos have been added to
RAW Processing both on the Exposure tab and on the separate Light EQ tab.

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Expanded Batch Processing:

Apply 13 different operations to a single photo or multiple photos using the Batch Processor,
which now includes controls for Shadows/Highlights, Channel Mixer, Sepia, and Saturation.

Creative editing with Selections:

Apply corrections, adjustments, and creative effects to a selected area of your image with the
new Selections tool, giving you complete technical and artistic control of every aspect of your
image.

Opacity and Blending:

Change the opacity of an effect applied to the whole image or a selection. Change the way edited
images blend with the original image. Used with selections or special effects, these tools
effectively give you 17 new options for every editing panel!Quickly flip through the blend modes
by hovering over the control and scrolling with your mouse wheel.

Channel Mixer:
Create rich black and white images by controlling the amount of color information in each of the
red, green, and blue channels used in the grayscale image. A preview window shows you
precisely which areas of the photo you will affect for each channel. In Edit Mode, click Color and
then select the Channel Mixer tab.

Advanced red-eye correction:

With the new Red-eye Reduction tool, get natural-looking results even if the red coloring has
bled onto the surrounding skin or iris. Set the intensity of the color and then create a custom
color to replace red areas.

Integration and sharing

Export photos directly to PowerPoint:
Use the new PPT wizard to instantly create a PowerPoint presentation of your photos by
exporting them directly from within ACDSee. Just select your photos, click Create | Create PPT
and the wizard will help you add or remove images, name your presentation, choose where to
store it, apply a design template or even add captions, titles, and notes to each slide.

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 Chapter 1 : Getting Started

Unzip archives from right inside ACDSee:

Now you can unzip archives and start viewing and organizing files without leaving ACDSee, so
you can start viewing and organizing downloads immediately.

Upload to online services:

Quickly upload your photos to online services like Flickr and SmugMug from within ACDSee.

Photo widget:
Post a photo widget on your web site or blog, powered by your free ACDSee Sendpix online
album.

Print Templates:
Print Layout reduces the complexity and confusion suffered over printing multiple photos. It
gives you a variety of print layout options. Print multiple 4x6 prints on a single page, or fill an
entire page for an 8x10.

Starting ACDSee Pro 2

After you install ACDSee on your computer, an application icon appears on the desktop and in
the Start menu.

To start ACDSee:
Do one of the following:
Double-click the ACDSee icon on the desktop.
Click Start| ACD Systems | ACDSee Pro 2.

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

About the ACDSee user interface

The ACDSee user interface provides easy access to the various tools and features you can use to
browse, view, edit, and manage your photos and media files. ACDSee consists of three main
parts: the Browser, the Viewer, and Edit Mode.

The Browser
The ACDSee Browser is the main browsing and managing component of the user interface, and is
what you see when you start ACDSee using the shortcut icon on your desktop. In the Browser,
you can find, move, preview, and sort your files, and access organization and sharing tools.
The Browser consists of 12 panes, most of which can be closed when not in use. The File List
pane is always visible, and displays the contents of the current folder, the results of your latest
search, or the files in your database that match your filtering criteria. A status bar at the bottom
of the Browser window displays information about the currently selected file, folder, or category.
The Browser also features two toolbars: the main toolbar, which provides shortcuts to
commonly-used commands, and the context-sensitive toolbar, which provides different shortcuts
depending on what is currently selected in the Browser.
You can open and close panes, move them to different areas of your screen, and stack them on
other panes or dock them to the edge of the Browser. Most panes also have additional options
you can set to further customize their behavior and appearance.

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The Viewer
The ACDSee Viewer plays media files and displays images in full resolution, one at a time. You
can also open panes in the Viewer to view image properties, display areas of an image at varying
magnifications, or examine detailed color information.
You can open the Viewer directly by double-clicking an associated file type in Windows Explorer,
and you can use the Viewer to flip quickly between all of the images in a folder. The Viewer
contains a toolbar with shortcuts to commonly-used commands, and a status bar at the bottom
of the Viewer window, which displays information about the current image or media file.

Edit Mode
You can open your images in ACDSee‘s Edit Mode to adjust or enhance them using the editing
tools and effects.
Edit Mode displays the available tools on the Edit Panel, a customizable menu that can be closed
or hidden when not in use. Clicking the name of a tool on the menu opens that tool in the Edit
Panel, where you can adjust the settings to edit or enhance your image.
The Edit Mode also contains a status bar, which displays information about the image you are
editing.

Using the Browser

With the ACDSee Browser, you can browse, sort, manage, manipulate, and share your files and
images. You can combine different tools and panes to perform sophisticated searching and
filtering operations, and view thumbnail previews of images and media files.
The Browser panes are fully customizable, and can be moved, resized, hidden, docked, or closed.
You can also stack the panes together for easy reference and accessibility, and to maximize your
screen space.

About Browser panes

The ACDSee Browser consists of the following panes:

File List This pane displays the contents of the currently selected folder, the results of
your latest search, or the files and folders that match your selective browsing
criteria. The File List pane is always visible, and cannot be hidden or closed.
You can customize the File List pane by changing the way the files are
displayed, or the size of the thumbnails.

Folders This pane displays the directory structure of your computer, much like the
directory tree in Windows Explorer. You can use the Folders pane to browse
through the folders and display their contents in the File List pane. You can
also display the contents of multiple folders in the File List by clicking the Easy
Select box opposite each folder, on the left side of the pane.

Calendar This pane displays a calendar that you can use to organize and browse your
files according to their associated dates. For more information about the
Calendar pane, as well as a description of the toolbar buttons, see Using the
Calendar pane.

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Favorites This pane stores shortcuts to your favourite images, files, folders or even
applications. Dragging an image, file, or folder into the Favorites pane creates a
shortcut to the original without affecting it in any way.

Search This pane provides access to ACDSee‘s powerful search utility. You can specify
the type of search you want to perform, and enter your search criteria into the
fields provided in the Search pane.

Preview This pane displays a thumbnail preview and histogram of any image or media
file currently selected in the File List pane. You can adjust the size of the
thumbnail by resizing the Preview pane, and also specify whether you want the
Preview pane to play media files or just display the first frame.

Selective This pane combines input from the Folders, Organize, and Calendar panes to
Browsing limit the list of files in the File List pane to those that match a specific set of
criteria. You can include or exclude files by adjusting the different criteria in the
Selective Browsing pane.

Organize This pane lists the categories and ratings to which you can assign your files to
help sort and manage them more easily. You can also use the Special Items
area in the Organize pane to quickly view all of the images on your computer,
or see any uncategorized files in the current folder.

Task This pane displays menus of commonly-used buttons and commands from the
menus and toolbars. The menus change dynamically based on your current
location and selections in ACDSee.

Properties This pane displays file properties and database information for any file or folder
you select in the File List pane. You can use the Properties pane to view and
edit database information for your files, and the EXIF metadata included in
digital photos.

Image While browsing through your files and folders, you can place images in the
Basket Image Basket to hold them temporarily. You can then edit, print, or share those
images without moving them all into a single folder.

Burn This pane provides the tools you need to group and organize files and then burn
Basket them to CDs and DVDs from within ACDSee.

Working with Browser panes

You can open and close panes in the Browser to suit your preferences, and move, float, or stack
any of the panes to customize the layout of the Browser window.

To open or close a Browser pane:

Click View and select the pane you want to open or close.

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Moving panes
You can move a pane from a docked or floating position to a new location. You can move one
pane at a time, or several stacked panes.

To move a pane:
1. Drag the pane's title bar and hold your mouse pointer over any of the arrows of the
Docking Compass.
2. When the shaded marquee displays the position of the pane you want, release the
mouse button.
3. To return a pane to its previous location, double-click its title bar.

To move a docked or floating pane:

Do one of the following:
Drag the pane's tab to a new location. Only one pane moves.
Drag the pane's title bar to a new location. Any panes stacked beneath it also move.

Docking panes
When you select a pane in the Browser, the Docking Compass activates to help you place the
pane precisely. The Docking Compass consists of an outer and inner ring of arrows. When you
hold your mouse pointer over any of the arrows, a shaded marquee displays the potential
position of the pane.

To dock a pane in the Browser window:

1. Drag the pane's title bar or tab to activate the Docking Compass.
2. To dock a pane around the outer edge of the Browser window, hold your mouse pointer
over any of the outer arrows of the Docking Compass, and then release the mouse
button.
3. To dock a pane around the outer edge of the File List pane, or another Browser pane,
hold your mouse pointer over the inner arrows of the Docking compass, and then
release the mouse button.

Stacking panes
You can stack panes and reorder their tabs to suit your needs.

To stack panes:
1. Do one of the following:
Drag one pane's title-bar onto the title bar of another pane until the shaded
marquee appears, and then release the mouse button.
Drag one pane inside another, hold your mouse pointer over the center of the
Docking Compass, and then release the mouse button.
2. To reorder the panes, drag a tab to the left or right in the tab order.
3. To separate a tabbed pane, drag the pane‘s tab to another location on the screen.

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Resizing panes
You can resize all the panes in the browser, whether they are docked or floating.

To resize a docked pane:

1. Hold your mouse pointer over the edge of the pane until the pointer changes to arrows
and lines.
2. Drag the edge of the pane to the size you want.

To resize a floating pane:

Hold your mouse pointer over the edge or corner of the pane and then drag the pane to the
size you want.

Resetting the Browser layout

You can return all of the Browser panes to their default positions at any time.

To reset the Browser layout:

Click View | Reset Layout.

See also...
Setting Browser options
Customizing the Browser layout

Using the Viewer

You can use the Viewer to display your images and media files using their actual dimensions or
at a variety of magnifications. You can also display a group of images in sequential order.
The Viewer window contains four main areas:
Viewer toolbar: Located at the top of the Viewer and below the menu bar, the Viewer
toolbar provides shortcut buttons to commonly-used tools and commands, such as the
zoom and scroll tools. You can set the options on the toolbar to show or hide the
toolbar, and to use large or small icons.
Editing toolbar: Located on the left side of the Viewer, the Editing toolbar provides
shortcuts to the editing tools available in ACDSee's Edit Mode.
View area: This is the main Viewer area, which displays the current image or media file.
You can customize the Viewer window, and zoom in or out on your images and media
files.
Status bar: Located at the bottom of the View area, the Status bar displays information
and properties for the current image or media file. It also displays overlay icons for
rating and tagging that you can click to edit.
The Viewer can also display the Properties pane to show database, EXIF, and IPTC information
about the image or file. The Viewer also has the Navigator, Magnifying Glass and Histogram
panes, each of which show detailed image information.

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To open an image or media file in the Viewer:

In the File List pane, do one of the following:
Select a file and press Enter.
Double-click a file.
Right-click an image or media file, and then select View.

To open a group of images in the Viewer:

1. In the File List pane, select a group of images.
2. Press Enter.
3. To navigate through the images, do the following:
4. To view the next image in the sequence, click View | Next Image.
5. To view the previous image in the sequence, click View | Previous Image.

By default, the Viewer displays all of the files in a folder. You can customize the
Viewer to display only those files that you select in the File List pane.

Viewing images in full screen mode

You can use the entire screen of your monitor to display images. In full screen mode, the window
borders, menu bar, status bar, and toolbars are hidden, and only the image is visible. If you
want to always view your images in full screen mode, you can set this option as the default for
the Viewer.

To view images in full screen mode:

1. Open an image, or a group of images, in the Viewer.
2. Click View | Full Screen.
3. Right-click the image to access the Viewer tools and options via a shortcut menu.

To exit full screen mode:

Do one of the following:
Press the F key.
Right-click the image and select View | Full Screen.

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Using the Viewer panes

To open the Viewer panes:
1. Open an image in the Viewer.

2. Do one of the following:

Click View | Histogram to display the histogram for the image.
Click View | Magnifying glass to magnify the area of the image under your
cursor.
Click View | Navigator to display a thumbnail overview of a magnified image.
Click View | Properties to display file, database, EXIF, or IPTC information about
the image.

Returning to the Browser

You can close the Viewer window and return to the Browser at any time.

To return to the Browser from the Viewer window:

Do one of the following:
Press Esc.
Press Enter.
Double-click the image.
Click File | Browse.
Click the Browse button on the toolbar.

See also...
Magnifying specific areas of an image

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Using Edit Mode

ACDSee includes a powerful, yet easy-to-use image editor with an array of useful tools to help
reduce red-eye in digital images, remove an unwanted color cast, apply special effects, and
much more.
You can also edit and enhance your images by adjusting the light and color levels, cropping
images that are too large, rotating or flipping images that are incorrectly aligned, and adjusting
sharpness. When you are finished editing, you can preview your changes, and then save your
images in over 10 different file formats.
You can use the Edit Mode to edit and enhance your images, or you can configure ACDSee to
open and work with a variety of editing applications, such as ACD Photo Editor.

To open an image in Edit Mode:

Do one of the following:
In the Browser, select an image and click Tools | Open In Editor, and then select
Edit Mode.
In the Viewer, click Modify, and then select Edit Mode.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Edit Mode and then select the name of the tool you
want to apply to your image. Edit Mode will open directly to that tool.

To edit an image in another image editing application:

Do one of the following:
In the Browser, click Tools | Open in Editor, and then select the editing
application you want to use.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Open in Editor, and then select the editing
application you want to use.

Organizing and managing files in ACDSee

In addition to its browsing, viewing, and editing capabilities, ACDSee features integrated
management tools you can use to better organize and sort your images and media files. These
tools include batch functions (tools that can alter or adjust multiple files at the same time),
category and rating systems, and a powerful database to hold all of your important image
information.
You can use ACDSee‘s batch functions to rename, resize, rotate, add EXIF information, and
adjust the exposure of a single image, a group of images, or the contents of an entire folder all
at once. With the category and rating systems, you can create a virtual folder structure, and use
it to find related images and media files with a single click.

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ACDSee displays file properties and image information in an easily accessible Properties pane
that you can use to directly add and edit file information, including metadata and database
content. You can add an author, description, notes, and keywords to your files, and adjust the
category and rating assignments at the same time.

See also...
About the ACDSee database
Using the Properties pane
Browsing files by category, rating, or classification
Setting the database options

Searching with ACDSee

ACDSee includes a number of ways to search your computer for files and folders. You can use
the Search pane to search by file name, keywords, or image properties. You can create advanced
searches to locate files that fall within a date or rating range, or use the Duplicate Finder to
locate and manage identical files.
For simpler searches, you can use the Quick Search bar to quickly locate files and folders, or
search the database for specific names and keywords. You can also customize the Quick Search
bar to only search for specific items or certain parts of the database.
Also, you can use the Organize pane to quickly locate and list all images on your hard drive, or
to locate any files in a folder that have not been categorized. If you are working with larger
image collections, you can use Selective Browsing to specify broad or narrow criteria for the
images you want to display in the File List pane.

See also...
Finding images quickly
Using the Quick Search bar
Using the Search pane
Using selective browsing
Finding duplicate files

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Sharing images with ACDSee

ACDSee makes it easy to share your images with friends and family. You can e-mail images right
out of the File List, post images on the Internet with ACD Systems‘ secure SendPix servers, and
create your own Web pages with the HTML Album plug-in.
ACDSee includes a Burn Basket pane, to help you burn your images safely onto a disc. You can
also create slide shows and screen savers that you can give to anyone with a computer — they
don‘t need ACDSee to view them. You can even publish your images to your TiVo, and view them
on your television screen.

See also...
E-mailing images
Creating a SendPix album
Publishing images to TiVo
Sharing slide shows and screen savers
Creating PDF files
Creating a CD or DVD
Creating an HTML album
Creating a contact sheet

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System requirements
To browse and view your images and videos, and listen to your audio files with ACDSee, your
system must include the following components:

Minimum Recommended

Hardware Pentium III® / AMD Athlon processor Pentium® 4 / AMD Athlon XP

or equivalent processor or equivalent
512 MB RAM 1GB RAM
100 MB free hard drive space 1 GB free hard drive space
High Color display adapter at High Color display adapter at 1280 x
1024x768 1024

CD/DVD burner

Software Windows® 2000, Windows® XP Windows® XP, Vista ™

Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.0.0 Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6.0.0

TiVo® Desktop Software* - to publish

photos to TiVo1

Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0* - for

Microsoft DirectX file format support,
and for creating slide shows, screen
savers, and VCDs

QuickTime™ 6.0* - for QuickTime file

format support.

Ghostscript® 8.0* - for PDF support

Windows Media™ Player 9.0 or later*

*To download these components, please visit our Web site.

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Getting help

Using the ACDInTouch Service

ACDInTouch is a data exchange service. When you connect, information is sent to you so that
you can read up-to-date information directly in the ACDInTouch Viewer. This information is
relevant to your product, such as upgrades, add-ons, and related software from ACD Systems
that may also be of interest to you.
For information on ACD Systems' Privacy Policy, click here.
To view languages other than English, click the Site Language drop-down list, and then select
the desired language.

Using myACD
You can use myACD to manage your ACD Systems software. With it, you can check the status of
your software, enter a license code to update your trial versions, and download other products to
try or buy.

To open the myACD Control Panel:

Click Help, and then select myACD.

The myACD Control Panel displays a list of currently installed software, and whether that
software is a trial or full version. You can purchase software and even update your trials to a full
version. You can also view a list of additional products that you can download and install on your
hard drive.

For complete access to all the myACD features, you must be connected to the
Internet.

To obtain a full license for trial software installed on your hard drive:
1. In the Installed Products list of the myACD Control Panel dialog box, select a product
containing a trial version status.
2. Click the Buy button below the Installed Products list. You will be prompted with
further instructions.

To update a trial version with a full version license code:

1. In the Installed Products list of the myACD Control Panel, select a product that
contains a trial version status.
2. Click Enter License Code.
3. In the License Code dialog box, type the license code provided to you by ACD Systems.
4. Click OK.

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To download and install free software:

1. In the Additional Products list of the myACD Control Panel dialog box, select a free
product.
2. Click the Install button. You will be prompted with further instructions.

To download and install trial version software:

1. In the Additional Products list of the myACD Control Panel dialog box, select a
product.
2. Click the Try button located below the Additional Products list. You will be prompted
with further instructions.

To buy, download, and install full version software:

1. In the Additional Products list of the myACD Control Panel dialog box, select a
product.
2. Click the Buy button located below the Additional Products list. You will be prompted
with further instructions.

See also...
Working with plug-ins

Contacting ACD Systems

To find information about purchasing software, customer service and technical support, please go
to our web site: http://www.acdsee.com/

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Chapter 2: Getting photos

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

Getting photos with ACDSee

You can use ACDSee to download images from your digital camera, scanner, mobile phone, or
other removable device. You can also use ACDSee to capture images of your screen and save
them as files.
When you connect your digital camera or other device to your computer, ACDSee detects it
automatically with the Device Detector, and prompts you to choose one of the following:
Acquire images from the device with ACDSee: Select this option and click OK to
start creating a profile for your device. You can then specify naming, storage, and
destination options once, and have ACDSee automatically download your photos to a
new directory every time you connect that device. This is particularly useful if you have
more than one digital camera or card reader.
Do nothing: Select this option and click OK if you don't want to create a device profile,
but want to use the Get Photos Wizard from within ACDSee to copy your photos to a
specific directory, rename files as you copy them, and clear the originals from your
device. For more specific instructions, select the type of device you connected from the
list below:

About removable devices

With ACDSee, there are several ways to obtain images from your digital camera, scanner, or
memory card. For more information about how your device communicates with your computer,
please consult your device's Help file or manual. The different types of removable devices are:
USB mass storage device: mass storage devices include removable memory cards that
you can attach to your computer using a USB card reader, and cameras that contain an
internal memory card, and can be attached directly to your computer. USB Mass
Storage devices are detected by your system as a removable drive.
Windows Image Acquisition: cameras and scanners that use Windows Image Acquisition
(WIA) drivers.
TWAIN: cameras and scanners that use the TWAIN interface. TWAIN-supported devices
use TWAIN drivers that you must install on your computer to communicate with the
device. For more information about drivers, and whether or not your device uses
TWAIN, please consult your device's Help file.

You may require DirectX and QuickTime to copy and view audio or video files.

About the Device Detector

You can use the ACDSee Device Detector to access the photos stored on your camera, scanner,
mass storage device, or CD and display them using ACDSee.

To start Device Detector:

Click File | Get Photos, and then select ACDSee Device Detector.

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After you start the ACDSee Device Detector, it runs in the background and displays a camera
icon in the Taskbar Notification area. When you plug a camera or other device into your
computer, the Device Detector detects the connection, the icon changes color, and either
prompts you to specify what you would like to do with your images, or automatically launches
the Photo Transfer Wizard or the Get Photos Wizard

ACDSee Device Detector replaces the Windows XP AutoPlay feature. To resume using
the AutoPlay functionality, close the ACDSee Device Detector.

When you insert a CD or DVD into your CD-ROM drive, or attach a mass storage or Windows
Image Acquisition (WIA) device to your computer, the Device Detector senses it. Such devices
may include cameras, card readers, Web cams, and scanners.
If your device does not have a TWAIN or WIA driver installed, is not a mass storage device, or if
there are no files on your device, ACDSee Device Detector will not be able to detect it.
For more detailed information about using the Device Detector, click the camera icon in the
Taskbar Notification area and select Help.

Using device profiles

You can use ACDSee to automate the transfer of files from a removable device to your computer.
ACDSee's Photo Transfer Wizard guides you through the process of automatically downloading
images from a camera, memory card, or other storage device. You can name the device, specify
the actions you want to take each time you connect the device, and edit or remove the device's
profile at a later time.
To use the Photo Transfer Wizard, your device needs to connect as a mass storage device. If you
are uncertain about how your camera, scanner, or memory card connects to your computer,
please see About removable devices.

Configuring a device
The first time you connect a device to your computer, the Photo Transfer Wizard will work in
conjunction with ACDSee's Device Detector to configure and profile your device. To perform the
initial configuration, Device Detector needs to be active. If you choose not to use the Device
Detector, you can get your photos using the Get Photos Wizard, or the Folders pane and File List.

If there are no files on your device, Device Detector does not detect it.

To configure a device the first time you acquire images:

1. Connect the device to your computer. Make sure your device is turned on, and the cable
is properly connected to your computer.
2. Depending on the settings of your Device Detector options, the wizard opens or prompts
you to select options. When the Device Detector prompts you, select the Acquire
images from the device with ACDSee radio button.
3. On the Welcome page of the Photo Transfer Wizard, type a name for your device. Click
Next when you are ready to continue.
4. On the Photo Transfer Settings page, specify how you would like to download and
process files each time you connect the device to your computer, and click Next to
continue:

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5. Files options: select whether the wizard will automatically select and copy new files to
your hard drive, or ask you which new files to copy.
6. Destination and naming options: select whether the wizard will automatically retain
file names used on your device and place files in your My Pictures folder, prompt you to
name the files and select a destination, or use a custom file and folder naming template.
Click Settings to create a custom naming template and specify folder options as
explained below.
7. Device storage space options: select whether the wizard will automatically delete
files from your device once they are copied to your hard drive, prompt you to delete
files, or use custom storage settings. Click Settings to specify custom storage and
deletion options as explained below.
8. If you selected the Files option Always prompt for which files to copy, on the Files
to Copy page, select which files to copy to your hard drive, and then click Next.
9. If you selected the Destination and naming option Ask what to do each time, on the
Output Options page, specify the file name and folder options. Click Edit if you would
like to specify a naming template. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
10. If you selected the Device storage space option Ask what to do each time, on the
Device Storage Options page, specify whether, or how, you would like to delete files
from your device. Click OK when you are finished.
11. Click Finish to close the wizard. Your files will be placed in the specified location on
your hard drive, and the profile for your device will be saved.

Custom settings for destination and naming options

In your device profiles, you can set the destination and naming options to specify the file names
for copied photos, and the location on your hard drive where you want to store them.

To set the custom destination and naming options:

1. On the Photo Transfer Settings page of the Photo Transfer Wizard, in the Destination
and naming options area, click Settings.
2. In the Destination and Naming Options dialog box, in the File names area, select one of
the following options:
3. Keep original file names: copies photos using the original file names created by the
device. If there are duplicate file names already in the destination folder, they are
overwritten.
4. Rename using template: renames the photos as they are copied. Click Edit to create
or adjust the renaming template.
5. In the Destination folder area, click Browse to locate a destination folder on your hard
drive.

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6. Select one of the following options from the drop-down list:

Use Today's Date: creates a new subfolder, named after the current date, in the
folder you specified.
Always use root of: copies your photos directly into the folder you specified,
without creating a subfolder.
To rotate your photos automatically as you copy them, select the Automatically
rotate images check box.
7. Click OK to return to the Photo Transfer Wizard.

Custom settings for device storage options

In your device profiles, you can set the device storage options to specify the amount of free
space you want to maintain on your device.

To set the custom device storage options:

1. On the Photo Transfer Settings page of the Photo Transfer Wizard, in the Device storage
space options area, click Settings.
2. In the Device Storage Options dialog box, in the Delete options area, select one of the
following options:
Do not delete files from the device: leaves the photos on your device after
copying.
Prompt me to select which files to delete: prompts you to specify which photos
you want to delete each time.
Delete all files from device after copying to hard drive: automatically removes
all photos and files from your device after copying them to your hard drive.
Automatically delete files: deletes files after copying, based on the choices in the
Automatic delete settings area.
If you selected to automatically delete files, select one of the following options in
the Automatic delete settings area:
Delete oldest files, freeing up __% of the total space on the media:
automatically deletes files from your device, beginning with the oldest files, until
the specified percentage of free space is attained. (Type the amount of free space
you want to maintain on your device into the field.)
Delete oldest files, freeing space for approximately __ new images:
automatically deletes files from your device, beginning with the oldest files, until
enough free space for the specified number of photos is attained. The Photo
Transfer Wizard analyzes the device to determine how much space is actually
required. (Type a number of photos into the field.)
Delete files that are older than: automatically deletes any files on your device
that are older than the specified date. (Type a number into the first field, and select
a period of time from the drop-down list.)
3. Click OK to return to the Photo Transfer Wizard.

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Getting photos from a profiled device

After you complete an initial device configuration, you can access your device by connecting it
while the Device Detector is running, or from the File | Get Photos menu in the Browser. Each
time you connect that device to your computer, ACDSee will acquire any new files based on the
settings you selected in the initial configuration.

To acquire files from a profiled device:

1. Connect your device to your computer. If you experience problems, make sure your
camera is turned on, and your device's cable is properly connected to your computer.
2. Do one of the following:
If Device Detector is active, depending on the configuration of your Device Detector
options, the wizard will automatically open or you will be prompted. When the
Device Detector prompts you, select the Acquire images from the device with
ACDSee radio button.
In the Browser, click File | Acquire, and select the name of your device.
3. Follow the instructions in the wizard. You will be prompted with different dialog boxes
depending on the settings you selected in the initial configuration.

Updating or deleting a device profile

You can adjust the settings of a profiled device, or delete the profile from ACDSee.

To update or delete a profile:

1. In the Browser, click File | Get Photos, and select Edit Photo Transfer Settings.
2. In the Edit Photo Transfer Settings dialog box, select a device from the list.
3. Do one of the following:
To adjust the profiled settings, click Edit. In the Edit Device Profile dialog box,
change the options, and then click OK. For more information about the custom
settings, see Using device profiles.
To rename the profile, click Rename. Type a new name for the profile, and then
click OK.
To delete the profile, click Delete.
4. Click Close to accept your changes and return to ACDSee.

Getting photos from a digital camera

ACDSee's Get Photos Wizard guides you through the process of downloading files from your
camera. You can preview the images you want to download, and specify a location for them on
your hard drive.
To use the Get Photos Wizard, your camera needs to do one of the following:
Connect as a mass storage device.
Use a digital camera plug-in.

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If your camera connects to the computer as a removable drive, you can download photos directly
from the File List and Folders pane as ACDSee detects and displays the drive letter in the folder
list. If you are not sure how your camera connects to your computer, please see About
removable devices.

To download photos using the Get Photos Wizard:

1. Connect your camera to your computer. Make sure your camera is turned on, and the
cable is properly connected to your computer.
2. Click File | Get Photos, and then click From Camera or Card Reader.
3. On the Welcome page, select the Skip this step next time check box to bypass this
page the next time you use the wizard. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
4. On the Source Device page, select the type of device from the Type list. ACDSee scans
your device and displays the available options. In the Device list, select the name of
your camera, and then click Next.
5. Finally, on the Output Options page, specify whether you want to rename your acquired
images using a renaming template, and where to store them on your hard drive. You
can also select options to automatically correct the orientation of images taken with
certain digital cameras, and to remove the files from your camera after copying. When
you are ready, click Next to copy your photos.
6. Select Browse to your images if you want to view the files in the Browser, and click
Finish to return to ACDSee.

You may require DirectX and QuickTime to download audio and video files from your
camera. For more information, please see System requirements.

Getting photos from a scanner (TWAIN)

ACDSee's Get Photos Wizard guides you through the process of downloading files from your
scanner. You can preview the images you want to download, and specify a location for them on
your hard drive.
To use the Get Photos Wizard, your scanner needs to use Windows Imaging Acquisition or
TWAIN. If you are not sure how your scanner connects to your computer, please see About
removable devices.

To download photos from a scanner:

1. Connect your scanner to your computer. Make sure your scanner is turned on, and the
cable is properly connected to your computer.
2. Click File | Get Photos, and select From Scanner.
3. On the Welcome page, select the Skip this step next time check box to bypass the
Welcome page the next time you use the wizard. Click Next when you are ready to
continue.
4. On the Source Device page, select TWAIN from the Type list. In the Device list, select
the specific name of the scanner from which to download your files. Click Next when
you are ready to continue.

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5. On the File Format Options page, select a file format to save your images. You can click
the Options button to select any file-specific options available for your chosen format.
Note that not every file format has additional options. Click Next when you are ready to
continue.
6. Finally, on the Output Options page, specify whether you want to rename your acquired
images using a name template, and where to place them on your hard drive. When you
are ready, click Next to copy your images.
7. Select Browse to your images if you want to view the files in the Browser, and click
Finish to return to ACDSee.

Getting photos from a mass storage device

The ACDSee Get Photos Wizard guides you through the process of downloading photos or files
from a USB mass storage device or a Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) device. You can preview
the images you want to download, and specify a location for them on your hard drive.
If your device does not have an MSD or WIA driver installed, ACDSee Device Detector will not be
able to detect it. If you are not sure how your mass storage device connects to your computer,
please see About removable devices.

To download using the Get Photos Wizard:

1. Connect the USB mass storage device to your computer.
2. Click File | Get Photos, and then click From Camera or Card Reader.
3. On the Welcome page, select the Skip this step next time check box to bypass the
Welcome page the next time you use the wizard. Click Next when you are ready to
continue.
4. On the Source Device page, select the Mass Storage Device from the Type list. ACDSee
scans your device and displays the available options. In the Device list, select the
specific name of the device from which to download your files. Click Next when you are
ready to continue.
5. On the File Format Options page, select a file format to save your images. You can click
the Options button to select any file-specific options available for your chosen format.
Note that not every file format has additional options. Click Next when you are ready to
continue.
6. Finally, on the Output Options page, specify whether you want to rename your images
using a template, and where to place them on your hard drive. You can select options to
automatically correct the orientation of images taken with certain digital cameras, and
to remove the files from your device after copying. When you are ready, click Next to
copy your photos and files.
7. Select Browse to your images if you want to view the files in the Browser, and click
Finish to return to ACDSee.

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Getting photos from a CD

You can download photos from a CD using the Device Detector and the Get Photos Wizard, or the
Folders pane.
You can set options in the Device Detector so that when you place a disc in your CD-ROM drive,
the Get Photos Wizard opens automatically. You can also set options to open photos in the File
List automatically, to be prompted for new options each time you insert a CD, or to create an
ACDSee Photo Disc.
If the Device Detector is running and the option is set to Automatically launch ACDSee's Get
Photos Wizard, the wizard opens as soon as you insert a CD in the drive.

To download photos from a CD using the Get Photos Wizard:

1. Insert the CD into the drive, and wait for a moment while Device Detector locates the
CD and launches the Get Photos Wizard.
2. On the Welcome page of the Get Photos Wizard, select the Skip this step next time
check box to bypass the Welcome page the next time you use the wizard.
3. In the Files to Copy page, select the images you want to copy, and then click Next.
4. On the Output Options page, select whether you want to rename your images using a
template, and where to place them on your hard drive. You can also select options to
automatically correct the orientation of images taken with certain digital cameras, and
to remove the files from your camera after copying. When you are ready, click Next to
copy your photos.
5. Select Browse to your images if you want to view the files in the Browser, and click
Finish to return to ACDSee.

If you select Automatically view files with ACDSee in the Device Detector options,
your files will appear in the File List pane as soon as you insert a CD or DVD in your
disk drive.

Getting photos from a mobile phone

ACDSee's Mobile Phone Acquire Wizard will guide you through the process of downloading
images from your mobile phone folder.

To download photos from your mobile phone:

1. Click File | Get Photos, and select From Mobile Phone Folder.
2. On the Welcome page, select the location of your mobile phone folder, and where you
want to place the images on your hard drive. You can select options to place images in a
dated subfolder, and to remove the files from your device once they are on your hard
drive. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
3. On the Downloaded Images page, preview your downloaded images. Click Next when
you are ready to place the images on your hard drive.

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Creating a renaming template

On the Output Options page of the Get Photos Wizard, you can set up a template to rename your
files as they are placed on your hard drive. You can create a template with a numerical
sequence, add custom text, and insert file-specific information into each new file name.

To use a renaming template:

1. On the Output Options page of the Get Photos Wizard, click Edit.
2. In the Edit File Name Template dialog box, do one or both of the following:
3. In the Template field, type a word or phrase to use in each file name.
4. Click the Insert Property button and select specific properties to add to each file
name. The property is added as a placeholder, e.g., <Date>. When the file is renamed,
the actual date is inserted into the file name.
5. Click the Insert Sequence Number button to add number signs to your template. Any
number signs (#) in the template are replaced with sequential numeric characters,
starting at the number you specified in the wizard. For example, if you enter ###, the
first photo copied will be numbered 001, the next 002, and so on.
6. Click OK to return to the wizard.

Taking a screen capture

You can use the ACDSee Screen Capture utility to create images from different areas of your
screen. You can select what areas to capture, how you want to perform the capture, and where
to store the captured image.

To take a screen capture:

1. Click Tools | Screen Capture.
2. In the Source area of the Screen Capture dialog box, identify the part of the screen you
want to capture. See the table below for a description of the Source options.
3. If you want to include your mouse pointer in the output image, select the Include
mouse cursor check box
4. In the Destination area, identify where you want to place the output image.
5. In the Initiate capture area, identify how you want to take the screen capture.
6. Click Start to launch the screen capture tool. An icon appears in the Taskbar
Notification area.
7. Prepare your screen to show the area you want to capture, and then follow the steps
that appear in the bubble above the Screen Capture icon.
8. To exit the Screen Capture utility without taking a screen capture, right-click the Screen
Capture icon, and then select Exit Screen Capture.

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Screen Capture options

Source options:

Desktop Current Captures an image of the entire area displayed on the

monitor screen.

Window Entire window Captures an image of the entire active window.

Content only Captures an image of the window contents (does not

include the frame or title bar).

Region Fixed size Captures an image of a fixed area on the screen.

Click the drop-down button and select a dimension
setting or select Custom, and enter the dimension in
pixels.

Selected region Captures a selected area of the screen. Click and drag
your mouse pointer to surround the area you want to
capture.

Object Child window Captures an image of sections of the window. For

example, a toolbar or button.

Menu under Captures selected menu commands.

cursor

Destination options:

Clipboard Places a copy of the image on the Clipboard. From the

Clipboard you can paste the image in a new location.

File Displays the Save dialog box to save the file; you can
specify location, format, and file name.

Editor Opens the captured image in the default editor.

Initiate Capture options:

Hot key Designates a keystroke combination to trigger the

screen capture.
To set the Hot Key, press a key or combination of keys
(e.g., Ctrl + S) on the keyboard; do not type in the
box.

Timer Takes a screen capture after a designated period.

Choose enough time to set up your desktop or window
for the screen capture. The maximum setting is 60
seconds.

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Chapter 3: Browsing

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

The Browser
The ACDSee Browser is the screen you see when the application first opens. This is where you
browse and manage files. You can search for, move, preview, sort, organize, and rate your files,
as well as share them in many ways.
The Browser‘s 12 panes can be closed or hidden, moved and docked in many different
configurations, which you can save, name, then reload when you need them.
The File List pane is always visible, and displays the contents of the current folder, the results of
your latest search, or the files in your database that match your filtering criteria. A status bar at
the bottom of the Browser window displays information about the currently selected file, folder,
or category.

Browsing files in the File List pane

The File List pane is the large pane in the center of the Browser. The File List pane displays the
contents of the currently selected folder, the results of your latest search, or the files and folders
that match your selective browsing criteria. The File List pane is always visible, and cannot be
hidden or closed.
Files display as thumbnails in the File List pane by default. However, you can change the File List
pane view mode from thumbnails to details, list, icons, tiles, or filmstrip. You can sort your files
according to name, size, image properties, and more. You can also use filters to control which
files display in the File List pane.
There are two sections in the File List pane: the Contents bar and the File List toolbar.

The Contents bar

The Contents bar is located at the top of the File List pane and describes what you are currently
browsing. When you are using the Folders pane, the Contents bar will display the path or paths
to the folders you are browsing, as in the following example:

If you are browsing files by category or rating with the Organize pane, the Contents bar displays
the selected classifications, as in the following example:

The Contents bar also displays a date range when browsing with the Calendar pane, and a
summary of your search criteria when you use the Search pane.

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File List toolbar

Filter By Displays a list of filter options such as rating and
category. You can also select Advanced Filters and
create a custom filter.

Group By Displays a list of file attributes that you can use to

group files in the File List pane.

Sort By Displays a list of file attributes that you can use to sort
the files in the File List pane.

View Modes Opens the View Modes menu, where you can select
how to display files in the File List pane.

Select Displays a list of file selection options.

Thumbnail Opens the Thumbnail Info page of the Options dialog,

Display where you can select the information to display in the
Options thumbnail pop-up and what overlay icons to use.

Thumbnail Controls the size of the thumbnails in the File List

Size pane. Drag the slider to adjust the thumbnails.

Maximizing the File List pane

To make the most of your available screen space, you can choose to maximize the File List pane
and hide the rest of the Browser panes. The only parts of the Browser that remain visible are the
File List pane and whichever toolbars you are currently using.

To maximize the File List pane:

1. Click View | Maximize File List.
2. To show only the File List pane and its toolbar, click View | Full Screen.
3. Click the Close Full Screen button to return to the Browser.

Using the Windows Explorer right-click menu:

You can open a file in Windows Explorer from inside ACDSee by using the Folders pane, or
Favorites pane.

To open files in Windows Explorer:

1. In the File List, to use the Windows right-click menu, select a thumbnail, then press
CTRL+right-click.
If you want to use the Window right-click menu permanently, you can do so under Tools |
Options | File List.

2. In the Folders or Favorites pane, CTRL + right-click the folder containing that file.

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3. Click Explore.
The folder opens in Windows listing the images in that folder in the right-hand pane.

See also...
Setting File List pane options
Changing view modes

Browsing using the Folders pane

The Folders pane displays a directory tree of all the folders on your computer, similar to Windows
Explorer. You can select one or more folders in the Folders pane to display their contents in the
File List pane.
You can also use the Folders pane to create shortcuts to your favorite files, folders, or
applications. Then, instead of having to search for a specific file, you can quickly access it in the
Favorites pane.
Whenever you browse to a folder using the Folders pane, the ACDSee database catalogs any
images or media files in the folder.

To open or close the Folders pane:

1. Click View | Folders.
2. When you connect a removable device, such as a mass storage device or digital camera,
the Folders pane displays the device as another drive, and assigns it a drive letter
automatically.
You can access the device, and its contents, by clicking on it in the Folders pane.

Selecting multiple folders

Easy-Select bars are vertical columns of check boxes on the left side of the Folders and Organize
panes. You can use the Easy-Select bars to select multiple folders or categories, and display their
contents in the File List pane.

To use the Easy-Select bar:

In the Folders pane, select the check box to the left of each folder with contents you want to
display.

You can also use the Easy-Select bars with the Selective Browsing pane.

Creating and managing folders

You can use the Folders and File List panes to create, delete, rename, and move folders on your
hard drive to help organize your files.

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To manage your folders:

1. In the Folders pane, browse to where you want to add, delete, or rename a folder.
2. Do one of the following:
To create a folder, click File | New, and then select Folder. Type a name for the
new folder and press Enter.
To delete a folder, select a folder and press Delete.
To rename a folder, right-click the folder you want to rename and select Rename.
3. Type a new name for the folder and press Enter.

You cannot rename a drive or any folder on a read-only file system, such as a CD-
ROM.

Browsing files by category, rating, auto category, or classification

The Organize pane displays a list of categories, ratings, auto categories, and special
classifications. You can also use the Easy-Select bar to select a combination of categories,
ratings, auto categories, and special classifications.
Easy-Select bars are vertical columns of check boxes on the left side of the Folders and Organize
panes. You can use the Easy-Select bars to select multiple folders or categories, and display their
contents in the File List pane. You can also use the Easy-Select bars with the Selective Browsing
pane.
The images and media files display in the File List pane, but are not moved from folder to folder
-- categories, ratings, auto categories, and special classifications work independently of file
location.

To view organized files:

Select one or more categories, ratings, auto categories, or special classifications.
Files assigned to those classifications are displayed in the File List pane.
The Contents bar at the top of the File List displays your currently selected categories or
classifications. You can also browse through specific classifications within specific folders
using the Selective Browsing pane.

To use the Easy-Select bar:

In the Organize pane, select the check box to the left of each item with contents you want to
display. If you select more than one folder, the contents of all the folders display. Click the
box again to clear those files from the File List.

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Organize pane classifications

The Organize pane contains the following classification areas: Categories, Ratings,
Autocategories, and Special Items.

Categories
You can use categories to organize and group your files without creating extra copies or moving
files into different folders. You can create new categories, edit categories, delete existing
categories, and assign multiple categories to files.

Ratings
You can assign a numerical rating from 1 to 5 to your images and files, and store the ratings in
the database. Once you have assigned ratings, you can search, sort, and organize your files
based on the ratings.

Auto Categories
When you click on an auto category, ACDSee searches for images belonging to that category.
You can select one or more categories.

Special Items
You can use Special Items to quickly view all of the images in your database and any
uncategorized images.
Select one of the following items:
Image Well (ALL Images): displays all images cataloged in the ACDSee database. If
you have a substantial image collection, it may take a few moments to gather all of the
information.
Uncategorized: displays any images cataloged in the database that have not been
assigned to a category.
You can assign a rating or category to any type of file, but the options in the Special Items area
only apply to images.

See also...
About the ACDSee database
Managing categories
Assigning categories and ratings
Setting the Organize pane options

Browsing files by date or event

With the Calendar pane you can browse your collection of image and media files using the dates
associated with each file. The Calendar pane includes Events, Year, Month, Day view and the
Photo Calendar, which shows thumbnails per day within a month. You can click any date in the
Calendar pane to display a list of files associated with that date.

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To open the Calendar pane:

On the menu bar, click View | Calendar.
The Calendar pane opens on the right, tabbed with the Folders and Favorites panes.

Your images will not display in the Calendar pane until you have either browsed the folder
containing the images or used the Catalog Files Wizard to catalog your images so they are in
the ACDSee database.
If you are using the Photo Calendar, you only see thumbnails if there are photos on a particular
day in that month. Days that have no photo, are blank.

Calendar pane toolbar buttons

Events View Switches the Calendar pane to Events view. In the Events view you see
only those months during which images or media files are available. Next
to the month you see the number of dates on which images or media
files are available. Expand the month to see the dates and the number of
pictures available for those dates. You can add a description and a
thumbnail image to help you remember the event.

Year View Switches the Calendar pane to Year view. In Year view you see a series
of tables. Each table represents a specific year. Next to the year you see
how many images or media files are associated with that year. The
months during which images or media files are available are highlighted.

Month View Switches the Calendar pane to Month view. In Month view you see a
series of tables. Each table represents a specific month. Next to the
month you see how many images or media files are associated with that
month. The dates on which images or media files are available are
highlighted.

Day View Switches the Calendar pane to Day view. In Day view you see a series of
tables. Each table represents a specific day. Next to the date you see
how many images or media files are associated with that date. The time
at which the images or media files are available are highlighted.

Photo Switches the Calendar pane to the Photo Calendar. In the Photo
Calendar Calendar, you see a single month with thumbnails for any day that
contains photos. A pop-up of the first four images opens if you hover
your cursor over a thumbnail. Click on a thumbnail and all the pictures
for that date display in the File List. The total number of photos
belonging to that month is in the top right corner of the calendar. Drag
the title bar to float this pane onto another monitor and drag a corner to
resize it and make the thumbnails bigger or smaller.

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Options Use the Calendar pane options to specify which date you want to use to
organize your files. For example, you can quickly change so that you
display photos by the following:
Date the ACDSee database catalogued the file
Date the image was taken
Date the file was modified
Date the file was loaded to your compute
You can click Options to open the Calendar where you can set filter
options, choose the day to start the week, and set clock formats.

Previous Item Selects, and moves to, the closest previous date that has photos.

Next Item Selects, and moves to, the next closest date that has photos.

Adding descriptions and thumbnails in Events view

You can add a description and a thumbnail image to dates in Events view to help you remember
the event.

To add a description to a date in Events view:

1. Expand the month to see the dates on which images or media files are available.
2. Click Enter event description and replace the highlighted text with a new description.
3. Press Enter or click outside of the description area. The description is saved.

To select a specific thumbnail in Events view or Photo Calendar:

1. Expand the month to see the dates on which images or media files are available.
2. Click on a date to display the images or media files in the File List pane.
3. Click and drag an image or media file and drag it to the thumbnail area for the date.
When you release the mouse button the thumbnail is saved.
You can reset the default thumbnail by right-clicking the thumbnail and selecting Restore
Default Thumbnail.

To navigate a long list of dates in Events view:

1. To expand and collapse specific groups click the +/- signs which are located on the left
side of the group header.
2. To expand and collapse all groups right-click a group header and select either Open All
Groups or Close All Groups.

3. To scroll through multiple groups click the Next Group and Previous Group
buttons, which are located at the bottom of the File List scroll bar.

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4. At the bottom of the Calendar pane scroll bar, click the Table of Contents button
and select a date.

See also...
Using the File List pane
Cataloging files in the database
Setting the Calendar pane options

Using favorites

Creating a favorite (shortcut)

You can create shortcuts to folders and files, and even run executable files, from inside the
Favorites pane. Favorites shortcuts can be copied, renamed, moved, or deleted just like a folder.
You can even use an executable shortcut to start another application from inside ACDSee.

To create a Favorites shortcut:

1. In the File List pane, select a file, folder, or executable file.
2. Do one of the following:
Right-click the item you selected, and then select Add to Favorites.
Click File | Add to Favorites.
3. Type a name for the new shortcut and click OK.
You can also create a shortcut by dragging a file, folder, or executable file directly from
the File List pane to the Favorites pane.

If you move a file or a folder that is a favorite, you break the link and the favorite no
longer works.

Creating a new folder

You can create a folder, or an entire directory tree, in the Favorites pane to help organize your
shortcuts.

To create a new folder:

1. In the Favorites pane, right-click the Favorites folder, or a folder you previously created,
and then select New | Folder.
2. Type the name of the folder and press Enter.

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Deleting a shortcut or folder

You can delete a shortcut or folder from within the Favorites pane.

To delete a shortcut or folder:

In the Favorites pane, right-click the shortcut or folder, and then click Delete.

See also...
Using the Folders pane

Browsing RAW files

Because a RAW file is similar to a negative, it is necessary to develop, or process it, before it
becomes visible. It would be very inconvenient if you had to process all of your RAW files before
you could browse your photos. In ACDSee you don't have to process your RAW files to browse
your photos because ACDSee does some basic preprocessing for you.
If there is a thumbnail of the photo embedded in the RAW file, ACDSee displays it in the
Browser. Sometimes the quality of an embedded thumbnail is poor, so ACDSee initially displays
embedded thumbnails in the Browser, then it creates and displays a higher-quality thumbnail.
You can see this happening if you look in the Status bar at the bottom of the window.
If you find that it takes too long to display the higher-quality thumbnails, you can turn off that
option. (Click Tools | Options, select File List, and then clear the Generate high quality
thumbnail checkbox.) If there is no thumbnail of the photo embedded in the RAW file, ACDSee
quickly creates a high-quality thumbnail to display in the Browser.

Turning off the Generate high quality thumbnail option will increase display
speed but will reduce the accuracy of thumbnails for RAW images.
ACDSee also searches the database to see if you have processed a RAW file. If it finds
processing settings for the RAW file, it uses those settings to display an accurate thumbnail in
the Browser.
Once generated, the thumbnails are stored in the ACDSee database to speed up retrieval and
display time for later browsing.

See also...
Setting File List pane options
Processing a RAW image

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Changing view modes

You can select different view modes to display your files in the File List pane, including thumbnail
previews and file details. You can also customize the appearance and size of thumbnails, and
specify the information displayed in the Details view mode.

View modes
Thumbs+ Displays file names and details in a list, and adds a thumbnail preview
to the Filename column.
Details

Filmstrip Displays thumbnail previews of your files in a single row across the
bottom of the File List pane, and displays the currently selected file in
an expanded Preview pane.

Thumbnails Displays thumbnail previews of all image and media files in the File List
pane. You can customize the appearance of thumbnails, and specify
what information to display with them.

Tiles Displays each file in the File List pane on a "tile" that includes a
thumbnail preview and file information. You can resize the tiles using
the Thumbnail Size slider.

Icons Displays files in a list, represented by large default system icons for
each file type.

List Displays a list of file names and extensions.

Details Displays a list of file names and details about each file, such as size,
format, and creation date. You can customize the appearance of the
Details view mode, as explained below, and specify what information it
displays.

Customizing the Details view mode

You can set the Details view mode to automatically resize columns, display or hide grid lines, and
select an entire row when you select a column entry in that row. You can also change the
appearance of the Details view mode, select which columns to display, and customize the column
order.

To select columns and set column order:

1. Click View | View, and then select Choose Details.
In the Choose Details dialog box, do one or more of the following:
To add a column, select a folder or detail name in the Available Details pane, and
then click Add. Adding a folder adds all detail names within the folder.
To remove a column, select a detail name in the Currently Displayed Details pane,
and then click Remove.
To move a column to the left in the File List pane, select its name in the Currently
Displayed Details pane and click Move Up.

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To move a column to the right in the File List pane, select its name in the Currently
Displayed Details pane and click Move Down.
2. Click OK.

You can click Reset to display only the default column names in the Currently Displayed
Details pane, and you can also move a column in the File List pane by dragging its
header to a new position. A vertical line indicates where the column will be inserted.

See also...
Filtering files
Sorting files
Setting File List pane options

Filtering files
You can use the Filter By options to identify the types of files and folders you want to display in
the File List pane.

To filter files in the File List pane:

1. Do one of the following:
2. Click View | Filters and select a filter option.
3. Click the Filter By button on the File List pane toolbar and select a filter option.

If all your thumbnails seem to disappear, click Filter by | All and they reappear.

To create a custom filter:

1. Do one of the following:
Click View | Filters | Advanced Filters.
Click the Filter By button on the File List pane toolbar and select Advanced
Filters.
2. Select Apply filtering criteria.
3. Select or clear one or more of the following options to show or hide that file or folder
type in the File List pane:
Show image files
Show media files
Show folders
Show archive files

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Select Show hidden files and folders to show files and folders that are normally
hidden by your operating system.
Select Show THM files to show thumbnail files.
Select Show XMP files to show the XMP sidecar files that Adobe creates for RAW
formats.
4. Click OK.

Grouping files
If you have to browse a lot of images in the File List you should consider using Group By to
organize images into different groups. You may find it easier to find images when they are
organized into groups. For example, if you use more than one camera, you can quickly organize
your images according to the camera you used to capture the images. Similarly, if you save your
images into different file formats you can quickly organize your images according to their file
format.

Group By only works in the Thumbs, Thumbs + Details, Details, Tiles, and Icons view
modes.

To group files in the File List:

1. Browse to the folder or folders containing your files.
2. Do one of the following:
3. Click View | Group By and select a group option.
4. Click the Group By button on the File List pane toolbar and select a group option.

Navigating through groups in the File List

To expand and collapse specific groups:

Click the Expand or Collapse arrows, on the left side of the group header.

To expand and collapse all groups:

Right-click a group header, and then select either Open All Groups or Close All Groups.

To display a preview of the images in a closed group:

Hover your mouse cursor over the group header.

To scroll through multiple groups:

Click the Next Group and Previous Group buttons at the bottom of the File List
scroll bar.

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To display the table of contents:

Do one of the following:

Click View | Group By | Table of Contents.

Click the Group By button on the File List toolbar and select Table of Contents.

At the bottom of the File List scroll bar, click the Table of Contents button.

To quickly jump to a specific group

1. Display the table of contents.
2. Click the group that you want to display.

To change the sort order of the groups:

Do one of the following:

Click View | Group By and select either Group Forward or Group Backward.
Click the Group By button on the File List pane toolbar and select either Group
Forward or Group Backward.

Removing groups from the File List

To remove a group:
Do one of the following:

Click View | Group By | None.

Click the Group By button on the File List pane toolbar and select None.

Selecting files in one or more groups

To select files in groups:
Do one of the following:

Click the group header to select all of the files in that group.
Press and hold the Ctrl key and click on two or more group headers to select all of
the files in those groups.

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Sorting files
In any view mode, you can sort your files according to different file properties to quickly
organize your images, find specific files, and create a range of files with similar attributes for
easy selection.

To sort items in the File List:

1. Click View | Sort, and then select one of the following criteria:
Filename
Size (KB)
Image Type
Modified Date
Image Properties
Caption
Rating
Tagged
More (sort by database, EXIF, file properties, image attributes, IPTC information, or
multimedia attributes)
2. To set the direction of the sort, click View | Sort, and then select a direction:
Sort Forward
Sort Backward

Your sort settings are saved until you change them. For example, if you sort images in
the File List pane according to Rating, the images will remain sorted according to
Rating until you change the sort settings.

Sorting files using column headers

You can quickly sort files in Details view mode using column headings.

To sort files using a column header:

1. Click a column header.
2. An arrow appears, indicating the sort direction.
3. Click the column header again to change the sort direction.

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Custom sorting files

You can use custom sorting to customize the order of files in the File List pane. After custom
sorting your files, ACDSee automatically saves the file order for the selected folder until you
change it or delete the custom sort order.

To customize the sorting order of your files:

1. Select one or more files.
2. Drag the selected files to a new location in the File List.
3. To delete a custom sort order, click View | Sort, and then select Delete Custom Sort.

Selecting files
In the File List pane, you can select all of your files and folders at once, select all of the files in
the current folder, select only the image files, or clear your selection entirely.
You can also set an option to automatically select new files whenever you add them to the File
List.

To select your files or folders:

1. Click Edit.
2. Select one of the following options:
Select All: selects all files and subfolders in the current folder.
Select All Files: selects all files in the current folder.
Select All Images: selects all image files in the current folder.
Select Tagged: selects all tagged image files regardless of their folder.
Select by Rating: displays a list of ratings, and selects all files currently assigned
to the rating you select.
Clear Selection: clears your selection.
Invert Selection: selects all files except for your original selections.

Previewing images
You can preview image, audio, and video files in the Preview pane. The Preview pane displays a
thumbnail of the currently selected image or media file. You can resize the pane to adjust the
thumbnail dimensions, and reposition the pane anywhere on your screen. You can also display
information other than the histogram below the image in the Preview pane by setting the
Preview options.

To open or close the Preview pane:

Click View | Preview.

To show or hide the histogram from Preview pane:

Right-click the Preview pane, and then click Show Preview Info.

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Comparing images
You can use ACDSee's Compare Images feature to compare a group of images. The tool
highlights both the similarities and the differences in the properties, metadata, and pixel
intensity levels of images you select. You can save your preferred images to a new location on
your hard drive, or tag images you would like selected in the Browser, and then delete, move,
rename, or alter the images.

To compare images:
1. In the Browser, select the images that you want to compare.
2. Click Tools | Compare Images. Up to four images display in the Compare Images
Viewer.
3. To change which image displays in the comparison view, do one or more of the
following:
In the Comparison List, right-click an image and select Send to Active View
(indicated by a red box).
In the Comparison List, drag an image to a box in the Compare Images Viewer.
In the Compare Images Viewer, right-click an image and select Next Image or
Previous Image.
In the Compare Images Viewer, right-click an image and select File | Remove
From View or click the Remove icon in the image toolbar.
4. To tag images, do one of the following:
In the Comparison List, click the checkbox that is located at the bottom of the
image on the right side.
In the Compare Images Viewer, right-click an image and select Tag or click the Tag
icon in the image toolbar.
5. Click Tag All to tag all of the images, or click Untag All to untag all of the images.
6. To rate images, right-click an image, select Set Rating, and then select an appropriate
rating.
7. To categorize images, right-click an image, select Set Categories, and then select an
appropriate category (or create an appropriate category).
8. Click OK.

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Compare Images toolbar

Previous Swaps the selected image with the previous image in the
Comparison List.

Next Swaps the selected image with the next image in the Comparison
List.

Zoom In Increases the magnification of the selected image.

Zoom Out Reduces the magnification of the selected image.

Zoom menu Opens a menu of zoom options. Select from the following options:
Actual Size: displays the image at its original size.
Fit Image: displays the image at the largest magnification
that fits in the Compare Images Viewer.
Fit Width: displays the image to fit between the left and
right sides of the Compare Images Viewer.
Fit Height: displays the image to fit between the top and
bottom of the Compare Images Viewer.
Zoom Lock: displays all images at the zoom option of the
current image. If the zoom is adjusted, the new zoom level
is applied to all images that you view.
Zoom To: opens a dialog box where you can select a zoom
option.

Pan Lock Locks the panned image area, so that when you zoom and pan an
image to a specific area, the Compare Images Viewer displays the
same area for all images you view.

Under Indicates pixels that may be underexposed. Click the arrow to open
exposure a dialog box where you can adjust the threshold values.
warning

Over Indicates pixels that may be overexposed. Click the arrow to open a
exposure dialog box where you can adjust the threshold values.
warning

Properties Displays properties for each image in the Compare Images Viewer.
Click the Metadata Setup button to specify which file properties
are displayed.
The Compare Images tool displays the file properties in a field
below each image. Differences in properties are bolded, while
similarities are displayed in regular font.

Histogram Displays a histogram for each image in the Compare Images

Viewer.

Metadata Opens a dialog box where you can select the metadata to display
Setup for each image in the Compare Images Viewer.

One Image Displays one image in the Compare Images Viewer.

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Two Images Displays two images in the Compare Images Viewer.

Three Displays three images in the Compare Images Viewer.

Images

Four Images Displays four images in the Compare Images Viewer.

Help Opens the Help file.

Image toolbars
Each image in the Compare Images tool has a toolbar located below it. You can use this toolbar
to adjust each image individually.

Save Opens a dialog box where you can save the image with a different
file name and a different file format.

Previous Swaps the displayed image with the previous image in the
Comparison List.

Next Swaps the displayed image with the next image in the Comparison
List.

Zoom In Increases the magnification of the image.

Zoom Out Reduces the magnification of the image.

Delete Deletes the image from your hard drive.

Remove Removes the image from the Comparison List.

Tag Tags the image so that it will remain selected when you close the
Compare Images tool.

Color Opens the Color Management dialog box.

Management

See also...
Finding duplicate files

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Gathering images in the Image Basket

You can use the Image Basket to gather and hold images and media files from different locations
or folders. Once you have placed items in the Image Basket, you can use any of the tools or
features in ACDSee to edit, share, or view those files.

To use the Image Basket:

1. To open the Image Basket, click View | Image Basket.
2. In the File List pane, select the files you want to add. Drag the items to the Image
Basket, or right-click a selected item and select Add to Image Basket.
3. To remove one or more files, right-click the file, and then select Remove from Image
Basket.
4. To remove all files, right-click the Image Basket, and then select Clear Image Basket.

You can also add images to the Image Basket by dragging them from Windows
Explorer.

See also...
Creating an HTML album
Sharing slide shows and screen savers

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Chapter 4: Viewing

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Zooming

Zooming an image
By default, the Viewer displays images using their actual dimensions. You can use the Zoom tools
to enlarge or reduce the size of the image you are viewing.
When an image is zoomed to a larger size than the Viewer window, the mouse pointer changes to
a hand so that you can pan or scroll the image.

To zoom an image in or out:

Do one of the following:
Click Zoom, and then select one of the zoom options described below.
Click View | Zoom Tool, and then click the image to zoom in, or right-click the
image to zoom out.

Zoom menu options

Zoom In Increases the magnification of the image.

Zoom Out Decreases the magnification of the image.

Actual Displays the image at its original dimensions.

Size

Fit Image Displays the image at the largest magnification that fits in the Viewer window.

Fit Width Fits the image within the left and right sides of the Viewer window.

Fit Fits the image within the top and bottom of the Viewer window.
Height

Zoom Displays all images at the zoom option of the current image. If the zoom level is
Lock adjusted, the new zoom level is applied to all images that you view.

Zoom To Opens a dialog box where you can select a zoom level.

Pan Lock Locks the ―panned‖ area of an image.

If you select Fit Image you can display the previous or next image by pressing the left
and right arrow keys on your keyboard.

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Setting the zoom level

You can use the Set Zoom Level dialog box to set a specific zoom level in the Viewer or in Edit
Mode.

To set a specific zoom level:

1. Click Zoom | Zoom To.
2. In the Zoom level area, select one of the following:
Fit whole image: zooms the image to fit entirely within the Viewer window.
Fit width: zooms the image to fit the width of the Viewer window.
Fit height: zooms the image to fit the height of the Viewer window.
Specify: specifies a zoom percentage. Type a number in the field or click the drop-
down list and select a zoom level.
3. To use this setting as the default Viewer zoom level, select the Lock at this zoom level
check box. The Viewer displays all images based on the specified zoom level.
4. Click OK.

If you select Fit whole image you can display the previous or next image by pressing
the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.

Automatically shrinking or enlarging images

You can use the settings on the Display page of the ACDSee Options dialog box to automatically
enlarge or shrink images to fit the size of the Viewer. For information about how the combination
of the choices affects the display of images, see the Zoom mode and Resize results table below.

To automatically shrink or enlarge images:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, under Viewer, click Display.
3. In the Window size area, select Fix window size.
4. In the Zoom options area, select one of the following options from the Default zoom
mode drop-down list:
Actual Size: displays the image at its original dimensions.
Fit Image: displays the image at the largest magnification that fits in the Viewer
window.
Fit Width: fits the image within the left and right sides of the Viewer window.
Fit Height: fits the image within the top and bottom of the Viewer window.

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5. Select one of the following options from the Resize drop-down list:
Reduce only: reduces large images to fit the size of the Viewer.
Enlarge only: enlarges smaller images to fit the size of the Viewer.
Reduce or Enlarge: reduces large images, and enlarges smaller images to fit the
size of the Viewer.
6. Click OK.

Zoom mode and Resize results

Fit Image Fit Width Fit Height

Reduce Reduces large images Reduces large images to Reduces large images to fit
Only to fit the size of the fit between the left and between the top and bottom
Viewer. right sides of the Viewer. of the Viewer.
Images that are Images that are smaller Images that are smaller than
smaller than the than the Viewer are the Viewer are displayed at
Viewer are displayed displayed at their their original size.
at their original size. original size.

Enlarge Enlarges small images Enlarges small images to Enlarges small images to fit
Only to fit the size of the fit between the left and between the top and bottom
Viewer. right sides of the Viewer. of the Viewer.
Images that are Images that are larger Images that are larger than
larger than the Viewer than the Viewer are the Viewer are displayed at
are displayed at their displayed at their their original size.
original size. original size.

Reduce Reduces large images Reduces large images Reduces large images and
and and enlarges small and enlarges small enlarges small images to fit
Enlarge images to fit the size images to fit between between the top and bottom
of the Viewer. the left and right sides of the Viewer.
of the Viewer.

If you select Fit Image you can display the previous or next image by pressing the left
and right arrow keys on your keyboard.

See also...
Setting Viewer options

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Displaying a thumbnail of a magnified image

Use the Navigator pane to display a thumbnail overview of magnified images. A marquee indicates
the area of the magnified image that is visible in the Viewer.

To display and use the Navigator pane:

1. In the Viewer, click View, and select Navigator.
2. Drag the slider to increase or decrease the magnification of the image in the Viewer.
3. Drag the marquee to the area of the image you would like to display in the Viewer.

Panning a magnified image

In the ACDSee Viewer, you can pan large images by moving them vertically, horizontally, and
diagonally across the display area to view specific areas of the image. When an image is larger
than the Viewer window, the mouse pointer changes to a hand.

To pan an image:
Do one of the following:

Drag the image to center the area you want to view.

Press an arrow key. You can hold the Ctrl key to pan quickly, or hold the Shift key to
pan more slowly.

Using Pan Lock

You can use the Pan Lock setting to automatically center the same area of a series of larger
images in the Viewer window.

To use Pan Lock:

1. In the Viewer, pan over a large image to a specific area you want to view.
2. Using the Zoom menu, zoom in on the image until you reach the magnification you want
to use for all of your images.
3. Click Zoom | Zoom Lock to keep the current zoom level.
4. Click Zoom | Pan Lock.
As you move through your images, each one will be automatically zoomed and panned to the
same area.

See also...
Using the Navigator pane

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Magnifying specific areas of an image

You can view specific areas of an image at a higher magnification in the Magnifying Glass pane.

To use the Magnifying Glass pane:

1. In the Viewer, click View | Magnifying Glass Pane.
2. Move the mouse pointer over an area of the image to view that area in the Magnifying
Glass pane.
3. Change the Magnifying Glass pane settings by doing any of the following:
Move the slider at the bottom of the Magnifying Glass pane to increase or decrease
the magnification.
Select the Fixed check box to apply the slider setting to the original size of the
image. Clear the Fixed check box to apply the slider setting to the magnification of
the zoomed image in the Viewer.
Select the Smooth check box to apply anti-aliasing to the magnified portion of the
image, or clear the Smooth check box to view the individual pixels.

See also...
Using the Navigator pane

Viewing and configuring a slide show

You can view a slide show of images from the Browser, or from the Viewer. You can also configure
your slide show to start automatically whenever you run it, and set the slide show options to
adjust how long each image is displayed, set the background color, apply transition effects, and
add header or footer text.

To start a slide show from the Browser:

1. Do one of the following:
In the File List pane, select a group of images.
In the Folders pane, select a folder or use the Easy-Select bar to select multiple
folders that contain images.
2. Click Tools | Auto Slide Show.
3. Click OK.

To start a slide show in the Viewer:

1. Click View | Auto Slide Show.
2. In the Slide Show Properties dialog box, select or change the slide show options as
described below.
3. To save your settings as the default slide show behavior, select the Save current
settings as default check box.
4. Click OK.

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To configure a slide show:

1. Do one of the following:
In the File List pane, select a group of images.
In the Folders pane, select a folder or use the Easy-Select bar to select multiple
folders that contain images.
2. Click Tools | Configure AutoSlide Show.
3. In the Slide Show Properties dialog box, select or change the slide show options as
described below.
4. To save your settings as the default slide show behavior, select the Save current
settings as default check box.
5. Click OK.

Slide show options

File Slide show Specifies the locations and images you want to use in the
Selection contents slide show.

Always use Retains the current Slide show contents setting and starts
these contents automatically the next time you launch the slide show.
for this
selection type
and start slide
show
automatically

Basic Select Select or clear the check box next to each transition effect.
transition The slide show will randomly select transitions from your
effects choices.

Background Specifies the background color. Click the color picker arrow
color to select or change the color.

Image delay Specifies how long you want the slide show to display each
(in seconds) image.

Advanced Transition Drag the slider to the left to improve slide show speed, or
quality drag to the right to improve the quality of the transition
effects.

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General Select or clear any of the following options:

settings Play embedded audio: plays any audio clips
embedded in the images.
Autohide control bar: hides the slide show
controls whenever the mouse pointer stops moving
for more than a few seconds.
Repeat: repeats the slide show after displaying the
last image.
Stretch images to fit screen: enlarges small
images to fill the entire screen.
Stretch video to fit screen: enlarge video files to
fill the entire screen.

Slide order Select one of the following options to specify the order to
display your images:
Forward
Backward
Random

Text Display header Displays a text caption at the top of each image. Set the
text options to specify the text you want to display.

Display footer Displays a text caption at the bottom of each image. Set the
text options to specify the text you want to display.

Save current settings as Retains the current settings on all of the tabbed pages and
default applies them the next time you view a slide show.

Slide show text options

Alignment Specifies the alignment of the text captions.

Backgroun Specifies a background color for the caption text.

d color

Text Specifies the text to display as a caption.

Font Opens the Font dialog box where you can select or change the font options for
your text.

Insert Inserts file-specific information called metadata into the caption.

Metadata Click to open the Choose Property dialog box and select the metadata you want
Tag to insert.

See also...
Sharing slide shows and screen savers

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Starting a slide show automatically

You can configure your slide show to use your preferred settings and start playing automatically
when you click the menu command or the Auto Slide Show button on the toolbar. The combination
of items you select in the Browser determines the content of the slide show, and whether it starts
automatically.

To configure a slide show to start automatically:

1. In the Browser, do one of the following:
Select two or more images in the File List pane.
Select two or more folders in the File List pane.
Select a combination of files and folders in the File List pane.
Add two or more images to the Image Basket.
2. Click Tools | Configure Auto Slide Show.
3. In the Slide Show Properties dialog box, select the File Selection tab.
4. In the Slide show contents drop-down list, select the items you want to use in the slide
show. The options available change depending on the type and variety of files and folders
that you selected in Step 1.
5. Select the Always use these contents for this selection type and start slide show
automatically check box.
6. Click OK.
7. To exit the slide show, press Esc.

To start a slide show automatically:

Select the files or folders, and then click Tools | AutoSlide Show.

The shortcut for starting a slide show is Ctrl + S.

Press Esc to end the slide show and return to the Browser.

Example One
When you select a combination of files and folders, you can configure the slide show to start
automatically using the media files that you select, as well as the contents of the selected folders.
In the File List pane, select at least one image file and one folder, and then click Tools |
Configure Auto Slide Show. On the File Selection tab, from the Slide show contents drop-
down list, select Selected media, and media in selected folders.
Select the Always use these contents for this selection type and start slide show
automatically check box, and then click OK to launch the slide show. Press Esc to return to the
Browser.

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Now, whenever you select any combination of media files and folders in the File List pane and click
Tools | Auto Slide Show, the slide show will start automatically, and display any media items
you selected, as well as any media items contained in the selected folders. The slide show will not
display any of the other images or media files in the current folder, or those files contained in any
subfolders of the selected folders.

Example Two
You can now make a different selection and configure your slide show to start automatically using
all of the files in the current folder - not just those you have selected.
In the File List pane, select one or more image or media files and click Tools | Configure Auto
Slide Show. On the File Selection tab, from the Slide show contents drop-down list, select All
media in current folder and subfolders.
Select the Always use these contents for this selection type and start slide show
automatically check box, and then click OK to launch the slide show. Press Esc to return to the
Browser.
Now, whenever you select two or more images or media files and click Tools | Auto Slide Show,
the slide show will start automatically, and display all media items in the folder that you have open
in the File List pane, as well as any subfolders.

Viewing images with Auto Advance

You can use the Auto Advance feature to create a quick slide show preview of a group of images,
or all the images in a folder.

To start Auto Advance:

1. Open a group of images in the Viewer.
2. From the View menu, select Auto Advance | Options.
3. In the Auto Advance dialog box, set the options as described below.
4. Click Start.
5. To advance to the next image, press Space.
6. To return to the previous image, press Backspace.
7. To stop or restart Auto Advance, press Pause.

Auto Advance options

Sequence Determines the order that you want to display your images. Select one of the
following options:
Forward
Reverse
Random

Repeat Automatically restarts the slide show after the last image has been displayed.

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Delay Specifies how long to display each image. Drag the slider or type a value from
0 to 864000000 to set the time (in milliseconds).

Sound Select the Play audio clips check box to play any audio embedded in the
selected images.

Displaying text on images in the Viewer

You can use the Header/Footer tool to display text with your images in the Viewer. The text is
displayed while you are viewing the image, but does not modify the original image. You can also
hide the headers and footers without changing the settings.
To add text directly to your photos and save it as part of the image, see Adding text to an image.

To edit image headers and footers:

1. In the Viewer, click View | Edit Header/Footer.
2. Do one or both of the following:
Select the Header check box to add text at the top of the image.
Select the Footer check box to add text at the bottom of the image.
Select or change the text options as described below.
3. Click OK.

Text options
Alignment Specifies the justification of the captions.

Background Adds a background color to the text. Click Color to specify a color.

Description Displays the text you want to see on your images. Type the text you want to
appear, or click inside the field to set an insertion point for inserting
metadata.

Insert Inserts file-specific information into the text for each image.
Metadata

Font Sets the font, size, and color of the caption text.

To insert metadata in image text:

1. Position the cursor in the Description field where you want to display the file information
and click Insert Metadata.
2. In the Choose Property dialog box, select the file information you want to include.
3. Click OK. The information you added is inserted as a placeholder that will be replaced by
the specific text for each image.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each metadata item you want to add.

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Hiding image text

You can hide either the header or footer, or disable both at once without changing or deleting the
information in the header and footer fields.

To hide the image text:

1. From the Viewer, click View | Edit Header/Footer.
2. Do one or both of the following:
Clear the Header check box to remove text from the top of the image.
Clear the Footer check box to remove text from the bottom of the image.
3. Click OK.
4. To show or hide both headers and footers simultaneously, click View | Show
Header/Footer.

Viewing RAW images

A RAW file is like a negative. It is necessary to develop, or process, your RAW files to view a
photo. When you double-click the thumbnail of a RAW image file the Browser, ACDSee checks to
see if you previously processed the RAW file. If you have, ACDSee displays the processed photo in
the Viewer. If you have not, ACDSee quickly processes the RAW file and displays a temporary
photo of the RAW file in the Viewer.

See also...
Setting RAW Image Preview options
Processing a RAW image
Browsing RAW files

Synchronizing the Viewer to a folder

You can use the Sync to Folder option to change the images being displayed in the Viewer. If you
sync ACDSee to the folder used by your newsreader, images downloaded into the folder are
displayed in the Viewer automatically.

To synchronize to a folder:
1. In the Viewer window, click Tools | Sync To Folder.
2. Type the path to the folder you want to synchronize, or click the Browse button to locate
the folder.
3. Select or change the New Images options as described below.
4. Click OK.

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All images in the folder are displayed as a slide show in the Viewer. As you add or remove
images from the folder, the slide show updates automatically.

New Images options

Show new Displays images as soon as they appear in the folder. If this option is cleared,
image(s) new images are added to the end of the slide show.
immediately

Ignore open Delays adding a new file to the slide show until the transferring application
files has finished moving or downloading the file.
Sort by name Sorts the images displayed in the slide show by their file name.

To stop synchronizing to a folder:

In the Viewer, click Tools | Sync To Folder.

Viewing offline images

ACDSee stores thumbnails and database information for images contained on CDs or other
removable media as Photo Discs. You can then browse the thumbnails and view the information for
those images even when the disc is not in your CD-ROM drive.

To add a Photo Disc:

1. Place a disc containing images into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Do one of the following:
If Device Detector is active, follow the steps to create an ACDSee Photo Disc.
If Device Detector is not active, click File | New, and then select Photo Disc.
3. In the New Disc dialog box, type a name for your disc in the Title field, and then click
OK.
4. You can then browse the contents of the Photo Disc in the Offline Media section of the
Folders pane.

If you add or remove images from a disc that you have already added to ACDSee as a
Photo Disc, you can update the information stored in the database. Insert the disc in
your CD-ROM drive, and then right-click the name of the disc in the Folders pane and
select Update Photo Disc.

By default, ACDSee identifies Photo Discs by their serial numbers. This is the most reliable setting
to use when working with Photo Discs, particularly if you are importing or converting Photo Discs
from previous versions of ACDSee.
However, if you are working with, or planning to work with, multi-session discs, the serial number
may be regenerated or changed each time you change the contents of a disc. Therefore, the
volume label is the required method of identification for multi-session Photo Discs.

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Rebinding Photo Discs

Depending on the method used to identify Photo Discs, ACDSee may encounter a Photo Disc that it
does not recognize. This is most common when you are using the serial number method to identify
Photo Discs and you insert a multi-session disc. ACDSee may not recognize the disc, as serial
numbers are likely to change when updating a multi-session disc.
You can use the Rebind option to update the identification information, and associate the correct
database information with your disc.

To rebind a Photo Disc to its ACDSee database information:

1. In the Rebind Photo Disc dialog box, carefully review the Current disc information to be
sure that the correct disc is in the drive.
2. Select the Photo Disc record that you want to rebind to the current disc from the Photo
Disc Name list.
3. Click Rebind.

Using ACDSee Quick View

ACDSee Quick View is an image viewer that you can use to quickly view images without opening
ACDSee. For example, imagine that you want to view an image that someone sent to you in an e-
mail. If you double-click on the image it will open in Quick View, which is like a pared-down
version of the Viewer in ACDSee.
With Quick View you can quickly scroll through your images, temporarily rotate images, and zoom
in and out. If you are viewing a particularly appealing image in Quick View you can also quickly set
the image as your desktop wallpaper.
You can easily switch from Quick View to ACDSee. You also have the option to open an image in
the Browser or the Viewer.
If you are accustomed to using keyboard and mouse shortcuts in the ACDSee Viewer you can use
most of those shortcuts in Quick View as well.

To open an image in Quick View:

1. With ACDSee closed, double-click on an image. For example, double-click on the image in
Windows Explorer or in an e-mail message.
2. Use the viewing options described below to view the image or images.

ACDSee Quick View viewing options

Open Open a file from a specific location on your
computer.

Previous View the previous image.

Next View the next image.

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Rotate Left Rotate the image to the left.

Rotate Right Rotate the image to the right.

Zoom In View the image at a higher magnification.

Zoom Out View the image at a lower magnification.

Delete Move the image to the computer's Recycle Bin.

Photo Manager Open ACDSee Browser.

Full Viewer Open ACDSee Viewer.

To set an image as your desktop wallpaper:

1. Click Previous or Next until the image that you want to make your desktop wallpaper
displays in Quick View.
2. Click Tools | Set Wallpaper and select one of the following:
Centered: Display the image in the center of the desktop.
Tiled: Display the image in one or more tiles until the desktop is covered. If the
image is small it may appear in several tiles on the desktop. If the image is large it
may appear in only one or two tiles.
Stretched: Stretch the image proportionally to fill as much of the desktop as
possible.

To restore your system to the default desktop wallpaper:

Click Tools | SetWallpaper | Restore.

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Viewing images other applications

You can open a file in another program from within ACDSee. For example, you can open
documents in the application used to create them.

To use the shell open and edit commands:

1. Click File | Shell.
2. Select one of the following options:
Open: opens the file using the application that Windows associates with its file
extension.
Edit: opens the file using the default system application, or opens a dialog box where
you can select an application.

Creating a desktop screen saver

You can create a desktop screen saver using your own images. You can set the screen saver
options to adjust how long each image is displayed, set the background color, apply transition
effects, and add header or footer text.

To create a screen saver:

1. In the File List pane, select a group of images, and then click Tools | Configure Screen
Saver.
2. In the ACDSee Screen Saver dialog box, click Add to browse for more images to add to
your screen saver, or select images you do not want to include and click Remove.
3. Click Configure.
4. In the ACDSee Screen Saver dialog box, specify the options as described below, and then
click OK.
5. To automatically use the screen saver on your desktop, select the Set as default screen
saver check box.
6. When you are satisfied with your choices, click OK.

To activate the screen saver on your computer:

Select the Screen Saver tab in your Windows Display Properties dialog box, and then select
ACDSee Screen Saver from the drop-down list.

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Screen saver options

Basic tab Select Select or clear the check box next to each transition effect.
transition The screen saver will randomly select transitions from your
effects choices.

Background Specifies the background color. Click the color picker arrow to
color select or change the color.

Image delay Specifies how long you want the screen saver to display each
(in seconds) image.

Advanced Transition Drag the slider to the left to improve screen saver speed, or
tab quality drag to the right to improve the quality of the transition
effects.

General Select or clear any of the following options:

settings Play embedded audio: plays any audio clips
embedded in the images.
Repeat: repeats the images after displaying the last
image.
Stretch images to fit screen: enlarges small
images to fill the entire screen.

Slide order Select one of the following options to specify the order to
display your images:
Forward
Backward
Random

Text tab Display Displays a text caption at the top of each image. Set the
header text options to specify the text you want to display.

Display Displays a text caption at the bottom of each image. Set the
footer text options to specify the text you want to display.

See also...
Setting an image as the desktop wallpaper
Sharing slide shows and screen savers

Setting an image as the desktop wallpaper

You can select any image and set it as the Windows desktop wallpaper. You can also automatically
stretch a wallpapered image to fill the screen, and restore your previous wallpaper.

To set an image as the desktop wallpaper:

1. Do one of the following:
In the Browser, select an image, and then click Tools | Set Wallpaper.
In the Viewer, click Tools | Set Wallpaper.

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2. Select one of the following:

3. Centered: places the image in the center of the screen. If the image is larger than the
screen, it is shrunk to fit.
4. Tiled: places the image in a tiled pattern that fills the entire desktop.
The selected image is saved as ACD Wallpaper.bmp in the Windows folder. ACDSee
automatically changes the wallpaper settings in the Control Panel Display properties to display
the image.

To automatically stretch wallpapered images to fit the screen:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click General.
3. On the General page, select the Automatically stretch wallpaper to fit screen check
box.
4. Click OK.

To display the previous wallpaper:

Click Tools | Set Wallpaper, and then select Restore.

See also...
Selecting part of an image
Creating a desktop screen saver

Creating a desktop slide show

You can use ACDSee Showroom to create a slide show of your photos and display that slide show
in a small window on your computer desktop. You can run up to 16 different slide shows on your
computer at once.
You can configure the ACDSee Showroom window to always stay on top of other application
windows. You can also configure it to open when you start your computer. You do not have to
open ACDSee to use ACDSee Showroom.

To create a desktop slide show with ACDSee Showroom:

1. In ACDSee, navigate to a folder containing images that you want to add to the desktop
slide show.
2. Do one of the following:
Click Create | Create ACDSee Showroom.
Click Start | Programs | ACD Systems | ACDSee Showroom.
The slide show starts immediatly.

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Using the ACDSee Showroom slide show controls

There are a number of slide show controls in the ACDSee Showroom window.
Click the Back or Forward buttons to display the previous or next photos in the slide
show.
Click the Pause button to pause the slide show while a particular photo is displayed.

If you cannot see these slide show controls in the ACDSee Showroom window, click
anywhere in the window. The controls disappear while the slide show is playing so you
can fully enjoy your photos.

To create more than one ACDSee Showroom:

With ACDSee Showroom open, do one of the following:
Right-click in the ACDSee Showroom window and select New Showroom.
Click the ACDSee Showroom icon in the taskbar and select New Showroom.

To close ACDSee Showroom:

Do one of the following:
Click Close in the ACDSee Showroom window.
Click the ACDSee Showroom icon in the taskbar and select Exit ACDSee Showroom.

If you have configured ACDSee Showroom to open when you start your computer, it will
automatically open the next time you start your computer.

See also...
Setting ACDSee Showroom options

Viewing and using brush files

You can view brush files in the Browser just like fonts or other files. This means that you can
assign ratings or organize them just like any other file in ACDSee. Because many .abr files are
actually groups of images in one file, you need to open them in the Viewer to see the individual
images.
This icon indicates an .abr brush file in ACDSee.

To view brush files:

1. In the Browser, navigate to the folder containing your brush files.
2. To see just the top image in any .abr file, hover over the thumbnail to activate the pop-
up, or click on it to see that image in the Preview pane.
3. To view the other images in the .abr file, double-click on it to open it in the Viewer.
The file opens in the Viewer showing the individual images in a pane on the left-hand side.

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4. To see the number of images, and select them by number, click the down-arrow at the
top of the sidebar, and then select the number of the image.
5. To scroll through the images, click the right and left arrows at the top of the sidebar, or
on each image.

To use brush files in Adobe Photoshop:

With both Adobe Photoshop and ACDSee open, drag the file from the File List (in the Browser)
onto the Photoshop window.

Even though nothing appears to happen, the brush is loaded into the Photoshop brush library.
To view the new brushes, open the library and scroll to the bottom of the pane.

To make it even easier to use brushes in Photo Shop, you can configure it to be your
default editor. Then you can use Ctrl +E to open Photoshop and use the brush right away.

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Chapter 5: Editing

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Edit Mode
ACDSee‘s Edit Mode is a quick and easy image editor containing useful tools to help reduce red-
eye in digital images, remove an unwanted color cast, apply special effects, and much more.
You can also edit and enhance your images by adjusting the light and color levels, cropping
images that are too large, rotating or flipping images that are incorrectly aligned, and adjusting
sharpness. When you are finished editing, you can preview your changes, and then save your
images many different file formats.
You can use the Edit Mode to edit and enhance your images, or you can configure ACDSee to
open and work with a variety of editing applications, such as ACD Photo Editor.

To open an image in Edit Mode:

Do one of the following:
In the Browser, select an image and click Tools | Open In Editor, and then select
Edit Mode.
In the Viewer, click Modify, and then select Edit Mode.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Edit Mode and then select the name of the tool you
want to apply to your image. Edit Mode will open directly to that tool.

To edit an image in another image editing application:

Do one of the following:
In the Browser, click Tools | Open in Editor, and then select the editing
application you want to use.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Open in Editor, and then select the editing
application you want to use.

Working in Edit Mode

In Edit Mode, the right side of your screen displays the Edit Panel, which provides access to all of
the editing tools and effects. Click a name in the Edit Panel to open that tool and use it to edit
your image. The Edit Panel contains extensive context-sensitive Help to assist you as you move
through the application -- click the Help button at any time to view a Help file page specific to
that tool.
At the top of the screen, just below the Edit Mode toolbar, are the Current, Saved, and Preview
tabs. You can select these tabs at any time to compare your original image with the edited
version, and preview your editing choices before saving them to your hard drive.
The Edit Mode toolbar provides access to commonly used commands and zooming controls.

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Edit Mode toolbar

Finished Closes Edit Mode, after prompting you to save any
Editing unsaved changes, and returns you to the Viewer.

Save As Opens the Save Image As dialog box so you can save
your changes as a new image.

Previous Displays the previous image in your selection.

Image

Next Displays the next image in your selection.

Image

Zoom In Increases the magnification of the current image.

Zoom Out Reduces the magnification of the current image.

Zoom Opens a menu of zoom options.

Menu

Print Opens the Print dialog box.

Help Opens the Help file.

Blend Changes the blend mode of the original and edited

modes images. Each blend mode combines the pixels in the
image above and below in unique ways to get very
different effects.

Opacity Changes the opacity of the edited image so that less or

more of any editing, or effect is visible.

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Zoom controls
While editing an image, you can adjust the magnification with the Edit Mode Zoom controls,
located in the top-right corner of the Edit Mode.

Histogram Displays the histogram preview for the current

image. The histogram preview shows the
luminosity and red, green, and blue color
channels of the photo. You can see each channel
alone or in combination. Keeping the histogram
open is particularly useful when adjusting
exposure, as the histogram reflects all
adjustments as you make them.

Actual Size Returns the current image to its actual size.

Fit Image Reduces the image to fit within the Edit Mode
area.

Navigator Displays a thumbnail preview of the current

image. Click and drag across the thumbnail to
select an image area. This feature is most useful
at higher magnifications.

Zoom slider Increases the size of the image if you drag to the
right, decreases the size if you drag to the left.

Zoom drop-down Displays a list of zoom sizes for you to select.

list

You can make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in Edit Mode by placing the cursor
over the slider and moving the mouse wheel one click forward or back.

Closing Edit Mode

You can close the Edit Mode window and return to the Viewer or Browser at any time.

To close Edit Mode:

Do one of the following:

Click the Finished Editing button on the toolbar.

Press Esc.

If you are currently working with a tool, the Finished Editing button may be disabled.
Close the tool first, and then click Finished Editing to return to the Browser or
Viewer.

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Using the undo/redo system

You can undo and redo your changes when editing an image.

To undo a change:
Do one of the following:

In the Viewer, click Edit | Undo.

In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click the Undo button.

To redo a reversed change:

Do one of the following:

In the Viewer, click Edit | Redo.

In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click the Redo button.

Previewing changes to images

You can use the Preview bar with some editing tools in Edit Mode to see how the changes you
are making affect your image. The Preview bar shows you the original image and the image after
your changes. You can pan either image in the Preview bar by dragging it within its pane, and
drag the edges or corners of the Preview bar to resize it.

Preview Bar button

To open the Preview bar:

1. On the Edit Panel, open an editing tool.
2. On the tool panel, click the Preview Bar button.
The Preview bar displays the original version of your image in the top pane, and the edited
version of your image in the bottom pane, with a toolbar between the two.

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Resizing an image
You can resize an image by adjusting its dimensions in pixels, percentage, or actual/print size.
While resizing, you can also choose an aspect ratio and a resampling filter to adjust the resized
image's appearance. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To resize an image:
1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Resize.
2. Select one of the following resize options:
Pixels: resizes the image to specific dimensions in pixels.
Percent: resizes the image to a percentage of the original.
Actual/Print size in: resizes the image to match a specific output size. Click the
drop-down list to specify a unit of measurement.
3. If you want to maintain a specific width to height ratio, select the Preserve aspect
ratio check box, and then select one of the following options from the drop-down list:
Original: maintains the original image's width to height ratio.
1 x 1: forces the width and height to be equal.
2 x 3: forces a width to height ratio of 2:3.
3 x 2: forces a width to height ratio of 3:2.
3 x 5: forces a width to height ratio of 3:5.
5 x 3 forces a width to height ratio of 5:3.
Custom: applies a custom ratio. Enter a width to height ratio in the Custom
Aspect Ratio dialog box.
4. Select a resample filter from the Filter drop-down list.
5. Under the resize option you selected in step #2, type the image's new dimensions into
the Width and Height spin boxes. If you selected Actual/Print size in, click the
Resolution drop-down list, and then select a resolution (in dots per inch) for your
output image.
6. To estimate the size of the output image, click Estimate new file size.
7. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Resize tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

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Resizing tips:
Maintain image quality by reducing images only by 33%, 50%, or 66%. Other
percentages can distort the aspect ratio.
Avoid resizing an image repeatedly. Each resizing places image pixels using a slightly
different orientation. As a result, multiple resizes can change the overall color and
appearance of the image. If your first resize attempt does not produce the desired
result, click the Undo button.
Avoid increasing the size of an image. Increasing image size makes the image's pixels
more apparent, causing a grainy effect.

See also...
Resizing multiple images
Pixel resize options and resulting action
Using the Batch Processor

Rotating an image
You can rotate an image at preset or custom angles in Edit Mode. You can save the rotation
settings as a preset for future use.

To rotate an image at a custom angle:

1. Do one of the following:
Open an image in the Viewer, and then click Rotate. The image displays in Edit
Mode.
In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Rotate.
2. On the Rotate tab, do one or more of the following:
Select one of the default orientation options.
Drag the Straightening slider to the left or right until the image appears
straightened.
Click the Horizontal or Vertical button, and then use the mouse pointer to draw a
line on the image that you want set as horizontal or vertical.
Select Crop straightened image if you want to crop the image after it is
straightened.
Select Preserve straightened image if you do not want to crop the straightened
image. Select the color that you would like to display behind the straightened image
from the Fill color drop-down.
Select Show grid overlay to display a grid over the image. You may find that the
grid helps you straighten the image and understand how the image will be cropped.

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3. Do one of the following:

Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab in the Rotate/Flip
tool.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

See also...
Rotating or flipping multiple images
Using the Batch Processor

Flipping an image
You can flip an image both vertically and horizontally in Edit Mode.

To flip an image:
1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Rotate.
2. On the Flip tab, do one or both of the following:
Click the Horizontal Flip button.
Click the Vertical Flip button.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab in the Rotate/Flip
tool.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

See also...
Rotating or flipping multiple images
Using the Batch Processor

Cropping an image
You can use the Crop tool to remove unwanted parts of your images, or to reduce the image
canvas to a particular size. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To crop an image:
1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Crop.
2. Resize the crop window, and position it over the area of the image you want to keep.
3. To darken the parts of the image outside the crop window, drag the Darken outside
crop area slider to the left. Drag the slider to the right to lighten the area outside the
crop window.

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4. Do one of the following:

Double-click on the crop window to crop the image and close the Crop tool.
Click Done to crop the image and close the tool.
Click Cancel to exit the tool without cropping the image.

Resizing the crop window

You can resize the crop window in three ways:
1. Drag the edges of the crop window to the desired size.
2. Specify an exact size for the crop window in pixels, inches, centimeters, or millimeters.
3. Apply a ratio to constrain the crop window proportions.

To resize the crop window by dragging:

1. Position your mouse cursor over the edge or corner of the crop window until it changes
into a double-pointed arrow.
2. Drag the crop window's border to the desired size.

To specify an exact size for the crop window:

1. In the Units drop-down list, select a unit of measurement.
2. Use the Dots per inch spin box to specify a resolution.
3. Type the desired crop window proportions into the Width and Height spin boxes.

To constrain the crop window to a ratio:

1. Select the Constrain cropping proportion check box.
2. Select a ratio from the drop-down list and select or clear the Landscape check box to
toggle the crop window between landscape and portrait orientation.
3. Do one of the following:
Position your mouse cursor over the edge of the crop window until it changes into a
double-pointed arrow, and then drag the edge of the crop window to the desired
size.
Use the Width or Height spin box to specify a dimension for one side of the crop
window. ACDSee automatically resizes the other dimension based on the ratio you
selected.

See also...
Using the Batch Processor

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Using selections
The Selections tool is the first icon in the Edit Mode toolbar. Selections is a tool
designed to work in combination with many of the other editing tools.
You use Selections to isolate an area of a photo so that you can then apply edits or filters to only
that area rather than the whole photo. There are three different selection tools and each selects
areas of a photo in a unique way. The controls available change depending on which tool you
select.

To open the Selections panel:

1. Do one of the following:
In the Browser, click Tools | Open in Editor | Edit Mode.
In the Viewer, Edit Image | Edit Mode on the toolbar.
2. On the Edit Panel : Main Menu, click Selections.

The selection tools

Freehand Lasso - click the left mouse button and drag the cursor to draw around the
area that you wish to select. As you draw, a line appears showing where you have
drawn. When you release the mouse, the end of the line joins to the start automatically
to complete the selection. The whole selection animates and looks like marching ants.
Magic Wand - click on any area of the image and all the pixels the same color are
included in the selection. You can choose whether to select only the same color pixels
that are actually touching the one you clicked, or all the pixels in the photo that are
similar. You can increase the threshold to include more pixels in the selection. The lower
the threshold, the more similar a pixel has to be to the one clicked to be included. The
greater the threshold, the more different a pixel can be and still be in the selection.
Marquee - click and drag either a rectangle or an ellipse that begins where you first
click and ends when you release the mouse.

Combining the tools

You can use the Selection tools separately or in combination. For example, you can use the
Magic Wand to select most of a particular color, then switch to the Freehand Lasso to add to, or
subtract from, the selection. Or you could use the Marquee to select a large general area, then
refine it using the Freehand Lasso.

To use the Freehand Lasso:

1. Click the Freehand Lasso to select it.
2. On the image, click and hold down the left mouse button as you draw around the area
you want to select.

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3. Release the mouse button to complete the selection.

4. To clear the selection, click anywhere on the image (for the Freehand Lasso or Marquee)
or click Clear.
5. To add to an existing selection, hold down SHIFT and draw a shape that includes any
part of the original selection line.
When you release the mouse, the original selection expands to include the outer edge of
your addition.

6. To add multiple areas into your selection, hold down SHIFT and draw around any part of
the image.

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As long as you do not touch the line of any other selection, you can add several separate
areas to a selection.

7. To subtract from a selection, hold down CTRL and draw a shape that includes part of the
original selection, or encircles it completely.
When you release the button, whatever part of your original selection was inside your new
shape, is removed.

8. If you wish to apply edits or effects to the outside areas of the image, you need to click
Invert to reverse the selected area.
Now the selection includes all the outside areas of the image with the central area outside
the selection.

9. Click Done when you are happy with your selection.

You return to the Edit Panel : Main Menu where you can select an editing tool or a
special effect to apply to the selection.

To use the Magic Wand:

1. Click the Magic Wand to select it.
2. Click any color in the image.

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3. Do any of the following:

Slide the Threshold slider to adjust the number of pixels to be included or
excluded. The Threshold slider sets how similar a pixel needs to be to the one you
clicked in order to be included in the selection.
Click the Connected radio button if you want to include only pixels that are
touching the one you clicked.
Click the Not connected radio button if you want to include all the pixels that are
similar to the one you clicked.
Hold down SHIFT and click around the selection to include more pixels.
Hold down CTRL and click around the selection to remove pixels from the selection.
Click Invert to swap your selection to the opposite area from the original, usually
the outer part of the image.
4. Click Done when you are happy with your selection.
You return to the Edit Panel : Main Menu where you can select an editing tool or a special
effect to apply to the selection.

To use the Marquee:

1. Click the Marquee to select it.
2. Select either Rectangle or Ellipse as the shape for your marquee.
3. Click and drag to draw the selection on the image.
4. Do any of the following
To add to an existing marquee, hold down SHIFT and drag another marquee that
includes any part of the original selection line. Release the mouse and the selection
now includes the additional area.
To add multiple marquees to your selection, hold down SHIFT and drag as many as
you want. As long as none of the edges touch, you can continue adding areas to the
selection.
To subtract from an existing marquee, hold down CTRL and drag another marquee
that intersects with the one you want to reduce. Release the mouse and any part
that was inside the new marquee is removed.
5. Click Done when you are happy with your selection.
You return to the Edit Panel : Main Menu where you can select an editing tool or a special
effect to apply to the selection.

See also...
Applying edits or effects to selections

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Applying edits or effects to selections

You can use the Selections tool to isolate an area of an image . Once selected, you can apply
many of the editing tools such as color and light, or any of the special effects filters, to the
selected area. An active selection in an image looks like a line of marching ants.

To apply an edit or effect to a selection:

1. Use the Selections tool to create a selection, then click Done to return to the Edit Panel:
Main Menu.
The selection remains active.

2. Click any of the following icons:

Exposure
Color
Sharpness
Noise
Effects
3. Use the tool to edit the image.

Use any of these special selections options:

Show Click to show or hide the marching ants around the selection. Hiding the
Selection selection line makes it easier to judge the effect of various effects.

Use Selection Click to use the selection or apply the edit or effect to the whole image.
This control means you can edit just the selection, then deselect it and
apply another edit to the whole image without clearing the selection.
Feathering Drag to increase or decrease the blurring between the edge of the
selection and the edit or effect.
Feathering prevents an unnatural or sharp transition between the
selection and the rest of the image as it blends the edges. This control
also makes it unnecessary for your selection to be perfectly on the edge
of the area you want to select.

Using Blend Modes and Opacity

At the left top of many of the Edit panels in Edit mode there are two controls, one changes the
blend mode of edited images, the other the opacity.

When you apply a filter or edit an image, you actually are working with two images; the original
and the new edited image. These controls give you creative control over both images and how to

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combine the two to create a new image. You can apply blend modes and opacity to an entire
image or to a selected part of an image.

Opacity
The Opacity slider changes the opacity of the edited image. It gives you control of how much of
the original and edited image are used in the final image in a range from 1% to 100%.
A setting of 10% is a combination of 90% of the original and 10% of the edited image.
A setting of 50% means that the final image would be an equal blend of the original and
edited image.
A setting of 100% means the final image is completely the edited image.

Blend modes
The ability to control how the original and edited image merge, means that other blend modes
besides opacity can be used to affect the final image.

Normal Pixels in the edited image are combined with those in the original. Only
opacity affects this blend.

Screen Combines the edited image color with the inverse of the original photo
color, resulting in a color that is the same or lighter.

Multiply Combines the edited image color with the original photo to produce a
darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black; multiplying
any color with white leaves the color unchanged.

Dodge Combines the edited image color with the original pixels in the photo to
produce a lighter color.

Burn Combines the edited image color with the original pixels in the photo to
produce a darker color.

Overlay Preserves the shadows and highlights of the lower layers while applying
either Multiply or Screen blend mode based on the original image area's
color values.

Difference Subtracts the edited image color from the color of the original photo. Any
white in the edited image produces a true negative of the color in the
image, while black produces no effect.

Darken Applies pixels in the edited image that are darker than the original image.
Pixels in the edited image that are lighter than the original image
disappear (based on RGB values).

Lighten Applies pixels in the edited image that are lighter than the original image.
Pixels in the edited image that are darker than the original image
disappear (based on RGB values).

Hard Light Adds strong highlights or shadows by applying Multiply or Screen based
on the original image area's color values.

Soft Light Adds soft highlights or shadows by darkening or lightening based on the
original image area's color values.

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Hue Applies the hue value of colors in the edited image to the color of the
original image areas.

Saturation Applies the saturation value of colors in the edited image to the color of
the original image areas.

Color Applies the hue and saturation of the edited image to the image. This
blend does not affect the luminance of the original image.

Luminosity Applies the lightness value of colors in the edited image to the color of the
original image areas.

Dissolve Applies some pixels from the edited image layer onto the original image,
resulting in specks of color. The Opacity slider controls the amount of
speckling.

The blend mode and opacity controls apply to many of the editing tools and special effects filters.
When it does not make sense to have these controls, they are omitted.The blend mode and
opacity controls are not on the following tools: Crop, Resize, Distortion Correction, Perspective
Correction, RAW Processing,Rotate, Flip, Watermark, Add Text, Redeye, and Repair tools

Selecting part of an image

You can use the Select tool in the Viewer to select a rectangular area of an image. You can then
zoom in on the selection, copy the selection, save the selection as a new image, print the
selection, and use the selection as the desktop wallpaper.

To select part of an image:

1. Drag the mouse pointer across the image to create a marquee.
2. Right-click inside the marquee and select one of the options described below.
3. To cancel the selection, click an area of the image outside of the marquee.

Selection options
Zoom To Zooms in on the selected area.

Copy Copies the selected area to the Clipboard.

Save Crop Saves the selected area as a new image.

As

Print Prints the selected area.

Wallpaper Creates desktop wallpaper using the selected area and centers it on your
Centered desktop, shrinking it to fit if necessary.

Wallpaper Creates a tiled desktop wallpaper pattern using the selected area.
Tiled

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Adding text and watermarks

Adding text to an image

You can use the Add Text tool in Edit Mode to add formatted text to a photo, or add talk and
thought bubbles to create a comic-book effect. You can apply special effects to your text to add
artistic flair, and preview your changes as you make them. You can also adjust the opacity of the
text to create a watermark effect - useful for putting copyright information onto your photos.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To add text to an image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Add Text.
2. On the Add Text tab, type the text you want to add in the Text field.
3. In the Font area, specify the font you want to use, the formatting options such as italics
or justification, and the color of the text. Drag the Size slider to specify a point size,
and then drag the Opacity slider to specify the transparency of the text.
4. Click and drag the text marquee to reposition it anywhere on your image, or drag the
marquee's handles to resize it.
5. Select an option from the Blend Mode drop-down list to specify how you want the text
to blend into the underlying image.
6. Do one of the following:
Select the Bubble Text check box, and set the Bubble Text Settings as explained in
the table below. Note that other text effects cannot be applied to bubble text.
Select one or more of the Effects, Drop Shadow, and Bevel check boxes to
customize your text. Click the Settings button to adjust the settings for each of
these options as explained in the table below.
7. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to add the text to your image, and keep the Add Text tool open so you
can add more text. The Add Text tool creates a new, empty marquee, and you can
return to step 2 in the list above.
Click Done to add the text to your image, and return to Edit Mode. If you still have
an empty marquee open, it will be discarded.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and return to Edit Mode.

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Add Text options

Bubble Text Talk Encloses your text in a comic-book text bubble with a
Settings pointed stem.

Thought Encloses your text in a comic-book text bubble with a

dotted stem.

Stem Angle Specifies the direction of the text bubble stem. Drag the
arrow to adjust the angle.

Thickness Specifies the thickness of the text bubble border.

Length Specifies the length of the text bubble stem.

Fill Specifies the background color of the text bubble. Click the
arrow to select a color.

Border Specifies the color of the text bubble border. Click the
arrow to select a color.

Effect Effect Specifies the effect you want to apply to your text. Each
Settings effect has different options that control its appearance.
Drag the sliders to adjust the appearance of the text.

Drop Shadow Distance Specifies the distance between the drop shadow and the
Settings text. The higher the value, the farther the shadow and the
higher the text appears.
If a drop shadow is cut off, or has a noticeably sharp edge,
you may need to increase the size of the text rectangle.

Blur Specifies the amount of blur applied to the drop shadow.

Sharp shadows tend to seem less realistic than those with
a slight blur.

Opacity Specifies the darkness of the drop shadow where it falls on

the image.

Angle Specifies the direction of the imaginary light source that

creates the drop shadow. Drag the arrow to adjust the
angle - note that this also adjusts the shading of the text
bevel.

Bevel Bevel Specifies how much of each letter's edge is bevelled.

Settings Higher values give the text a more rounded, smoother
look.

Strength Specifies the difference between the highest and lowest

points on the text. Higher values heighten the difference
between the flat portions of the text and the bevelled
edges.

Elevation Specifies the height of the imaginary light source that

creates the bevel's shadowed effect. Lower values produce
longer shadows on the text, while a higher value produces
a more direct lighting effect and shorter shadows.

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Angle Specifies the direction of the imaginary light source that

creates the bevel effect. Drag the arrow to adjust the angle
- note that this also adjusts the angle of the drop shadow.

About text blend modes

Blend modes are filters that change the appearance of the text added to your images with the
Add Text tool.The following table lists the blend modes available in the Add Text tool, and gives
a brief explanation of their effects.
Blend modes

Normal Applies the text to the underlying image with the specified color. Only
opacity affects this blend.

Screen Combines the text color with the inverse of the underlying photo color,
resulting in a color that is the same or lighter.

Multiply Combines the text color with the underlying photo to produce a darker
color. Multiplying any color with black produces black; multiplying any
color with white leaves the color unchanged.

Dodge Combines the text color with the underlying pixels in the photo to produce
a lighter color.

Burn Combines the text color with the underlying pixels in the photo to produce
a darker color.

Overlay Preserves the shadows and highlights of the lower layers while applying
either Multiply or Screen blend mode based on the underlying image
area's color values.

Difference Subtracts the text color from the color of the underlying photo. Any white
in the text produces a true negative of the color in the image, while black
produces no effect.

Darken Applies pixels in the text that are darker than the underlying image. Pixels
in the text that are lighter than the underlying image disappear (based on
RGB values).

Lighten Applies pixels in the text that are lighter than the underlying image. Pixels
in the text that are darker than the underlying image disappear (based on
RGB values).

Hard Light Adds strong highlights or shadows by applying Multiply or Screen based
on the underlying image area's color values.

Soft Light Adds soft highlights or shadows by darkening or lightening based on the
underlying image area's color values.

Hue Applies the hue value of colors in the text to the color of the underlying
image areas.

Saturation Applies the saturation value of colors in the text to the color of the
underlying image areas.

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Color Applies the hue and saturation of the text to the image. This blend does
not affect the luminance of the underlying image.

Luminosity Applies the lightness value of colors in the text to the color of the
underlying image areas.

Adding a watermark to an image

You can use the Watermark tool in Edit Mode to add a watermark to a photo. You can move the
watermark to any position on the photo. You can also change the opacity of the watermark and
blend the watermark into the image. You can save your options as a preset for future use.
You will need to create a watermark image before you can add the watermark to your photos.

To add a watermark to an image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Watermark.
2. Click Browse, select your watermark, and then click Open.
The watermark displays in the center of the photo by default.

3. Click and drag the watermark to reposition it anywhere on your image, or click Center
to quickly position the watermark image in the center.
4. Drag the marquee handles to resize the watermark image.
5. Select Maintain aspect ratio when resizing if you want to resize the watermark
image without distorting it.
6. Select Apply Alpha Channel to apply the alpha channel if it is present in the
watermark.
(Only TIF, PNG, and ICO watermark files can have an alpha channel.)

7. Select Apply Transparency to make a color in the watermark transparent.

8. The default color is white. You can enter the RGB value of the color. If you do not know
the RGB value, move your mouse over the watermark preview thumbnail on the Edit
Panel, and then click on the color that you want to make transparent.
9. Select an option from the Blending Mode drop-down list to specify how you want the
watermark to blend into the underlying image.
10. Drag the Opacity slider to specify the transparency of the watermark.
11. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to add the watermark to your image, and keep the Watermark tool
open.
Click Done to add the watermark to your image, and return to Edit Mode.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and return to Edit Mode.

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Saving

Saving or discarding changes in Edit Mode

After editing or enhancing your images in Edit Mode, you can:
1. Overwrite the original image with your changes.
2. Save the image with a new file name or format.
3. Discard the changes you made to the image.

To overwrite the original image:

1. Click the Finished Editing button on the toolbar.
2. In the Save Changes dialog box, click Save.

To save the image with a new file name or format:

1. Click the Finished Editing button on the toolbar.
2. In the Save Changes dialog box, click Save As.
3. In the File name field, type a name for the edited image.
4. In the Save as type drop-down list, select a file format for the new image. Click
Options to select settings specific to that image format.
5. Click Save.

To discard the changes you made to the image:

1. Click the Finished Editing button on the toolbar.
2. In the Save Changes dialog box, click Discard.

See also...
Using the undo/redo system
Converting multiple images to another format

Saving tool settings

Many ACDSee editing tools and special effects allow you to save your settings as presets. This is
convenient when you frequently use the same settings for a particular tool or effect.
For most tools, ACDSee automatically saves the last option settings you applied to an image
when you clicked Apply or Done. This preset is called Last Used.

To save tool settings:

1. Select a tool and specify its settings.
2. In the Presets area, click the Save button.
3. In the New Preset dialog box, enter a name for your preset, and then click OK.

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To use a previously-saved preset:

1. Select the tool for which you created the preset.
2. Click the Presets drop-down list and select the preset you want to apply.

To delete a preset:
1. Select the tool for which you created the preset.
2. Click the Presets drop-down list and select the preset you want to delete.
3. Click the Delete button.
4. In the Confirm Delete dialog box, click Yes.

Pixel-resize options and resulting action

You can reduce and enlarge the size of one or more images from the Browser by entering a new
dimension in pixels. For more information on how to resize an image using pixel dimensions,
please see Resizing an image or Resizing multiple images.

Resize Fit within options Action

options
Enlarge only Width only Resizes the image if the specified dimensions
are larger than the image's original
dimensions. The width is increased to the
specified value and the height is increased to
maintain the aspect ratio.

Height only Resizes the image if the specified dimensions

are larger than the image's original
dimensions. The height is increased to the
specified value and the width is increased to
maintain the aspect ratio.

Width and height Resizes the image if the specified dimensions

are larger than the image's original
dimensions. The width and height are
increased as close to the specified value as
possible, while maintaining the aspect ratio.

Width or height Resizes the image if the specified dimensions

(largest image) are larger than the image's original
dimensions. The width or height are
increased as close to the specified value as
possible to maximize the size of the image,
while maintaining the aspect ratio.

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Reduce only Width only Resizes the image if the specified dimensions
are smaller than the image's original
dimensions. The width is decreased to the
specified value and the height is decreased
to maintain the aspect ratio.

Height only Resizes the image if the specified dimensions

are smaller than the image's original
dimensions. The height is decreased to the
specified value and the width is decreased to
maintain the aspect ratio.

Width and height Resizes the image if the specified dimensions

are smaller than the image's original
dimensions. The width and height are
decreased as close to the specified value as
possible, while maintaining the aspect ratio.

Width or height Resizes the image if the specified dimensions

(largest image) are smaller than the image's original
dimensions. The width or height are
decreased as close to the specified value as
possible to minimize the size of the image,
while maintaining the aspect ratio.

Enlarge or Width only Resizes the width to the specified value and
reduce resizes the height to whatever value is
necessary to maintain the aspect ratio.

Height only Resizes the height to the specified value and

resizes the width to whatever value is
necessary to maintain the aspect ratio.

Width and height Resizes the image within the specified width
and height. The width and height are resized
as close to the specified value as possible
while maintaining the aspect ratio.

Width or height Resizes the image within the specified width

(largest image) and height. The width or height are resized
as close to the specified value as possible to
maximize (or minimize) the size of the
image, while maintaining the aspect ratio.

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Repairing images

Removing flaws
You can use the Photo Repair tool to remove flaws such as:
Skin blemishes
Telephone wires and other unwanted objects
Flash flares from snowflakes or windows
Lens scratches and water drops
There are two options available for the Photo Repair tool: the Healing Brush and the Cloning
Brush.
When you select the Healing Brush, the Photo Repair tool copies pixels from one area of a photo
to another, but it analyzes the pixels in the source area before copying them. It also analyzes
the pixels in the target area, and then blends the pixels of both source and target, to match the
surrounding area. This ensures that the lighting and color of the replacement pixels integrate
with the surrounding area. The Healing Brush works particularly well with photos that involve
complicated textures like skin or fur.
When you select the Cloning Brush, the Photo Repair tool copies the exact pixels from one area
of a photo to another, creating an identical image area. The Cloning Brush is more effective for
photos that have strong, simple textures or uniform colors, as it is more difficult to identify the
copied pixels in the finished photo.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To remove flaws from a photo:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Photo Repair.
2. On the Photo Repair tab, select one of the following:
Heal: copies the pixels from the source area to the target area, and blends pixels
into the surrounding image area.
Clone: copies the pixels from the source area to the target area.
3. Drag the Nib Width and Feathering sliders as described in the table below.
4. Right-click the image to set a source location. Pixels will be copied from this location
and used in the target location.
5. Click and drag over the area that you want to cover. If you selected the healing brush,
ACDSee analyzes and replaces the pixels when you release the mouse button.
6. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and return to the Viewer or Edit Mode.
Click Cancel to exit the tool without applying your changes.

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Photo Repair options

Nib Width Sets the width of the brush in pixels.

Feathering Sets the amount to feather on the edge of the brush to prevent sharp
transitions between the original and healed part of the photo.
Feathering is set as a percentage of the nib width, not as a specific number of
pixels. This means that you do not have to adjust the feathering when you
reset the Nib Width, as it automatically adjusts to a percentage of the new nib
width.

Reducing red-eye
You can use the Red Eye Reduction tool in Edit Mode to correct red-eye in digital photographs.
You can either click or drag across the red area to fix the color.
It is possible to change the fill color if you need to restore the iris of the eye, or an area of skin
around the eye, rather than the pupil.
It is also possible to vary the intensity of the fill each time you click or drag, which gives you
precise control and allows incremental changes. Sometimes it works best to have a low intensity
and use repeated fine adjustments to get the best results.

To correct red-eye:
1. Open the image in Edit Mode.
2. On the Edit Panel toolbar, click Red Eye Reduction.
3. Use the Zoom tools in the top right corner to enlarge and center the eye you want to
correct.
4. Click within the red portion of the eye or drag across the eye.
5. You might have to click more than once in the red area, or drag over it repeatedly to
remove all the red. Be careful to leave some red behind or it will like unnatural.
6. If the red color has bled over an eyelid, or the iris of the eye, click Fill color and select
the right color to cover that area.
7. You can also select Custom and enter the color values to get precisely the color you
need.
8. If you are using a custom color, zoom in closer, and drag over the area repeatedly in
small increments.
9. To set the intensity of the fill color each time you click or drag, move the Reduction
intensity slider to the right (more color) or left (less color).
10. Click Done to apply your changes and close the Red Eye Reduction tool.

See also...
Using Edit Mode

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Straightening crooked photos

You can straighten a crooked photo in Edit Mode by rotating the photo at a custom angle and
cropping the photo.

To correct a crooked photo:

1. Do one of the following:
Open an image in the Viewer, and then click Rotate. The image displays in Edit
Mode.
In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Rotate.
2. On the Rotate tab, in the Custom angle rotation area, do one of the following:
Click the arrow and drag it around the circle until the image is rotated to the
desired angle, or type the precise angle as a number.
Click the Horizontal or Vertical button, and then use the mouse pointer to draw a
line on the image that you want set as horizontal or vertical.
3. Click Automatic Cropping.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab in the Rotate/Flip
tool.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Correcting perspective distortion

You can use the Perspective Correction tool to correct perspective distortion in digital
photographs. Perspective distortion is caused by wide-angle and telephoto lenses, which distort
the perspective of large or far-away objects. For example, if you take a photo of a tall building,
the building may appear to be narrower at the top even though the building is the same width
from top to bottom.

To correct perspective distortion:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Lens Correction.
2. On the Edit Panel, click Perspective Correction.
3. An outline displays around the image. The outline has handles at all four corners, and in
the middle of all the sides. Drag the handles to change the perspective.
4. Set the options as described below.
5. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

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Perspective Correction options

Background When you correct distortion in a photo, the edges of the photo may bulge
color outwards or shrink inwards. Use the Background color options to fill
gaps in the corners or sides of a corrected photo:
Image: Select this option if you want to fill gaps in the corners
or sides of a corrected photo by placing the uncorrected photo in
the background. This is useful if the gaps are small.

Show Grid Select this option if you want to display a grid over the photo while you
correct distortion. This is useful if you want to assess whether objects in
the photo are straight.

Correcting barrel, pincushion, and fisheye distortion

You can use the Distortion Correction tool to correct barrel, pincushion, and fisheye distortion in
digital photographs. In barrel distortion the photo appears to bulge outwards from the center. In
pincushion distortion the photo appears to shrink inwards toward the center. In fisheye
distortion, the photo appears to bulge outwards from the center, as if the photo were wrapped
around a sphere.
Barrel, pincushion, and fisheye distortion are common in photos that were taken with wide angle
or zoom lenses.

To correct barrel, pincushion, or fisheye distortion:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Lens Correction.
2. On the Edit Panel, click Distortion Correction.
3. In the Type of Distortion section, select Barrel, Pincushion, or Fisheye.
4. Set the options as described below.
5. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

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Distortion Correction options

Horizontal Drag the slider to the left or right to identify the center of the image on the
center horizontal axis.

Vertical Drag the slider to the left or right to identify the center of the image on the
center vertical axis.

Correction Drag the slider to the right until the objects in the photo appear to be
strength straight.

Scale Drag the slider to the left or right to change the scale of the photo.

Background When you correct distortion in a photo, the edges of the photo may bulge
color outwards or shrink inwards. Use the Background color options to fill gaps
in the corners or sides of a corrected photo:
Image: Select this option if you want to fill gaps in the corners or
sides of a corrected photo by placing the uncorrected photo in the
background. This is useful if the gaps are small.

Show Grid Select this option if you want to display a grid over the photo while you
correct distortion. This is useful if you want to assess whether objects in
the photo are straight.

Adjusting image light levels

Adjusting Levels automatically

You can use the Auto Levels tool to automatically correct the exposure levels of your images.
Auto Levels makes the darkest image pixels darker, and the brightest pixels brighter. You can
save your options as a preset for future use.

To automatically correct an image's Levels:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit panel, click Exposure, and then select the Auto Levels tab.
2. Select one of the following options:
Auto Contrast and Color: adjusts color differences, brightness, and image color
channels.
Auto Contrast: adjusts the color differences and brightness only.
3. Use the Strength slider to fine tune the amount of exposure you want to apply.
4. Click Exposure Warning to make over- or under-exposed pixels visible. Over-exposed
pixels turn red, under-exposed pixels turn green.

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5. Do one of the following:

Select another tab to use another tool.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Auto Exposure tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Adjusting image Exposure

You can use the Exposure tool to adjust an image's exposure, contrast, and fill light. You can
save your options as a preset for future use.

To adjust an image's Exposure:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit panel, click Exposure, and then select the Exposure tab.
2. Drag the Exposure slider to the right to add light to all areas of the image.
3. Drag the Contrast slider to the left to decrease contrast or to the right to increase
contrast.
4. Drag the Fill Light slider to the right to add light to the darkest areas of the image.
5. Click Exposure Warning to make over- or under-exposed pixels visible. Over-exposed
pixels turn red, under-exposed pixels turn green.
6. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Exposure tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

You can make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in Edit Mode by placing the cursor
over the slider and moving the mouse wheel one click forward or back.

A brief technical explanation of eV

eV stands for exposure value. When you capture an image, the exposure is determined by two
things - the f-stop, or aperture, and the shutter speed. Typically, the camera automatically
determines the optimal exposure based on a built-in light meter and then sets the f-stop and
shutter speed accordingly. However, the light meter can be fooled by a bright sky or dark
surroundings, leading it to choose an incorrect f-stop and shutter speed. This results in an
under- or over-exposed image. With the exposure slider of the Brightness tool you can
compensate for exposure problems caused by incorrect settings when the image was captured.
For example, imagine that you capture an image at F4 with a shutter speed of 1/125 seconds. If
you drag the Exposure slider to the left by -1eV you effectively reduce the amount of light in the
image by increasing the f-stop to F5.6 and the shutter speed to 1/250 seconds. If you drag the
Exposure slider to the right by +1eV you effectively increase the amount of light in the image by
reducing the f-stop to F2.8 and the shutter speed to 1/60.

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Adjusting shadows and highlights

You can use the Shadows/Highlights tool to adjust areas in an image that are too dark or too
light, without affecting other areas of the photo. You can also simultaneously lighten dark areas
that are too dark, and darken areas that are too bright. Examples would be a photo of a person
silhouetted against a bright background like the sea, or a window. In fact, most photos taken on
a dull day, or with a flash, can be improved in various ways with fine adjustments using the
Shadows/Highlights tool.
You can save your settings as a preset to use again.
The Shadows/Highlights tool is very versatile. There are 3 tabs, each of which allow you to
achieve good results in different ways. In addition, there are several keyboard and mouse
shortcuts that allow you to make adjustments on specific areas of the photo itself.
Basics tab - is for very quick and easy adjustments using just two sliders. ACDSee
analyses the photo and varies the adjustment throughout the image automatically. For
example, darker images are brightened more. By clicking on the Use Automatic
Settings button, you can have ACDSee fully analyze the photo and set the slider
positions automatically. You can also click directly on an area of the image to generate
automatic settings optimal for that area (usually the subject of the photo).
Light EQ tab - works like a sound equalizer but with light. You can adjust the
brightness and contrast of different tone bands (areas of relative brightness or
darkness) of the image - independently - using a slider for each tone band. A graph
shows the amount of brightening or darkening applied throughout the tonal range. The
gray areas in the graph are suggested boundaries for adjustment to avoid clipping and
loss of detail, and turn red to indicate where you have adjusted the sliders far enough to
cause clipping.
Advanced tab - gives you ultimate control of the brightness and contrast in an image.
Basic adjustment curves can be constructed using four sliders, and you can manually
adjust the curves by clicking and dragging within the graph area or on the image itself.

To open the Shadows/Highlights tool:

Do one of the following:

In the Browser, on the menu bar, click Tools | Open in Editor | Edit Mode.
In the Browser, on the toolbar, click Edit Image | Edit Mode.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Edit Mode.
In Edit Mode, click Shadows/Highlights.

Using the Basics tab

To add light to dark areas:

1. Drag the Brighten slider to the right to add light to the dark parts of the photo.
2. Adjust the settings using any of the controls in the table below.

To darken areas that are too bright:

1. Drag the Darken slider to the right to darken and return detail to areas that are too
bright.
2. Adjust the settings using any of the controls in the table below.

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Shadows/Highlights controls
Left-click or Click an area to reset both the Brighten and Darken sliders automatically
right-click on to optimize the contrast and brightness of the area you clicked. This
the photo works well if you want to brighten a particular area like a face. Clicking a
brighter area works best.

Exposure Click the Exposure Warning to make any over-, or under-exposed areas
Warning visible. Over-exposed pixels turn red, under-exposed pixels turn green.
You can also toggle Exposure Warning on and off momentarily by holding
down the E key.

Automatic Click to allow the software to analyze the photo and apply optimal
settings settings based on the amount of light and dark pixels in the photo.
Darker photos are brightened more than photos that are already bright.

Reset Click to discard all changes and return to the original image.

Done Click to apply your changes and close the tool.

Cancel Click to discard all changes and close the tool.

You can make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in Edit Mode by placing the cursor
over the slider and moving the mouse wheel one click forward or back.

Using the Light EQ tab

The Light EQ tab has two sets of sliders. The top set is for
brightening. The lower set is for darkening. The dark-to-light
gradient on each slider indicates that you brighten that tone band
when you move the slider up (top row of sliders) or darken that
tone band when you move the slider down (bottom row).
Between the two sets of sliders are two horizontal bars graded
from black to white. These bars indicate that sliders on the far
left affect the dark tonal bands. The sliders on the right affect
light tonal bands. Moving a slider changes the light in that
particular tonal band.
In the middle of the bands are two orange graphs that change as
you adjust the sliders to represent the amount of darkening and
lightening throughout the tonal range of the image. The two gray
graphs show the maximum amount of brightening or darkening
that you can apply before clipping begins. If you push a slider too
far, the clipping is shown in bright pink.

To increase contrast within a tonal band without changing the brightness, apply brightening and
darkening simultaneously in equal amounts by dragging the upper and lower sliders up and
down, respectively. The area between the top of the upper graph and the bottom of the lower
graph indicates the amount by which contrast is increased.

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To use the Light EQ tab:

3. Do one of the following:
Drag the tone band sliders up or down depending on which light bands you want to
adjust.
Type the exact number into the number boxes or increment the numbers to make
precise adjustments.
Click the # Tone Bands drop-down list to increase or decrease the number of tone
band sliders.

Click (or press E) to see any over-or under-exposed pixels.

Click to apply settings automatically.

4. Click Done to apply your settings and close the tool.

Using the Advanced tab

Sliders
The Advanced tab has two sliders for brightening and two for
darkening, called Compression and Amplitude. The Compression
sliders control the shape of the brightening/darkening adjustment
curves, while the Amplitude sliders control the height of the
curves.
The more compression you apply, the more you increase the
balance of the dark against the light areas in the image. The
Amplitude sliders increase the intensity of the effects of
brightening or darkening.
The Scale slider at the bottom of the tool, adjusts the overall
adjustment sensitivity to local variation in brightness. Moving this
slider to the left makes the adjustment more sensitive to smaller
areas of brightness variation, which may be beneficial in some
images. For most images, however, leaving the slider in the
default position gives the best result.

Checkboxes
You can individually disable Brightening or Darkening completely by deselecting the checkboxes.
This is useful when you want to preview the effect of brightening or darkening individually.

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Graphs
Between the Brighten and Darken controls are two gray graphs that indicate the maximum
amount of lightening or darkening that you can apply before clipping (shown as bright
pink) begins.
Two orange curves appear and change as you drag the Compression sliders and Amplitude
sliders - these curves indicate the amount of brightening and darkening applied throughout the
tonal range of the image. Darker tonal areas are on the left, and brighter tonal areas are on the
right. As you move your cursor over the image, a vertical line in the graph indicates the tone
level of the area under the cursor within the tonal range. At times there are two lines because
the tone levels for brightening and darkening are not necessarily the same. This is because
brightening is sensitive to maximum color values while darkening is sensitive to minimum color
values
The Advanced tab is unique in that you can adjust the curves manually, either on the graph
itself, or on the actual photo. Adjustments made on the photo are reflected in the curve on the
graph. Adjustments made on the graph are reflected on the photo.
To increase contrast within a tonal range without changing the brightness, apply brightening and
darkening simultaneously in equal amounts by dragging the upper and lower curves up and
down, respectively. The area between the top of the upper graph and the bottom of the lower
graph indicates the amount by which contrast is increased.

To use the Advanced tab:

1. Do one of the following:
Drag the Brighten or Darken Compression sliders to the left to adjust the bright or
dark pixels. As you drag, an orange area appears to indicate your adjustments to
the curve.
Left-click on the left side of the horizontal line and drag upwards to brighten the
dark areas of the photo. Try to prevent the orange graph intersecting with the gray
area, which is when clipping begins (shown bright pink).
Right-click on the right side of the horizontal line and drag downwards to darken the
bright areas of the photo. Try to prevent the orange graph intersecting with the
gray area, which is when clipping begins (shown bright pink).
Drag the Scale slider to the right to make your adjustments more sensitive to
smaller areas of brightness variation.
Make adjustments using any of the options in the table below, including on the
image itself.
2. Click Done to apply your settings and close the tool.

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Adjustment options - Advanced tab

Area: Action: Result:

Sliders Drag Compression To the right - increases the lightening applied to the
(Brighten) darker areas.
To the left - applies brightening more uniformly to all
areas of the image.
(The name of the slider changes to Custom curve when
you change the curve manually or make adjustments on
the image.)

Drag Compression To the right - increases the darkening applied to the

(Darken) brighter areas of the image.
To the left - applies the darkening more uniformly to all
areas of the image.
Drag Amplitude To the right - increases the intensity of the brightening
(Brighten) across all areas of the image. The height of the orange
curve increases.
To the left - reduces the intensity of the brightening and
the height of the curve.
If the Amplitude sliders is 0 - no brightening is applied.
If the Amplitude is 100 - 200, the proportional amount of
clipping increases.
In most cases, 110 is the right amount of amplitude. For
images with fine detail in the highlights, decreasing
brighten amplitude preserves the detail.
In most cases it is not necessary to adjust amplitude.
Drag Amplitude To the right - increases the intensity of the darkening
(Darken) across all areas of the image. The height of the bottom
orange curve increases.
To the left - reduces the intensity of the darkening and
the height of the curve.
Drag Scale To the left - makes the tool more sensitive to smaller
areas of brightness variation.
This means that smaller areas can be adjusted
independently. Generally the default scale of 10 gives
the best result, but if an image contains small details
that need brightening, a lower scale might give better
results.

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On Drag the orange graph The graph changes as you left-click and drag up on the graph
Graph (top) itself. The graph represents the brighten adjustments you are
making. The gray graph represents the maximum amount you
can drag the graph before clipping (pink) begins.
The height of the graph represents the level of brightening
applied at each tone level. (Tone moves from black on left to
white on the right.)
When you make direct brightening or darkening adjustments on
the graph or image, the corresponding Brighten or Darken
Compression slider changes to Custom curve. If you adjust the
position of the slider after this it discards all direct curve
adjustments.
When you make direct brightening or darkening adjustments on
the graph or image, the corresponding Brighten or Darken
Amplitude slider changes to indicate the current curve
amplitude. (An amplitude of 100 is the maximum amplitude a
curve can have without causing clipping.)
Drag the orange graph The graph changes as you right-click and drag down on the
(bottom) graph itself. The graph represents the darken adjustments you
are making. The gray graph represents the maximum amount
you can drag the graph before clipping (pink) begins.
You can use all the Changes the tonal band on the graph itself with a
shortcuts below that corresponding change in the image. This is useful for making
apply to the image, fine adjustments to a specific tonal band.
directly to the Graph
itself.

On Double-click with left Automatically sets the brightening compression to optimum for
Image mouse button that area of the image. A brighter area (e.g. a face) works
best.
Double-click with right Automatically sets the darkening compression to optimum for
mouse button that area of the image.
(or SHIFT+ double-
click with left mouse
button)

CTRL+ double-click Increases the amount of brightening around that tone level
with left mouse button while decreasing the brightening in the rest of the image.
Use this method to quickly brighten a specific subject or area to
bring it out of the image.
CTRL+ double-click Increases the amount of darkening around that tone level while
with right mouse button decreasing the amount of darkening in the rest of the image.
Scroll up or down with Increases or decreases the amount of brightening applied at
the mouse wheel above that tone level in the image. Both the image and the graph
the image show the changes.
SHIFT+ scroll with the Decreases or increases the amount of darkening applied at that
mouse wheel above the tone level in the image.
image

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Hold down "A" Sets the brighten Amplitude slider directly.

+scrolling or
+dragging with the
left mouse button

Hold down "A" Sets the darken Amplitude slider directly.

+SHIFT
+scrolling or
+dragging with the
right mouse button

Click and drag up and Increases or decreases the amount of brightening applied at
down on the image (left that tone level in the image. Both the image and the graph
mouse button). show the changes.
(Only works if the image is actual size - no zooming.)
SHIFT+click and drag Decreases or increases the amount of darkening applied at that
up and down on the tone level in the image.
image (left mouse
button). (Only works if the image is actual size - no zooming.)

CTRL+ any direct Automatically maintains a constant amplitude and prevents

adjustment (above). clipping.
Using Ctrl + any adjustment, constrains and reshapes the
curve, for example, if you are increasing the brightness of the
mid tones of the image, the brightening of the dark and light
areas of the image decreases.

Adjusting image Levels

You can use the Levels tool to precisely adjust the contrast and light levels in your images. You
can save your options as a preset for future use.

To adjust image levels:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Exposure, and then select the Levels tab.
2. Do one of the following:
Set the options as described below to adjust the contrast and light levels manually.
Click Auto and select a menu option to automatically adjust image properties.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Levels tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

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You can make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in Edit Mode by placing the cursor
over the slider and moving the mouse wheel one click forward or back.

Levels options
Channel Specifies the brightness or color channel you want to adjust.

Shadows Specifies the blackpoint of an image.

Move the slider or type a number from 0 to 255 into the spin box to define the
blackest area of an image. As the value increases, the dark colored areas of
the image become darker.

Midtones Specifies the gamma correction in an image.

Move the slider or type a number from 0.00 to 2.00 into the spin box to set
the amount of gamma correction. Higher values make the image appear
brighter, while lower values make the image appear darker.

Highlights Specifies the whitepoint of an image.

Move the slider or type a number from 0 to 255 into the spin box to define the
whitest area of an image. As the value increases, the light colored areas of the
image become lighter.

Clipped % Indicates how much of the image detail is lost due to blackpoint and
whitepoint correction.

Shadows Click the Shadows picker and then click the image area you want to set as
picker the blackpoint.

Midtones Click the Midtones picker and then click the image area you want to set as
picker the gamma correction value.

Highlights Click the Highlights picker and then click the image area you want to set as
picker the whitepoint.

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Auto Select one of the following options:

Adjust Contrast: automatically analyzes and adjusts image contrast.
Adjust Color and Contrast: automatically analyzes and adjusts
each color channel independently, and then adjusts the contrast.
Adjust Color and Brightness: automatically analyzes and adjusts
image color and brightness.
Tolerance: opens the Tolerance settings dialog box. Specify the
maximum clipping percentage for Shadows and Highlights, and click
OK. ACDSee adjusts the image levels automatically.

Reset Discards all changes and reverts to the original image levels.

Adjusting brightness curves

You can use the Curves tool to change the tonal range of an image. Select the RGB color channel
to adjust the entire range of the image, or select a specific color.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To adjust the brightness curves in an image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit panel, click Exposure, and then select the Curves tab.
2. On the Curves tab, set the options as described below.
3. Drag the histogram bar to manipulate the image.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Curves tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

You can make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in Edit Mode by placing the cursor
over the slider and moving the mouse wheel one click forward or back.

Curves options
Channel Specifies the color channels to adjust.

Show Toggles the histogram display on and off.

Histogram

Histogram Displays a graphic of the color information levels in the image, based on the
selected channel. Click and drag the line to manipulate the curve. Each time
you click the curve, a new node is added. You can drag the nodes up and
down the curve.

Reset Discards all changes and reverts to the original image.

Exposure Highlights over- and under-exposed areas of the image. Over-exposed pixels
warning turn red, under-exposed pixels turn green.

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Adjusting image color

Using the Histogram

The Histogram displays a graphical representation of the distribution of intensity levels of pixels
for each color channel in an image.

To display and use the Histogram:

1. In the Viewer, click View, and then select Histogram.
2. On the Histogram, select or clear the following check boxes:
R: shows or hides the red color channel.
G: shows or hides the green color channel.
B: shows or hides the blue color channel.
L: shows or hides the lightness of the image.

Applying Auto Color

You can use the Auto Color tool to automatically adjust an image's colors.

To automatically adjust image colors:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Color.
2. Select the Auto Color tab.
3. Drag the slider to adjust the amount of color correction you want to apply.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Auto Color tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Removing a color cast

You can use the Color Cast tool to remove an unwanted hue from an image. For example, if you
take a photo at sunset and the resulting image has a reddish hue, you can use the Color Cast
tool to remove it. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To remove a color cast from an image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Color.
2. Select the Color Cast tab.
3. Click an image area that should be white or gray. The color square shows the color of
the original pixel on the left, and of the modified pixel on the right.
4. If desired, move the slider to specify the color cast removal strength. Higher settings
remove more of the unwanted color.

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5. Do one of the following:

Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

If you are having difficulties achieving the desired effect, try clicking an image area that
is a different shade of white or gray.

Changing image color depth

You can modify an image's color depth in the Viewer. Color depth refers to the range of colors an
image contains.

To change the color depth of an image:

Click Modify | Change Color Depth, and select one of the options described below.

Color depth options

Black and Two-color black and white palette
White

16 Grays 16-color grayscale palette

256 Grays 256-color grayscale palette

16 Colors 16-color palette

256 Colors 256-color palette (GIF format uses 256 colors by default)

Hicolor 32,768-color palette

Truecolor 16,777,216-color palette of all colors visible to humans

16 bit 16-bit grayscale palette

grayscale

48 bit color 48-bit color palette

You can use ACDSee to convert an image to any of these color depths. However, to use certain
image enhancement tools, filters, blends, and adjustment options, the image must be Hicolor or
Truecolor. To edit an image that is not originally Hicolor or Truecolor, you can convert it, edit the
image, and then convert it back to its original color depth.

Changing HSL values

You can adjust an image's HSL (hue, saturation, and lightness) values. You can save your
options as a preset for future use.

To adjust an image's HSL:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Color.

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2. Select the HSL tab, and then move the sliders to adjust the Hue, Saturation, and
Lightness amounts.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Changing RGB values

You can adjust an image's red, green, and blue (RGB) color values. You can save your options as
a preset for future use.

To adjust an image's RGB values:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Color.
2. Select the RGB tab, and then move the sliders to adjust the amount of Red, Green, and
Blue.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Creating a gray scale image (Channel Mixer)

In the Viewer
You can very quickly create a gray scale image in the Viewer.

To create a gray scale image in the Viewer:

1. In the Browser, double-click a thumbnail to open the image in the Viewer.

2. Click the Gray Scale icon in the Edit toolbar .

In Edit Mode - Channel Mixer

The Channel Mixer (a tab in the Colors tool in Edit Mode) creates rich grayscale images. Because
you can control the brightness of the red, green, and blue channels, as well as the overall
brightness, you can use the Channel Mixer to emphasize different areas or aspects of a photo, as
well as alter it's mood and tone.
If you hover your mouse over each slider and watch the effect on the small preview, it shows
you which parts of the image will be affected by each channel. This helps to gauge the effect of
each slider on the image.

To create a grayscale image using the Channel Mixer:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Color.
2. Select the Channel Mixer tab.

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3. Do any of the following:

Drag the Percent Red slider to the left or right.
The more red there is in a pixel, the more effect the red slider has on that pixel. So
the area of red in the picture is brightened or darkened more than other areas.
Drag the Percent Green slider the left or right.
The more green there is in a pixel, the more effect the red slider has on that pixel.
So the area of green in the picture is brightened or darkened more than other
areas.
Drag the Percent Blue slider to the left or right.
The more red there is in a pixel, the more effect the red slider has on that pixel. So
the area of blue in the picture is brightened or darkened more than other areas.
Drag the Percent Brightness slider to the right or left to brighten or darken the
whole image
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Sharpening and blurring an image

Using the Sharpness tool

You can use the Sharpness tool to increase the color difference in adjacent pixels, resulting in
sharper images. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To sharpen an image using the Sharpness tool:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Sharpness, and then select the Sharpness tab.
2. To increase the image's sharpness, move the slider to the right. To decrease the image's
sharpness, move the slider to the left.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Apply to apply your changes and set options on another tab.
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Sharpness tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Using the Unsharp Mask tool

You can use the Unsharp Mask tool to sharpen an image by enhancing the contrast of medium-
and high-contrast edges. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To sharpen an image using the Unsharp Mask tool:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Sharpness, and then select the Unsharp Mask
tab.

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2. Drag the sliders to enhance or fix your image as described below.

3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Unsharp Mask tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Unsharp Mask options

Amount Specifies the amount of light added to or removed from each edge. Higher
values produce darker edges.

Radius Specifies the number of pixels to adjust around each edge. Higher values
increase the number of sharpened pixels.

Threshold Specifies how different the lightness values of two adjacent pixels must be
before they are sharpened. Higher values increase the required difference. It
is recommended that you set the threshold so that it enhances edges while
keeping background noise to a minimum.

Blurring an image
You can use the Blur tool to apply different kinds of blur to an image, and you can save your
options as a preset for future use.

To blur an image:
1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Sharpness, and then select the Blur tab.
2. In the Blur type drop-down list, select the type of blur to apply.
3. Specify the blur options as described below.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Blur tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Blur types
Gaussian Produces an even, smooth blur.

Amount Specifies the amount of blur. Move the slider to the right to
intensify the effect.

Linear Produces a blurring effect that gives the illusion of movement.

Amount Specifies the amount of blur. Move the slider to the right to
intensify the effect.

Angle Specifies the direction of the blur effect.

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Radial Produces blur around a center point. Click the image to set the center point.

Amount Specifies the amount of blur. Move the slider to the right to
intensify the effect.

Clockwise Specifies clockwise blur.

Counter- Specifies counter-clockwise blur.

clockwise

Horizontal Specifies the blur's center point on the horizontal axis.

position

Vertical Specifies the blur's center point on the vertical axis.

position

Spread Produces a smeared or frosted blur.

Amount Specifies the amount of blur. Move the slider to the right to
intensify the effect.

Zoom Produces inward or outward blur to or from a center point.

Amount Specifies the amount of blur. Move the slider to the right to
intensify the effect.

Zoom in Creates a blur that zooms in to the image's center.

Zoom out Creates a blur that zooms out from the image's center.

Horizontal Specifies the blur's center point on the horizontal axis.

position

Vertical Specifies the blur's center point on the vertical axis.

position

About noise and noise reduction

Image noise looks like random black, white, or colored pixels in an area of a photo where there
should be solid color, such as a dark night sky. In digital photography, noise is typically more
visible in the dark areas of a photo.
There are many causes of image noise. You will increase image noise if you use a high ISO
setting (such as ISO 400) to capture a photo, or if you extend the exposure time. (You would
typically use a high ISO setting and extend exposure time to take a photo in low light.) However,
image noise can be caused by dead or stuck pixels in a digital camera's image sensor. Similarly,
dust on a camera lens or scanner bed can cause noise by blocking or reflecting light.

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Noise is visually distracting, so in most cases you will want to reduce noise in your photos.
However, if you reduce noise too much you may unintentionally reduce image sharpness.
ACDSee Pro 2 supports median noise removal. This method of noise removal is called median
noise removal because a mathematical algorithm identifies noisy pixels in a photo and adjusts
their values based on the median (or middle) value of neighboring pixels. Median noise removal
is useful for reducing Gaussian noise, which is the most common type of noise in digital
photography because it originates in a digital camera's image sensor.
You can apply median noise removal to all of the pixels in a square area, to pixels along diagonal
lines, or to pixels along horizontal and vertical lines. ACDSee Pro 2 also has a hybrid option,
which you would use if you want to apply median noise removal to more pixels in a photo, or if
you want to reduce the color variations that are sometimes caused by noise.

Removing noise from an image

You can use the Remove Noise filter to remove noise from your images while preserving details
that you want to retain.

To remove noise from an image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Noise, and then select the Remove Noise tab.
2. Set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Remove Noise tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

You can use the Remove Noise filter to remove hot image pixels caused by digital
cameras with malfunctioning CCD array sensors, or the extra pixels caused by a
dusty scanner or camera lens.

Median Noise Removal options

Despeckle Removes noise.

Square Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel square.

X Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel X shape. Use this option when you want to
preserve an image's thin and diagonal lines.

Plus Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel plus (+) shape. Use this option when you
want to preserve an image's thin, vertical, and horizontal lines.

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Hybrid Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel square, a 3 x 3 pixel X shape, and a 3 x 3

pixel plus (+) shape. Use this option when you want to preserve and image's
thin, diagonal, horizontal, and vertical lines. When hybrid is selected you have
additional noise removal options:
Amount: Drag the slider to the left or right to select the range of
pixels that will be identified as noise. You would typically select a
threshold of 10 to 20.
Radius: Drag the slider to the left or right to apply median noise
removal to smaller or larger areas. For example, you typically
increase the Radius value to remove larger areas of noise, but this
also removes detail from the photo.

Color Noise Reduction: Drag the slider to the left or right to control
how much the color variation in a photo is reduced. For example, drag
the slider to the right if you want to reduce color variation. However,
you should be careful about reducing color variation (that is caused
by noise) because you could unintentionally reduce real color
variations in a photo.

Adding noise to an image

You can use the Add Noise filter to add a grainy texture to an image. Adding small amounts of
noise can reduce the appearance of minor imperfections in the original image. You can save your
options as a preset for future use.

To add noise to an image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Noise, and then select the Add Noise tab.
2. Set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
4. Click Done to apply your changes and close the Add Noise tool.
5. Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Add Noise options

Intensity Specifies the amount of noise to add to the image. A higher intensity
increases the chance that a noise pixel will replace a pixel in the original
image.

Color Specifies the color of noise pixels to add to the image. A lower value gives
proximity each noise pixel a color similar to the pixel it replaces. Higher values result in
a random selection of the noise pixel color.

Noise color Select one of the following options to specify noise pixel color:
Random: randomly selects the color.
Monochrome: produces black and white noise pixels.
Adjustable: randomly selects the color of each noise pixel, but
more pixels match a defined color. To define a color, click the color
picker and select a color.

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Noise Adds noise to image areas that closely match a defined color. Select the Set
placement color check box to enable noise placement, and click the color picker to
specify a color.

Random Indicates the random placement of noise in an image.

Seed When you apply the Add Noise filter to an image, ACDSee places the noise
pixels based on a random seed. This makes the image noise different each
time you apply the filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate
identical image noise.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Batch editing

About batch editing

In ACDSee you can:
Make one type of edit to many photos: For example, if you need to resize multiple
photos you can use the Batch Resize tool. Or, if you need to rotate multiple photos by
90 degrees you can use the Batch Rotate/Flip tool.
Make multiple types of edits to multiple photos: For example, if you need to resize,
crop, correct color cast, and rotate multiple photos, you can use the Batch Processor to
perform all the edits, to all the files, simultaneously.
You can speed up the batch editing work flow by tagging your files. For example, you can quickly
tag the files you want to change, then click Tagged in the Organize pane to display all the tagged
files in the File List pane. Then you can select the files and choose a batch editing tool or the
Batch Processor wizard.

See also...
Using the Batch Processor
Tagging images

Converting multiple images to another file format

You can convert multiple images to any supported file format. You can set the options for each
format individually, specify how to handle multiple-page images, and apply the conversion
defaults automatically. The Convert File Format Wizard guides you through the process.

To convert an image to another file format:

1. Do one of the following:
In the Browser, select one or more images, and then click Tools | Batch Convert
File Format.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Convert File Format.
2. On the Select a format page, select a new format for your image or images from the list
displayed on the Format tab. Select the Advanced Options tab to change the settings
for this wizard, or click Next to continue.

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3. On the Set output options page, identify where you want to place the converted images,
and specify how you want the wizard to handle any file name conflicts by selecting one
of the following options from the Overwrite existing files drop-down list:
Ask: prompts you when overwriting a file.
Skip: cancels the operation if there is a file with the same file name and extension.
Replace: overwrites the file without prompting for confirmation.
Rename: prompts you to rename the file.
4. On the Set multiple page options page, you can specify how you want to handle any
multiple-page images you are converting. If you did not select any multiple-page
images to convert, and did not specify a multiple-page image format as your output file
format, you can skip the options on this page.
5. When you are satisfied with your choices, click Start Convert, and wait a few seconds
while the wizard converts your images.

Rotating or flipping multiple images

You can rotate or flip multiple images at preset angles.

To rotate or flip an image:

1. In the Browser, select one or more images, and then click Tools | Batch Rotate /Flip
Images.
2. In the Batch Rotate/Flip Images dialog box, select the angle of rotation you want to
apply. See below for an explanation of each angle.
3. If you selected an image with multiple pages and want to apply the selected angle of
rotation to all of the pages, select the Apply to all pages of the current image check
box.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Next Image to move on to the next selected image.
If you selected multiple images and you want to apply the same angle of rotation to
all of them, select the Apply to all selected images check box.
Click Options to specify how you want to save and store the images.
5. When you are ready to apply the rotations to your images, click Start Rotate.

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Rotate / Flip angles

Rotates the image counter-clockwise 90 degrees.

Rotates the image 180 degrees.

Rotates the image clockwise 90 degrees.

Rotates the image according to any EXIF data contained within the image. (Does
not affect images without EXIF information.)

Flips the image along the vertical axis.

Flips the image along the horizontal axis.

Flips the image along the vertical axis, and then rotates it counter-clockwise 90
degrees.

Flips the image along the vertical axis, and then rotates it clockwise 90 degrees.

You can also use the Rotate tool in Edit Mode to rotate an image using a custom angle
of rotation.

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Resizing multiple images

You can resize a group of images by specifying their dimensions in pixels, specifying a
percentage of their original size, or by constraining them to a physical print size. The Batch
Resize Images tool guides you through the process.

To resize a group of images:

1. In the Browser, select one or more images, and then click Tools | Batch Resize
Images.
2. In the Batch Resize Images tool, select one of the following options:
Percentage of original: resizes the images to a percentage of their original size.
Size in pixels: resizes the images to a specific size in pixels.
Actual/Print size: resize the images to specific printed dimensions.
3. Set the options for your selection as explained in the table below.
4. Click Options to specify how you want to save and store the images.
5. When you are satisfied with your choices, click Start Resize.

You can also resize an image, and use alternate resampling filters, in Edit Mode.

Resize options
Percent Percentage Specifies how to resize the images. Enter a percentage
age of less than 100 to reduce the images, and greater than 100
original to enlarge them.

Apply to Specifies whether the resize is applied to the height, width,

or both.

Size in Width Specifies the new width for the images in pixels.
pixels
Height Specifies the new height for the images in pixels.

Resize Specifies how to scale the images. Select one of the

following options:
Enlarge only: Resizes only those images that are
smaller than the specified height and width.
Reduce only: Resizes only those images that are
larger than the specified height and width.
Enlarge and reduce: Resizes all images to the
specified height and width.

Preserve Retains the width-to-height ratio of the original images.

original
aspect ratio

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Fit within Specifies whether the aspect ratio is maintained based on

the specified width. For more information about how the
different combinations affect the images, see Pixel resize
options and resulting action.

Actual/ Units Specifies the units of measurement.

Print
size Width Specifies the new width for the images.

Height Specifies the new height for the images.

Resolution Specifies the print resolution for the images.

Preserve Retains the width-to-height ratio of the original images.

original
aspect ratio

Fit within Specifies whether the aspect ratio is maintained based on

the specified width. For more information about how the
different combinations affect the images, see Pixel resize
options and resulting action.

Adjusting exposure for multiple images

In ACDSee, you can lighten or darken the colors of an image or a group of images with the Batch
Adjust Exposure Wizard. You can adjust each image individually and preview the changes before
applying, or make your adjustments to a single image and automatically apply the same changes
to all of the images you selected.
You can also save your settings as a preset for future use.

To adjust image exposure:

1. In the Browser, select one or more images, and then click Tools | Batch Adjust
Exposure.
2. In the Batch Adjust Exposure tool, do one or more of the following:
To adjust your images' exposure automatically, select the Auto Levels tab and set
the options.
To adjust your images' exposure, contrast, and fill light level, select the Exposure
tab and adjust the options.
To precisely adjust the contrast and light levels in your images, select the Levels
tab and set the options.
To precisely adjust the RGB color channels in your image, select the Curves tab
and set the options.
3. Do one of the following:
Select the Apply settings to all selected images check box to apply the current
settings to all of the images you selected.
De-select Apply settings to all selected images and click Next Image to move
on to the next image and repeat step 2 for each image you want to adjust.

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4. Click Options to specify how you want to save and store the images.
5. Click Filter All Images.

You can also adjust your image's exposure and color levels in Edit Mode.

Changing the color profiles of multiple images

You can change the color profiles of multiple images using the Batch Convert Color Profile
tool.

At this time, ACDSee Pro 2 does not support CMYK color profiles.

To change the color profiles used in images:

1. In the Browser, select one or more images.
2. Click Tools | Batch Convert ICC Profile.
3. In the Color profile to convert from list, select the color profile currently associated
with the images. For example, you will typically use the Batch Convert Profile tool to
convert from your camera's color profile to a more universal color profile, such as sRGB.
If you select Use profile information when found in JPEG and TIFF images,
ACDSee will convert from the color profile embedded in the images, not the color profile
that you select in the list.
4. In the Color profile to convert to list, select color profile that you want to associate
with the image.
5. In the Rendering Intent list, select the rendering intent. The most common rendering
intent is Perceptual. Some color profiles ignore the rendering intent, so results can
vary depending on the profile that you select.
6. Click Options to specify whether ACDSee should overwrite the image file (which
effectively deletes the original color profile) or create new files with the new color
profiles. You can also select options for JPEG compression.
7. Click Start.
8. Click Done.

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Using the Batch Processor

You can use the Batch Processor to make multiple types of edits to multiple images. You can
save your editing settings as a preset for future use. See the links below for detailed descriptions
of the editing options for each editing tool.

To open the Batch Processor:

1. In the Browser, select the images that you want to edit, and then click Tools | Batch
Processor.
The Batch Processor wizard displays.

2. On the Batch Image Processing Options page, on the Processing Profile tab, select the
types of edits that you want to make to the images.
3. Click on the word for each type of edit (for example, Rotate) to display the options that
are available for that type of edit.

To preview changes:
You can see how the editing options will affect an image in the Preview area.
1. In the Batch Processor wizard, click the Before and After tabs to evaluate how the
currently selected options affect the image, or click and hold the Preview icon to switch
between the Before and After tabs.
2. Click Original Image or Final Image, at the top and bottom of the Edit list, to
evaluate how all the editing options affect the image.
3. To see how the selected editing options affect each image, click the Image List tab and
select each image in turn to display it in the Preview area.

To use Zoom features:

1. Drag the Zoom slider to the left or right to see the entire image, or to zoom in to a
specific area in the image.
2. Click the Fit Image button to fit the image into the Preview area.
3. Click the Actual Size button to display the image at full size in the Preview area. If you
click the Actual Size button you will need to use the horizontal and vertical scroll bars to
see different parts of the full-size image.

To add or remove images:

1. If you no longer want to edit an image, click the Image List tab, select an image, and
then click Remove.
2. If you decide that you want to edit more images, click the Image List tab, and then
click Add.
3. Navigate to the folder containing the images that you want to add.
4. Select the images in the Available items area, and then click Add.
5. Click OK.
6. When you are satisfied with the images and the editing options, click Next.

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To set output options and complete the process:

1. On the Output Options page, specify where you would like to save the edited images,
how you want to rename them, and other options. The output options are described
below.
2. When you are satisfied with the output options, click Next.
3. On the Batch Process Progress page, the progress bars indicate which images and edits
are being processed.
4. On the Batch Process Completed page, you have the following options:
5. In the Summary section, click View Log to see a log that explains any process
warnings or failures.
6. Click Browse with Explorer to open Windows Explorer so you can look at the edited
images.
7. Click Save Preset to save all of the editing options as a preset for future use.
8. Select Browse the output folder with ACDSee Pro 2 if you want look at the edited
images in the File List pane.
9. Click Finish.

Editing options
Detailed descriptions of the options for each tool in the Batch Processor are in the following
sections:

Rotate Exposure
Crop Shadows/Highlights
Resize Noise removal
Color and Saturation Sharpening
Channel Mixer (grayscale) Vignette
Sepia Text overlay
Watermark

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Output options
Destination Same as Select this option if you want to save the edited
folder source folder images in the same folder as the original images.

Specific folder Select this option if you want to save the edited
images to a specific folder.

Create a new Creates a new subfolder in the folder that you

subfolder for selected from the Specific folder drop-down.
the files Type a name for the new folder in the Create a
new subfolder for the files text box.

File names Keep original Select this option if you want to save the edited
file names images with the same file name as the original
images.

Name using Select this option if you want to rename the edited
template images using a renaming template.

Image file File format If you want to change the file format of the edited
format images, select the file format in which you would
like to save the edited images.

Pixel format Use this option to determine number of bits per

pixel (BPP) in the output images, and whether the
images will be color or grayscale. Select
Automatic if you want the output images to have
the same pixel format (or the closest possible
match) as the original images. You can use this
option to convert the images from color to
grayscale, or to convert the images to a pixel
format that is compatible with other software or
processes.

Metadata Preserve Select this option if the original image contains

metadata metadata, and you want the edited image to
contain the same metadata.

Preserve Select this option if the original image contains

embedded embedded audio, and you want the edited image
audio to contain the same embedded audio.

Preserve Select this option if the original image contains a

color profile color profile, and you want the edited image to
contain the same color profile.

Other Preserve last- Select this option if the original image has a last-
options modified date modified date, and you want the edited image to
have the same last-modified date.

Copy Select this option if you want to copy database

database information for the original image and enter it into
information the database for the edited image.

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When output Use this option to determine what ACDSee should

file already do if the destination folder contains an image with
exists the same file name as one of the edited images:
Ask: Select this option if you want to
choose different options (skip, rename,
overwrite) depending on the image.
Skip: Select this option if you want
ACDSee to stop processing that image,
and begin processing the next image.
Replace: Select this option if you want
ACDSee to replace the image in the
destination folder with the edited image.
Rename: Select this option if you want
ACDSee to rename the edited file.

Batch Processor rotate options

You can use the options in the Rotate section to rotate the image at a pre-set angle or at a
custom angle.

Options
No rotation This option is selected by default so you see the unrotated
image until you are ready to select a rotation option.

180 Rotates the image 180 degrees.

Left 90 Rotates the image to the left by 90 degrees.

Right 90 Rotates the image to the right by 90 degrees.

Custom angle Select this option and then either type a custom angle
number into the spin box or click the arrow and drag it
around the circle until the image is rotated to the desired
angle.

Background color The color that you select displays behind the rotated image.

Draw a line on the Click the Horizontal or Vertical button, and then use the
image that you mouse pointer to draw a line on the image that you want set
want to become as horizontal or vertical.
vertical or
horizontal

Automatic When you rotate an image at a custom angle, select

cropping Automatic cropping if you want to crop the image to the
largest possible rectangular size within the rotated image.

Reset Click to reset all options to the default.

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Batch Processor crop options

You can use the options in the Crop section to control the size and orientation of the cropped
area.

Options
Cropping Select the size of the cropped area or the ratio to use to determine
proportion the cropped area. Select Custom to define a custom crop area.

Orientation Select the orientation of the cropped area:

Automatic: Base the orientation of the cropped area on
the orientation of the original image. For example, if the
original image has a landscape orientation, the cropped
area will also have a landscape orientation.
Landscape: Use a landscape orientation for the cropped
area.
Portrait: Use a portrait orientation for the cropped area.

Reset Click to reset all options to the default.

Batch Processor resize options

You can use the options in the Resize section to reduce or enlarge the image.

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Batch Resize options

Resize by Megapixels Select this option to reduce or enlarge the image to the
specified number of megapixels while maintaining the
height/width aspect ratio. For example, if you have a 6
megapixel image with an aspect ratio of 3000 by 2000
and you select 1.5 megapixels, the image will be reduced
to 1500 by 1000.
Use the drop-down to select from a pre-set list of
megapixel sizes. Alternately, enter the megapixels into
the Megapixels spin box. The Reduce/Enlarge drop-
down determines how the image will be resized:
Reduce only: Reduce the size of the image.
Enlarge only: Make the image larger.
Enlarge or reduce: Either reduce the size of the image,
or make the image larger.

Percentage Select this option to reduce The Fitting method -

or enlarge the image to a applies to the Percentage,
percentage of the original. Pixel dimensions, and Print
For example, if you want to dimensions options,
reduce the image, enter a determines how the image
percentage that is less than will fit into the new image
100. If you want to enlarge area:
the image, enter a
percentage that is greater Best fit preserving
than 100. original aspect ratio:
Select this option to
preserve the width/height
aspect ratio from the
Pixel Select this option to reduce original image. For
dimensions or enlarge the image to a example, if the aspect
specific width and height, ratio of the original image
measured in pixels. is 4:3, the aspect ratio of
the resized image will
also be 4:3.
Fit exactly by
stretching: Select this
option if you want to
stretch the image to fit a
particular width and
height.
Fit exactly by adding
bars: Select this option if
you want to fit the image
into an area that is larger
than the image. You can
select the color of the
bars that fill the gaps
between the image and
the edge of the area.

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Print Select this option to

dimensions reduce or enlarge the
image to specific print
dimensions, such as the
dimensions of a
photographic print. Use
the drop-down to select
from a pre-set list of
print dimensions.
Alternately, enter a
specific height, width,
and resolution.
The Reduce/Enlarge
drop-down determines
how the image will be
resized:
Reduce only:
Reduces the size of
the image.
Enlarge only: Makes
the image larger.
Enlarge or reduce:
Either reduces the size
of the image, or
makes the image
larger.

Resampling Use this option to determine the method used to resize (resample) the
method image:
Box: Displays considerable tiling or jaggies when you resize an
image.
Triangle: Produces good results for image reduction and
enlargement, but displays sharp transition lines.
Bicubic: Produces good results with photo-realistic images and
with images that are irregular or complex. Uses interpolation to
minimize the raggedness normally associated with image
expansion.
Bell: Smoothes the image.
B-spline: Produces smooth transitions, but may cause excessive
blurring.
Lanczos: Produces the sharpest images, but may also introduce
some ringing artifacts.
Mitchell: Produces smooth transitions when enlarging photo-
realistic images. This filter is good compromise between the ringing
effect of Lanczos and the blurring effect of other filters.
ClearIQZ: Slower than Bicubic and Lanczos, but produces the best
results.

Reset Click to reset all options to the default.

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Batch Processor color options

You can use the options on the Color cast tab to remove an unwanted hue from an image. You
can change the saturation of a batch of images using the Saturation tab.

To use the Color cast options:

1. Click an image area that should be white or gray. The color square shows the color of
the original pixel on the left, and of the modified pixel on the right.
2. Select one of the following White Point correction color cast options:
Custom: Displays the color temperature of the area in the image that you clicked.
Sunny: Adjusts the color temperature to 5500K, approximately that of the midday
sun.
Cloudy: Adjusts the color temperature to 6500K, approximately that of a lightly
overcast sky.
Shade: Adjusts the color temperature to 7500K, approximately that of a heavily
overcast sky.
Tungsten: Adjusts the color temperature to 2850K, approximately that of a
household light bulb.
Fluorescent: Adjusts the color temperature to 3800K, approximately that of a
fluorescent light bulb.
Flash: Adjusts the color temperature to 5500K, approximately that of a camera
flash.
3. Drag the Strength slider to specify the color cast removal strength. Higher settings
remove more of the unwanted color.
4. Drag the Temperature slider to select a specific color temperature.
5. Drag the Tint slider to the left (more green) or right (more magenta) to match the
settings you used when you took the photo.
6. Click Reset to reset all options to the default.

To increase or decrease Saturation:

1. Drag the Saturation slider to the left or right to increase or decrease the intensity of
hues (color) in the photo.
2. To remove all the color and create a grayscale image, drag the slider all the way to the
left.

Batch Processor Channel Mixer options

The Channel Mixer in the Batch Processor can change multiple images to creates a rich
grayscale. Because you can control the brightness of the red, green, and blue channels, as well
as the overall brightness, you can use the Channel Mixer to emphasize different areas or aspects
of a photo, as well as alter it's mood and tone.
If you hover your mouse over each slider and watch the effect on the small preview below the
controls, it shows you which parts of the image will be affected by each channel. This helps to
gauge the effect of each slider on the image.

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To create a grayscale image:

1. In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Color.
2. Select the Channel Mixer tab.
3. Do any of the following:
Drag the Percent Red slider to the left or right.
The more red there is in a pixel, the more effect the red slider has on that pixel. So
the area of red in the picture is brightened or darkened more than other areas.

Drag the Percent Green slider the left or right.

The more green there is in a pixel, the more effect the red slider has on that pixel.
So the area of green in the picture is brightened or darkened more than other
areas.

Drag the Percent Blue slider to the left or right.

The more red there is in a pixel, the more effect the red slider has on that pixel. So
the area of blue in the picture is brightened or darkened more than other areas.

Drag the Brightness slider to the right or left to brighten or darken the whole
image
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tool.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Batch Processor sepia

You can use the Batch Processor change batches of images to a sepia color.

To change images to sepia:

1. Click the box in front of the Sepia option in the Processing profile to select it.
The image in the Preview immediately changes to a sepia color.

2. Click the Image List tab and then each image in the batch to see the effect of the sepia
on the other images.

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Batch Processor exposure options

You can use the options in the Exposure section to correct the exposure of your images. There
are four tabs in the Exposure section: Auto Exposure, Brightness, Levels, and Curves.

Auto Exposure options

Strength Adjusts the amount of exposure applied to the image.
Auto Adjusts color differences, brightness, and image color channels.
Contrast
and Color

Auto Adjusts the color differences and brightness only.

Contrast

Exposure Highlights over- and under-exposed areas of the image.

warning

Reset Discards all changes and reverts to the original exposure levels.

Brightness options
Brightness Specifies the image's light intensity. Moving the slider to the right lightens
the image, while moving the slider to the left darkens it.

Contrast Specifies the amount of difference between color and brightness in an image.
Moving the slider to the right darkens the shadowed areas in an image, while
moving the slider to the left brightens them.

Gamma Specifies the intensity of the light spectrum in an image. Moving the slider to
the right lightens the image, while moving the slider to the left darkens it.

Exposure Highlights over- and under-exposed areas of the image.

warning

Reset Discards all changes and reverts to the original brightness levels.

Levels options
Channel Specifies the brightness or color channel you want to adjust.

Shadows Specifies the blackpoint of an image.

Move the slider or type a number from 0 to 255 into the spin box to define
the blackest area of an image. As the value increases, the dark colored areas
of the image become darker.

Midtones Specifies the gamma correction in an image.

Move the slider or type a number from 0.00 to 2.00 into the spin box to set
the amount of gamma correction. Higher values make the image appear
brighter, while lower values make the image appear darker.

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Highlights Specifies the whitepoint of an image.

Move the slider or type a number from 0 to 255 into the spin box to define
the whitest area of an image. As the value increases, the light colored areas
of the image become lighter.

Clipped % Indicates how much of the image detail is lost due to blackpoint and
whitepoint correction.

Shadows Click the Shadows picker and then click the image area you want to set as
picker the blackpoint.

Midtones Click the Midtones picker and then click the image area you want to set as
picker the gamma correction value.

Highlights Click the Highlights picker and then click the image area you want to set as
picker the whitepoint.

Auto Select one of the following options:

Adjust Contrast: automatically analyzes and adjusts image
contrast.
Adjust Color and Contrast: automatically analyzes and adjusts
each color channel independently, and then adjusts the contrast.
Adjust Color and Brightness: automatically analyzes and adjusts
image color and brightness.
Tolerance: opens the Tolerance settings dialog box. Specify the
maximum clipping percentage for Shadows and Highlights, and
click OK. ACDSee adjusts the image levels automatically.

Exposure Highlights over- and under-exposed areas of the image.

warning

Reset Discards all changes and reverts to the original image levels.

Curves options
Channel Specifies the color channels to adjust.

Show Toggles the histogram display.

Histogram

Histogram Displays a visual representation of the color information levels in the image,
based on the selected channel. Click and drag the line to manipulate the
curve.

Exposure Highlights over- and under-exposed areas of the image.

warning

Reset Discards all changes and reverts to the original curve levels.

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Batch Processor Shadows/Highlights options

You can use the options in the Shadows/Highlights section to independently adjust areas in your
images that are too light or too dark, without affecting other areas. As you make changes, you
can see the effect on the image in the After Shadow/Highlights tab, or you can click the Image
List tab and click on any of the other images to see the effect of the adjustment on each image.

To adjust the shadows and highlights:

1. To use the automatic settings for Shadows and Highlights, select the Use automatic
settings for each image option.
2. To switch off the Brighten or Darken tools completely, deselect the Bright or Darken
checkbox.
3. To brighten dark areas in the images, drag the Brighten Compression slider to the
right.
4. To darken bright areas in the images, drag the Darken Compression slider to the right.
5. To boost the color of adjusted pixels, drag the Color Boost slider to the right.
6. Click Exposure Warning to make any under- (green) or over-exposed (red) pixels
visible.

Batch Processor noise removal options

You can use the options in the Noise removal section to remove noise from your images while
preserving details that you want to retain.

Noise removal options

Despeckle Removes noise.

Square Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel square.

X Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel X shape. Use this option when you want
to preserve an image's thin and diagonal lines.

Plus Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel plus (+) shape. Use this option when you
want to preserve an image's thin, vertical, and horizontal lines.

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Hybrid Removes noise using a 3 x 3 pixel square, a 3 x 3 pixel X shape, and a 3 x 3

pixel plus (+) shape. Use this option when you want to preserve and
image's thin, diagonal, horizontal, and vertical lines. When hybrid is selected
you have additional noise removal options:
Amount: Drag the slider to the left or right to select the range of
pixels that will be identified as noise. You would typically select a
threshold of 10 to 20.
Radius: Drag the slider to the left or right to apply median noise
removal to smaller or larger areas. For example, you will typically
increase the Radius value to remove larger areas of noise, but this
will also remove detail from the photo.
Color noise reduction: Drag the slider to the left or right to
control how much the color variation in a photo is reduced. For
example, drag the slider to the right if you want to reduce color
variation. However, you should be careful about reducing color
variation (that is caused by noise) because you could
unintentionally reduce real color variations in a photo.

Batch Processor sharpening options

You can use the options in the Noise removal section to sharpen an image by enhancing the
contrast of medium- and high-contrast edges.

Options
Amount Specifies the amount of light added to or removed from each edge. Higher
values produce darker edges.

Radius Specifies the number of pixels to adjust around each edge. Higher values
increases the number of sharpened pixels.

Threshold Specifies how different the lightness values of two adjacent pixels must be
before they are sharpened. Higher values increase the required difference.
It is recommended that you set the threshold so that it enhances edges
while keeping background noise to a minimum.

Threshold Select this option to create smoother transitions between sharpened and
feathering unsharpened pixels. If this option is not selected, you may see lines
between pixels that have been sharpened and pixels that have not been
sharpened.

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Batch Processor vignette options

You can use the options in the Vignette section to add a frame around a subject, such as a
person or a bouquet of flowers. You can change the focal point in the portrait. You can also
control the appearance of the border.

Vignette Options
Horizontal Specifies the focal point of the portrait on the horizontal axis. A value of 500
places the center in the middle of the photo.

Vertical Specifies the focal point of the portrait on the vertical axis. A value of 500
places the center in the middle of the photo.

Clear zone Specifies the size of the clear area around the focal point in the portrait. Drag
the slider to the left to reduce the size of the clear area. Drag the slider to the
right to increase the size of the clear area.

Transition Specifies the width of the transition area between the clear zone and the
zone frame. Drag the slider to the left to narrow the transition area. Drag the slider
to the right to widen the transition area.

Shape Specifies the shape of the frame:

Round: Select Round if you want the frame to be round.
Rectangular: Select Rectangular if you want the frame to be square.

Show Select Show outline if you want to display an outline that shows the outside
outline edge of the clear zone and the inside edge of the frame.

Frame Specifies special effects that you can apply to the frame around the focal
point:
Color: Select Color to display apply a color over the people or objects
in the frame area.
Saturation: Select Saturation to remove color from the people or
objects in the frame area.
Blur: Select Blur to blur the people or objects in the frame area.
Clouds: Select Clouds to display clouds over people or objects in the
frame area.
Edges: Select Edges to trace the lines and details of people or
objects in the frame area with neon colors.
Radial Waves: Select Radial Waves to create the appearance of
waves radiating from the focal point into the frame area.
Radial Blur: Select Radial Blur to rotate and stretch people or
objects in the frame area.
Zoom Blur: Select Zoom Blur to blur the people or objects in the
frame area.
Crayon Edges: Select Crayon Edges to trace the lines and details
around people or objects in the frame area with crayon.
Dauber: Select Dauber to create the impression that the people or
objects in the frame area around the portrait were painted with a
paint dauber.
Pixelate: Select Pixelate to blur images by increase the size of the

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pixels in the images.

Old: Select Old to give your images an antique look.
Glowing Edges: Select Glowing Edges to add color to the lines and
details of people or objects in your images. The colored lines and
details appear to glow.
Ripple: Select Ripple to divide your images into concentric circles
that resembles what you see when you drop a pebble into water.

Filter The settings that display in the Settings area vary for each frame effect. For
Settings example, if you select Color in the Operation area, a color picker displays in
the Filter Settings area. Similarly, if you select Blur in the Operation area,
a slider that controls the level of blurriness displays in the Filter Settings
area.

Batch Processor text overlay options

You can use the options in the Text overlay section to add formatted text to a photo. You can
apply special effects to your text to add artistic flair. You can also adjust the opacity of the text
to create a watermark effect - useful for putting copyright information onto your photos.

Text options
Text Type the text you want to add in the available field, then specify the font you
want to use and the formatting options such as bold, italics, and underline. Click
the drop-down to the right of the Text field to insert a registration, copyright, or
trademark symbol or image metadata.

Size Drag the slider to specify a point size.

Color Specify the color of the text.

Opacity Drag the slider to specify the transparency of the text.

Alignment Click a square to specify the alignment of the text in the

text box.

Rotation Specify the rotation of the text.

Text box Left Specify the alignment of the text box from the left edge of
the image.

Right Specify the alignment of the text box from the right edge of
the image.

Top Specify the alignment of the text box from the top edge of
the image.

Bottom Specify the alignment of the text box from the bottom edge
of the image.

Border Specify the color of the border of the text box, then drag the
slider to specify the transparency of the border.

Fill Specify the color of the fill in the text box, then drag the
slider to specify the transparency of the fill.

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Box Effects options

Special Effect Specifies the effect you want to apply to the box. Each effect
has different options that control its appearance. Drag the
sliders to adjust the appearance of the box.

Bevel Angle Specifies the direction of the imaginary light

source that creates the bevel effect. Drag the
arrow to adjust the angle - note that this also
adjusts the angle of the drop shadow.

Elevation Specifies the height of the imaginary light

source that creates the bevel's shadowed
effect. Lower values produce longer shadows
on the box, while a higher value produces a
more direct lighting effect and shorter
shadows.

Bevel Specifies how much of each box's edge is

bevelled. Higher values give the box a more
rounded, smoother look.

Strength Specifies the difference between the highest

and lowest points on the box. Higher values
heighten the difference between the flat
portions of the box and the bevelled edges.

Drop Shadow Angle Specifies the direction of the imaginary light

source that creates the drop shadow. Drag the
arrow to adjust the angle - note that this also
adjusts the shading of the box bevel.

Blur Specifies the amount of blur applied to the

drop shadow. Sharp shadows tend to seem
less realistic than those with a slight blur.

Opacity Specifies the darkness of the drop shadow

where it falls on the image.

Distance Specifies the distance between the drop

shadow and the box. The higher the value, the
farther the shadow and the higher the box
appears.
If a drop shadow is cut off, or has a noticeably
sharp edge, you may need to increase the size
of the box rectangle.

Blend Mode Select an option from the Blend Mode drop-down list to specify
how you want the box to blend into the underlying image.

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Text Effects options

Special Specifies the effect you want to apply to your text. Each effect has
Effect different options that control its appearance. Drag the sliders to
adjust the appearance of the text.

Bevel Angle Specifies the direction of the imaginary light source

that creates the bevel effect. Drag the arrow to adjust
the angle - note that this also adjusts the angle of the
drop shadow.

Elevation Specifies the height of the imaginary light source that

creates the bevel's shadowed effect. Lower values
produce longer shadows on the text, while a higher
value produces a more direct lighting effect and
shorter shadows.

Bevel Specifies how much of each letter's edge is bevelled.

Higher values give the text a more rounded, smoother
look.

Strength Specifies the difference between the highest and

lowest points on the text. Higher values heighten the
difference between the flat portions of the text and
the bevelled edges.

Drop Angle Specifies the direction of the imaginary light source

Shadow that creates the drop shadow. Drag the arrow to
adjust the angle - note that this also adjusts the
shading of the text bevel.

Blur Specifies the amount of blur applied to the drop

shadow. Sharp shadows tend to seem less realistic
than those with a slight blur.

Opacity Specifies the darkness of the drop shadow where it

falls on the image.

Distance Specifies the distance between the drop shadow and

the text. The higher the value, the farther the shadow
and the higher the text appears.
If a drop shadow is cut off, or has a noticeably sharp
edge, you may need to increase the size of the text
rectangle.

Blend Mode Select an option from the Blend Mode drop-down list to specify how
you want the text to blend into the underlying image.

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Batch Processor watermark options

You can use the options in the Watermark section to add a watermark to an image. You can
move the watermark to any position on the image. You can also change the opacity of the
watermark and blend the watermark into the image.

To set Watermark options:

1. Click Browse, select your watermark, and click Open. The watermark displays in the
center of the photo by default.
2. Click and drag the watermark to reposition it anywhere on your image. Alternately, click
the Position & Blending tab and use the options to reposition the watermark.
3. Drag the marquee handles to resize the watermark image. Select Maintain aspect
ratio while resizing if you want to resize the watermark image without stretching it.
4. Select Apply Alpha Channel to apply the alpha channel if it is present in the
watermark. (Only TIF, PNG, and ICO watermark files can have an alpha channel.)
5. Select Apply Transparency to make a color in the watermark transparent. The default
color is white. You can enter the RGB value of the color. If you do not know the RGB
value, move your mouse over the watermark preview thumbnail on the Edit Panel and
click on the color that you want to make transparent.
6. Click the Position & Blending tab.
7. Select an option from the Blending Mode drop-down list to specify how you want the
watermark to blend into the underlying image.
8. Drag the Opacity slider to specify the transparency of the watermark.

RAW image processing

About RAW image processing

A RAW file is like a negative. RAW files contain all of the data that was collected by your digital
camera's sensor when you took a photo. If you tried to view a RAW file without processing, it
would appear almost completely black. It is therefore necessary to develop, or process, your
RAW files to produce a photo.
You can use the RAW Processing tool to select exposure, color, and image sharpness settings for
your RAW files. You can select and save unique settings for each RAW file, or you can select and
save generic settings as presets. If you save generic settings as presets, you can apply those
presets to numerous RAW files using the Batch RAW Processing tool.
You cannot use the RAW Processing tool to change your original RAW files permanently. The
RAW files remain intact after processing to preserve all the data captured by your camera. The
processing settings that you select for a particular image are saved to the database and
associated with the image. This means that the processing settings for a particular image can
always be reapplied, although this can take some time.

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To save any changes you make to a RAW file permanently, you need to save it as a separate file,
in a different file format (JPEG or TIFF, for example). This also applies to any edits to a RAW
image that you apply after processing. If you want to save your processed file to many different
formats at the same time, use the multiple format option.

See also...
Supported RAW formats
Viewing RAW images
Processing a batch of RAW images
Exporting RAW images to multiple formats and resolutions

Processing a RAW image

In ACDSee Pro 2, RAW files are pre-processed so you can see them in the Browser and Viewer.
During pre-processing, levels and curves are adjusted to achieve the exposure as close to the
as-shot image as possible. You can use the RAW Processing tool to improve exposure, and to
adjust color and image sharpness and noise reduction.

To process a RAW image:

1. Do one of the following:
In the Browser, select one or more images, and then click Tools | RAW
Processing.
In the Viewer, click Modify | RAW Processing.
2. Select the image that you want to process from the Thumbnails section.
3. In the RAW Processing tool, select Exposure, Light EQ, Color, Detail, and Crop/Rotate
settings.
4. As you are selecting Exposure, Light EQ, Color, Detail, and Crop/Rotate settings, you
can click:

Exposure Warning , or press E on the keyboard, to highlight over- and under-

exposed areas of the image.
Reset to discard the settings that you have selected and revert to the original
image for all tabs or on each individual tab (Exposure, Light EQ, Color, Details,
Crop/Rotate).
Export to save your changes in several formats and resolutions.

View unprocessed image , press Z on the keyboard, or select the

Unprocessed tab, to compare the edited image with the original image.
Undo to discard all changes made on the current tab (Exposure, Light EQ, Color,
Details, Crop/Rotate) and return to the last version of this tab that you saved.
Redo to return to the options that you had selected prior to clicking Undo.
Help to open the help topic about this window.

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5. Do one of the following:

Click Save As to produce a photo from the RAW file and save it (as a different file,
in a different file format).
Click Done to save the RAW processing settings to the database (without producing
a photo). These will be re-applied if you open the same image later.
Click Cancel to discard the RAW processing settings and return to the Browser or
Viewer.

To crop a RAW image:

1. Click and drag your mouse cursor over the image.
2. Drag the crop area handles to change the proportion of the crop area.
3. To freehand rotate the image, click outside of the crop area and drag left, right, up, or
down.

To copy and apply settings from one image to others:

1. Right-click the image containing the settings in the Thumbnails section, and click Select
RAW Settings.
2. Click the check box next to the setting(s) that you want to copy.
3. Right-click on the image(s) to which you want to copy the settings, and then click Paste
RAW Settings.

Zoom controls and Histogram

While editing an image, you can adjust the magnification with the Edit Mode Zoom controls,
located in the top-right corner of the Edit Mode and turn the histogram preview on or off.

Histogram Displays the histogram preview for the current image.

The histogram preview shows the luminosity and red,
green, and blue color channels of the photo. You can
see each channel alone or in combination. Keeping the
histogram open is particularly useful when adjusting
exposure, as the histogram reflects all adjustments as
you make them.

Actual Size Returns the current image to its actual size.

Fit Image Reduces the image to fit within the Edit Mode area.

Navigator Displays a thumbnail preview of the current image. Click

and drag across the thumbnail to select an image area.
This feature is most useful at higher magnifications.

Zoom slider Increases the size of the image if you drag it to the
right, decreases the size, if you drag to the left.

Zoom drop- Displays a list of zoom sizes for you to select.

down list

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RAW Processing options

The Preprocess Exposure option plays an important role in the RAW Processing tool. It controls
whether or not you use the exposure options that were applied during pre-processing. Please
refer to the exposure options below for a detailed explanation.

You can make fine adjustments to any of the sliders in the RAW Processing tool, (and
Edit Mode) by placing the cursor over the slider and moving the mouse wheel one click
forward or back.

Exposure options

It is extremely useful to have both the Exposure Warning and Histogram

preview open while you are adjusting exposure.

Exposure Applies exposure compensation to the image. One eV is equivalent to one

=+0.00 eV stop of exposure change.

Highlight Drag the slider to the right to darken and compress highlight details into a
Recovery smaller range, recovering overexposed highlight detail. Shadow and
midtone detail are relatively unchanged, allowing you to recover up to 2
eV stops of lost highlight details.
Use the Highlight Recovery slider when the main subject of the image is
exposed well but you desire more highlight detail.

Contrast Drag the slider to adjust the midtone contrast of the image.

Fill Light Drag the slider to the right to brighten the image without clipping
highlight detail. A tone curve is applied, which expands the shadow tone
range while compressing the highlight tone range. Brightness is increased
primarily in the darker areas of the image, while contrast is reduced
primarily in the brighter areas of the image.

Local Drag the slider to the right to adaptively brighten the image. Darker areas
Brightening of the image will be brightened more than bright areas, allowing the
image to be brightened while minimizing loss of contrast, saturation, and
highlight detail.

Local Drag the slider to the right to adaptively darken the image. Brighter areas
Darkening of the image will be darkened more than bright areas, allowing the image
to be darkened while minimizing loss of contrast, saturation, and shadow
detail.

Channel Specifies the brightness or color channel you want to adjust.

For any channel, you can drag the curve in the histogram to adjust it
manually. Click on the curve to create handles that you can slide along
the curve. The yellow line indicates the original curve before adjustments.

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Preprocess Select this option and click Reset, if you want to use the levels and
Exposure curves that were applied during preprocessing, and make further changes
to those levels and curves. Clear this option if you do not want to use the
levels and curves that were applied during preprocessing and would
prefer, instead, to select completely new levels and curves. Adjusting
exposure options can be very time-consuming, however, so the
Preprocess Exposure option is selected by default and it is
recommended that you use the levels and curves that were applied during
preprocessing as a starting point for further adjustments.
(This option is considered suitable only for advanced users.)

Shadows Specifies the black point of an image.

Move the slider, or type a number from 0 to 255 into the spin box, to
define the color value which will become zero (black). All color values in
the image below this level will be clipped to zero, the image will become
darker and contrast increased.

Midtones Specifies the midpoint of an image. A gamma curve is applied, causing

contrast and brightness in the areas below and above the new midpoint to
be increased/decreased relative to one another.
Move the slider, or type a number from 0.00 to 2.00 into the spin box, to
set the amount of gamma correction. Higher values make the image
appear brighter, while lower values make the image appear darker.

Highlights Specifies the white point of an image.

Move the slider, or type a number from 0 to 255 into the spin box, to
define the pixel value which will become 255 (fully saturated/white). All
pixel values in the image above this level will be clipped to 255, and the
image will become brighter and contrast increased.

Clipped % Indicates, or specifies, how much of the image detail is lost due to black-
point and white-point correction. If you adjust this percentage, the
corresponding black or white point changes accordingly.

Black Point Click the Black Point picker, and then click the image area you want to
picker set as the black point.

Mid Point Click the Mid Point picker, and then click the image area you want to set
picker as the mid point.

White Point Click the White Point picker, and then click the image area you want to
Picker set as the white point.

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Auto Select one of the following options:

Adjust Contrast: Automatically sets the black and white points
in the Luminance channel.
Adjust Color and Contrast: Automatically analyses and sets the
black and white points individually in each color channel.
Adjust Color and Brightness: Automatically analyses and sets
the color and brightness of the image.
Tolerance: Opens the Tolerance settings dialog box where you
can specify the percentage of pixels in the image which should be
clipped by the automatically chosen black and white points.

When you click on one of the pickers in the Exposure tab, and then hover over an
image, the cursor changes to an eye dropper. If you look in the status bar, you will
see two R G B numbers changing as you move around the image. The two numbers
indicate the R G B values of the pixel under the cursor. The R G B values represent
the source pixel (unprocessed) and the current pixel as it appears on the screen.

Light EQ options
Brighten Drag the sliders up to increase the brightening in each tonal band. The
sliders (top) sliders on the left affect dark tones. The sliders on the right, bright tones.
Moving a slider changes the amount of brightening only in that particular
tonal band in the image.
You can also type a number into the number boxes and increment them
slowly to make precise adjustments.

Darken Drag the sliders down to increase the darkening in each tonal band. The
sliders sliders on the left affect dark tones. The sliders on the right, affect bright
(bottom) tones. Moving a slider changes the amount of darkening only in that
particular tonal band in the image.
You can also type a number into the number boxes and increment them
slowly to make precise adjustments.

Orange Graph The orange graph indicates the amount of brightening and darkening
applied throughout the tone range of the image. The portion of the graph
above the horizontal axis corresponds to brightening, while the portion of
the graph below the horizontal axis corresponds to darkening. When both
brightening and darkening are applied within the same tonal band,
contrast is increased. The area between the top of the brightening graph
and the bottom of the darkening graph indicates the relative increase of
contrast throughout the tone range of the image.

Number of Click the drop-down list to increase or decrease the number of tonal bands
tone bands that you can adjust.

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Color options
White When you take RAW images the settings you select for white balance are
Balance not applied to the image but stored within the image's metadata. When
ACDSee Pro 2 processes the RAW image, this stored setting is applied to
the image by default. You can then make adjustments to this original
setting.
Select one of the following white balance correction options:
Custom: Allows you to specify a specific white balance, either by
adjusting the Temperature and Tint sliders, or by clicking on an
area of the image that is a neutral color (gray).
Sunny: Adjusts the color temperature to 5500K, approximately
that of the midday sun.
Cloudy: Adjusts the color temperature to 6500K, approximately
that of a lightly overcast sky.
Shade: Adjusts the color temperature to 7500K, approximately
that of a heavily overcast sky.
Tungsten: Adjusts the color temperature to 2850K,
approximately that of a household light bulb.
Fluorescent: Adjusts the color temperature to 3800K,
approximately that of a fluorescent light bulb.
Flash: Adjusts the color temperature to 5500K, approximately
that of a camera flash.
Auto: Adjust the color temperature and tint to settings
automatically determined by analyzing the image.
As Shot: Selected automatically. Applies the camera's white
balance setting as stored in the camera when the photo was
taken.

You can set a custom white balance by clicking on a neutral

color (like gray) in the image.

Auto Click the Auto button to automatically correct the white balance settings for
the selected photo. To see which white balance settings were used, look at
the Temperature and Tint slider values.

As Shot Click to use the white balance settings that you selected when you took the
(White photo. The As Shot button displays the settings you selected. For example:
Balance) As Shot (Auto) indicates that you selected Auto white balance settings
when you took the photo, while As Shot (Sunny) indicates that you
selected Sunny white balance settings when you took the photo.

Temperature Drag the Temperature slider to the left or right to select a specific color
temperature.

Tint Drag the Tint slider to the left (more magenta) or right (more green) to
match the white balance settings that you selected when you took the
photo.

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As Shot Click to use the saturation settings that you selected when you took the
photo. The As Shot button displays the settings you selected. For example:
(Saturation) As Shot (Low) indicates that you selected Low saturation settings when you
took the photo.

Saturation Drag the Saturation slider to the left or right to change the intensity of
hues in the photo.

Use a Select this option, then select a color space from the drop-down list to use
working a specific working color space during RAW image processing.
color space

When you select the Color tab, the cursor changes to an eye dropper if you then hover
over the image. If you look in the status bar, you will see two R G B numbers changing
as you move around the image. The two numbers indicate the R G B values of the
pixel under the cursor. The R G B values represent the source pixel (unprocessed) and
the current pixel as it appears on the screen.

Detail options
Sharpness As Shot Click to use the sharpness settings that you selected when
you took the photo. The As Shot button displays the settings
you selected. For example: As Shot (Normal) indicates that
you selected Normal sharpness settings when you took the
photo.

Amount Specifies the amount of sharpening applied by adding and

removing light on each side of an edge.

Radius Specifies the number of pixels to adjust around each edge.

Higher values increase the number of sharpened pixels and
tend to bring out coarser detail, while smaller values reduce
the number of sharpened pixels and tend to bring out finer
detail.

Threshold Specifies how different the pixel lightness values within an

edge must be before the pixels within the edge are
sharpened. Higher values sharpen only stronger edges but
minimize the appearance of noise. Lower values sharpen both
strong and weaker edges, but can increase the appearance of
noise. It is recommended that you set the threshold so that it
enhances edges while keeping background noise to a
minimum.

Noise Amount Specifies the amount of noise to remove from the image.
Reduction Higher values reduce more noise, but can also reduce texture
detail.

Radius Drag the slider to the left or right to match the noise removal
to the coarseness of the noise. Increase the Radius value can
remove coarser noise, but may also remove more detail from
the photo.

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Color Noise Drag the slider to the left or right to decrease or increase the
Reduction relative amount of noise reduction applied to the colour
channels. Increase the value when the noise within the image
appears to shift the color tone, and decrease the value when
the noise within the image appears to shift only the
brightness.

Crop/rotate options
Rotation No Select this option to keep the as-shot rotation of the image.
Rotation

180 Select this option to rotate the image 180 degrees.

Left 90 Select this option to rotate the image left 90 degrees.

Right 90 Select this option to rotate the image right 90 degrees.

Crop Constrain Select this option to constrain the crop area to a specified
cropping proportion. Select the proportion from the drop-down list.
proportion

Straighten Drag the slider, or type a number from 0 to 450 into the spin
box, to rotate the crop area and straighten the image.

Show Select this option to display an alignment grid over the image.
alignment
grid

Clear crop Click this button to undo straightening and cropping

area adjustments.

See also...
Supported RAW formats
Viewing RAW images
Exporting RAW images to multiple formats and resolutions

Exporting a RAW image to multiple formats and resolutions

In ACDSee Pro 2,you can export a RAW image to multiple image formats and resolutions.

To export a RAW image to multiple formats and resolutions:

1. In the RAW Processor, select the desired processing settings.
2. Click Export.
3. Select the file formats for the images you want to export.
4. Select up to three different resolutions for each image file format.

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5. If you are exporting the image to a JPEG format, click Format Settings to set specific
JPEG options.
6. Click the Browse button to select the folder where you want ACDSee to save the
exported images.
7. Do one of the following:
Click Reset to reset all of the export settings to their defaults.
Click OK to export the images.
Click Cancel to discard the export settings and return to the Browser or Viewer.

Renaming options
In the File Naming section, you can type in a prefix that will appear at the beginning of the file
name of the exported images. The settings give you control of what do if an exported file has the
same name as an existing file.
If you select Ask, ACDSee will ask you for permission to overwrite a file.
If you select Rename, ACDSee will ask you to rename the exported file.
If you select Replace, ACDSee will replace the file.
If you select Skip, ACDSee will not export the file because of the naming conflict.

To embed a color profile into the exported images:

1. In the Color Profile section, select Embed ICC Profile in supported image formats.
2. Select the color profile from the drop-down list.

Processing a batch of RAW images

In the RAW Processing tool you can save selected exposure, color, and image sharpness settings
as presets. If you save generic settings as presets, you can apply those presets to a batch of
RAW files using the Batch RAW Processing tool. You can also use the Batch RAW Processing tool
to remove all processing settings from a batch of RAW files.

To process a batch of RAW files:

1. In the Browser, select the images that you want to process, and then click Tools |
BatchRAW Processing.
2. If you want to apply presets to the RAW files, select a preset in the Processing
options section.
3. If you want to remove all processing settings from the RAW files, select Undo
processing settings.
4. Select Export files to another format after processing if you want to produce
photos from the RAW file and save them as separate files, in a different file format
(JPEG or TIFF, for example). Click Options to display the Batch RAW Processing Options
dialog and select file formats and other options.
5. Select Run in Background if you want to run RAW processing in the background and
continue to use ACDSee for other tasks.

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6. Do one of the following:

Click Process to apply or remove RAW processing settings.
Click Cancel to discard any selections you made and return to the Browser.

Sharing RAW processing settings

You can share your RAW processing settings with other ACDSee Pro 2 users. To do this, you
export the processing settings from the database to a file, which has an .rpp file extension. You
can then send the RAW file, and the processing settings file, to another ACDSee Pro 2 user, who
can import the .rpp settings into their ACDSee database. When they open the RAW file in
ACDSee, the processed photo will have the appearance you intended.

To export your RAW processing settings:

1. In the Browser, select the RAW file (or files) that you want to share.
2. Click Database | Export, and then select RPP Files.
3. A summary of the export process displays in the Summary dialog.
4. Click OK.
5. The .rpp file is saved in the same folder as the source RAW file. When you send the RAW
file and the .rpp file to another ACDSee Pro 2 user, tell them to keep the RAW file and
the .rpp file together in the same folder.

To import RAW processing settings:

1. In the Browser, select the shared RAW file (s).
2. Click Database | Import , and then select RPP Files.
3. A summary of the import process displays in the Summary dialog.
4. Click OK.
5. The thumbnails of the shared RAW files are also updated to show your processing
settings.

Removing RAW processing settings

Once you have processed a RAW file, the settings you use are saved in the database and will be
applied again each time you open that file. You can remove the RAW processing settings from a
single RAW file or from a batch of RAW files.

To remove RAW processing settings from a single RAW file:

1. In the Browser, double-click the RAW file. It displays in the Viewer.
2. In the Viewer, click Modify | Revert RAW Processing.
3. The RAW processing settings are deleted from the ACDSee database.
4. Close the Viewer.

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To remove RAW processing settings from a batch of RAW files:

1. In the Browser, select the RAW files, and then click Tools | BatchRAW Processing.
2. Select Undo processing settings in the Processing options section.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Process to remove RAW processing settings.
Click Cancel to discard any selections you made and return to the Browser.

Editing RAW images

You can select a RAW file and open it in Edit Mode.
If you have processed the file previously, ACDSee applies those processing settings and then
opens the photo in Edit Mode. If you have not selected any RAW processing settings, ACDSee
uses generic settings to display the photo in Edit Mode.
You can edit a RAW file using any of the tools in Edit Mode.
Once you have edited a file, and you click Finished Editing, you are prompted to save the
photo as a separate file in a different file format (JPEG or TIFF, for example).

See also...
Supported RAW formats
Viewing RAW images
About RAW image processing

Applying special effects filters

About special effect filters

You can use filters to add unique effects to your images. ACDSee includes more than 20 special
effect filters, such as Crosshatch, Pixel Explosion, and Solarize.

To access the special effects filters:

In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Effects.

For more information about each effect, click the Help button to view a Help file page
specific to that effect.

See also...
Using selections
Applying edits or effects to selections
About tool presets
Using the undo/redo system

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Applying a Bathroom Window effect

The Bathroom Window effect divides your images into bars, transforming them so they resemble
the view through privacy glass often found in bathrooms. You can select or change the Bathroom
Window options to apply this effect to your image, and save your options as a preset for use at
another time.

To apply a Bathroom Window effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Bathroom Window.
2. In the Bathroom Window dialog box, in the Bar direction area, select one of the
following to specify the orientation of the bars in your image:
Vertical
Horizontal
3. Drag the Bar width slider to set the thickness of the bars. Thinner bars result in a more
distorted image.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Bathroom Window tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Applying a Blinds effect

You can use the Blinds effect to divide your image into bars that look like venetian or vertical
window blinds. You can select or change the Blinds options to add blinds to your image, and save
your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Blinds effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Blinds.
2. On the Blinds tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Blinds tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Blinds options
Blind Specifies the width of the blinds. Type a number from 1 to 1000 or drag the
width slider to adjust the width of each blind. As the value increases, the width of the
blind also increases.

Blind Specifies the opacity of the blinds. Type a number from 1 to 99 or drag the
opacity slider to adjust the opacity of the blinds. The higher the opacity, the more the
image is obscured.

Angle Specifies the angle of the blinds. Type a number from 1 to 360 or drag the
arrow to adjust the angle.

Blind Specifies the color of the blinds.

color

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Applying a Bulge effect

You can use the Bulge effect to stretch or shrink areas of your images horizontally and vertically.
You can set the radius and position of the distortion, and save the options as a preset for use at
another time.

To apply a Bulge and Shrink effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Bulge.
2. On the Bulge tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Bulge tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Bulge and Shrink options

Horizontal Specifies the center of the distortion along the horizontal axis. A lower value
position moves the distortion towards the left side of the image, while a higher value
moves it towards the right side of the image.

Vertical Specifies the center of the distortion along the vertical axis. A lower value
position moves the distortion towards the bottom of the image, while a higher value
moves it towards the top of the image.

Radius Specifies the radius of the distorted area. A lower value decreases the radius
of the distortion, while a higher value increases the radius of the distortion.

Strength Specifies the strength of the distortion. A negative value shrinks the center
of the distortion, while a higher value bulges the distortion.

Background Specifies the background color for the filtered image.

color Select the Image check box to use the original image color, or click the
color picker to select a different color.

Bulge Specifies the direction of the distortion. Select one or both of the following
direction options:
Horizontal: moves the distortion horizontally.
Vertical: moves the distortion vertically.

Applying a Colored Edges effect

You can use the Colored Edges effect to trace the lines and details of people or objects in your
images. You can save your options as a preset value for future use.

To apply a Colored Edges effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Colored Edges.
2. On the Colored Edges tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Colored Edges tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

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Colored Edges options

Intensity Specifies the amount of color added to the edges within the image. The
higher the setting, the thicker the color that is applied to the image.

Edge color Specifies the color of the edges.

Edge Specifies the edge detection algorithm. The algorithm controls the formula
detection used to detect the edges and the direction of the edge indicators.

Blurring Blurs the edges in the image. Select the Use blurring check box, and then
select a blur setting to determine how much blur is applied.

Applying a Contours effect

You can use the Contours effect to draw contour lines on your image that create a cartoon effect.
You can select or change the Contours options to apply the effect to your image, and save your
options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Contours effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Contours.
2. On the Contours tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Contours tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Contours options
Rounding Specifies the amount of curve in the contour lines. The higher the value,
the rounder the lines.

Line Specifies the amount of space between the contour lines. The higher the
frequency value, the closer the lines move together.

Line strength Specifies the strength of the line. The higher the value, the darker the line.

Line color Specifies the color of the contour lines.

Applying a Crayon Drawing effect

You can use the Crayon Drawing effect to give your photos the appearance of a crayon drawing.

To use the Crayon Drawing effect:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Crayon Drawing.

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Applying a Crosshatch effect

You can use the Crosshatch effect to add crosshatching to an image.

To use the Crosshatch effect:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Crosshatch.

Applying a Dauber effect

You can use the Dauber effect to make your images look like they were painted with a paint
dauber. You can select or change the Dauber options to apply the effect to your image, and save
your options as a preset for use at another time.

To use the Dauber effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Dauber.
2. On the Dauber tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Dauber tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Dauber options
Intensity Specifies the amount of color applied with each daub.

Frequency Specifies the number of daubs added to the image.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image.

color Select the Image check box to use the original image colors or click the
color picker to select a different color.

Random Seed Indicates the random placement of the paint daubs.

When you apply the Dauber effect to an image, ACDSee places the
daubs randomly. This makes the paint daubs different every time you
apply the filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate
identical daubs.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Applying an Edge Detect effect

You can use the Edge Detect effect to create a highlighted outline of your image. After creating a
black image, the effect uses colored lines to outline the detail of an image where significant color
differences exist. Greater differences between colors in the original image produce brighter
outline colors. (The Sobel effect is similar to the Edge Detect effect, but produces sharper and
brighter outlines.)

To use the Edge Detect effect:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double click Edge Detect.

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Applying an Emboss effect

You can use the Emboss effect to add a grayscale relief to an image. You can save your options
as a preset for future use.

To emboss an image:
1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Emboss.
2. On the Emboss tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Emboss tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Emboss options
Elevation Specifies the light source's elevation on the image. Lower values produce more
shadows and a darker image. Higher values produce fewer shadows and a
lighter image.

Weight Specifies the amount of relief added to the image. Higher values increase the
relief depth.

Azimuth Specifies the angle of shadows that extend from the edges of image details. A
value of 0 adds shadows to the left side, while a value of 180 adds shadows to
the right side.

Applying a Furry Edges effect

You can use the Furry Edges effect to add fur and bristles to the lines and details of people or
objects in your images. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To use the Furry Edges effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Furry Edges.
2. On the Furry Edges tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Furry Edges tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Furry Edges options

Frequency Specifies how much fur is added to the image. The higher the setting, the
more dense the fur that is applied to the image.

Threshold Specifies how sharp an edge must be before fur is applied to it. As the value
decreases, the area of the image that fur is added to increases.

Fur length Specifies the length of each strand of fur. As the value increases, the length
of each fur strand also increases.

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Variance Specifies how much of the fur grows in the direction indicated by the Hair
direction setting. The higher the value, the more random the fur direction
will be.

Hair Specifies the general direction in which fur will appear to grow.
direction

Edge Specifies the edge detection algorithm. The algorithm controls the formula
detection used to detect the edges and the direction of the edge indicators.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Select the Image
color check box to use the original image colors, or click the color picker to select
a different color.

Fur color Specifies the color of the fur. Select the Image check box to use the
original image colors, or click the color picker to select a different color.

Random Indicates the random placement of the fur strands.

Seed When you apply the Furry Edges effect to an image, ACDSee places the fur
randomly. This makes the fur strands different every time you apply the
filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate identical fur
patterns.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Applying a Glowing Edges effect

You can use the Glowing Edges effect to add color to the lines and details of people or objects in
your images. The colored lines and details appear to glow. You can save your options as a preset
value for future use.

To apply a Glowing Edges effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Glowing Edges.
2. On the Glowing Edges tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
4. Click Done to apply your changes and close the tab.
5. Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Glowing Edges options

Intensity Specifies the amount of color added to the edges within the image. The
higher the setting, the more intense the color that is applied to the image.

Color Specifies the color of the edges.

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Applying a Granite effect

You can use the Granite effect to give your images the appearance of being painted on a rock
wall. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To use the Granite effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Granite.
2. On the Granite tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Granite options
Light Specifies the direction from which an imaginary light source is shining on the
Angle image. Drag the arrow to adjust the angle. Different light angles will change the
highlights and shadows in the peaks and valleys on the rock.

Applying a Mirror effect

You can use the Mirror effect to reflect an image along the horizontal or vertical axis. You can
select or change the Mirror options to apply mirroring to your image, and save your options as a
preset for use at another time.

To apply a Mirror effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Mirror.
2. On the Mirror tab, in the Mirror direction area, select one of the following options to
indicate which direction you want to mirror the image:
Horizontal
Vertical
3. Drag the Mirror axis slider to adjust the position of the mirror. A value of 500 places
the mirror in the center of the image.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Mirror tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Applying a Negative effect

You can use the Negative effect to create a negative of your image. You can also apply the
Negative filter to a negative scanned from a roll of film to produce a positive image.

To create an image negative:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Negative.

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Applying an Oil Paint effect

You can use the Oil Paint effect to give your images a painted appearance. You can save your
options as a preset for future use.

To create an oil painting from a photo:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Oil Paint.
2. On the Oil Paint tab, drag the Brush width slider to specify the width of the brush
strokes in the effect.
3. The higher the value, the wider the brush stroke.
4. Drag the Variance slider to specify the color variance in each brush stroke.
5. Higher values increase the number of colors used in each stroke.
6. Drag the Vibrance slider to adjust the intensity of the colors in the image.
7. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the Oil Paint tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Applying the Old effect

You can use the Old effect to give your images an antique look. (The Old effect is similar to the
Sepia effect, but produces a more realistic appearance of age.)

To apply the Old effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Old.
2. On the Old tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Old options
Age Specifies the intensity or degree of the effect. (The numbers do not correspond
to how old the photo should appear.)

See also...
Applying a Sepia effect

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Applying an Outline effect

The Outline effect is similar to the Edge Detect effect. You can use the Outline effect to create a
highlighted outline of your image. However, with the Outline effect you can control the thickness
of the outline, whether an edge is outlined or not, and the color that displays behind the outlined
image. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To use the Outline effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Outline.
2. On the Outline tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Outline options
Line width Specifies the width of the outline in the effect. The higher the value, the
wider the outline.

Threshold Specifies how sharp an edge must be in order to be outlined. If you specify
a higher value, more edges in the photo will be outlined.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Click the color picker to
color select a different color.

Applying a Pencil Drawing effect

You can use the Pencil Drawing effect to create a pencil drawing from your images.

To create a pencil drawing from an image:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Pencil Drawing.

Applying a Pixel Explosion effect

You can use the Pixel Explosion effect to explode pixels from a center point in your images. You
can select or change the Pixel Explosion options to apply this effect to your image, and save your
options as a preset for use at another time.

To use the Pixel Explosion effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Pixel Explosion.
2. On the Pixel Explosion tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Pixel Explosion tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

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Pixel Explosion options

Horizontal Specifies the center point of the explosion on the horizontal axis. A value of
center 500 places the explosion at the middle of the image.

Vertical Specifies the center point of the explosion on the vertical axis. A value of
center 500 places the explosion at the middle of the image.

Intensity Specifies the intensity of the explosion. A higher value creates a larger,
more brilliant spread of the pixels in the image.

Explosion Specifies the direction of the explosion. Select one or both of the following:
direction Explode horizontally: explodes the pixels towards the right and
left sides of the image.
Explode vertically: explodes the pixels towards the top and
bottom of the image.

Random Indicates the random placement of the pixels.

Seed When you apply the Pixel Explosion effect to an image, ACDSee places the
pixels randomly. This makes the pixels different every time you apply the
filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate identical pixel
patterns.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Applying a Pixelate effect

A pixel is the smallest piece of a digital image, arranged in rows and columns. When you reduce
the resolution of your image, the size of the pixel increases and results in blurring. You can use
the Pixelate effect to increase the size of the pixels in your image.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To apply a Pixelate effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Pixelate.
2. On the Pixelate tab, drag the Width and Height sliders to set the size of the pixels in
your image. Select the Square check box to make the width and height equal.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Pixelate tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

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Applying a Posterize effect

You can use the Posterize effect to reduce the number of brightness levels in your image. You
can select or change the Posterize options to apply this effect to your image, and save your
options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Posterize effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Posterize.
2. On the Posterize tab, drag the Brightness levels slider to adjust the variance of colors
in the image. The lower the value, the fewer colors used in the image.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Posterize tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Applying a Radial Waves effect

You can use the Radial Waves effect to display waves radiating from a center point in the photo.
You can change the center point in the photo and you can also control the appearance of the
waves. You can save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Radial Waves effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Radial Waves.
2. On the Radial waves tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Radial waves options

Horizontal Specifies the center of the waves on the horizontal axis. A value of 500
position places the waves in the middle of the image.

Vertical Specifies the center of the waves on the vertical axis. A value of 500
position places the waves in the middle of the image.

Amplitude Specifies the depth and height of each wave.

Wavelength Specifies the amount of space between waves.

Light strength Specifies the amount of light contrast between the top and bottom of each
wave.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Select the Image
color check box to use the original image colors, or click the color picker to
select a different color.

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Wave Specifies the direction of the waves. Select one, or both, of the following:
direction Wave horizontally: makes the waves move towards the right
and left sides of the image.
Wave vertically: makes the waves move towards the top and
bottom of the image.

Applying a Rain effect

You can use the Rain effect to make it look like it was raining when you took a photo. You can
control the amount of rain, the angle of the rain, and other characteristics of the rain. You can
save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply rain to a photo:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Rain.
2. On the Rain tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Rain options
Strength Specifies the length of the rain drops. Drag the slider to the right to
increase the length.

Opacity Specifies the opacity of the rain drops. Type a number from 0 to 100 or
drag the slider to adjust the opacity of the rain drops. The higher the
opacity, the more the image is obscured.

Amount Specifies the number of rain drops.

Angle Specifies the angle of the rain drops. Type a number from 0 to 50 or drag
variance the arrow to adjust the angle.

Strength Specifies how much variety there should be in the length of the rain
variance drops. Drag the slider to the left if you want rain drops to have a similar
length. Drag the slider to the right if you want to vary the length of rain
drops. If you vary the length of rain drops they look natural.

Background Specifies the amount of blur in the photo. Heavy rain will block your
blur vision. Use this option to blur the photo so the rain effect looks natural.

Angle Specifies the angle at which the rain drops are falling.

Color Specifies the color of the rain drops.

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Applying a Ripple effect

You can use the Ripple effect to divide your images into concentric circles that resembles what
you see when you drop a pebble into water. You can select or change the Ripple options to apply
ripples to your image, and save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Ripple effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Ripple.
2. On the Ripple tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Ripple tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Ripple options
Horizontal Specifies the center of the ripples on the horizontal axis. A value of 500
position places the ripples in the middle of the image.

Vertical Specifies the center of the ripples on the vertical axis. A value of 500
position places the ripples in the middle of the image.

Amplitude Specifies the depth and height of each ripple.

Wavelength Specifies the amount of space between ripples.

Light strength Specifies the amount of light contrast between the top and bottom of each
ripple.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Select the Image
color check box to use the original image colors, or click the color picker to
select a different color.

Ripple Specifies the direction of the ripples. Select one or both of the following:
direction Ripple vertically: makes the ripples move towards the top and
bottom of the image.
Ripple horizontally: makes the ripples move towards the right
and left sides of the image.

Applying a Scattered Tiles effect

You can use the Scattered Tiles effect to divide your images into rectangular tiles, and scatter
and stack the tiles. You can select or change the Scattered Tiles options to apply this effect to
your image, and save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Scattered Tiles effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Scattered Tiles.
2. On the Scattered Tiles tab, set the options as described below.

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3. Do one of the following:

Click Done to accept your changes and close the Scattered Tiles tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Scattered Tiles options

Tile size Specifies the size of the tiles.

Scatter Specifies how much the tiles will move from their original positions.
amount

Background Specifies the color of the background. Click the color picker to select a
color different color.

Random Seed Indicates the random placement of the tiles.

When you apply the Scattered Tiles effect to an image, ACDSee places the
tiles randomly. This makes the effect different every time you apply the
filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate identical tile
patterns.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Applying a Sepia effect

You can use the Sepia effect to give your images an antique look. (The Old effect is similar to the
Sepia effect, but produces a more realistic appearance of age.)

To add a sepia tone to an image:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Sepia.

See also...
Applying the Old effect

Applying a Sheet Metal effect

You can use the Sheet Metal effect to turn your images into sheet metal impressions. You can
save your options as a preset for future use.

To apply a Sheet Metal effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Sheet Metal.
2. On the Sheet Metal tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Sheet Metal tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

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Sheet Metal options

Rounding Specifies the amount of curve in the edges of the impressions.

Detail Specifies the amount of detail in the impression.

Angle Specifies the angle of the grain in the sheet metal.

Metal color Specifies the color of the sheet metal.

Direction Specifies the direction in which the sheet metal was manipulated. Select
one of the following:
Indented: stamps the metal from the top side of the image.
Pushed out: stamps the metal from underneath the image.

Applying a Shift effect

You can use the Shift effect to divide your images into bars and shift them in random directions.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To apply a Shift effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Shift.
2. On the Shift tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Shift tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Shift options
Strength Specifies the amount of shift between the bars.

Width Specifies the width of each bar.

Angle Specifies the angle of the bars.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Select the Image
color check box to use the original image colors, or click the color picker to
select a different color.

Applying a Slant effect

You can use the Slant effect to make a photo appear slanted. For example, you could use the
Slant effect to distort a photo by pushing the top of the photo to the left and the bottom of the
photo to the right. Similarly, you could use the slant effect to push the left side of the photo
upwards and the right side of the photo downwards. You can save your options as a preset for
future use.

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To apply a Slant effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Slant.
2. On the Slant tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Slant options
Amount Specifies the degree of the slant.

Fulcrum Specifies the center of the slant. Drag the slider to the left to place the
center of the slant near the bottom of the photo. Drag the slider to the
right to place the center of the slant near the top of the photo.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Click the color picker
color to select a different color.

Slant Specifies the angle of the slant:

Direction Horizontal: Select Horizontal to push the top or bottom of the
photo to the left or right.
Vertical: Select Vertical to push the left or right side of the
photo up or down.
You can use the Sobel effect to create a highlighted outline of your image. After creating a black
image, the effect uses colored lines to outline the detail of an image where significant color
differences exist. Greater differences between colors in the original image produce brighter
outline colors. (The Sobel effect is similar to the Edge Detect effect, but produces sharper and
brighter outlines.)

To use the Sobel effect:

On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Sobel.

See also...
Applying an Edge Detect effect

Applying a Solarize effect

You can use the Solarize effect to simulate the effect of overexposing an image, as though the
film was exposed to light before developing. You can select or change the Solarize options to
apply this effect to your image, and save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Solarize effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Solarize.
2. On the Solarize tab, drag the Threshold slider to specify the brightness threshold of the
image.

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3. In the Effect area, specify which pixels you want to adjust by selecting one of the
following options:
Solarize: adjusts pixels located above the specified threshold option. The effect
takes any pixels above the threshold and replaces them with their negative value.
When you solarize an image, a higher threshold value sets a brighter threshold, and
colors need to be brighter to be overexposed.
Lunarize: adjusts pixels located below the specified threshold option. The effect
takes any pixels below the threshold and replaces them with their negative value.
When you lunarize an image, a higher threshold value sets a darker threshold, and
colors do not have to be as bright to be overexposed.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Solarize tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Applying a Stained Glass effect

You can use the Stained Glass effect to divide your images into fragments of a random size and
shape, to give the photo the appearance of a stained glass window. You can control the size and
position of the fragments. You can save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Stained Glass effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Stained Glass.
2. On the Stained Glass tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Stained Glass options

Fragment size Specifies the size of the fragments.

Random Seed Indicates the random placement of the fragments.

When you apply the Stained Glass effect to an image, ACDSee places the
fragments randomly. This makes the effect different every time you apply
the filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate identical
fragment patterns.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

See also...
About tool presets
Using the undo/redo system

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Applying a Sunspot effect

You can use the Sunspot effect to add a bright spot in your images. You can save your options as
a preset for future use.

To apply a Sunspot effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Sunspot.
2. On the Sunspot tab, drag the Horizontal and Vertical sliders or click the image to set
the location of the sunspot.
3. Drag the Brightness slider to set the intensity of the sunspot.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Sunspot tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Applying a Swirl effect

You can use the Swirl effect to rotate and stretch people and objects in your images. You can
save your options as a preset for future use.

To apply a Swirl effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Swirl.
2. On the Swirl tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Swirl tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Swirl options
Horizontal Specifies the center of the swirl on the horizontal axis. A value of 500
position places the swirl in the middle of the image.

Vertical position Specifies the center of the swirl on the vertical axis. A value of 500 places
the swirl in the middle of the image.

Radius Specifies the size of the swirl effect.

Strength Specifies the strength and direction of the swirl. Higher values create a
clockwise swirl, while negative values create a counter-clockwise swirl.

Focus Specifies the concentration of the swirl. Higher values concentrate the
effect on the center of the swirl, while lower values spread the swirl across
the image.

Background Specifies the background color of the filtered image. Select the Image
color check box to use the original image colors, or click the color picker to
select a different color.

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Swirl direction Specifies the direction of the swirl. Select one or both of the following:
Swirl horizontally: moves the swirl towards the top and bottom
of the image.
Swirl vertically: moves the swirl towards the right and left sides
of the image.

Applying the Threshold effect

You can use the Threshold effect to create a black and white image. You can save your options
as a preset for future use.

To apply the Threshold effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Threshold.
2. On the Threshold tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Threshold options
Threshold This slider determines which pixels become black and which ones become
white in the black and white image. Any pixels that are brighter than the
selected threshold will become white and any pixels that are darker than
the threshold will become black.

Applying a Topographic Map effect

You can use the Topographic Map effect to change the details of your images into contour lines.
You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To apply a Topographic Map effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Topographic Map.
2. On the Topographic Map tab, drag the Rounding slider to adjust the amount of curve in
the counter lines.
3. Drag the Number of lines slider to specify how many contour lines you want to add.
4. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the Topographic Map tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Applying a Vignette effect

You can use the Vignette effect to add a frame around a subject, such as a person or a bouquet
of flowers. You can change the focal point in the portrait. You can also control the appearance of
the border. You can save your options as a preset for use at another time.

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To apply a Vignette effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Vignette.
2. On the Vignette tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Vignette options
Horizontal Specifies the focal point of the portrait on the horizontal axis. A value of
500 places the center in the middle of the photo.

Vertical Specifies the focal point of the portrait on the vertical axis. A value of 500
places the center in the middle of the photo.

Clear zone Specifies the size of the clear area around the focal point in the portrait.
Drag the slider to the left to reduce the size of the clear area. Drag the
slider to the right to increase the size of the clear area.

Transition Specifies the width of the transition area between the clear zone and the
zone frame. Drag the slider to the left to narrow the transition area. Drag the
slider to the right to widen the transition area.

Shape Specifies the shape of the frame:

Round: Select Round if you want the frame to be round.
Rectangular: Select Rectangular if you want the frame to be
square.

Show outline Select Show outline if you want to display an outline that shows the
outside edge of the clear zone and the inside edge of the frame.

Frame Specifies special effects that you can apply to the frame area around the
focal point:
Color: Select Color to apply a color over the frame area.
Saturation: Select Saturation to remove color from the people
or objects.
Blur: Select Blur to blur the frame area.
Clouds: Select Clouds to display clouds over the frame area.
Edges: Select Edges to trace the lines and details of people or
objects with neon colors.
Radial Waves: Select Radial Waves to create the appearance of
waves radiating from the focal point into the frame area.
Radial Blur: Select Radial Blur to rotate and stretch the frame
area.
Zoom Blur: Select Zoom Blur to blur the frame area.
Crayon Edges: Select Crayon Edges to trace the lines and
details around people or objects with crayon.
Dauber: Select Dauber to create the impression that the people
or objects around the portrait were painted with a paint dauber.

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Settings The settings that display in the Settings area vary for each frame effect.
For example, if you select Color in the Operation area, a color picker
displays in the Filter Settings area. Similarly, if you select Blur in the
Operation area, a slider that controls the level of blurriness displays in
the Filter Settings area.

Applying a Water effect

You can use the Water effect to insert an expanse of water below the subject of a photo and to
display a reflection of the subject in the water. You can control the position of the water below
the subject. For example, you can position the water below a person's chin, or below their waist.
You can also control the appearance of ripples in the water and how dark or light the water
appears. You can save your options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Water effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Water .
2. On the Water tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Water options
Position Specifies the position of the water below the subject of the photo.

Amplitude Specifies the height of the ripples in the water. Drag the slider to the left
to reduce the height of the ripples and the distortion caused by the
ripples. Drag the slider to the right to increase the height of the ripples
and the distortion caused by the ripples.

Wavelength Specifies the distance between ripples. Drag the slider to the left to
reduce the distance between ripples and increase the distortion caused by
the ripples. Drag the slider to the right to increase the distance between
ripples and reduce the distortion caused by the ripples.

Perspective Changes the size of the waves as they get farther from the subject. Drag
the slider to the left to increase the size of the waves farthest from the
subject and to increase the illusion of distance.

Lighting Specifies the amount of light in the water.

Applying a Water Drops effect

You can use the Water Drops effect to display water drops on the surface of the photo. You can
control the number and size of water drops, and their position on the photo. You can save your
options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply water drops to a photo:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Water Drops.
2. On the Water Drops tab, set the options as described below.

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3. Do one of the following:

Click Done to apply your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tab.

Water Drops options

Density Specifies the number of water drops on the photo. Drag the slider to the
left to remove water drops. Drag the slider to the right to add water
drops.

Radius Specifies the size of the water drops. Drag the slider to the left to make
the water drops smaller. Drag the slider to the right to make the water
drops larger.

Height Specifies the height of the water drops above the photo surface. Drag the
slider to the left to reduce the height of the water drops and the distortion
caused by the water drops. Drag the slider to the right to increase the
height of the water drops and the distortion caused by the water drops.

Random Seed Indicates the random placement of the water drops.

When you apply the Water Drops effect to an image, ACDSee places the
water drops randomly. This makes the effect different every time you
apply the filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate
identical water drop patterns.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Applying a Waves effect

You can use the Waves effect to display waves across the photo. You can change the distance
between waves. This distance is called wavelength. You can also change the height of the waves,
and the angle at which the waves cross the photo. You can save your options as a preset for
future use.

To apply a Waves effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Waves.
2. On the Waves tab, select or change the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to apply your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

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Waves options
Wavelength Specifies the distance between waves. Drag the slider to the left to reduce
the distance between waves and increase the distortion caused by the
waves. Drag the slider to the right to increase the distance between
waves and reduce the distortion caused by the waves.

Amplitude Specifies the height of the waves. Drag the slider to the left to reduce the
height of the waves and the distortion caused by the waves. Drag the
slider to the right to increase the height of the waves and the distortion
caused by the waves.

Angle Specifies the angle of the waves. Type a number from 1 to 360 or drag
the arrow to adjust the angle.

Background Specifies the background color. Select the Image check box to use the
color original image colors, or click the color picker to select a different color.

Applying a Weave effect

You can use the Weave effect to give a photo the appearance of being woven into a tapestry or
basket. You can control the width of the vertical and horizontal strips, the width of the gap
between the strips, and the background color that displays through the gap. You can save your
options as a preset for use at another time.

To apply a Weave effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Weave.
2. On the Weave tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Weave options
Strip width Specifies the width of the vertical and horizontal strips.

Gap width Specifies the width of the gap between the strips.

Background Specifies the color of the background. Click the color picker to select a
color different color.

Applying a Wind effect

You can use the Wind effect to add wind lines that make stationary objects in your image look
like they are moving. You can select or change the Wind options to add wind to your image, and
save your options as a preset for future use.

To apply a Wind effect:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click Wind.
2. On the Wind tab, select or change the options as described below.

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3. Do one of the following:

Click Done to apply your changes and close the Wind tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

Wind options
Strength Determines how strong the wind lines are in the image. The higher the
value, the stronger the wind lines.

Threshold Determines how sharp an edge must be before the filter will apply wind.
The higher the value, the sharper the edge needs to be.

Chance of Determines the amount of wind lines to place in the image.

wind

Edge Specifies the edge detection algorithm. The algorithm controls the formula
detection used to detect the edges and the direction of the edge indicators.

Background Specifies the background color. Select the Image check box to use the
color original image colors, or click the color picker to select a different color.

Wind color Specifies the color of the wind lines. Select the Image check box to use
the original image colors, or click the color picker to select a different
color.

Wind angle Specifies the angle of the wind lines.

Random Seed Indicates the random placement of the wind lines.

When you apply the Wind effect to an image, ACDSee places the wind
lines randomly. This makes the wind lines different every time you apply
the filter. You can define a specific random seed to generate identical wind
lines.
To generate a new random seed, click Random Seed.

Creating a custom special effect filter

You can use the User Defined Convolution filter to create your own special effects. You can apply
your custom made effect to your image and save your options as a preset for future use.

To create a custom effect filter:

1. On the Edit Panel, click Effects, and then double-click User Defined Convolution.
2. On the User Defined Convolution tab, set the options as described below.
3. Do one of the following:
Click Done to accept your changes and close the User Defined Convolution tab.
Click Cancel to discard your changes and close the tab.

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User Defined Convolution options

Convolution Specifies the formula to use when altering the image.
matrix Type numbers in the matrix fields to change the pixels in the image. Using
a mathematical formula, the color value of each pixel in an image is
multiplied by the numbers in the matrix to produce an effect.

Division Specifies the fractional coefficient of the matrix.

factor Type a number into the Division factor field to use fractional coefficients
in the matrix. The product of the convolution matrix is divided by the
division factor before being applied to a pixel.

Bias Specifies the brightness of the image.

Type a number into the Bias field to change the brightness of the image.
The bias number is added to the RGB values of each pixel. A positive
number brightens the image, while a negative number darkens the image.

Clear matrix Resets the matrix.

Sample filters Loads a sample effect to use as a starting point for creating your own
effect.

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Copying and moving files

You can use the Copy To Folder and Move To Folder commands to relocate files and folders on
your hard drive, and specify how to handle overwriting existing files. You can also select from a
list of previously accessed folders to save time looking through your directory structure.

When you use ACDSee to relocate your files, any database information associated with
those files is automatically updated to match the new location.

When you do NOT use ACDSee to move or copy your files, you break the link to any
database information you have added to those files. This is because ACDSee cannot
track the files. You will lose important categorizing and other database information.
You can fix this by clicking Change Binding and rebinding the database.

To copy or move files:

1. Do one of the following:
In the File List pane, select one or more files, and then click Edit | Copy To Folder
or Move To Folder.
While viewing an image or media file in the Viewer, click Edit | Copy To or Move
To.
In the Copy Files or Move Files dialog box, do one of the following:
2. Select the Folders tab, and locate the folder on your hard drive where you want to
place the files.
3. Select the History tab, and select a folder from the list of recently-accessed folders.
4. Click the Overwriting duplicate files drop-down list and select one of the following
options to specify how ACDSee should handle overwriting files:
Ask: prompts you for confirmation when overwriting a file.
Rename: prompts you to rename a file.
Replace: overwrites any file with the same file name and extension.
Skip: cancels the operation if there is a file with the same file name and extension.
5. Click OK.

See also...
Using the File List pane
Maintaining the database

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Copying images
You can copy an image to the Clipboard and then paste it into another application, such as ACD
Photo Editor. Using the Copy Image command transfers only the image data to the Clipboard: no
database, EXIF, or IPTC information is retained.

To copy an image:
1. In the File List pane, select the image file you want to copy.
2. Click Edit | Copy Image.
3. Paste the image into your other application.

Pasting files and folders

You can cut or copy files to the Clipboard, and then paste them into another folder without losing
your database information.

To cut and paste files:

1. In the File List or Folders pane, select one or more files or folders.
2. Click Edit | Copy or Cut.
3. Using the Folders pane, browse to a new location.
4. Click Edit | Paste to place the files or folders into the new location.

Replacing or overwriting files

When copying or moving files from one location to another, a file name collision occurs if a file
already exists in the destination folder with the same file name and extension as a file you are
relocating. In ACDSee, you can view both of the files involved in the Confirm File Replace dialog
box. If the files involved are image files, ACDSee displays thumbnail previews of both files, and
provides options to replace the existing file, rename, delete, or skip the file you are moving, or
cancel the operation entirely.

To use the Confirm File Replace dialog box:

1. If you are moving a number of files and want to handle all potential file name collisions
in the same manner, select the Apply to all check box.
2. To help determine any differences between the two files, use the toolbar between the
two preview fields to shrink or enlarge the size of the previews.
3. Do one of the following:
To replace the destination file with the source file, click Replace.
To rename the new file before moving it into the destination folder, type a new
name for the file in the Rename to field, and then click Rename.
To skip this file, and leave both files intact, click Skip.
To delete either the destination or source file, click Delete below the file you want
to remove from your hard drive.
To cancel the operation and not move or copy any more files, click Cancel.

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In the Confirm File Replace dialog box, destination file refers to the file that exists in
the target folder, and source file refers to the file you are moving or copying.

See also...
Setting File Management options

Renaming a file or folder

You can rename a file or folder on your hard drive in the Folders and File List panes.

To rename a file or folder:

1. In the File List or Folders pane, select the item you want to rename.
2. Click Edit | Rename.
3. Without removing or changing the file name extension, such as ―.jpg‖, type a new name
for the file.
4. Press Enter.

You can rename multiple files at the same time using ACDSee's Batch Rename tool.

Storing files in private folders

Private folders are secure folders where you can store confidential files. When you place files into
a private folder, ACDSee moves them from their current location into the private folder. Private
folders are password-protected and the files in them can only be viewed in ACDSee.
When you add files or folders to a private folder all information related to them is permanently
removed from the database. Restoring files and folders from a private folder does not restore
information to the database. The only way you can preserve database information related to the
files or folders is to back up or export the database before you add them to a private folder.

To create a private folder:

1. Close any open private folders.
2. Right-click the private folder icon in the Private Folder pane and select Create Private
Folder.
3. Enter a password for the private folder. Your password must be less than 40 characters
long.
4. Verify the password by entering it again.
5. Click OK.
A new folder will not display in the Private Folder pane. Private folders are hidden and are only
identified by their password. When you have a private folder open you will see any subfolders
that exist within the private folder, but do not confuse these subfolders with the private folder
itself.

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To open a private folder:

1. Close any open private folders.
2. Click the Open button in the Private Folder pane header.
3. Enter the password of the private folder that you want to open.
4. Click OK.

The contents of an open private folder remain visible until you close it. Remember to
close your private folder if you have to step away from your computer and do not want
anyone to see its contents.

To close a private folder:

Do one of the following:
Click the Close button in the Private Folder pane header.
Click File | Exit to exit ACDSee. The private folder is closed automatically.

To add files to a private folder:

1. Open the private folder to which you want to add files.
2. Do one of the following:
Click and drag the files onto the private folder icon in the Private Folder pane.
Select the files, right-click one of the selected files, and then select Add to Private
Folder.A warning message displays
3. Click Yes to move the folder and its contents to the private folder.

When you add files and folders to a private folder they are removed from their original
location in the file system and added to the password-protected private folder. There is
no way to recover files and folders from a private folder if you have forgotten your
password. Ensure that you choose a password that you will be able to remember.

To add an existing folder and its contents to a private folder:

1. Open the private folder to which you want to add files.
2. Do one of the following:
3. Click and drag the files onto the private folder icon in the Private Folder pane.
4. Select the files, right-click one of the selected files, and then select Add to Private
Folder.A warning message displays
5. Click Yes to move the folder and its contents to the private folder.

To restore folders and files from a private folder:

1. Open the private folder containing the folders or files that you want to restore.
2. Do one of the following:
Select the folders or files and click File | Restore from Private Folder.
Right-click the folders or files and select Restore from Private Folder.

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3. Click the browse button, navigate to the folder where you would like to move the folders
or files, and then click OK.
4. Click OK.
ACDSee moves the folders or files from the private folder to the selected location. These
folders and files are now visible to anyone with access to the computer.

To delete a private folder, or the folders or files in the private folder:

1. Open the private folder containing the folders or files that you want to delete.
2. Do one of the following:
To delete the private folder, right-click the private folder icon and select Delete.
To delete folders or files in a private folder, right-click them and select Delete.A
warning message displays
3. Click Yes to delete the private folder and all of its contents, or the selected folders or
files in the private folder.

Use caution when deleting folders or files in private folders. If you delete folders or
files in private folders they are permanently destroyed. Restore the folders and files if
you want to move them from the private folder to a non-secure location on your
computer.

Renaming multiple files

You can use the Batch Rename tool to rename multiple files. You can specify a template with a
numerical or alphabetical sequence, save your template for future use, replace specific
characters or phrases, and insert file-specific information into each new file name.

To rename a group of files:

1. In the Browser, select one or more files, and then click Tools | Batch Rename.
2. In the Batch Rename dialog box, do one or more of the following:
Select the Template tab to specify the Template options.
Select the Search and Replace tab to set the Search and Replace options.
Select the Advanced Options tab to adjust the settings for the Batch Rename tool.
3. Review your changes to the file names in the Preview field.
4. Click Start Rename.

You cannot rename any file on a read-only file system, such as a CD-ROM.

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Batch Rename options

Template Select the Use Template to rename files check box to create a renaming
tab template. You can specify a numerical or alphabetical sequence for the new
file names, and use the original file names, new names, or names based on
image metadata.

Use numbers to Replaces any number signs (#) in the template with
replace #'s sequential numeric characters.

Use letters to Replaces any number signs (#) in the template name
replace #'s with sequential alphabetic characters.

Start at Specifies the first letter or number of the sequence.

Insert Metadata Inserts file-specific information into the file name

template.
Position the cursor in the Template field, and then
click Insert Metadata to open the Choose Property
dialog box. Select the metadata you want to insert,
and then click OK.

Template Displays the template to use to rename the files.

Type an asterisk (*) to insert the original file name
into the template. Use one or more number signs (#)
to insert numeric or alphabetic characters, depending
which options you selected.
Click the arrow on the drop-down list to select a
recently-used template.

Clear Templates Clears the recently-used templates from the

Templates drop-down list.

File name case Specifies upper or lower case for file names and file
format extensions.

Search and Select the Use Search and Replace to rename files check box to replace
Replace tab certain letters or words in the file names. You can replace spaces with
underscores, or change upper case letters to lower case, and combine your
changes with any naming template.

Search for Identifies the characters you want to replace in the file
names.

Replace with Identifies the characters to use in place of the original

text.

Case sensitive Indicates whether you want to limit the search to the
same case you typed in the Search for field.

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Advanced Select any of the Advanced Options to adjust the behavior of the Batch
Options tab Rename tool.

Automatically Closes the Batch Rename dialog box when the

close wizard renaming process is complete.
when finished

Save current Stores the current settings and loads them the next
settings as time you rename files.
defaults

Automatically Automatically resolves any naming conflicts by adding

resolve naming an underscore and a sequential number to the end of
conflicts each file name.

See also...
Setting EXIF and database information

Tagging images
It is easy to take hundreds of photos at an important event like a wedding or a marathon. After
you have transferred those photos to your computer, you will want to review them and select the
best photos. Tagging is a fast and easy way to identify your best photos or to separate them for
editing or review.
The tagging checkbox is at the bottom right corner of the thumbnails. Click the checkbox to tag
or un-tag photos. Photos remain tagged until you clear the checkmark from the checkbox.
You can display all your tagged photos with one click. Tagging, like categories and ratings, is a
way to set aside, organize, and group your photos without moving the files into different folders.

It is good practice to apply categories and ratings to tagged photos, then clear the
tags from the photos. Categories and ratings are more effective for organizing and
grouping your photos over a long period of time.

To tag a photo in the Browser or Viewer:

Do one of the following:

In the Browser, click the checkbox in the bottom right corner of the thumbnail.
In the Viewer, click the Tagging icon in the bottom right corner of the status bar.
In the Viewer, click View | Properties to display the Properties pane, click the
Database tab, then click the Tagged checkbox.

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To tag a photo when you are comparing images:

1. Do one of the following:
Click the image in the Compare Images Viewer, then click the Tag button in the
Image toolbar.
In the Comparison List, click the checkbox in the bottom right corner of the image
thumbnails.
2. Click OK. The Compare Images Viewer closes. You will see a checkmark in the checkbox
of the images that you tagged.

To display a tagged photo:

In the Browser, click View | Organize to display the Organize pane, then click Tagged.

Tagged photos from all your folders display in the File List pane of the Browser.

See also...
About the ACDSee database
Using the Organize pane
Using the Properties pane

Categories

Creating categories
You can use the Organize pane to create, rename, delete, and move your categories.

To create a category:
1. Do one of the following:
2. Click Edit | Set Categories | New Category.
3. Right-click a category in the Organize pane, and then select New Category.
4. Select one of the following:
Create a new, top-level category
Create a sub-category within the current selection
5. If you are creating a top-level category, select an icon from the Icon drop-down list.
6. If you are creating a sub-category, select a top-level (or parent) category from the
drop-down list. (If you right-clicked a category in the Organize pane, the sub-category
will be added below that category by default.)
7. Type a name for the new category in the Name field.
8. Click OK.

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To manage your categories:

Select a category in the Organize pane, and do one of the following:
To move the category, drag it to the new location.
To edit the category, right-click the selected category and select Edit Category.
To delete the category, right-click the selected category and select Delete.

See also...
About the ACDSee database
Using the Organize pane
Using the Properties pane

Assigning categories and ratings

You can assign files to a rating, or one or more categories, without relocating the file.

To assign files to a category or rating:

1. Select the files you want to categorize.
2. In the File List Pane, drag the selected files to a category or rating in the Organize pane.
3. In the Viewer, do one of the following:
Click Edit | Set Categories and then click the category to which you want to
assign the files.
Right-click one of the selected files, select Set Categories, and then click the
category to which you want to assign the file.
Click Edit | Set Rating and then click the rating to which you want to assign the
file.
Right-click one of the selected files, select Set Rating, and then click the rating to
which you want to assign the file.
On the status bar, click the rating icon, and then click a new rating. This icon only
appears once a rating is set.
4. If you are comparing images and want to categorize them, do one of the following:
Right-click one of the files, select Categories, and then click the category to which
you want to assign the file.
Right-click one of the files, select Set Rating, and then click the rating to which
you want to assign the file.

Removing files from classifications

You can remove a file from a category or rating without moving or deleting the original file, or
affecting any other files assigned to that classification.

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To remove files from a category:

1. In the File List pane, select the files you want to remove.
2. Do one of the following:
Right-click a selected file, and then select Set Rating | Clear Rating.
Right-click a selected file, select Set Categories, and then select the name of the
category from which you want to remove the file.
Right-click a category or rating in the Organize pane, and then select Remove
Items.

Creating and assigning keywords

With ACDSee you can create a master list of keywords and store the list in the database. By
using a master list, you can reduce the number of duplicate or misspelled keywords, and
improve your search returns and image management. The database automatically updates the
keywords assigned to files with any changes you make to the keywords in the master list.

To create and maintain the master keyword list:

1. In the Properties pane, click the Keyword Picker button beside the Keywords field.
2. In the Keyword Picker dialog box, click Edit List.
3. In the Keyword List Configuration dialog box, do one of the following:
To create a new keyword, type a new keyword into the New Keyword field, and
then click Add.
To delete a keyword, select a keyword in the Keyword List field, and then click
Remove.
To rename a keyword, select a keyword in the Keyword List field. Click Rename,
type a new name for the keyword, and then press Enter.
To assign keywords to your files, select one or more keywords in the Available
Keywords list, and then click Assign.
To remove a keyword from your files, select a keyword in the Assigned Keywords
list, and then click Remove.
4. When you are satisfied with your changes, click OK to close the Keyword Picker dialog
box.

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Metadata

Adding database, EXIF, and IPTC information to multiple files

You can use the Batch Set Information tool to add to or change the database, EXIF, and IPTC
information of multiple files. You can set the information to apply globally to all the files, or to
apply unique information to each separate file, at the same time. You can also save your settings
as a template to use with other images.

You cannot set information for read-only files, such as those on a CD-ROM.

To set database, EXIF, and IPTC information for a group of files:

1. In the Browser, select one or more files, and then click Tools | Batch Set
Information.
2. In the Batch Set Information dialog box, do one or both of the following:
Select the Database tab to add or change the database information.
Select the EXIF tab to add or change the EXIF information.
Select the IPTC tab to add or change the IPTC information.
Select the Advanced Options tab to adjust the settings for the Batch Set
Information tool as explained in the table below.
3. Click Perform Set Information.

To insert data into the fields in the Batch Set Information dialog box:
Do one of the following:
Type the exact information you want in the field. For example, you can type in
captions, descriptions, notes, or comments. When you type in data, the same
information appears for each file selected.
Select information from calendars or lists. For example, you can select a specific
date and time, or assign a rating to files. Each file will contain the same
information.
Insert an asterisk <*> to keep the original or existing data in the field. For
example, many cameras store the date and time an image is taken. If you insert an
asterisk in the field, this original information about each separate file is added to
the EXIF information, or to the database, when you click Perform Set Information.
Insert a series of number signs #. When the information is set, these will be
replaced with incrementing characters, so each file will have a unique number.
Select and insert metadata place holders. For example, you can insert the metadata
placeholder <Camera:Model> in the Model field on the EXIF tab. When you set the
information, the model of the camera that took each separate image will be inserted
into the EXIF information. Alternatively, in the Notes or User comment fields, you
can insert metadata place holders to include unique information about each file like
file location, file type, aperture value, or other detailed metadata.

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Map information to a given field. For example, you can select to map Width to the
Pixel X dimension field, and Height to the Pixel Y dimension field. When you set the
information, the unique width and height of each image will appear in the EXIF
fields for all of the files.

Advanced Options
Edit only empty fields Sets the Batch Set Information tool so that it only changes
those fields that do not already contain information. Fields that
do contain information remain unchanged.

Close dialog when Sets the dialog box to close automatically after you have set
finished the information.

Save settings as default Stores the current Advanced Options settings and loads them
the next time you set information for files.

Start incrementing Sets the number at which to start incrementing any number
numbers at signs <#>.

See also...
About the ACDSee database
Using the Properties pane

Removing IPTC keywords and supplemental categories

You can remove an image's IPTC keywords and supplemental categories from the ACDSee
database.

To remove IPTC keywords and supplemental categories:

1. In the Browser, select the image.
2. If the Properties pane is not already displayed, click View | Properties to display it.
3. Ensure that the image is writable:
4. Click the File tab.
5. If there is a check mark in Read only, the image is not writable.
6. Clear Read only to make the file writable.
4. Click the IPTC tab.
5. Click the Keyword Picker button beside the Keywords field or the Supplemental
Categories Picker button beside the Supplemental Categories field.
6. Select the keyword or supplemental category that you want to remove from the
Assigned values box. (To select more than one keyword or supplemental category
press and hold the Ctrl key while select the keywords and supplemental categories with
your mouse.)
7. Click Remove.
8. Click OK.

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Changing the date and time properties of images

You can use the Batch Adjust Time Stamp tool to change the date and time properties of one or
more images in the Browser or in the Viewer.

To change the date and time properties of a file:

1. Do one of the following:
In the Browser, select one or more images, and then click Tools | Batch Adjust
Time Stamp.
In the Viewer, click Modify | Adjust Image Time Stamp.
2. On the Choose time stamp to change page, on the Date to Change tab, select the file
property that you want to change.
3. On the Choose time stamp to change page, on the Advanced Options tab, select the
options for the Adjust Image Time Stamp tool described below.
4. Click Next to continue.
5. On the Choose new time stamp page, select one of the following options:
Use date and time from another file property: replaces the selected date and
time with another time stamp property from the same file. Select the file property
you want to use from the Change date and time to drop-down list.
Use specific date and time: changes the selected time stamp in each file to a
specific date and time. Type the new date and time for the time stamp in the Date
and Time fields.
Shift to a new starting date and time: replaces the earliest time stamp with a
date and time you specify, and shifts all later time stamps ahead accordingly.
Specify the time stamp for the earliest file in the Date and Time fields.
Shift date and time by a specific number of hours (adjust time zone): shifts
all the time stamps either forwards or backwards by a specific number of hours.
Select either Shift forward or Shift backward, and type a number into the
Number of hours spin box.
6. Click Adjust Time Stamp to begin adjusting your files. When the wizard is finished,
click Done to return to ACDSee.

Advanced Options tab

Accept defaults Accepts the default settings for the new time stamp options. To start
and start changing the date and time of your images, click Adjust Time Stamp.
conversion

Automatically Closes the Adjust Image Time Stamp Wizard as soon as the process is
close wizard complete.
when finished

Save current Remembers the current settings and applies them the next time you
settings as change time stamps.
defaults

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Viewing file properties in the Viewer

You can view an image‘s properties in the Viewer and edit the information in the Properties pane.

To view an image’s properties:

In the Viewer, click View | Properties.
For more information about the Properties pane, and adding or editing database information,
see Using the Properties pane.

Using the Properties pane

The Properties pane displays the database information associated with your files. It also displays
file properties, such as file size, creation date, and read-only or hidden status, and EXIF and
IPTC metadata. You can use the Properties pane to add, change, or delete database information,
and edit the metadata for image and media files.

To open the Properties pane:

In the Browser or Viewer, click View | Properties.
The Properties pane is located by default on the right side of your screen in both the
Browser and the Viewer.

Properties pane areas

The Properties pane is made up of four tabs: Database, File, EXIF, and IPTC.

Database tab
Caption Type a brief description of the file to store in the database.

Date/Time Specify the date and time you want to associate with the file and store in the
database.

Author Type the name of the author or photographer that you want to store with the
file in the database.

Rating Select a rating to apply to the file. You can use the rating to sort and search
for files in the database.

Notes Type any descriptive or additional text you want to store with the file in the
database. You can add up to 4,095 characters of free-form text.

Keywords Type any keywords you want to associate with the file, or click the Keyword
Picker button to choose from the Master Keyword List. Separate multiple
keywords with a comma.

Organize Select the check box next to any category or categories to which you want to
assign the file. To create a new category, right-click the Categories field and
select New Category.

File tab
The File tab displays detailed file information and image attributes for a selected file or files. You
can set or change the Read-Only and Hidden properties of a file or folder, and view a summary
of any EXIF information contained in a file.

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EXIF tab
The EXIF tab displays EXIF metadata information that is stored with an image from a scanner or
digital camera. Metadata is embedded in the file, and can be retained by ACDSee when you edit
an image. You can edit certain types of metadata.

To edit EXIF metadata:

Double-click the metadata tag you want to edit. You can edit any tag marked with a blue
label.

IPTC tab
The IPTC tab displays IPTC metadata information that is stored with a photo created by a
scanner or digital camera. Metadata is embedded in the file, and can be retained by ACDSee
when you edit an image. You can also edit certain types of IPTC metadata.

To edit IPTC metadata:

Double-click the metadata tag you want to edit. You can edit any tag marked with a blue
label.

Custom tab
The Custom tab displays whatever file property, database, EXIF, or IPTC metadata information
that you choose to add to it. The priority data that you need to keep visible as you browse files
can all be grouped onto one tab and configured to suit the way you work.

To configure the Custom tab:

1. Click Tools | Options and then select Properties pane.
2. Ensure that the Show Custom property tab is checked.
3. Click Choose Display information to open the Choose Custom Tab Display
Information dialogue where you can select and configure the data to display on the
Custom tab.
4. Click OK.

You can add metadata or database information to an image or a group of images with
the Batch Set Information tool.

See also...
Using the Custom tab in the Properties pane
Cataloging files in the database
Adding database, EXIF, and IPTC information to multiple files
Setting the Properties Pane options

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Backing up your files to another computer

The Sync Wizard will guide you through the process of creating a synchronized copy of your files
to protect you from local hard drive failure. You can synchronize your local folders with a
network drive, remote computer, or external hard drive. You can name the synchronization,
specify the actions you want to take each time you synchronize your files, schedule the
synchronization to run at specific intervals, and edit or remove the synchronization at a later
time.

The Sync Wizard does not retain database information when your files are copied to a
new location. To back up files with database information, use the ACD Database
Backup Wizard.

To create a synchronization:
1. In the Browser, click File | Sync, and then select Create Sync.
2. On the Welcome page, click the Next button when you are ready to continue.
3. On the Synchronization Options page, specify the folder containing files you would like
to copy, and a folder on a network drive, remote computer, or external hard drive in
which to place those files. In the Options area, specify how Sync should handle errors
and logs. In the Confirmations area, specify how Sync should handle file duplication
conflicts. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
4. On the Synchronization Schedule page, type a name for your synchronization, and
specify whether you would like to run the synchronization immediately, or schedule the
synchronization. Click Finish when you are ready to complete the wizard.

Schedule: an account with no password cannot set up a schedule. You must set a
password for your account for schedules to work. A blank password will not work; you
must have a real password with more than one character.

Updating or deleting a synchronization

You can adjust the settings of a synchronization, schedule it to run at regular intervals, or delete
the synchronization from ACDSee.

To update or delete a saved synchronization:

1. In the Browser, click File | Sync, and then select Edit Sync.
2. In the Saved Synchronizations dialog box, select a synchronization from the list.
3. Do one of the following:
To schedule the synchronization, click Schedule. Specify how often to run your
synchronization, and then click OK.
To adjust the settings, click Edit. In the Edit Synchronizations dialog box, update
the folder containing files you would like to copy, and a folder on a network drive,
remote computer, or external hard drive in which to place those files. In the
Options area, update how Sync should handle errors and logs. In the
Confirmations area, update how Sync should handle file duplication conflicts. Click
OK when you are finished.

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4. To rename the synchronization, click Rename.

5. Type a new name for the synchronization and click OK.
6. To delete the synchronization, click Delete.
7. Click Close.

Running a saved synchronization

After you create a synchronization, you can run it at any time, even if it is scheduled to run at
regular intervals.

To run a saved synchronization:

In the Browser, click File | Sync, and then select the name of the synchronization you want
to run.

See also...
Exporting database information
Backing up your database

Managing database information

About the ACDSee database

The ACDSee database stores image and media file information while you browse your folders.
The database increases the speed with which you can browse your computer, and you can use
the information stored in the database to sort, organize, search, and filter your images and
media files. You can also backup, restore, and share database information.
You can store cached thumbnail previews, and add or edit the following information for each
image or media file on your computer:
Categories
Notes
Keywords
Authors
Dates
Ratings
Captions
You can also choose to exclude folders from the database, and keep the contents of those folders
separate from your other images and media files.

Copying, moving, or renaming your files using programs other than ACDSee, such as
Windows Explorer, causes the loss of database information.

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Excluding folders from the database

You can choose to exclude folders from the database, and keep the contents separate from your
other images and media files. By default, the Program Files and Windows folders on your hard
drive are automatically excluded from the database.

To manage your excluded folders settings:

1. Click Database | Excluded Folders Settings.
2. In the Excluded Folders dialog box, do one of the following:
To exclude a folder from the database, click Add. Browse to a folder on your hard
drive, and then click OK.
To remove a folder from the excluded folders list, select a folder in the list, and
then click Remove.
To reset your excluded folders list to the default settings, click Reset to Defaults.
3. When you are satisfied with your choices, click Close to return to ACDSee.

See also...
Setting the Organize pane options
Using the Properties pane
Setting the database options

Cataloging files in the database

ACDSee automatically adds file information and thumbnails to the database as you browse. You
can use the Catalog Files Wizard to add groups of files to the database without having to first
browse the folders. This can be particularly useful when using ACDSee for the first time, and
when browsing or managing large collections of images as it reduces the loading time required
for these folders.
The first time you run ACDSee, the database automatically catalogs the contents of your My
Pictures folder.

You can click Reset to display only the default column names in the Currently Displayed
Details pane, and you can also move a column in the File List pane by dragging its
header to a new position. A vertical line indicates where the column will be inserted.

To catalog your files:

1. Click Database | Catalog Files.
2. On the Welcome page, select which folders you want to catalog. Click Next when you
are ready to continue.
3. If you chose to catalog specific folders, on the Select folders to catalog and Add
database information pages, add the folders to catalog in the database, specify the
information to add to the database, and customize the caption, notes, author, and date
fields. Click Next when you are ready to catalog your files.

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If you are cataloguing a large collection of files, do not disrupt the process, or use
other software while it is running. For large file collections, it is best to run cataloging
overnight.

Converting an older database

You can use the ACD Database Convert Wizard to take database information from previous
versions of ACDSee or ACD mPower Tools, and add it to your current database. This ensures that
any information associated with your files using a previous version of ACDSee is referenced
properly in the current database.

If you have already added information to your current ACDSee database, it is

recommended that you create a backup of your database before converting an older
ACDSee database.

To convert an older database:

1. Click Database | Convert Database.
2. On the Welcome page, click Next to select your conversion options.
3. On the Database Convert Options page, specify the version of the database file you
want to convert, as well as its location on your hard drive. Click Next when you are
ready to continue.
4. To automatically rebuild image thumbnails and EXIF information after the conversion
process is complete, select the Rebuild Thumbnails and EXIF data check box.
5. To automatically update your database after converting, select the Optimize database
files after convert check box.
6. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
7. On the Summary page, review your selections, and then click Next to convert your
database.

See also...
Database backup tips and strategies
Mapping drives for an incoming database

Importing database information

You can use the ACD Database Import Wizard to import archived database information, or to
import database information that was sent to you with images from another ACDSee user. After
you import the information, ACDSee associates it with the appropriate images.

If you have already added information to your current ACDSee database, it is

recommended that you create a backup of your database before converting an older
ACDSee database.

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To use the ACD Database Import Wizard:

1. Click Database | Import, and then select Database.
2. Click Next to start the wizard.
3. On the Import options page, select the type of exported database information you want
to import.
4. You can import image information from a compressed database version, or information
from an XML-based text file.
5. Click the Browse button to locate the database you want to import, and then click OK.
6. Select the Optimize database files after import check box to optimize the database
after exiting the wizard, and then click Next.
7. On the Summary page, review your selections. Click Back to make changes, or click
Next to begin importing the database information.
8. Click Finish to close the ACD Database Import Wizard.

If you are importing database information sent to you by another ACDSee user,
ensure that the images to which the information applies are in an identical location
and folder structure on your hard drive.

Importing file information from other sources

You can import file information into your database from other sources, including ACDSee Photo
Discs and files from previous versions of ACDSee.

Importing Photo Discs

Previous versions of ACDSee (versions 4.0 and 5.0) created separate database files with a .ddf
file extension for Photo Discs. You can import the Photo Disc database files into your ACDSee
database.

To import a Photo Disc:

1. Click Database | Import, and then select Photo Disc.
2. In the Browse for Photo Disc dialog box, locate and select the photo disc file you want to
import.
3. Click Open.

To import the information from Photo Discs created with ACDSee 6.0 or later, you
must convert and import the entire database.

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Importing albums
In previous versions of ACDSee, you could create albums in an .ais file format that consisted of
organized shortcuts to your images. Now you can use categories to create albums of images that
do not require a separate file extension. You can, however, import your albums from previous
versions of ACDSee, and add the information from the albums to the database. ACDSee creates
a new category for each album you import.

To import album information into the database:

1. Click Database | Import, and then select Album.
2. In the Open dialog box, select the .ais file you want to import.
3. Click Open.

Working with descript.ion files

In previous versions of ACDSee, file descriptions were stored in a separate descript.ion file in
each folder that contained images. ACDSee now stores file descriptions as captions in the
database, along with other file information such as notes and keywords.
You can use the Descript.ion tools to import your old descript.ion files and add the information to
the database, or export your existing file captions to a descript.ion file.

To import a descript.ion file:

1. Click Database | Import, and then select Descript.ion File.
2. In the Open dialog box, locate and select the descript.ion file you want to import.
3. Click Open.

To export captions to a descript.ion file:

1. Click Database | Export, and then select Decript.ion File.
2. In the Save As dialog box, type a name for the descript.ion file in the File name field.
3. Click Save.

Exporting database information

You can use the ACD Database Export Wizard to save selected database information in a
compressed format, and then store it as a backup, or share it with other ACDSee users. You can
also choose to export your category and keyword definitions to a text file.
Exporting your database information differs from creating a backup in that you can choose to
export only the parts of your database that you want to share or store with specific files, such as
those on a CD. Other ACDSee users can import your information without affecting their existing
database.
To create a backup of your entire database, including image or media files, use the ACD
Database Backup Wizard. To back up the contents of a local folder to a remote location, such as
a network drive, use the ACDSync Wizard.

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To use the ACD Database Export Wizard:

1. If you want to export your database information for a specific group of images or media
files, select the files in the File List pane.
2. Click Database | Export, and then select Database.
3. Click Next to begin using the wizard.
4. On the Content and Format Options page, specify how you want to export your database
information by selecting one of the following options, and then click Next:
Export entire ACDSee database to a read-only, compressed version: exports
the entire contents of your ACDSee database to a compressed version that can be
shared with other ACDSee users.
Export database information for selected items to a read-only, compressed
version: exports all of your database information for the images selected in the File
List pane.
Export database information to a text file: exports the selected information to
an XML-based text file. Select the check boxes next to the information you want to
include.
5. On the Location options page, specify a location for the exported information, and a
name for the text file, if necessary, and then click Next.
6. On the Summary page, review your choices. You can click Back to make changes, or
click Next to begin exporting your database information.
7. Click Finish to close the wizard and return to ACDSee.

Generating file lists

You can generate a text file that lists all of the files in the folder currently displayed in the File
List pane. The text file places the file name, size, image file format, modified date, image
properties, caption, and rating for all of the files in the folder into a table, and creates a single
text file.

To generate a list of your files:

Click Database | Export, and then select Generate File Listing.

ACDSee automatically opens the text file in your default text editor, which you can then use
to edit or save the file listing.

Backing up your database

You can use the ACD Database Backup Wizard to back up all of your database information, which
you can then restore in the case of a system failure or other event. You can also choose to back
up your image, media, or archive files along with the relevant database information.
The Database Backup Wizard creates a series of files in a specified location that contain your
entire database. The backup is generated using your folder structure and is unique to your
computer. To back up portions of your database, or to share database information with another
ACDSee user, use the ACD Database Export Wizard.

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For some suggestions about managing your database backups, see Database backup tips and
strategies.

To back up your database information:

1. Click Database | Back Up Database.
2. On the Welcome page, select whether you would like to create a new backup, or append
an existing backup. Click Next when you are ready to continue. If you choose to update
an existing backup, please go to step #5 .
3. On the New Backup page, select the information you would like to back up. Click Next
when you are ready to continue.
4. On the Backup Location page, click Browse and specify a location for your backup, and
type a name for the backup file. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
5. On the Backup Summary page, review your settings. If you chose to update an existing
backup, click the Backup to update drop-down list, and then select the existing
backup. Click Next when you are ready to continue.

Backup information options

Do not include Excludes thumbnails from the backup, saving a substantial
thumbnails amount of storage space on your disc or hard drive.

Include thumbnails Includes only thumbnails for files that do not reside on your hard
for offline files drive, such as PhotoDiscs.

Include thumbnails Includes all thumbnails in the database. This will require more
space on your hard drive or disc to store the backup.

Backup files of type Backs up the specified file types with the database information.
Select from the following file types:
Image: includes image files in the backup.
Media: includes audio and video files in the backup.
Archive: includes archive files in the backup.

All files of specified Backs up all specified files on your hard drive.
types on your local
hard drives

All files of specified Backs up all specified files on your hard drive and network drives.
types on local and
network hard drives

All files of specified Backs up all specified files in a specified folder. Click the Browse
types in a folder button and select the folder to back up.

If your disc burner uses packet software to format re-writable CDs and DVDs, ACDSee
will not be able to burn your backup to a disc. Instead, ACDSee will recognize your
burner as a hard drive, which you can select on the Backup Location page.

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Database backup tips and strategies

ACDSee's database stores information about your files, including EXIF information, file name and
folder location, thumbnails, categories, rating, and any other information you add using the
Properties pane. The more information you store in the database, and the more time you spend
inputting that information, the more important it is to back up your database, and to have a
good strategy for managing your backups. Losing hours of work to a system crash or other
uncontrollable event is something that should, and can, be avoided.

Backup schedule
How often you need to back up depends on how often you add or change information in the
database. A good rule to use would be to back up your data as often as you want to avoid
retyping it. You can use the backup reminder settings on the Database page of the Options
dialog box to set a regular reminder for yourself to back up your data as often as you think
appropriate. Business environments and professional users should back up every day.
It is also recommended that you back up your database before performing any major
adjustments to it, such as importing information from another ACDSee user, or converting a
database from a previous version of ACDSee.

Backup location
It's a good idea to consider where you back up your data, as well as how often. If you're backing
up to your hard drive, ACDSee creates a new folder for each day. This helps to avoid overwriting
your backup, and gives you several increments from which you can restore. Backing up the
database to a CD or DVD once a week will help protect you in case of hard drive failure. Also
helpful is a monthly backup that is stored in a different physical location than your computer,
such as a network drive.

Backup size
To keep the size of the backup small, choose to backup database information only, and back up
your images separately, also on a regular basis.

Restoring database information from a backup

You can use the ACD Database Restore Wizard to restore previously backed up database
information. If you saved your backup to disc, and the backup spanned multiple discs, you can
restore from any disc in the sequence. This can be particularly useful if a disc is lost or damaged
but you would like to recover the remaining information.

To restore database information:

1. Click Database | Restore Database.
2. On the Welcome page, click Next to select the backup.
3. On the Restore Options page, select the backup and date from which you want to
restore, or browse to the location of your backup and select a .bkup file.

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4. If you are restoring from a disc, and the backup spanned multiple discs, it is
recommended that you select the last disc in the sequence. Click Next when you are
ready to restore your database.

When restoring a backup from a series of discs or backup files, ACDSee will only
restore the information included in and prior to the selected disc or backup file.
Therefore, unless required, it is recommended that you select the last disc or file in the
backup sequence.

Maintaining the database

It is recommended that you regularly perform database maintenance and optimization to
increase hard drive space, remove redundant or extraneous information, and increase overall
ACDSee performance.
You can use the tools in the Database Maintenance dialog box to update folders, or to identify
folders whose thumbnails and database information you would like to delete. The Database
Maintenance dialog box displays a list of the folders on your system, and uses icons to indicate
the status of database information within specific folders.

Database content icons

Folder contains files with cached thumbnails stored in the database.

Folder contains orphans - files that were changed without the database tracking it. For
example, a folder or file was renamed or moved outside of ACDSee.

To perform database maintenance:

1. Click Database, and then select Database Maintenance.
2. In the Database Maintenance dialog box, browse for folders marked with the database
content icons. If there are no marked folders, you do not need to perform database
maintenance and can exit the Database Maintenance dialog box.
3. Select a folder and click one of the following buttons to identify the maintenance you
want to perform on that folder:
Remove Thumbnails: Removes all thumbnail information for the selected folder.
Remove All DB Info: Deletes all database information for the selected folder.
Remove Orphan Folders: Deletes any out-of-date or broken references to missing
files or information for the selected folder. It is only possible to check for orphans in
folders located on your computer. This option will not be visible if the folder is
located on a network.
Change Binding: Changes all location references for the selected orphaned folder
to another folder, and retains all database information. The default binding folder is
My Pictures.
4. The Database Maintenance tool will delete records, creating unused space in your
database. To reclaim the unused space, click Optimize Database, and follow the
instructions in the wizard.
5. Click Close.

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Optimizing the database

You can use the Optimize Database Wizard to quickly remove redundant or outdated database
records. Optimizing your database, along with performing regular database maintenance, helps
regain hard drive space and improves the overall performance of ACDSee.

If you are cataloging large numbers of files regularly, it is helpful to optimize weekly, or
after an extended cataloging session. This is also a good time to backup the database

To optimize your database:

1. In the Browser, click Database | Optimize Database.
2. In the Database Optimization Wizard, click Next.
3. When the wizard has finished, click Finish to return to ACDSee.

Rebuilding thumbnails
Situations can develop in which your images will be out of sync with the thumbnail images
displayed in the File List pane. You can use the Rebuild Thumbnails tool to immediately
regenerate the thumbnails for selected images.

To rebuild thumbnails:
1. Do one of the following:
Select one or more thumbnails in the File List pane.
Select a folder in the Folders pane.
2. Click Database | Rebuild Thumbnails.

Quarantined files
If ACDSee has trouble reading a corrupted or incomplete image or media file, or a file causes a
plug-in to generate an error, ACDSee will quarantine that file. You can view a list of quarantined
files, and remove a file from the list.

To view quarantined files:

1. Click Database | Quarantined Files.
2. To remove a file, select it in the list, and then click Remove.
3. To disable the Quarantine feature, clear the Enable Quarantine check box.
4. Click OK to close the Quarantine Files dialog box and return to ACDSee.

Creating and assigning keywords

With ACDSee you can create a master list of keywords and store the list in the database. By
using a master list, you can reduce the number of duplicate or misspelled keywords, and
improve your search returns and image management. The database automatically updates the
keywords assigned to files with any changes you make to the keywords in the master list.

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To create and maintain the master keyword list:

1. In the Properties pane, click the Keyword Picker button beside the Keywords field.
2. In the Keyword Picker dialog box, click Edit List.
3. In the Keyword List Configuration dialog box, do one of the following:
To create a new keyword, type a new keyword into the New Keyword field, and
then click Add.
To delete a keyword, select a keyword in the Keyword List field, and then click
Remove.
To rename a keyword, select a keyword in the Keyword List field. Click Rename,
type a new name for the keyword, and then press Enter.
To assign keywords to your files, select one or more keywords in the Available
Keywords list, and then click Assign.
To remove a keyword from your files, select a keyword in the Assigned Keywords
list, and then click Remove.
4. When you are satisfied with your changes, click OK to close the Keyword Picker dialog
box.

Mapping drives for an incoming database

If you are upgrading to ACDSee Pro 2 or are importing or restoring your ACDSee Pro 2 database,
the Database Drive Mapping dialog displays how drive mappings (in the incoming database) will
be re-established in the ACDSee Pro 2 database. You can use this dialog to change how each
drive will be mapped in the database.

To select new drive mappings:

1. In the Database Drive Mapping dialog, select a drive and do one of the following:
To create a new drive map, select Create new database entry.
To map the drive to a local drive, select a drive from the Local Drive drop-down
list.
2. Click Done.

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Searching

Using the Quick Search bar

You can use the Quick Search bar, located on the main menu in the ACDSee Browser, to quickly
locate files or folders. You can use the Quick Search options or basic operators to refine or
expand your search, and view the results in the File List pane.

The Quick Search automatically searches in the Notes, Author, and Caption fields of the
ACDSee database. The Quick Search also searches in the Keywords, Caption,
Photographer, Headline, and Special Instructions IPTC fields.

To run a Quick Search:

Do one of the following:

In the Quick Search bar, type the term or part of a word for which you want to
search.
Click the drop-down list beside the Quick Search field and select a previously
entered search term.
Click QuickSearch.

Quick Search operators

You can use the following operators to further refine or expand your searches in the Quick
Search bar. Note that a search term cannot begin with an operator; it must start with a word.

Operat Result Examples

or

- Subtracts the search term that

follows it from the previous
Cat -Dog returns all items that contain Cat,
except those that also contain Dog. Be sure to
results. insert a space before the minus sign. If you do
not insert a space, ACDSee will assume you are
searching for a hyphenated word.

+ Searches for all items

containing both the search
Cat+Dog or Cat Dog returns items containing
both Cat and Dog.
term before and after the Cat+Dog+-Kittens returns items that include
operator. Those items that both Cat and Dog, but not those that include Cat
only contain one of the terms, and Dog and Kittens.
are excluded. The Quick
Search bar treats spaces
between words as + operators.

| Searches for all items

containing one or the other of
Cat|Dog includes all items with either Cat or
Dog in the search.
the search elements. Cat+Dog|Kittens includes items that contain
both Cat and Dog, and those that contain
Kittens.

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Using the Search pane

You can use the Search pane to search for your files and folders. You can do basic searching by
file name or keyword phrase, and create advanced searches to narrow your results by folders,
categories, and image properties. You can also search for patterns in file names and find
duplicate files.

The Search pane will not return results for folders that are not cataloged in the ACDSee
database.

To open the Search pane:

Click View | Search.

Search pane areas

The Search pane contains three areas to help divide your search criteria into distinct elements.
When creating a search, remember that the search tool will only return files that match all of the
criteria that you spedify.

Files and Text

In the Files and Text area, you can identify what you are searching for, and where you want to
search for it.

Search for Type a portion of the file or folder name for which you want to search, or
files or select a previous search term from the drop-down list. You can also use
folders wild cards to search for file name patterns. To exclude all non-image files,
named click the right-arrow button beside the field and select Images only.

With the text Type the text you want to search for within the ACDSee database. This can
include portions of a caption or keyword, or even the name of a folder or
category that might contain the files you want to find. When you search by
both file name and a keyword or phrase, an item is included in the search
result only when it includes both criteria.
To specify what parts of the database you want to search, and indicate how
to treat the text you type in the field, click the arrow next to the field and
select any of the following options:
Find all words: only returns files that match all of the words you
enter.
Find whole words only: only returns files that contain the entire
word, exactly as you type it.
Search in Caption: searches the Caption field of files in the
database.
Search in Keywords: searches the Keyword field of files in the
database.
Search in Notes: searches the Notes field of files in the
database.
Search in Categories: searches the Category assignments of
files in the database.
Search in Folders: searches in the name of folders in the
database.

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Search in Select one of the following options:

Entire database: performs a search on the entire ACDSee
database. Note that any folders on your computer that have not
been cataloged are not included in the search results.
Specific folders and categories: performs the search only
within the categories and folders you specify. Selecting this option
opens the Categories and Folders area, where you can select the
location and categories in which you want to search.

Sync to Imports the current Browser settings, including Selective Browsing

browser settings, into the Search pane. Note that this may also remove criteria
settings from the Search pane.

Properties area
In the Properties area, you can identify file properties that you want to search for, and specify
ranges of values to include or exclude from your search.

To use the Properties area:

1. Below the Search file properties for field, click Add.
2. In the Add Search Criteria dialog box, select one or more properties on which to base
your search.
3. Click OK.
4. In the Properties area, click the hyperlinks to define conditional statements for each
property.
5. Click Start to perform the search.

Searching with file name patterns

You can type a text pattern into the Search pane's Search for files and folders named field to
search for file names. You can search simple patterns such as portions of file names, or more
advanced patterns that include wild cards.

File name pattern wild cards

Wild Result Example
card

? Matches any single character in the file ca?.jpg results in cat.jpg, cap.jpg, and
name. car.jpg, but not cats.jpg

* Matches zero or more characters in the cat* results in cat.jpg, cats.jpg, and
file name. cathy.jpg

[…] Matches any of the enclosed characters. ca[tr] results in cat.jpg or car.jpg, but
not cap.jpg

[!…] Matches any character not enclosed. cat[!0] results in cata.jpg and catb.jpg,
but not cat0.jpg

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Wild Result Example

card

[…- Matches any character in the specified cat[a-f0-9] results in cata.jpg,

range. catb.jpg, catf.jpg and cat0.jpg, cat1.jpg,
…] …, cat9.jpg

\ Blocks the use of other wild card Because square brackets are wild cards,
characters that are also characters if you wanted to search for a file name
permitted in a file name, such as that contains a bracket, you can precede
square brackets: [ ]. The * and ? the bracket with a backslash:
characters are not permitted in file ACD\[123\] results in ACD[123].gif
names so this function does not work
with them.

Patterns are not case-sensitive.

To use multiple patterns, separate the names with spaces or semicolons.
To match a pattern containing a space or semicolon, enclose the pattern in double
quotation marks.
If you do not include the * wild card in your pattern, the pattern is matched as a sub-
string. For example, cat would match cat, cathy and bobcat, and is equivalent to the
pattern *cat*.

Using selective browsing

You can use selective browsing to browse for files that are located in a specific folder, assigned a
specific date, and/or assigned to a specific Organize classification. By adjusting the selective
browsing criteria, you can quickly include or exclude files from the File List pane, and view only
those files you want to browse.
To get the most out of selective browsing, it is recommended that you catalog and organize your
files in the ACDSee database. The more information you input for your files, the more helpful you
will find the selective browsing feature.

To use selective browsing:

Open the Selective Browsing pane by clicking View | Selective Browsing.

Setting selective browsing criteria

The Selective Browsing pane is divided into three areas: Folders, Organize, and Calendar, each
of which corresponds to the Browser pane of the same name. When the Selective Browsing pane
is open, the Contents bar in the File List pane is replaced by the Selective Browsing bar, which
lists all of the current browsing criteria:
When you add a folder, date range, or organize method to the Selective Browsing pane, ACDSee
excludes any files that do not match that criteria. You can add or remove criteria to narrow or
broaden your results.

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To add selective browsing criteria:

1. With the Selective Browsing pane open, do any of the following:
In the Folders pane, select one or more folders.
In the Organize pane, select one or more categories, and/or a rating.
In the Calendar pane, select one or more date ranges.
As each criteria is added to the Selective Browsing pane, ACDSee searches its database for files
in that folder, that match the date range, and are assigned to the classification, and displays
them in the File List pane. You can then select those files and use ACDSee's features to edit,
share, move, and view them however you want.
You can also adjust or refine your criteria in the Selective Browsing pane:
To remove a selected criteria from the Selective Browsing pane, right-click any of the
criteria, and then select Remove From Scope.
To exclude all of a certain type of criteria, click the bar above the list, and toggle the
option to include that type in the scope. For example, to exclude the listed folders from
the scope, click the Folders bar, and then click Include Folders in Scope. The folders
you selected will still be displayed in the Selective Browsing pane, but will not factor in
the results.
To remove all criteria of a certain type, click the bar above the list, and select Clear All.
The default behavior for categories in the Selective Browsing pane is to display files that
match any of the categories listed. You can refine your results by choosing to display
only those files that are assigned to all of the specified categories. To toggle between
behaviors, right click the bar above the categories you selected, and select Match Any
or Match All.

Tips for selective browsing:

When you add a criteria to the Selective Browsing pane, you are indicating that the files you
want to browse must have that attribute. For example, if you select a folder in the Folders pane,
then ACDSee displays only files in that folder. If you select a rating in the Organize pane,
ACDSee displays only files assigned to that rating.
You can combine criteria to refine your selective browsing even further. For example, if you
select a category and a date range, then ACDSee displays only those files that belong to both the
category and date range you selected. ACDSee does not display items that fall within the date
range unless they are also assigned to the correct category, and does not display files assigned
to that category unless they also match the date range.

Hiding the Selective Browsing pane

You can use the Auto Hide feature to automatically hide the Selective Browsing pane and
increase space for the File List pane. When the pane is set to auto-hide, it rolls away when you
click outside it, leaving only an edge displayed. You can access the pane again by moving the
mouse pointer over the edge.

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Searching with auto categories

Do you have hundreds, possibly thousands, of images? Do you use more than one camera? Do
different members of your family share cameras? Or do you have images on your computer that
were captured by friends and family? If you answered yes to any of these questions you should
consider using auto categories to search for images.
You will see auto categories in the Organize pane, below Ratings. Double-click or click the plus
sign (+) to expand auto category groupings. Double-click or click the minus sign (-) to collapse
the auto category groupings.
Some auto category information is added to your images by your camera. For example, cameras
will record the camera make and model, the white balance settings you used, the focal length
you used, the aperture, et cetera. You may want to supplement that information with the city,
province/state, or country in which you captured the images, as well as keywords or copyright.
You can do this using the Batch Set Information tool or by manually entering information in the
Properties pane.
When you click on an auto category, ACDSee searches for images belonging to that category. For
example, imagine that you use more than one camera. You can expand the Photo Properties and
Camera Model groupings, then select the category representing your camera model. All images
captured with that camera model will display. Similarly, imagine that your brother captures a lot
of images and sends them to you. You can expand the Photo Properties and Photographer
groupings, then select your brother's name from the list of photographers. All images captured
by your brother will display.
Below are some tips for searching with auto categories.

Identifying commonly used search categories

If there are certain auto categories in the Photo Properties grouping that you use frequently, you
can save time by adding them to the Commonly Used grouping. Some Photo Properties
groupings are available in the Commonly Used grouping by default. You can add as many auto
categories as you want to the Commonly Used grouping, and you can easily remove any
grouping from the Commonly Used grouping when you no longer need them.

To add an auto category grouping to the Commonly Used grouping:

1. Expand the Photo Properties grouping.
2. Right-click the auto categories grouping that you want to add to the Commonly Used
grouping, and select Add to Commonly Used. The grouping is added to the Commonly
Used grouping.
It remains visible in the Photo Properties grouping as well.

To remove an auto category grouping from the Commonly Used grouping:

1. Expand the Commonly Used grouping.
2. Right-click the auto categories grouping that you want to remove from the Commonly
Used grouping, and select Remove from Commonly Used.
The grouping is removed from the Commonly Used grouping.

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Refining your auto category search

You can refine your auto category search by selecting more than one auto category. For
example, imagine that you are learning to combine aperture and shutter speed settings to
properly expose images in a variety of lighting and you want find images taken at specific
settings. If you click in the box to the left of the f/16 aperture auto category and the 1/30 s
shutter speed auto category, ACDSee will search for images that belong to both of those auto
categories.
When you select more than one auto category you can further control the search by selecting
Match All or Match Any from the Match Any/All drop-down at the top of the Organize pane. If
you select Match Any, ACDSee will display any images associated with the selected auto
categories. If you select Match All, ACDSee will display only those images that are associated
with all of the selected auto categories.
You can also refine your auto category search by selecting a category or rating. For example,
imagine that you clicked on the Photographer auto category and found over 1000 images.
However, you only want to see the best images by that photographer. Click 1 in the Ratings
area of the Organize pane. Only the images by that photographer with a rating of 1 will display.
You can also use the Selective Browsing pane to refine your auto category search. For example,
imagine that you clicked on the Camera Model auto category and ACDSee displayed over 1000
images. However, you only want to see the images that you took on a specific date. Display the
Selective Browsing pane by clicking View | Selective Browsing, then expand the Calendar
section and select the appropriate date. Only the images taken with that camera model on that
day will display.

See also...
Cataloging files in the database
Adding database, EXIF, and IPTC information to multiple files

Finding duplicate files

You can use the Duplicate Finder plug-in to search for duplicate files on your hard drive. Once
you locate any duplicates, you can rename or delete them to better manage your file collection.
The following steps are a basic overview of how to use the Duplicate Finder. There is also
extensive context-sensitive Help in the plug-in dialog box to provide you with additional
information.

Limit your search by selecting only a portion of the photos or images in a folder.

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To find duplicate files:

1. In the Browser, click Tools | Find Duplicates.
2. In the Select Search Type dialog box, add the files and folders you want to search.
3. Do one of the following:
To find duplicates within the files and folders you added to the list, select Find
duplicates within this list of files.
To compare files between the list you created and another group of files, select
Find duplicates between these files and another list.
4. Click Next.
5. If you are comparing the files with another list, add the files or folders you want to
compare to the second list, and then click Next.
6. On the Search Parameters page, specify whether you want to find exact duplicates, or
just files with the same name.
7. You can also choose to search for image files only. When you are ready to perform the
search, click Next.
8. If no duplicates are found, refine your search or click Cancel to exit the Duplicate
Finder.
9. If duplicates are found, specify from which list you want to delete the duplicates, and
then select the check box next to the files you want to delete. You can also right-click a
file name to open, rename, or delete a file.
10. Click Next to review your changes, and then click Finish to perform the operation.

Finding images quickly

You can select Special Items in the Organize pane to quickly locate all of the images in your
database, or list all of the images that you have not yet assigned to a category.

To find all of your images at once:

1. In the Browser, click View | Organize to open the Organize pane.
2. In the Organize pane, under Special Items, click Image Well.

To locate uncategorized images:

1. In the Browser, click View | Organize to open the Organize pane.
2. In the Organize pane, under Special Items, click Uncategorized.
3. The Image Well and Uncategorized features only display images that have been
cataloged in the database; they do not search your hard drive for specific file types.

See also...
Using the Organize pane
Assigning categories and ratings

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E-mailing images
You can use the E-mail Image Sharing Wizard to send images directly from ACDSee without
opening an external e-mail application. To use the E-mail Image Sharing Wizard, you will need
an active e-mail account, and have a default e-mail application set up on your computer, or have
access to an SMTP server.

To e-mail your images:

1. In the File List pane, select the images you want to share, and then click File | E-mail
Images.
2. In the E-mail Image Sharing Wizard, click Next.
3. On the Add images and adjust options page, you can add or remove images from the
list, and set the options to specify a maximum e-mail size, and the image size and
compression. When you are satisfied with your changes, click Next.
4. On the Select your e-mail client page, specify whether you want to use your default e-
mail application, or send the images through an SMTP server. If you are not sure which
method you should use, try the default e-mail client option. Click Next to continue.
5. Do one of the following:
6. On the Sending your images page, wait while the wizard formats your images and
prepares the e-mail message for sending. Once the wizard opens the e-mail message,
you can specify who you want to send the message to, and add text to the e-mail before
you send it. Click Finish to close the wizard and return to ACDSee.
7. On the Select and create SMTP accounts page, click the Create Account button to
create a new SMTP account, or select an account from the drop-down list, and then click
Next. On the Enter e-mail information page, specify the recipients, the subject of the e-
mail message, and the text you want to include in the message. Click Next to send the
e-mail message.

The E-mail plug-in does not support Internet-based e-mail applications such as
Hotmail or Yahoo.

Sharing slide shows and screen savers

With ACDSee, you can create slide shows and screen savers of your favorite photos, and share
them with friends and family, or display them on your Web site. You can even save your slide
show or screen saver project to edit at a later time. The Create Slide Show Wizard guides yo u
through the process.

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To create a slide show:

1. Click Create | Create Slide Show.
2. On the Welcome page, to create a new slide show, select the Create a new slide show
radio button. To specify what type of slide show you want to create, select one of the
following options:
Standalone slide show: creates a single executable file (.exe) containing all of
your images and everything needed to view them. You can share this type of file
with anyone who has a computer, even if they don't own ACDSee.
Windows screen saver: creates a standard Windows-system screen saver file
(.scr) that can be stored and used on any Windows-based system.
Adobe Flash slide show: creates a compact, Adobe Flash file (.swf) that you can
display on a Web site.
3. To edit an existing slide show or screen saver project, select the Load an existing
slide show project radio button, and then click Browse to locate your project (.asw
file).
4. Click Next to continue.
5. On the Choose your images page, you can view the images included in your slide show,
in the default order they will be displayed. Click Add or Remove to change the images,
and use the arrow buttons to reorder them. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
6. On the Set file specific options page, click the underlined words beside each thumbnail
to set the individual options for each image. These include transitions between photos,
the duration of the transition and slide, text captions, and audio files to play when the
image is displayed. Note that the options available depend on your choice of output file
format, and not all formats support all options. Click Next when you are ready to
continue.
7. On the Set slide show options page, set the timing for each slide to automatic or
manual, the order to display slides, and whether or not to hide the controls. You can
also add audio files to play in the background, and adjust the quality, or speed, of the
transitions. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
8. On the following pages, set the options for image size, location of your slide show file
and the project file. For assistance with any of the options, click the What's This Help
button at the top right corner of the wizard, and then click on an option.
9. Finally, click next, and wait a few moments while ACDSee generates your slide show.
When complete, you can launch your slide show, exit the wizard, or start the Create
Disc Wizard to burn your slide show onto a CD or DVD.

If you assign an audio file to an individual image, as well as to the whole slide show
on the Set slide show options page, then both audio files will play simultaneously
when that slide displays.

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Creating a PDF
You can use ACDSee to combine your images into PDF (portable document format) files. The
Create PDF Wizard will guide you through the process of creating one or more PDF files from
your images, or adding images to a PDF slide show.

To create a PDF:
1. In the File List pane, select the images you want to share.
2. Click Create | Create PDF.
3. On the Welcome page of the Create PDF Wizard, select one of the following options, and
then click Next:
Create a PDF slide show: combines all of your images into a single PDF file that
you can view as a slide show.
Create one PDF file containing all images: combines all of the selected images
into a single PDF file with multiple pages.
Create one PDF file for each image: converts each image into a separate PDF
file.
4. On the Choose images page, you can change the selected images, and use the arrow
buttons to reorder them. Click Next to continue.
5. Do one of the following:
If you selected to create a PDF slide show, set or change the transition options by
clicking the hyperlink next to each image. Click Next to set the order, color, and file
name options for your slide show. Click Next when you are ready to continue.
If you selected to create one or more PDF files, specify a file name and location,
and then click Next.
6. Click Finish to close the wizard and return to ACDSee.

Burning a CD or DVD
You can use ACDSee's Burn Basket to burn a CD or DVD of your photos and files, to use on a
computer. You must have a CD or DVD writer installed in your computer to use the Burn Basket.
With the Burn Basket, you can organize, arrange, and store your photos and files until you are
ready to burn them to a disc. Depending on the disc format you choose, you can create your own
folders, use existing folders, or have the Burn Basket create the folder structure automatically.

If you want to create a CD of your photos to view on a TV, use the VCD wizard, which
creates a CD in the right format for a TV.

To create a CD or DVD:
1. To open the Burn Basket pane, do one of the following:
Click View | Burn Basket.
Click Create | Create CD or DVD.

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2. In the Burn Basket, select the device you want to use to create your disc from the Disc
Burner drop-down list in the toolbar. The options in this drop-down list depend on the
CD/DVD hardware you have on your computer.
3. From the Content Format drop-down list, select one of the following:
(The options in this drop-down list depend on the burner you select in step 2. and what
file formats it supports.)

Data Disc: creates a standard CD or DVD, on which you can create a folder
structure and store photos and files of any type to be used on a computer. Click the
Format Options button to specify whether you want to include any ACDSee
database information associated with your files.
HTML Slide Show: creates a CD or DVD with a slide show of any photos and media
files copied to the disc. The slide show is set to start whenever the disc is placed in
a CD or DVD drive on a computer in a browser. An HTML Slide Show disc cannot
contain multiple folders. Click the Format Options button to specify the options for
your slide show.
HighMAT Disc: creates a HighMAT CD containing a slide show of images that can
be viewed on a HighMAT-capable device. A HighMAT disc contains a graphical
interface to help viewers access your files, but may alter your files, or convert them
to a different format.
MPV Disc: creates an MPV CD containing a slide show of images that can be viewed
on an MPV-capable device. An MPV disc contains a graphical interface to help
viewers access your files, but may alter your files, or convert them to a different
format.
4. If you selected the Data Disc format, you can use the left side of the Burn Basket to
create a folder structure to organize the photos and files on the disc. To create a new
folder, right-click the name of a folder and select New Folder from the shortcut menu.
Type a name for the new folder and then press Enter.
5. You can also drag an existing folder into either pane in the Burn Basket. If you drag the
folder into the left pane, be sure your cursor is over the an existing folder in the folder
tree before you release the mouse button.
6. To add photos or other files to your disc, drag them from the File List pane to the Burn
Basket, or select the files you want to add and then click Edit | Add to Burn Basket.
You can use the buttons on the Burn Basket toolbar, as explained below, to adjust the
contents of the Burn Basket, or to save or load projects.
7. When you are ready to create your disc, click Burn.

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Burn Basket toolbar buttons

Format Opens the Format Options dialog box, where you can specify the
Options options for your selected format.

Add to Adds the currently selected files or folders to the Burn Basket.
Burn
Basket

Remove Removes the currently selected files or folders from the Burn Basket.
From Burn
Basket

Remove Clears the contents of the Burn Basket.

All

New Creates a new sub-folder.

Folder

Rename Renames the currently selected file or folder.

Save Saves the current contents and settings of the Burn Basket as a project
Project file you can edit later.

Load Opens a previously saved Burn Basket project.

Project

Creating video files and VCDs

You can use the new Create Video or VCD Wizard to generate a video file slide show of your
favorite photos and media files, or create a Video CD that you can watch on your TV.
(The VCD wizard creates a CD that is a different format from those created using the Burn
Basket. )

To create a video file or VCD:

1. Click Create | Create Video or VCD.
2. On the Welcome page, click one of the following:
Create Video Disc
Create Video File
3. Follow the instructions in the Wizard to create your slide show. For additional assistance
creating your video files or VCDs, click the Help button in the wizard.

Creating an HTML album

You can use the HTML Album Wizard to prepare photo collections for posting on the Internet. The
HTML album includes slide show controls and a thumbnail display. You can select from a list of
gallery style templates and then customize the gallery by adding your own logo as an image or
text to the header or footer. You can also change the fonts and colors used in the gallery.

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To create an HTML album:

1. In the File List pane, select the images you want to share.
2. Click Create | Create HTML Album.
3. On the Style Settings page of the Create HTML Album Wizard, select a Gallery Style
from the Web page styles box.

After you select a Gallery Style and other settings, you can click Preview Gallery to
see how those selections affect the appearance of your HTML album. You can also
generate your HTML album from any page in the HTML Album Wizard by clicking
Generate Album.
4. Click Next.
5. On the Gallery Customization page, do one or all of the following:
In the Gallery Title text box type the title that you want to display at the top of
the Web page.
Select Include header to display a header at the top of the Web page, or clear the
Include header checkbox to remove the header.
Select Include footer to display a footer at the bottom of the Web page, or clear
the Include footer checkbox to remove the footer.
6. If you want to display an image in the header or footer, select Use image and click
Browse and select a company logo, a photo of yourself, or another image to display in
the header.
7. If you want to display text in the header or footer, select Use information and click
Set Information and add enter the text that you would like to display.
8. In the Folder settings section, click Browse and select the folder where you would like
to save the HTML album files.
9. Click Next.
10. On the Thumbnail and Image page, do one or all of the following:
In the Thumbnail settings section, adjust the appearance and format of the
thumbnails in the album.
In the Image settings section, adjust the appearance and format of full size
images in the album.
In the Slideshow duration section, specify how long to display full size images
during a slideshow.
In the Color and font settings section, click Color and font, adjust the colors and
fonts used in the Web page, and then click OK.

Click Save Settings to save the settings that you select for specific Web page styles. If
you save the settings, you can quickly reapply them to a Web page style from the
Style Settings page of the Create HTML Album Wizard.

11. Click Next to create your HTML album. You may need to wait a few moments while
ACDSee generates the thumbnails and creates the Web page.

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12. Click Create Another Album to create another album, or click Finish to exit the wizard
and return to ACDSee.
You will need to use FTP or another method to post the HTML album files to your Web site.

Uploading images to photo Web sites

You can now upload your photos or images directly from ACDSee to sites like Flickr and
SmugMug. Of course, you do need an account before you can upload pictures to these sites. You
can create an account as part of the first upload process from ACDSee if you wish.

Authorizing
Before you can upload to a Web site, you need to authorize ACDSee with that Web site. Once
you have authorized ACDSee, you can quickly upload your photos without having to leave the
application. The authorize process may be slightly different for each service. To get help, read
the service Help file by clicking Help button in the service dialog box.

To read about a service:

Click one of the names in the Select a service to upload to box.

Information about that service displays in the right-hand box.

To upload images to a Web site:

1. In ACDSee, select the images you want to upload.
2. In the Browser, do one of the following:
On the menu bar, click File | Upload to.
On the toolbar, click Upload to.
Right-click and select Upload to.
3. In the Upload Manager dialog, click on the service you want to use, and then click Next.
4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to upload your images. Each service has different
steps.
5. If you need help, click the Help button. Each service has it's own help file, which you
open from inside its dialog box.

New Services
As new services become available, they will appear in the New Services Available box. New
services might include photo publishing and other online services. As soon as a new service is
available, it appears automatically in the New Services Available box. You can install and use
new services right away.

To install a new service:

1. When a new service appears in the New services available box, click the service, and
then click Install.
2. Follow the installation instructions as they appear.

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Creating a contact sheet

You can create contact sheets — thumbnail previews of your images arranged on pages — that
you can use to organize and share your images. You can use the Create Contact Sheet utility to
save your contact sheets in multiple image formats, and as HTML image maps. You can save
your options as a preset for future use.
The size of the thumbnails depends on how many columns and rows the contact sheet displays,
and how much space is displayed between them.

To create a contact sheet:

1. In the Browser, select the images you want to include, and then click Create | Create
Contact Sheet.
2. In the Contact sheet format area, set the Contact sheet format options.
3. In the Output Settings area, set the Output Settings options.
4. If desired, add or change the text on the page.
5. Click OK.

If you do not specify an output file path, the Create Contact Sheet utility places a file
named Contact Sheet.<ext> in your default image folder. For multiple-page contact
sheets, the utility adds a number to the file name; for example, Contact Sheet3.bmp.

Contact sheet format options

Thumbnail Size Specifies the number of columns and rows to create on
settings each page.

Spacing Specifies the amount of space between rows or columns. In

the Horizontal and Vertical spin boxes, type a value to
indicate the amount of space to display.

Frame Use Creates a frame around each thumbnail.

options thumbnail
frame

Margin Specifies the width of the frame.

Solid color Specifies the frame's color. Click the color picker to define
a color.

Tiled image Specifies an image to use as a frame. Click Browse to

locate the image you want to use.

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Thumbnail Colored Creates a drop shadow effect around each thumbnail. Click
options drop the color picker to define a color.
shadow

Colored Creates a fading frame effect around the image. Click the
edge fade color picker to define a color.

Colored Creates a matte effect around each thumbnail. Click the

matte color picker to define a color.

Beveled Creates a bevelled edge effect on each thumbnail. This

edges effect is not displayed in the Preview window.

Page Solid color Uses a solid color as a background for the page. Click the
background color picker to define a color.
options
Tiled image Uses a tiled image as the background for the page. Click
Browse to locate the picture you want to use.

See also...
Printing images in ACDSee

Creating archives of your files

You can use the Archive Creator plug-in to create archives of your images and media files.
Archive Creator supports multiple archive formats, and helps you manage your files using
compression, encryption, and password protection tools.

To create an archive:
1. In the File List pane, select a folder or group of files.
2. Click Create | Create Archive.
3. In the Create Archive dialog box, in the Options area, click the Archive Type drop-
down list and select the archive format you want to create.
4. Some archive formats have additional settings that you can adjust by clicking the
Settings button.
5. Do any of the following:
To include the contents of any subfolders you selected, select the Include
subfolders check box.
To include any hidden files in your archive, select the Include hidden files check
box.
To remove the selected files and folders from your hard drive once they have been
added to the archive, select the Delete files after archiving check box.
To protect the contents of your archive with a password, select the Password
Protect Archive check box, and type a password into the field beside it. Note that
not all archive types support passwords, and some formats require them.

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Type a path and file name into the Output File field, or click Browse to locate a
folder on your hard drive.
6. Select one of the following:
Add to existing archive: adds your files to an existing archive. This option is only
available if the archive specified in the Output File field already exists.
Overwrite existing archive: replaces any existing archive with the archive you
are creating. This option is only available if the archive specified in the Output File
field already exists.
7. When you are satisfied with your choices, click Create to begin archiving your files.

Extracting archived (.zip) files

You can extract archived (.zip) files very quickly and easily without leaving ACDSee. You can
either extract the files to a folder or simply double-click and view them.

To extract an archived file to a folder:

1. In the Browser, navigate to the folder containing the archived file, using the Folders
pane.
2. Click on the archived file in the File List to activate the Context-sensitive toolbar.

The Extract to Folder icon appears in the toolbar.

3. On the toolbar, click Extract to Folder.

4. In the Extract to Folder dialog, navigate to, and select the folder where you want to
keep the files.
5. To create a new folder, click Create Folder, type in the name of the folder and then
press Enter.
6. Use the Overwriting duplicate files drop-down list if you want to specify what do so
with files in the folder that have the same name as those you are extracting. You can
select any of the following:
Ask - to be asked what to so about each individual file.
Rename - duplicates are given a new name.
Replace - duplicate files are overwritten.
Skip - no duplicates are extracted.

To view files inside an archived file:

1. In the Browser, navigate to the folder containing the archived file, using the Folders
pane.
2. Double-click the archived file.
The archived file opens as if it were a folder in the File List.

3. Double-click on the archive folder.

Thumbnails of the contents of the archived file open in the file list.

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Publishing images to TiVo

You can use ACDSee to publish your images to your TiVo. To use the TiVo Publish Wizard, you
must have a TiVo box, and have installed the TiVo Publisher desktop software on your computer.
For more information, visit TiVo.com.

To publish your images to TiVo:

1. In the File List pane, select the images you want to share.
2. Click File | Publish to TiVo.
3. On the Welcome page of the TiVo Publish Wizard, select one of the following:
Publish to a New Album: creates a new album in your TiVo Desktop folder. Click
Next to give the new album a name.
Publish to an Existing Album: adds the selected images to an existing album in
your TiVo Desktop folder. Click Next to select an album from a list.
Publish to the Root of your Tivo: adds the images directly to your TiVo Desktop
folder.
4. Click Next to review your choices, and then click Next again to publish your images.

See also...
Sharing slide shows and screen savers

Creating a SendPix album

ACDSee includes SendPix, a free digital image sharing service. You can create albums of your
images to share with your friends and family. The albums you create are stored on ACD Systems‘
secure servers for 30 days. SendPix sends an e-mail to selected recipients who can then view
your albums using a standard Web browser — no special software is required.
You can also create a photo widget that you can host on your blog or Web site. The photo widget
is a scrollable gallery of your photos that a visitor can click on to go to the full album on Sendpix.

To share your images with SendPix:

1. In the File List pane, select the images you want to share.
2. Click File | SendPix Album.
3. Follow the instructions in the SendPix Image Sharing Wizard. For help with any of the
controls or features, click the Help button in the wizard.

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To create a Photo Widget:

1. For information on how to place a photo widget on your blog, click here.
2. If clicking the link does not work, copy and paste this URL into the Address field on your
browser :
http://www.sendpix.com/help_en/

Creating a PowerPoint presentation

You can create a PowerPoint presentation quickly from inside ACDSee using the Create PPT
Wizard. The wizard walks you through the process of creating or editing a presentation using
your photos. You can set slide duration, the location of the file, number of images per slide and
whether or not to use a design template as a background. You can also add captions, a title, or
notes to each slide.

To create a PowerPoint presentation:

1. In the File List pane, select the images you want to share.
2. Click Create | Create PPT.
3. On the Choose images page of the Create PPT Wizard, click Add if you want to add
more images.
4. Click Next.
5. On the Presentation Options page, do one or all of the following:
In the Presentation Options area, if this is a new presentation, set the duration
that you want each slide to display.
If you are editing a presentation, select Existing presentation to activate the
Path field, and browse to your presentation. Select whether you want to Insert
slides at the beginning or end of the presentation.
Select the Number of images per slide from the drop-down list. (If you select
more than one, the Tile and Notes options on the next page do not appear.)
Select Link to Image file if you want your images to stay linked to ACDSee rather
than be embedded in the presentation.

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Click Use a design template if you want to use a background template and
browse to the folder on your computer to select it. (PowerPoint templates are
usually under Microsoft Office|Templates|Presentation Designs.)
6. Click Next.
7. On the Text Options page, do one or all of the following:
On the Captions tab, type in a caption and select its background color and
alignment. You can also select a different font, or insert metadata like file name or
picture dimensions. Captions appear at the bottom of the slide
On the Title tab, type in a title for the slide and select its background color and
alignment. You can also select a different font, or insert metadata.
On the Notes tab, type in any notes that you want to appear in the Notes section
attached to each slide. These notes do not appear on the slide itself.
8. Click Create.
The presentation opens in PowerPoint where you can edit it like any other presentation.

Playing

Playing audio and video files

You can play audio and video files in many formats with the ACDSee Viewer. You can control
playback volume and appearance, select parts of a media file to play or save, and create an
image from a video frame.

To play audio or video files:

In the File List pane, do one of the following:

Double-click an audio or video file.

Select one or more files and press Enter.
Select one or more files, right-click a selected file, and then select View.
Use the Media toolbar to adjust the volume, stop, pause or restart the file playback,
and control the appearance of media files.

Automatically playing audio and video files

You can configure your settings to play audio and video files automatically, as soon as you open
them in the Viewer, or as you view them in the Browser's Preview pane.

To start playing media files automatically:

1. In the Browser or Viewer, click Tools | Options, and then click Preview.
2. Select the Autoplay audio or video clips check box.
3. Click OK.

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The Media toolbar

You can use the Viewer's Media toolbar to quickly access common media viewing and editing
tools.

Media toolbar buttons

Play Plays the media file or selection. Changes into the Pause button
when a media file or selection is playing.

Pause Pauses the media file or selection.

Stop Stops playback of the media file or selection.

Selection and media controls toolbar buttons

Show Toggles between showing and hiding the selection handles.
Selection

Play Plays only the selected portion of the media file.

Selection

Save As Opens a dialog you can use to save the video with a new file
name.

Extract Opens a menu you can use to copy, save, and extract video
Frames frames.

Loop Continuously plays the media file or selection.

Rotate Rotates a video clockwise in 90-degree increments.

Auto Automatically adjusts the color and light levels in a video.

Levels
Effect

Gamma Opens the Gamma dialog box, which you can use to adjust the
Effect gamma of a video. Higher values brighten the video, while lower
values darken it. To reset the gamma level, click Default.

See also...
Creating video files and VCDs

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Selecting part of a media file

You can select a segment of an audio or video file and play it.

To select part of an audio or video file:

1. Click the Show Selection button.
2. Move the selection handles to specify the beginning and end of the selection.
3. To play the selection, click the Play Selection button.

Saving video frames as images

You can extract an individual frame from a video and save it as a still image, or extract multiple
frames and save each one as a single image.

To extract and save a single video frame as an image:

1. Do one of the following:
While the video is playing, click the Pause button at the frame you want to save.
On the progress slider, move the pointer to display the frame you want to save.
2. On the Selection and media controls toolbar, click the Extract Frames button and
select Extract Current Frame.
3. In the Extract Current Frame dialog box, select a folder in which to save your file.
4. In the File name field, type a file name.
5. Click the Save as type drop-down list and select a file format. You can click the
Options button to select or change any options associated with the file format.
6. Click Save.

To extract and save multiple video frames as images:

1. Select part of the video.
2. On the Selection and media controls toolbar, click the Extract Frames button, and then
select one of the following options:
Extract Selected Frames: extracts all the video frames contained in the selected
portion of the video file.
Extract All Frames: extracts all of the video frames in the video file.
3. In the Extracting Frames dialog box, click the Browse button, and then select the folder
where you want to save your files.
4. In the Filename Template field, type a filename template to use when saving the
images. Type a number sign (#) to insert a sequential number.
5. Click the Format drop-down list and select a file format. You can click the Options
button to select or change any options associated with the file format.
6. Click OK.

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Adding or editing image audio

ACDSee supports images with embedded audio and images with associated audio files.
Images with embedded audio are TIFF or JPEG images with audio saved inside the image file.
You can embed audio inside an image file by adding audio to the image.
Images with associated audio are image files paired with separate WAV audio files. Image files
and their associated audio files contain the same file name and are located in the same folder.
You can associate any WAV file with an image file by giving them the same name and placing
them in the same folder, or by adding audio to the image.

If you move or rename either an image file or the audio file associated with it, both
files must be renamed and in the same folder or they will no longer be associated.
This does not apply to images with embedded audio.

To add audio to an image:

1. Do one of the following:
Select an image in the Browser.
Open an image in the Viewer.
2. From the Tools menu, select Image Audio | Edit.
3. In the Edit Audio dialog box, click the Browse button.
4. Select a WAV file and click Save.
5. If you would like to truncate or clip the audio file, select the Use markers check box,
and drag the Start marker and End marker sliders. Do one of the following.
6. Click the Truncate button to remove the beginning and end of the audio file (the
sections outside of the start and end markers).
7. Click the Clip button to remove the section of the audio file inside the start and end
markers.
8. To hear a preview of the file, click the Play button.
9. Click OK.

Recording audio to an image

You can record your own audio files and add them to your images. When you add audio to a JPG
or TIFF image, the audio is embedded in the image. With other file formats, the audio file is
associated with the image; the audio file is saved in the same folder and is played when the
image is viewed.

To record and add an audio file to an image:

1. Do one of the following:
Select an image in the Browser.
Open an image in the Viewer.
2. From the Tools menu, select Image Audio | Edit.

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3. In the Edit Audio dialog box, select or change the Record sound settings options as
described below.
4. Click Record and do one of the following:
Use a microphone and record a sound.
Play audio from an audio player on your computer.
Click Record to stop the recording.
Click Save As to save the audio file.
In the Save Sound File dialog box, type a name in the File name field, and then
click Save.
5. Click OK.

Record sound settings options

Capture device Specifies which of your computer's devices you want to record the
audio.

Input format Determines which sample rate and audio type are used to record the
sound. The formats displayed depend on the sound card you have
installed on your computer.

Overwrite Replaces the recorded audio from the Start marker slider location.

Mix Combines the recording with the existing audio file.

Insert using Inserts the recording at the start marker location. Drag the Start
start marker marker slider to select a position.

Append to Adds the recording to the existing audio file.

sound file

Replace sound Replaces the entire audio file with the new recording.
file

See also...
Creating video files and VCDs
Supported file formats

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Printing images in ACDSee

With the ACDSee print utility, you can print your images on any size of paper, in any orientation,
and at any resolution your printer can support. You can also use the print utility to create and
print contact sheets, complete with headers, footers, and captions specific to each image.
As you change the options in the Print dialog box, you can view a dynamically updated preview
of the image and its position on the page. You can adjust the output size, print multiple copies of
each image, and change the orientation of the images on each page.

To print your images:

1. Select the image or images you want to print.
2. Click File | Print.
3. Under Print layout, do one of the following:
Select Full page and then choose a print size from the Format list.
Select Contact sheet and then set the Contact sheet format options to define
the appearance of your contact sheet.
Select Layout and then choose from one of the available layout options.
4. On the Printer Options tab, specify the printer you want to use, the paper size, the
number of copies you want, the range of pages that you want to print, and image
resolution.
5. On the Page Settings tab, specify the image position on the paper and the margin
widths.
6. Specify the number of prints of each photo. If you are printing a Full page or a
Contact sheet this option is available on the Page Settings tab. If you are printing a
Layout this option is available below the list of layouts.
7. Add captions, headers, or footers. You can only add captions, headers, or footers if you
are printing a Full page or a Contact sheet.
8. Click Print.

See also...
Creating custom print layouts

Setting printer options

When printing your images with ACDSee, you can specify which printer you want to use, and set
the printer options.

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Printer options
Printer Specifies the printer you want to use. Select a printer from the drop-
down list and click the Properties button to set its options. Refer to the
printer manufacturer's Help file or manual for more information.

Paper size Specifies the size of the paper, e.g. Letter, Legal, A4.

Orientation Specifies Portrait or Landscape page orientation.

Copies Specifies the number of copies you want to print.

Print range Select one of the following options:

All: prints all of the pages in the document.
Pages from: prints a range of pages. Specify the first and last
pages of the range in the fields.

Resolution Specifies a resolution in pixels-per-inch (PPI) for the image. The higher
the value, the more dots per inch, and the higher the resolution of the
printed image. For example, 600 PPI is 360,000 (600 x 600) pixels per
square inch.

Filter Specifies the resampling filter to use when printing images. Click the
drop-down list and select one of the following:
Box: displays considerable tiling or jaggies when you resize an
image.
Triangle: produces good results for image reduction and
enlargement, but displays sharp transition lines.
Bicubic: produces good results with photo-realistic images and
with images that are irregular or complex. Uses interpolation to
minimize the raggedness normally associated with image
expansion.
Bell: smoothes the image.
B-Spline: produces smooth transitions, but may cause
excessive blurring.
Lanczos: produces the sharpest images, but may also
introduce some ringing artifacts.
Mitchell: produces smooth transitions when enlarging photo-
realistic images. This filter is good compromise between the
ringing effect of Lanczos and the blurring effect of other filters.

Use gamma Applies gamma correction to the printed images. Type a number from
correction 0.10 to 3.00 in the Gamma value field to adjust the gamma of the
image. Higher values make the image appear brighter, while lower
values make the image appear darker.

Use EXIF 2.2 Your camera may capture EXIF information that, when shared with your
printing when printer, will optimize printing results. Select this option if your camera
available and printer support EXIF 2.2 printing.

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Setting image size and positioning

You can use the Page Settings options in the Print dialog box to adjust and control the size of the
images you are printing, and the positioning of images on each page.

Page Settings options

Page position Specifies where to place the image on each page.

Margins Specifies the size of the margins. Type a value or click the arrows in the
Top, Bottom, Left, and Right spin boxes.

Number of Specifies how many copies of each image to print. The print utility adds
prints per pages as required.
image

Automaticall Specifies whether you want the print utility to determine automatically
y rotate which orientation to use for each image. If you select the check box, the
picture based print utility changes each page's orientation to best suit the image you are
on print printing.
format

Maintain Specifies whether you want the print utility to maintain the original image's
aspect ratio aspect ratio. Select one of the following options to indicate how the print
utility should handle the aspect ratio for oversized images:
Crop image to fit print format: prints only the part of the
image that fits within the print format.
Shrink image to fit print format: prints the entire image,
reduced to fit inside the print format.

Adding text to pages

You can add headers and footers to pages, and captions beneath your images.

To add captions to your printed images:

1. In the Print utility, click the Caption tab.
2. Select Use caption text.
3. Click Font to open the Font dialog box and set the font options.
4. In the text field, type the text you want the caption to display.
5. Click Insert Metadata to insert file-specific information into the caption for each
image.
6. In the Text alignment drop-down list, select the caption positioning.
7. To set the maximum number of text lines for each caption to display, select the
Number of lines check box, and then specify a number in the field.

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To add headers and footers to your printed pages:

1. Do one of the following:
Click the Header tab and select Use header text.
Click the Footer tab and select Use footer text.
Click Font to open the Font dialog box and set the font options.
2. In the text field, type the text you want the caption to display.
3. To insert the current page number or the total number of pages into the text, click
Insert Page Number, and then select an option from the menu.
4. In the Text alignment drop-down list, select the header or footer positioning.
5. To set a maximum number of text lines, select the Number of lines check box, and
then specify a number in the field.

Setting contact sheet printing options

The Contact sheet format area of the print utility contains settings you can adjust to control the
appearance, layout, and size of your thumbnails. If you saved your format options as a preset
you can select the preset.

Contact sheet format options

Thumbnail Size Specifies the number of columns and rows to create on
settings each page.

Spacing Specifies the amount of space between rows or columns.

In the Horizontal and Vertical spin boxes, type a
number to indicate the amount of space to display.

Frame Use Creates a frame around each thumbnail.

options thumbnail
frame

Margin Specifies the width of the frame.

Solid color Specifies the frame's color. Click the color picker to define
a color.

Tiled image Specifies an image to use as a frame. Click Browse to

locate the image you want to use.

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Thumbnail Colored Creates a drop shadow effect around each thumbnail.

options drop Click the color picker to define a color.
shadow

Colored Creates a fading frame effect around the image. Click the
edge fade color picker to define a color.

Colored Creates a matte effect around each thumbnail. Click the

matte color picker to define a color.

Beveled Creates a beveled edge effect on each thumbnail. This

edges effect is not displayed in the Preview window.

Page Solid color Prints a solid color as a background for the page. Click the
background color picker to define a color.
options
Tiled image Prints a tiled image as the background for the page. Click
Browse to locate the picture you want to use.

Creating custom print layouts

You can create your own custom print layouts and store them as print options.

To create a custom print format:

1. In the Print dialog box, select Full page.
2. In the Print format area, click Add.
3. In the Add Custom Format dialog box, select a measurement unit from the
Measurement units drop-down list.
4. Enter the dimensions for the new format in the Format width and Format height
fields.
5. Click Add.

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Setting options

Setting the General options

You can adjust settings in the ACDSee Options dialog box to customize ACDSee's InTouch and
update connections, display helpful tips, set date displays, and control the display of certain
image types.

To access the General options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click General.
3. On the General options page, set or change any of the options described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

General options
Enable gamma Applies the specified amount of gamma correction when viewing
correction or previewing images.

Show Get Photos Displays the Welcome page in the Get Photos Wizard each time
Wizard welcome step you start it.

Automatically check for Automatically checks for program updates.

updates

Show screen capture Displays the Help Tips dialog box when using the screen capture
help tips tool.

Automatically stretch Stretches small images to fit the entire desktop when you set
wallpaper to fit screen them as your wallpaper.

Disable image Displays only the first frame of an animated image in the
animation Browser's Preview pane and in the Viewer.

Automatically rotate Automatically corrects the orientation of TIFF and JPEG images
JPEG and TIFF images (based on their EXIF data) when displayed in ACDSee.
based on EXIF
orientation

Status bar date Specifies the date to display in the status bar for a selected file.

Default system format Uses the default system format when displaying the date and
time in information overlays.

Custom format Uses the specified format to display the date and time in all
information overlays. Select a format for both Date and Time
from the drop-down lists.

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Setting Browser options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to set various options for the Browser, including the
default start folder and color scheme.

To set the Browser options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Browser.
3. On the Browser page, set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Browser options
Default start Folder (and all Opens the Browser in the same folder that was
folder browsing open the last time you used ACDSee, and
criteria) from automatically applies any browsing criteria you
previous session were using.

Specific folder Always opens the Browser to the specified folder.

Click the Browse button to locate a starting folder
on your hard drive.

Taskbar Show icon in Displays the ACDSee icon in the Taskbar

Notification Taskbar Notification area.
area Notification area

Continue Continues to run ACDSee in the background after

running in you exit the application. You can restart ACDSee
Taskbar by clicking the icon in the Taskbar Notification
Notification area area.
on exit

Start ACDSee Starts ACDSee automatically when you turn on

when the system your computer.
boots

Browser Specifies the color scheme to use in the Browser. Dark is selected by
display default.
scheme

Clear path Clears the list of recently-accessed folders whenever you exit ACDSee.
history on exit

Show full path Displays the full path of an image in the ACDSee title bar.
in title bar

Error Select this option if you do not want to see a system error report if there
Reporting is an error in ACDSee.

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Setting the Quick Search options

You can use the Quick Search options to refine your search by specifying which file properties or
database information you want to search.

To set Quick Search options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Quick Search.
3. On the Quick Search page, set or change any of the Quick Search options described
below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Quick Search options

Include file names Searches for file and folder names that begin with the search
term.

Include categories Searches for categories that match the search term, and returns
any files assigned to those categories. Subcategories are not
included.

Include contents of Searches for folder names that begin with the search term and
folders returns the contents of those folders. Subfolders are not
included.

Setting File List pane options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to set options for the File List pane to suit your
preferences, such as grouping archive files with subfolders, or highlighting image types with
different background colors. You can also customize your thumbnails, the file types ACDSee
displays, and adjust how ACDSee handles files and thumbnails in the File List pane.

To adjust the File List pane options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click File List.
3. On the File List page, set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

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File List options

File Automatically select Automatically selects new files when they are added to
List new files the folder displayed in the File List pane.

Group archives with Treats archive files as folders when sorting items in
folders the File List pane.

Use embedded JPEG Displays the RAW files embedded thumbnail if the RAW
thumbnails file has them.

Generate high quality Creates a a high-quality thumbnail of the RAW file in

thumbnails the background while the embedded thumbnail is
displayed, then replaces the poorer quality thumbnail
once it is ready.

Show thumbnails on Displays thumbnails of a folder's contents on the folder

folders icon in the File List pane.

Remember each folder's Select this option if you want ACDSee to remember the
sort settings sort settings that you used in specific folders.

<Ctrl> key activates Activates hot-tracking when holding the Ctrl key.
hot-tracking When selected, you can hot-track (update the contents
of the Preview and Properties panes without changing
your file selection) by holding the CTRL key and
moving your mouse pointer over the File List pane.

Use Animations Activates or deactivates animation for some features

as they close or open. For example, group headers.

Show the Windows Displays the default Windows Explorer shortcut menu
Explorer shell context instead of the ACDSee shortcut menu.
menu as the default
right-click menu

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Configure Show all files Shows image files, folders, media files and archive
Filters files in the File List.

Apply filtering Shows any of the following that you select, and does
criteria not show any that are not selected.
Show image files
Show folders
Show media files
Show archive files

Show hidden files Shows system and other files and that are normally
and filters hidden for safety.

Show THM files Shows Canon THM files in the File Fist.

Show XMP files Shows XMP sidecar files in the File List

Highlight Don't highlight Does not highlight image files in Details and
image files image files Thumbs+Details view modes.

Use a single color Uses a single color to highlight all image file types in
to highlight image Details and Thumbs+Details view modes.
files

Use multiple colors Uses a different color to highlight each image type in
to highlight image Details and Thumbs+Details view modes.
files

Pop-ups Mouse cursor Activates or deactivates the animated pop-up

hover, activates preview that displays when you hover over
pop-ups thumbnails in the File List.
Settings below allow you to include text and/or an
image in the pop-up, or if you turn this option off, to
activate the pop-up only when you hold down the
Shift key.

<Shift> key Activates the pop-up only if you hold down the Shift
activates pop-ups key while hovering over a thumbnail in the File List.
You can turn this option off if it interferes with Shift
selection.

Auto hide pop-ups Hides pop-ups after 5 seconds, even if you are still
hovering over the image.

Show thumbnail in Shows a pop-up preview of images in the File List

pop-ups when you hover over them with a mouse

Show file Includes text file information in the mouse-over pop-

information in pop- up. You can select the information to display by
ups clicking Configure Pop-ups and clicking on the type
of information.

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Configure Opens the Choose Pop-up Information dialog where you can select what
Pop-ups information to display in the pop-up when you hover over a thumbnail in the
File List. The default is file name, location, size, modified date, and image
dimension but you can select other database, EXIF, file, image, IPTC, or
multimedia attributes.

Setting the Thumbnail Info options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to change what information to display with
thumbnails of images in the File List pane. These options are set under File List | Thumbnail
Info.

To adjust the Thumbnail Info options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click File List | Thumbnail Info.
3. On the Thumbnail Info page, set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Thumbnail Display options

Informati File name Displays the name of each file on the thumbnail in the File
on List pane.

Choose Opens a dialog box where you can select the information to
Thumbnail display on each thumbnail in the File List pane.
Info

Choose Tiles Opens a dialog box where you can select the information to
Info display on each tile in Tiles view mode.

Overlay Sound Displays a sound overlay icon on thumbnails if the image

icons contains embedded or associated audio.

Rating Displays a rating overlay icon on thumbnails if the file has

been rated in the ACDSee database.

Database Displays a database overlay icon on thumbnails if the file

information has information stored in the ACDSee database.

Icon Displays a file format overlay icon on thumbnails in the File

List pane.

Category Displays a category overlay icon on thumbnails if the file

has been categorized.

Shortcut Displays a shortcut overlay icon on thumbnails if the item

is a shortcut to another file.

Offline Displays an offline overlay icon on thumbnails if the file is

stored on an offline device.

Excluded items Displays an excluded file icon on thumbnails if the file is

excluded from the ACDSee database.

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Tagged items Displays a tagging overlay icon on thumbnails. If the file is

tagged, a checkmark displays in the icon.

Untagged If selected, an empty tagging overlay icon displays on the

items thumbnails of untagged images.

Auto-rotate Displays an auto-rotate overlay icon on thumbnails if the

file was automatically rotated.

Setting the Thumbnail Style options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to change how the thumbnails of images display in
the File List pane. These options are set under File List | Thumbnail Style.

To adjust the Thumbnail Style options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click File List | Thumbnail Style.
3. On the Thumbnail Info page, set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Thumbnail Style Options

Thumbnail Show Displays a white frame around each thumbnail.
frame frame

Show drop Shows thumbnails with a 3D drop shadow.

shadow

Show slide Displays a shaded background behind the thumbnail and

backgroun its information.
d

Show slide Displays a thin black border around the outer edge of the
border thumbnail.

Folder style XP style Displays folders as an XP-style image

folder

3D style Displays folders as a 3D folder with transparency.

folder

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Thumbnail Custom Specifies a custom height-to-width ratio for the shape of

ratio the thumbnails in the File List pane. Drag the slider under
the preview to set the ratio. The preview shows you the
shape as you move the slider.

Portrait Specifies a standard 3:4 portrait ratio for the shape of the
thumbnails in the File List pane.

Landscape Specifies a standard 4:3 landscape ratio for the shape of

the thumbnails in the File List pane.

Thumbnail Slider Increases or decreases the space between each

spacing thumbnail.

High- Uses high-quality thumbnail scaling in the File List pane.

quality
scaling

Setting the Details View options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to change how thumbnails display in the File List
pane.

To adjust the Details View options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click File List | Details View.
3. On the Details View page, set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

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Details View options

Show grid Separates each row and column in Details view mode with a grid line.
lines

Full row Selects the entire row when you click a column entry in that row.
select

Column Automatically resizes each column to fit its contents.

auto-
width

Highlight Highlights the column used to sort files when you click on the column's
sort title.
column

Choose Specifies the columns you want to use to sort files in Details view mode.
Details

Setting the Preview pane options

You can specify how ACDSee displays previews of your images, and configure settings to play
audio and video files automatically, as soon as you view them in the Preview pane.

To set the Preview options:

1. Do one of the following:
2. Click Tools | Options then select Preview.
3. Right-click in the Preview pane and select Preview Options.
4. On the Preview options page, set or change the options as described below.
5. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Preview options
Delay Specifies how quickly the Preview pane displays an image after you select it
in the File List pane.

Size Specifies the size of the previewed image in relation to the selected image.

Preview Previews media files as you select them in the File List pane.
audio and
video clips

Autoplay Automatically starts playing audio and video files in the Preview pane.
audio and
video clips

Instant Displays an instant preview that improves in quality as the image is

image decoded.
preview

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Show Select this option if you want to display information below the image in the
preview info Preview pane. Click the Choose Preview Info button to select the
information that you want to display. You can also turn this option on and
off by right-clicking the Preview pane and selecting, or clearing, Show
Preview Info.

Choose Specifies the details you want to display below the preview image in the
Preview Preview pane.
Info

Setting the Folders pane options

You can customize the ACDSee Folders pane by showing or hiding the Easy-Select bar, displaying
archives, and identifying excluded folders.

To customize the Folders pane:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Folders.
3. On the Folders page, set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Folders pane options

Easy- Show Easy- Displays the Easy-Select bar in the Folders pane, which
Select Select you can use to select multiple folders.

Enable Easy- Displays a tool-tip when you place your mouse pointer over
Select tooltip the Easy-Select bar.

Folder Show archives Lists archive files in the Folders pane.

display in Folder Pane

Confirm drag- Prompts you for confirmation of folder movements within

and-drop move the Folders pane.
within folder
views

Show overlay Displays an overlay icon on folders that are excluded from
for excluded the ACDSee database.
folders

Setting the Organize pane options

You can customize the Organize pane to specify which confirmations you want to be prompted
for while working with categories, and choose whether to show the Easy-Select bar.

To set the Organize pane options:

1. Click Tools | Options, and then click Organize.
2. On the Organize page, set or change the options as described below.

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3. When you are satisfied with your changes, click OK

Organize options
Category Confirm if Prompts you for confirmation when deleting a category
deletion category has with assigned files.
assigned files

Confirm if Prompts you for confirmation when deleting a category

category has containing sub-categories.
sub-categories

File removal Confirm file Prompts you for confirmation when unassigning files
removal from from a category.
category

Easy-select Show Easy- Displays an Easy-Select bar in the Organize pane,

Select which you can use to select multiple categories, special
items, and ratings.

Enable Easy- Displays a tool-tip when you place your mouse pointer
Select tooltip over the Easy-Select bar.

Setting the Calendar pane options

You can customize the ACDSee Calendar to start each week on a specific day, to use a 12- or 24-
hour clock format, and to use one of four date types when sorting files.

To set the Calendar pane options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Calendar.
3. On the Calendar options page, set or change any of the options described below.
4. Click OK to accept your changes and return to ACDSee.

Calendar pane options

Date types Database date Sorts files in the Calendar pane based on the date
stored in the ACDSee database.

Metadata (Exif) Sorts files in the Calendar pane based on the EXIF
date date of each item.

File modified Sorts files in the Calendar pane based on the last-
date modified date of each item.

File created Sorts files in the Calendar pane based on the date
date each file was created on your computer.

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Filters Apply file list Filters the items displayed in the Calendar pane based
filters on the current File List pane filter settings.

Show image Displays only image, audio, and video files in the
and media files Calendar pane.
only

Start of Specifies the first day of each week in the Calendar pane.
week

Clock 12 hour Uses a 12-hour clock in the Calendar pane.

formats
24 hour Uses a 24-hour clock in the Calendar pane.

Setting the CD/DVD Management options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to change the folder where Burn Basket files are
stored and to set the preferred method for identifying Photo Discs.

To change the Burn Basket options:

1. In the Browser, click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click CD/DVD Management.
3. On the CD/DVD Management page, in the Burn Basket options area, clear Show Burn
Basket Wizard welcome step if you do not want to display the welcome page of the
Burn Basket Wizard.
4. On the CD/DVD Management page, in the Burn Basket options area, change the folder
where Burn Basket files are stored by clicking Browse, selecting or creating a new
folder, and clicking OK.
5. Click OK to apply your changes and return to the Browser.

To change the Photo Disc identification method:

1. In the Browser, click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click CD/DVD Management.
3. On the CD/DVD Management page, in the Photo Disc Identification options area, select
one of the following:
Use disc volume label: attempts to identify a Photo Disc by its volume label. This
setting is recommended if you are working with multi-session Photo Discs.
Use disc serial number: attempts to identify a Photo Disc by its serial number.
This setting is preferred when working with single-session Photo Discs, or importing
or converting Photo Discs from a previous version of ACDSee.
4. Click OK to apply your changes and return to the Browser.

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Setting the Properties Pane options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to add a custom tab to the Properties pane.

To add a custom tab to the Properties pane:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Properties Pane.
3. On the Properties Pane page, select Show Custom Property Tab.
4. In the Options area, type a name for the custom tab.
5. Select the file properties that you want to display on the custom tab by clicking Choose
Display Information, selecting the file properties, and clicking OK.
6. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Setting File Management options

You can specify how ACDSee handles renaming and deleting files and folders, and whether
ACDSee sends deleted files to the desktop Recycle Bin by default.

To set the File Management options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click File Management.
3. On the File Management page, set or change any of the options as described below.
4. Click OK to accept your changes and return to ACDSee.

File Management options

Confirmations Confirm Prompts you for confirmation when deleting folders.
folder delete

Confirm file Prompts you for confirmation when deleting files.

delete

Confirm read- Prompts you for confirmation when renaming or

only rename deleting read-only items.
and delete

Overwriting Ask Prompts you for confirmation when overwriting

duplicate files duplicate files.

Rename Automatically resolves any naming conflicts when

moving or copying files by renaming the source files.
In the Separator character field, type a character to
use to separate file names in the automatic renaming
system.

Replace Automatically overwrites files in the target folder

without prompting for confirmation.

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Skip Does not move, copy, or overwrite any files that result
in naming conflicts.

Other Click to edit Specifies that file names can be edited by clicking the
file name file name in the File List pane.

Use Recycle Sends files to the Desktop Recycle Bin. If not selected,
Bin deleted files are permanently removed from your hard
drive.

Setting the Color Management options

ACDSee Pro 2's color management options help reduce color matching problems between
devices, such as your computer, your monitor, printers, and scanners. You can set the color
management options to use specific color profiles for each of your devices.
Before changing the color management settings, make sure you have accurate color profiles for
each of the devices that you plan to use. You can obtain color profiles from device manufacturers
if the profiles were not included in the device's software, or from the professional printers.

Color management can be a complex process. If you are not familiar with color
management systems, it is recommended that you accept the default color management
settings in ACDSee.

Color Management options

Enable Enable Color Activates the color management system in ACDSee and
Management the fields in this dialog box.

Apply to thumbnails Activates color management for thumbnails and

and preview preview images in the Browser. If this option is not
selected, thumbnails and previews have a different
color space from the image.

Default to sRGB Click to change all Input and Output options to use the
sRGB color space profile. The sRGB color space is the
most common color space for monitors.

Input Default Input Specifies the default color profile to use in ACDSee. If
Profile selected, this profile is applied to all images, unless the
Use embedded profiles when found in image files is
selected, when the embedded file is used if one exists.

Show Profile Details Displays the details for all color profiles currently stored
on your computer. Scroll down to find the profile for a
specific color space, such as sRGB.

Use embedded Uses any embedded color profiles if they are found in
profiles when found image files. If an image does not have an embedded
in image files profile, the Default Input Profile is used.

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Output Basic color Select this option if you want to select different profiles
management for your monitor and printer. Select an appropriate
profile from the Monitor Profile and Printer Profile
options.

Proof colors on Select this option if you want your monitor and printer
your monitor so simulate other devices for proofing. You can choose
and/or printer as your printer profile to be the emulated device and then
they would look on preview what the output from your printer would look
another device like on your monitor (soft proofing). You can also set
the emulated device to the profile of a third-party
printer that you do not have available, so that you can
proof the result on your own printer (hard proofing).
Select an appropriate profile from the Monitor Profile,
Printer Profile, and Emulated Device Profile.

Monitor Profile Specifies the color profile to use with your monitor.

Printer Profile Specifies the color profile to use with your printer.

Emulated Device Specifies the color profile of the device you want your
Profile monitor or printer to emulate so that you can proof the
image using the correct color profile.

Rendering Intent Specifies the rendering intent for output devices. The
default value for basic output devices is Perceptual. If
the selected color profiles have embedded rendering
instructions, ACDSee will use those rendering
instructions rather than using what you selected from
the Rendering Intent drop-down list. Some profiles
ignore rendering intents, so outcomes may vary.

Setting file options for the Adjust Image Exposure tool

You can change the settings in the Adjust Image Exposure tool's Options dialog box to control
where ACDSee places modified images, how to handle file duplication conflicts, and specify
whether you want to preserve the last-modified date of the file.

Adjust Image Exposrue options

File options Specifies where to place the new images. Select one of the following
options:
Remove/replace original files: overwrites the original file
with the new image.
Rename modified images and place in source folder: adds
identifying labels to the image names and places them in the
same folder as the originals.
Place modified images in the following folder: places the
converted image in a folder that you can specify. Click the
Browse button and select a folder.

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Overwrite Determines how ACDSee should handle overwriting files. Select one of
existing files the following options from the drop-down list:
Ask: prompts you when overwriting a file.
Skip: cancels the operation if there is a file with the same file
name and extension.
Replace: overwrites the file.
Rename: prompts you to rename the file.

Preserve last- Retains the date and time properties of the file.
modified dates

Auto-close Automatically closes the dialog box after all images have been
progress dialog adjusted.
if all operations
succeed

Save current Stores the current settings and applies them the next time you use the
settings as Adjust Image Exposure Wizard.
default

See also...
Adjusting exposure for multiple images

Setting the Database options

You can adjust settings in the ACDSee Options dialog box to display reminders, control database
information, and specify a location on your hard drive where you want to store your database
files and cached thumbnails.

To set the database options:

1. Click Tools | Options, and then click Database.
2. On the Database page, set or change the options as described below.
3. Click OK to apply your changes and return to ACDSee.

Database options
Database location Specifies the location on your hard drive to store the ACDSee
database. Click the Browse button to locate a folder.

Display backup Automatically reminds you to back up your ACDSee database. Click the
reminder Every drop-down list and select how often you would like to be
reminded.

Excluded Folders Opens the Excluded Folders List dialog box, where you can specify
which folders you want to exclude from the ACDSee database.

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Set database date Automatically adds the date of files to the ACDSee database when you
catalog the contents of a folder. Select one of the following to specify
which date you want to store as the database date:
Exif date
File modified date
Specific date (Select the date you want to use in the drop-
down list.)

Import Exif and Automatically imports Exif and IPTC information into the ACDSee
IPTC metadata database whenever you catalog the contents of a folder.
from cataloged If this option if not selected, ACDSee will not import the Exif and IPTC
files information, but will still set aside space within the database records.
To remove the empty records, be sure to optimize your database
frequently.

Show separator Displays the IPTC Keywords dialog box when a separator conflict
conflict dialog for occurs. You can specify a method of handling conflicts within the dialog
IPTC keywords and elect not to display it again. Select this option to change or adjust
those settings the next time a separator conflict occurs.

Show separator Displays the IPTC Supplemental Categories dialog box when a
conflict dialog for separator conflict occurs. You can specify a method of handling
IPTC conflicts within the dialog and elect not to display it again. Select this
supplemental option to change or adjust those settings the next time a separator
categories conflict occurs.

Setting Viewer options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to adjust the behavior of the Viewer to suit your
preferences, and increase the speed with which images are displayed.

To set the Viewer options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Viewer.
3. On the Viewer options page, set or change any of the Viewer options described below.
4. Click OK to accept your changes and return to ACDSee.

Viewer options
Decoding and Decode next image Automatically decodes the next image in
caching in advance sequence in the Viewer, resulting in shorter
load times.

Keep previous Keeps the previously decoded image in

image in memory memory for quick display in the Viewer.

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Startup files Replace images in Does not open a new Viewer window if an
list image is opened from another application.

Images in new Opens a new Viewer window to display

window images opened from another application.

Resampling Bicubic Resamples images in the Viewer to minimize

algorithm the raggedness normally associated with
image expansion.

Bilinear Resamples images in the Viewer to produce

smooth transitions, but may cause excessive
blurring.

Nearest neighbor Does not apply resampling to images

displayed in the Viewer.

Dropped files Replaces images in Replaces the list of images open in the Viewer
list with images dropped into the Viewer from
another application.

Add images to list Adds any images dropped into the Viewer by
another application to the list of images
already open.

Always on top Keeps the Viewer as the top window in a stack of windows.

Full-screen Opens images in the Viewer in full-screen mode.

Hide mouse Hides the mouse pointer in full-screen mode.

cursor in full-
screen

Instant image Displays an instant preview in the Viewer that improves in quality as the
preview image is decoded.

Exit after Automatically returns to the Browser after moving or deleting an image
delete/move in the Viewer.

View all images Adds all images in a folder to the current image list when viewing any
in folder file from that folder.

Show full image Displays the image's full file path in the Viewer title and status bars.
file path

Setting the Viewer Display options

You can use the ACDSee Options dialog box to change the Viewer window's size and background,
and specify how it zooms images.

To set the Viewer Display options:

1. Click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click Viewer | Display.
3. On the Display options page, set or change the Viewer display options described below.

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4. Click OK to accept your changes and return to ACDSee.

Display options
Window size Change window Automatically resizes the Viewer window to fit
size to fit image the displayed image.

Center window on Automatically centers the Viewer window on

screen the screen.

Fix window size Sizes the Viewer window based on the Zoom
Options settings.

Save window Saves the position and size of the Viewer

position window when moved or resized.

Background Default color Uses the default ACDSee color for the
background in the Viewer window.

Custom color Specifies a color to use as the background in

the Viewer window.

Tiled image Uses a tiled image as the background for the

Viewer window. Click Browse to locate an
image on your hard drive.

Zoom options Default zoom mode Specifies the default zoom level for images in
the Viewer.

Reset zoom mode Resets the zoom mode to the selected default
to default on every when the displayed image changes.
image change

Resize Resizes the image based on the selected

option. For more information about how these
choices affect the Viewer, see Automatically
shrinking or enlarging images.

Setting RAW Image Preview options

When you process RAW files using the RAW Processing tool, ACDSee saves the processing
settings to the database. By default, ACDSee also saves a preview of the processed photo with
those settings, to a cache on your computer's hard disk. The preview photo is useful because the
Viewer can open it very quickly. If you have a lot of photos, the previews can take up a lot of
space. You may want to use the RAW Image Preview options to limit the amount of space that
the cache uses on your computer's hard disk, to empty the cache, or to turn off the RAW Image
Preview option.

To change the RAW Image Preview options:

1. In the Browser, click Tools | Options.
2. In the Options dialog box, click RAW Image Preview.
3. On the RAW Image Preview page, select Use RAW Image Preview to use previews of
RAW images.

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4. If you select this option, it activates the other options on the page.
5. To change the folder where preview files are stored, click Browse, select or create a
different folder, and then click OK.
6. Set or change the other options as described below.
7. Click OK to apply your changes and return to the Browser.

RAW Image Preview options

Use Raw Image Checkbox Activates or deactivates the other controls in
Preview this section.

Cache Location Browse to select an alternative location to

cache RAW Image Preview files.

Disk usage Choose from the following options:

Unlimited cache - allows RAW
Image Preview (RIP) files to occupy
unlimited space on your computer
hard disk.
Maximum size of cache on disk -
set a limit on the amount of space
that RIP files can use on your
computer. After this limit is reached,
the oldest files will be replaced by the
newest.

Empty Cache Deletes all the RIP files from the cache.

RAW Perform high- Creates a high-quality decoded image in the

Performance quality pass background while you are viewing a lower-
quality image. The high-quality processing
includes demosaicing, sharpening, and noise
removal. You see the image change as the
higher quality one becomes available.
Turning off this option speeds up viewing but
the quality of the images are not be as high.

Setting ACDSee Showroom options

You can customize the ACDSee Showroom desktop slide show in a number of ways, including
changing the slide duration, order, and transition or changing the frame opacity, size, and frame
style.

To customize the ACDSee Showroom desktop slide show:

1. Start ACDSee Showroom by doing one of the following:
2. Click Create | Create ACDSee Showroom.
3. Click Start | Programs | ACD Systems | ACDSee Showroom.
4. Right-click anywhere in the window and select Options.
5. Set or change the options as described below.

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6. Click Set As Default to use the currently selected options as the default for new slide
show windows.
7. Click OK to apply your changes.

ACDSee Showroom options

Picture Include Select this option if you want to include photos from subfolders in the
Folder subfolders slide show.

Slide Duration Drag the slider to the left to decrease the display time for each photo
and to the right to increase the display time for each photo.
Order From the Order drop-down select Sequential to display photos in
order or Random to display photos randomly.
Transition From the Transition drop-down select None if you do not want any
special transition effects, Slide if you want photos to enter the slide
show window from the right and exit to the left, and Fade if you
want to reduce photo opacity during the transition from one photo
to another.

Showroom Opacity Drag the Opacity slider to the left to reduce the opacity of the slide
Window show window and to the right to increase opacity.
Size From the Size drop-down select either a Small, Medium, or Large
slide show window frame.
Frame From the Frame drop-down select a frame style.

Always on Select Always on top if you want the slide show window to display on top of all
top other application windows.

Run at Select Run at startup if you want to start ACDSee Showroom automatically
startup when you start your computer.

Setting ACDSee Quick View options

You can customize ACDSee Quick View in a number of ways, including displaying Quick View on
top of any open windows, displaying Quick view at full screen, or even changing the background
color in the Quick View window.

To customize ACDSee Quick View:

1. Double-click on an image. For example, double-click on the image in Windows Explorer
or in an e-mail message.
2. Click Tools | Options.
3. Set or change the options as described below.
4. Click OK to apply your changes.

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ACDSee Quick View options

Use ACDSee Quick View If selected, ACDSee Quick View is set as the default
viewer for images when ACDSee is closed.

Enable gamma correction Applies the specified amount of gamma correction when
viewing images.

Disable animation Displays only the first frame of an animated image.

Default zoom Fit image Displays the image at the largest magnification that fits
mode in the Quick View window. Images that are smaller than
the Quick View window display at their original size.

Actual size Displays the image at its actual size in the Quick View
window.

Always on top Keeps the Quick View window as the top window in a
stack of windows.

Full screen Opens images in the Quick View window in full screen
mode.

Hide mouse cursor in full screen Hides the mouse pointer in full screen mode.

Background Default color Uses the ACDSee Viewer background color.

Custom Specifies a color to use as the background in the Quick

color View window.

Setting JPEG options

You can change the settings in the Options dialog box to control the quality of the JPEG image,
encoding method, color subsampling method, and whether to update or create embedded
thumbnails in the JPEG image.

Jpeg options
Image quality Drag the slider to determine the quality of the JPEG image.

Encoding Progressive: Select to enable progressive encoding.

Optimize Huffman codes: Select to optimize Huffman codes to
increase compression.

Color 2:1 Horizontal: Select to subsample color channels on the

component horizontal axis by a factor of 2:1.
sampling 2:1 Vertical: Select to subsample color channels on the vertical
axis by a factor of 2:1.

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Embedded Only update existing thumbnails: Select to update any

thumbnails existing embedded thumbnails.
Always add/update thumbnails: Select to update any existing
embedded thumbnails, or create embedded thumbnails.
Never add/update thumbnails: Select if you do not want to
update any existing embedded thumbnails, or if you do not want
to create embedded thumbnails.
Generate DCF compatible thumbnails: Select to generate
thumbnails that meet the Digital Camera Format (DCF)
specification and are compatible with the thumbnail view on the
LCD of a digital camera. This option forces a fixed resolution of
160x120 and pads any extra space with black.

Save these Select this option to use these JPEG settings by default for all JPEGs.
settings as
the defaults

See also...
Organizing and managing files in ACDSee

Setting resized file options

You can change the settings in the Options dialog box to control where ACDSee places modified
images, how to handle file duplication conflicts, and specify whether you want to preserve the
last-modified date of the file.

Resize options
File options Specifies where to place the new images. Select one of the following
three options:
Remove/replace original files: overwrites the original file
with the new image.
Rename modified images and place in source folder:
adds identifying labels to the image names and places them in
the same folder as the originals.
Place modified images in the following folder: places the
converted image in a folder that you can specify. Click the
Browse button and select a folder.

Overwrite Determines how ACDSee should handle overwriting files. Select one of
existing files the following options from the drop-down list:
Ask: prompts you when overwriting a file.
Skip: cancels the operation if there is a file with the same file
name and extension.
Replace: overwrites the file.
Rename: prompts you to rename the file.

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Preserve last- Retains the date and time properties of the file.
modified dates

Auto-close Automatically closes the dialog box after all images have been
progress dialog adjusted.
if all operations
succeed

Save current Stores the current settings and applies them the next time you use the
settings as Resize Images Wizard.
default

JPEG Opens the JPEG Options dialog where you can specify detailed
Compression compression options to apply to the resized files.
Options

Setting rotated and flipped file options

You can change the settings in the Options dialog box to control where ACDSee places modified
images, how to handle file duplication conflicts, and specify whether you want to preserve the
last-modified date of the file.

Rotate and flip options

Force lossless Rotates JPEG images without decompressing and re-compressing the
JPEG operations JPEG information. As a result, the image does not lose quality when
rotated or flipped.

File options Specifies where to place the new images. Select one of the following
options:
Remove/replace original files: overwrites the original file
with the new image.
Rename modified images and place in source folder:
adds identifying labels to the image names and places them in
the same folder as the originals.
Place modified images in the following folder: places the
converted image in a folder that you can specify. Click the
Browse button and select a folder.

Overwrite Determines how ACDSee should handle overwriting files. Select one of
existing files the following options from the drop-down list:
Ask: prompts you when overwriting a file.
Skip: cancels the operation if there is a file with the same file
name and extension.
Replace: overwrites the file.
Rename: prompts you to rename the file.

Preserve last- Retains the date and time properties of the file.
modified dates

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Remember and Automatically applies the same settings the next time you rotate an
apply the last image.
rotation
performed

Auto-close Automatically closes the dialog box after all images have been
progress dialog adjusted.
if all operations
succeed

Save current Stores the current settings and applies them the next time you use the
settings as Rotate/Flip Images Wizard.
default

Customizing and configuring

Creating custom Browser layouts

You can create and save custom Browser layouts based on your browsing preferences or the
tasks you perform in ACDSee. For example, you could create and save an editing layout, an
organizing layout, and a browsing layout, each with its own panes and tools arranged for easy
access.

To create and save a custom Browser layout:

1. Change the Browser layout by displaying or hiding specific panes, moving and docking
panes, stacking panes, or resizing panes.
2. When you are satisfied with the Browser layout, click View | Workspace.
3. Click New Workspace.
4. Type a name for the workspace.
5. Click OK.

To load a saved Browser layout:

1. Click View | Workspace.
2. Select the custom workspace.
3. Click Apply.

To restore the default Browser layout:

Click View | Reset to Default Workspace.

Auto-hiding panes and panels

You can use the Auto Hide button to automatically hide some panes and panels in ACDSee. When
a pane is set to auto-hide, it rolls away when you click outside of it, leaving a tab displayed. You
can access the pane by moving the mouse pointer over the tab. When a pane or panel is floating,

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the auto-hide feature is not available. You cannot move the pane to a new location if it is set to
auto-hide.
The Auto Hide button's appearance on the pane‘s title bar reflects its current setting:
A horizontal pushpin indicates that the pane is set to automatically hide when you click
outside of it.
A slanted pushpin indicates that the pane is fixed and will remain visible even if you click
outside of it

To set or remove auto-hide:

Click the Auto Hide button on the title bar so that it displays a slanted or horizontal
pushpin.

Using the Custom tab in the Properties pane

There is a Custom tab in the Properties pane that you can configure to display the file property,
database, EXIF, or IPTC information that you use most often. This means that you can keep all
the data, which is most important to you, visible on the custom tab while you browse or view
files.

To configure the Custom tab:

1. Click Tools | Options, and then select Properties Pane.
2. Select Show custom property tab to display the Custom tab.
You can type a new name for the Custom tab in the Custom tab title text box.

3. Click Choose Display Information.

4. To remove an item from the Custom tab, click the item in the Currently Displayed
Details box to the right, then click Remove.
5. To add an item to the Custom tab, click the item in the Available Details box to the
left, then click Add.
6. To group and rearrange items on the Custom tab, do any of the following:
7. Click Add Group, type a name for the group in the Title text box, then click OK. You
can then add items to the group.
8. Select an item in the Currently Displayed Details box, and then click Move Up to
move the item up the list of items, or click Move Down to move the item down the list
of items.
9. To restore the default Custom tab settings, click Reset.
10. Click OK.

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Using the Task Pane

The Task Pane displays groups of often-used tasks from the menus and toolbars based on your
current location and selections in ACDSee. The Task Pane usually opens and on the right side of
the Browser.

To open or close the Task pane:

In the Browser or Viewer, click View | Task Pane.

The menus in the Task Pane change depending on what area of the Browser you are working in
and what items you select. For example, if you select more than a folder in the File List pane, the
Task Pane displays different menus than it does if you select a photo or media file.
The options on the Task Pane menus also change dynamically. For example, if you select
multiple images in the File List, the options in the Fix and Enhance Photos menu change to list
options that you can use with multiple images.

Using the Context Sensitive toolbar

The Context Sensitive toolbar is above the File List toolbar. The icons that display on the Context
Sensitive toolbar change based on whatever you select in the Browser, such as a pane or image.
The icons on the Context Sensitive toolbar provide shortcuts to the editing, organizing, and
sharing functions that you might want to use next.
For example, if you select the People category in the Organize pane, all images that have been
assigned to that category display in the File List pane. The icons that display in the Context
Sensitive toolbar include Create a CD or DVD and Auto Slide Show because you may want to
use these functions next.

Customizing toolbars
You can customize the appearance and organization of toolbars in the Browser and Viewer
windows by selecting which toolbars to display, and specifying each toolbar‘s buttons or
commands. You can also discard your changes and reset the toolbars to their default layout at
any time.

Displaying and hiding toolbars

You can choose to display or hide the specific toolbars in the Browser and Viewer.

To display or hide a toolbar:

Do one of the following:
In the Browser, click View | Toolbars, and then select the toolbar you want to
display or hide.
In the Viewer, click View, and then select the toolbar you want to display or hide.

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Customizing toolbar contents

You can customize three toolbars:
The main toolbar, which you can display in the Browser and in the Viewer.
The File List toolbar, which you can display in the Browser.
The Editing Tasks toolbar, which you can display in the Viewer.
You can add, remove, and rearrange buttons on these toolbars. You can also display or hide text
labels and tool tips for the buttons on these toolbars, and change button size. All toolbar
customization options are on the Customize dialog box.

To display the Customize dialog box:

Do one of the following:

In the Browser, click View | Toolbars and then select Customize.

In the Browser, click the drop-down arrow, located to the right of the main toolbar
or File List toolbar, and select Customize.
In the Viewer, click the drop-down arrow, located to the right of the main toolbar
and at the bottom of the Editing Tasks toolbar, select Add or Remove Buttons, and
then select Customize.
In the Browser or Viewer, right-click the main toolbar, and then select Customize.

To add or remove buttons on the toolbar:

1. Display the Customize dialog box.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. Do one of the following:
Add a button by dragging a command from the Commands list to a new location on
the toolbar.
Remove buttons from the toolbar by dragging them from the toolbar to the
Commands list.
Rearrange the buttons by dragging them to a new location on the toolbar.
4. Click Close.

To display or hide text labels below toolbar buttons:

1. Display the Customize dialog box.
2. Click the Toolbars tab.
3. Select File List Toolbar or Main Toolbar.
4. Select the Show text labels check box to display text labels, or clear the Show text
labels check box to hide text labels.
5. Click Close.

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To display or hide tool tips for toolbar buttons:

1. Display the Customize dialog box.
2. Click the Options tab.
3. Select Show ScreenTips on toolbars to display tool-tips, or clear Show ScreenTips
on toolbars to hide tool-tips. If you select this option, you can also select Show
shortcut keys in ScreenTips to show keyboard shortcuts in the tool-tips.
4. Click Close.

To change the toolbar button size:

1. Display the Customize dialog box.
2. Click the Options tab.
3. Select Large Icons to display larger toolbar buttons, or clear Large Icons to display
smaller toolbar buttons.
4. Click Close.

Resetting toolbars
You can discard all of your changes, and return the toolbars and buttons to their default states.

To reset the toolbars:

1. In the Browser or Viewer, right-click the main toolbar and select Customize.
2. Select the Toolbars tab, and then click Reset All.
3. Click Yes to reset the toolbars.
4. Click Close.

Customizing the Edit Panel

You can resize, move, dock, and auto hide the Edit panel to suit your preferences.

To customize the Edit Panel:

1. Drag the Edit Panel's title bar to a new location. If you drag the Edit Panel to either the
left or right side of the window, it will dock against that side.
2. To resize the Edit Panel, drag one of its edges.

If the Edit Panel is set to auto hide, you cannot move it to a new location.

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Configuring image editors

You can configure ACDSee to work with a variety of image editors, such as Canvas, and specify
which image editor ACDSee uses by default. You can then open images in any of your image
editing applications from within ACDSee.

To add an image editor to ACDSee:

1. From the Tools menu, select Open in Editor | Configure Editors.
2. In the Configure Photo Editors dialog box, click Add.
3. Browse to the folder on your hard drive that contains an image editing application.
4. Select the executable file of the editing application. For example, Canvas9.exe.
5. Click Open.
6. In the Name field, type a name for the editor, and then click OK.

To manage your image editors:

1. From the Editors list, select the application you want to change.
2. Do any of the following:
To change the location of the executable file or the name of the application
displayed in the Editors list, click Edit. Set the location and name of the application
in the Configure Photo Editor dialog box, and then click OK.
To set the application as the default image editor for ACDSee, click Set As Default.
The default editor opens when you use the right-click menu in the Browser, or when
you click Ctrl +E.
To specify whether the application can handle multiple images at the same time,
select or clear the check box in the Supports Multiple Images column.
To remove the application from the list, click Remove.
3. Click OK to accept your changes and return to ACDSee.

Customizing keyboard shortcuts

There are pre-defined keyboard shortcuts for commands that you use frequently in the Browser
and Viewer. You can change pre-defined shortcuts, or create keyboard shortcuts for commands
that do not currently have shortcuts.
Some commands, such as Open and Copy, are available in both the Browser and the Viewer. You
can use the same keyboard shortcut for these commands in the Browser and the Viewer, or you
can define different shortcuts for these commands in the Browser and the Viewer. Other
commands, such as Red-eye Reduction, are only available in one view mode. To define a
shortcut for a command in a specific view mode, open the Customize dialog from that view
mode.

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To customize keyboard shortcuts:

1. Do one of the following:
In the Browser, click View | Toolbars, and then select Customize.
In the Browser, click the drop-down arrow, located to the right of the main toolbar
or File List toolbar, and then select Customize.
In the Viewer, click the drop-down arrow, located to the right of the main toolbar
and at the bottom of the Editing Tasks toolbar, select Add or Remove Buttons,
and then select Customize.
In the Browser or Viewer, right-click the main toolbar, and then select Customize.
2. In the Customize dialog box, click the Keyboard tab.
3. From the Category drop-down, select a top-level menu such as File, Edit, or View. The
commands available from that menu display in the Commands list box.
4. Select a command in the Commands list box.
If a keyboard shortcut has been defined for that command, it displays in the
Current Keys box.
If a keyboard shortcut has not been defined for that command, the Current Keys
box will be empty.
5. To remove an existing keyboard shortcut, select the keyboard shortcut in the Current
Keys box, and then click Remove.

To define a new keyboard shortcut:

1. Click in the Press New Shortcut Key text box.
2. Press the keys on your keyboard that you want to use for the keyboard shortcut.
The keys display in the Press New Shortcut Key text box.
3. Click Assign.
The new keyboard shortcut displays in the Current Keys box.

4. To remove all custom keyboard shortcuts and restore the default keyboard shortcuts,
click Reset All.
5. Click Close.

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Plug-ins

Working with plug-ins

A plug-in is a software module that adds functionality to a larger program. ACDSee comes
standard with many different plug-ins and you can download new plug-ins from our Web site:
www.acdsystems.com/English/Categories/PluginsProducts/index.htm

Types of plug-ins:
Image Decode: converts a file from a binary format to the image displayed in ACDSee.
Decode plug-ins allow ACDSee to display images of many different file formats. The files
that you can view with ACDSee depend on which decoding plug-ins are installed on your
computer.
Image Encode: converts the image displayed in ACDSee to a binary file format. Encode
plug-ins allow ACDSee to save (or convert) images to many different file formats. The
files that you can edit and save with ACDSee depend on which encoding plug-ins are
installed on your computer.
Archive: allows ACDSee to display and save archives of many different file formats. The
archives that you can view and create with ACDSee depend on which archive plug-ins
are installed on your computer.
Camera: allows ACDSee to browse images on your digital camera and transfer them to
a folder on your hard drive.
Command Extension: adds functionality to ACDSee. For example, there is a plug-in
that you can use to share your images over the Internet.
Pane Extension: adds a pane to ACDSee where you can perform tasks like order prints
of your digital images.

We cannot ensure the quality of plug-ins that are not certified by ACD Systems. As
with any other piece of software, you are trusting that the plug-in is free of viruses
and that the company that produced the plug-in is trustworthy.

Managing plug-ins
The Plug-in Settings dialog box displays a list of all the ACD Systems plug-ins installed on your
computer. You can also use the Plug-in Settings dialog box to control which plug-ins ACDSee
uses.

To access the Plug-in Settings dialog box:

Click Tools, and then select Plug-in Settings.

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Disabling a plug-in
You can disable a plug-in in the Plug-in Settings dialog box so that ACDSee no longer uses it.

To disable a plug-in:
1. In the Plug-in Settings dialog box, select one of the Plug-in tabs.
2. Clear the check box beside the plug-in name that you do not want ACDSee to use.
3. Click OK.

Changing the plug-in order

Some file formats can be supported by more than one plug-in. However, when this happens, you
can control which plug-in is used to read or write a file format. The order that plug-ins appear in
the Plug-in Settings dialog box is the order that ACDSee uses the plug-ins to read or write a file.

To change the plug-in order:

1. In the Plug-in Settings dialog box, select one of the Plug-in tabs.
2. Select a plug-in name in the Plug-ins list.
3. Do one of the following:
Click the Move up button to move the plug-in higher in the list.
Click the Move down button to move the plug-in lower in the list.
4. Click OK.

Susie plug-ins do not have the features and speed of ACD Systems plug-ins. Therefore,
it is recommended that you give Susie plug-ins a low priority to prevent them from
being used instead of an ACD Systems plug-in. Also, you can disable Susie plug-ins that
overlap the file formats that ACD Systems plug-ins support.

Viewing plug-in properties and getting help

You can view and set properties for certain plug-ins.

To view plug-in properties:

1. In the Plug-in Settings dialog box, select one of the Plug-in tabs.
2. Select a plug-in in the Plug-ins list.
3. Click the Properties button.

To view a plug-in's Help file:

1. In the Plug-in Settings dialog box, select one of the Plug-in tabs.
2. Select a plug-in in the Plug-ins list.
3. Click the Plug-in Help button.

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Shortcuts

Browser keyboard shortcuts

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while working in the Browser. There are also
shortcuts that can be used specifically in the Calendar pane.

To print this page for easy reference, right-click it and select Print.

This shortcut Has this result

` (grave accent) Toggles image audio on or off.

- (minus sign) Sorts the contents of the File List pane in reverse order.

+ (plus sign) Sorts the contents of the File List pane in forward order.

Alt + <left arrow> Returns to the previous folder you browsed in the File List pane.

Alt + <right arrow Returns to the folder you last moved back from in the File List pane.
>

Alt + G Opens the Get Photos Wizard.

Alt + C Copies one or more selected files to a folder you specify.

Alt + Comma Opens the previous tab in the Properties pane.

Alt + Enter Opens or closes the Properties pane.

Alt + F4 Closes ACDSee.

Alt + I Opens the Filters dialog box where you can specify the types of files
displayed in the File List pane.

Alt + M Moves one or more selected files to a folder you specify.

Alt + O Opens the Options dialog box.

Alt + Period Opens the next tab in the Properties pane.

Alt + Shift + F Maximizes the File List pane.

Alt + W Restores your desktop wallpaper to the settings you were using before
you applied an ACDSee wallpaper.

Alt + X Removes the selected item from the Image Basket.

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 Appendices

Backspace Moves up one level in the current drive's folder structure.

Ctrl + 0 to 5 Assigns a rating to the currently selected item. Use only the numeric
keypad for these shortcuts. Press Ctrl + 0 to remove a rating.

Ctrl + Plus Automatically sizes the columns in the current view mode.

Ctrl + A Selects the entire contents of the current folder.

Ctrl + B Adds the selected items to the Image Basket.

Ctrl + C Copies the selected items to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + D Opens the Edit Caption dialog box.

Ctrl + E Opens the currently selected image in the default editor.

Ctrl + F Opens the Convert File Format dialog box.

Ctrl + G Generates a file listing as a text document.

Ctrl + I Selects all images in the current folder.

Ctrl + Insert Copies selected items to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + J Opens the Rotate/Flip Images dialog box.

Ctrl + K Places the cursor in the Keywords field of the Database tab in the
Properties pane.

Ctrl + L Opens the Adjust Image Exposure dialog box.

Ctrl + M Open the Batch Set Information dialog box.

Ctrl + N Opens a second instance of the ACDSee Browser.

Ctrl + O Opens the Open files dialog box, in which you can select one or more
images to open in the Viewer.

Ctrl + P Opens the currently s elected image or images in the ACDSee Print
utility.

Ctrl + R Opens the Resize Images dialog box.

Ctrl + S Creates a slide show from the currently selected images.

Ctrl + T Opens the Adjust Image Time Stamp dialog box.

Ctrl + Tab Moves the focus of the Browser between the currently displayed panes.

Ctrl + V Pastes the contents of the Clipboard.

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Ctrl + W Closes ACDSee.

Ctrl + X Cuts the currently selected items to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + Shift + 1 Opens or closes the Folders pane.

Ctrl + Shift + 2 Opens or closes the Organize pane.

Ctrl + Shift + 3 Opens or closes the Search pane.

Ctrl + Shift + 4 Opens or closes the Calendar pane.

Ctrl + Shift + 5 Opens or closes the Image Basket.

Ctrl + Shift + A Selects all files in the current folder.

Ctrl + Shift + B Shows or hides the status bar.

Ctrl + Shift + C Copies the currently selected image to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + Shift + D Clears your current selection.

Ctrl + Shift + E Opens the current file in the default system application or opens a
dialog box where you can select an application.

Ctrl + Shift + F Toggles the full-screen view for the File List pane.

Ctrl + Shift + I Inverts your current selection.

Ctrl + Shift + L Opens or closes the Selective Browsing pane.

Ctrl + Shift + M Toggles the main Browser menu.

Ctrl + Shift + O Opens the file using the system application associated with its file
extension.

Ctrl + Shift + P Opens or closes the Preview pane.

Ctrl + Shift + S Displays or hides the context-sensitive toolbar.

Ctrl + Shift + T Displays or hides the main Browser toolbar.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab Moves the focus of the Browser between the currently displayed panes.

Ctrl + Shift + W Sets the selected image as a tiled desktop wallpaper.

Delete Deletes the selected items to the Recycle Bin.

F1 Opens the ACDSee Help file.

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F2 Renames one or more selected files.

F3 Opens the Search pane.

F4 Displays the Contents bar drop-down list.

F5 Refreshes the Browser.

F6 Changes the File List to Thumbs+Details view mode.

F7 Changes the File List to Filmstrip view mode.

F8 Changes the File List to Thumbnails view mode.

F9 Changes the File List to Tiles view mode.

F10 Changes the File List to Icons view mode.

F11 Changes the File List to List view mode.

F12 Changes the File List to Details view mode.

Shift + Delete Removes the selected item from your hard drive.

Shift + F5 Refreshes the File List pane.

Shift + Insert Pastes the contents of the Clipboard.

Shift + Tab Moves the focus of the Browser to the previous pane or tool in
sequence.

Tab Moves the focus of the Browser to the next pane or tool in sequence.

See also...
Customizing keyboard shortcuts

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Viewer keyboard shortcuts

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while working in the Viewer.

To print this page for easy reference, right-click it, and then select Print.

This shortcut Has this result

\ (backslash) Zooms the image to actual size.

= (equal sign) Increases the magnification of the current image (zooms in).

` (grave accent) Toggles image audio on or off.

- (minus sign) Decreases the magnification of the current image (zooms out).

Alt + <down arrow Zooms the image to fit the height within the Viewer window. Does not
> enlarge, only reduces.

Alt + <right arrow Zooms the image to fit the width within the Viewer Window. Does not
> enlarge, only reduces.

Alt + \ Toggles the zoom lock on and off.

Alt + C Copies the current item to a folder you specify.

Alt + Comma Moves the focus in the Properties pane to the previous tab.

Alt + D Opens the Edit Caption dialog box.

Alt + Enter Opens or closes the Properties pane.

Alt + F4 Closes the Viewer window.

Alt + M Moves the current item to a folder you specify.

Alt + O Opens the ACDSee Options dialog box.

Alt + Period Moves the focus in the Properties pane to the next tab.

Alt + R Opens the Rename File dialog box.

Alt + S Starts or stops the Auto Advance slide show.

Alt + Shift + L Displays the previous image in sequence.

Alt + W Restores your desktop wallpaper to the settings you were using before
you applied an ACDSee wallpaper.

Alt + X Removes currently displayed item from the Image Basket in the
Browser.

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 Appendices

This shortcut Has this result

B Displays or hides the status bar.

Backspace Displays the previous item in the slide show, Auto Advance, or Viewer
sequence.

Ctrl + A Displays or hides headers and footers.

Ctrl + B Adds currently displayed item to the Image Basket in the Browser.

Ctrl + C Copies the currently displayed file to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + D Opens the Edit Caption dialog box.

Ctrl + E Opens the current image in the default editing application.

Ctrl + F Opens the Convert File Format dialog box.

Ctrl + F4 Closes the current item.

Ctrl + Insert Copies the selected portion of an image to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + J Opens the Rotate/Flip Images dialog box.

Ctrl + L Opens the current image in Edit Mode, and activates the Adjust
Exposure tool.

Ctrl + Minus Reduces the magnification of the area inside the Magnifying Glass pane.

Ctrl + O Opens the Open files dialog box, in which you can select one or more
images to open in the Viewer.

Ctrl + P Opens the current image in the ACDSee Print utility.

Ctrl + Plus Increases the magnification of the area inside the Magnifying Glass
pane.

Ctrl + Q Clears the current selection.

Ctrl + R Opens the current image in Edit Mode, and activates the Resize tool.

Ctrl + S Opens the Save Image As dialog box, in which you can save you image
with a different name or file format.

Ctrl + T Opens the Change Image Time Stamp dialog box.

Ctrl + V Pastes the contents of the Clipboard.

Ctrl + W Closes the Viewer window.

Ctrl + X Cuts the current item to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + Y Redo previously undone operation.

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This shortcut Has this result

Ctrl + Z Undo previous operation.

Ctrl + Alt + <left a Rotates the current image 90-degrees counterclockwise.

rrow>

Ctrl + Alt + <right Rotates the current image 90-degrees clockwise.

arrow>

Ctrl + Shift + A Opens or closes the Magnifying Glass.

Ctrl + Shift + B Displays or hides the status bar.

Ctrl + Shift + C Copies the currently displayed image to the Clipboard.

Ctrl + Shift + F Toggles full screen mode.

Ctrl + Shift + F4 Closes all images.

Ctrl + Shift + G Removes tiled image from the background of the Viewer window.

Ctrl + Shift + H Opens or closes the Histogram pane.

Ctrl + Shift + L Opens the previous image.

Ctrl + Shift + M Displays or hides the main menu bar.

Ctrl + Shift + P Prints all currently selected images, or all images in the current folder.

Ctrl + Shift + Q Opens the Edit Header/Footer dialog box, in which you can specify the
text to display on your images in the Viewer.

Ctrl + Shift + S Opens or closes the Navigator pane.

Ctrl + Shift + T Displays or hides the main Viewer toolbar.

Ctrl + Shift + V Toggles the Page View pane while viewing multiple page images

Ctrl + Shift + W Sets the selected image as a tiled desktop wallpaper.

Ctrl + Shift + 1 Changes the image color depth to Black and White.

Ctrl + Shift + 2 Changes the image color depth to 16 grays.

Ctrl + Shift + 3 Changes the image color depth to 256 grays.

Ctrl + Shift + 4 Changes the image color depth to 16 colors.

Ctrl + Shift + 5 Changes the image color depth to 256 colors.

Ctrl + Shift + 6 Changes the image color depth to Hicolor.

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 Appendices

This shortcut Has this result

Ctrl + Shift + 7 Changes the image color depth to Truecolor.

Delete Deletes the current image to your Recycle Bin.

End Displays the last of your selected items, or the last item in the current
folder

Enter Closes the Viewer and returns to the Browser.

Esc Closes current dialog box, or closes the Viewer and returns to the
Browser.

F Toggles full screen mode.

F1 Opens the ACDSee Help file.

F2 Opens the Rename File dialog box.

F5 Refreshes the Viewer window and reloads the current image.

Home Displays the first of your selected items, or the first item in the current
folder.

Insert Opens the Open files dialog box, in which you can select one or more
images to open in the Viewer.

L Toggles the pan lock.

Page Down Displays the next item.

Page Up Displays the previous item.

Pause Stops or starts the Auto Advance slide show.

Shift + Backspace Displays the previous page in a multiple-page image.

Shift + Delete Removes the current item from your hard drive.

Shift + E Opens the current file in the default system application or opens a
dialog box where you can select an application.

Shift + End Displays the last page of the current multiple-page image.

Shift + Enter Closes the Viewer and returns to the Browser.

Shift + Esc Minimizes the Viewer window.

Shift + F1 Activates the image scrolling tool.

Shift + F2 Activates the selection tool.

Shift + F3 Activates the zoom tool.

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This shortcut Has this result

Shift + Home Displays the first page of the current multiple-page image.

Shift + Insert Pastes the contents of the Clipboard.

Shift + L Opens the file using the system application associated with its file
extension.

Shift + Page Down Displays the next page in a multiple-page image.

Shift + Page Up Displays the previous page in a multiple-page image.

Shift + Spacebar Displays the next page in a multiple-page image.

Shift + Tab Moves the focus of the Properties pane to the previous field.

Shift + Z Activates the Select tool, and zooms into the selected area.

Spacebar Displays the next item in the slide show, Auto Advance, or Viewer
sequence.

T Displays or hides the main Viewer toolbar.

Tab Moves the focus of the Properties pane to the next field.

Z Opens the Set Zoom Level dialog box.

Note: Use the numeric keypad for the following Viewer keyboard shortcuts.

* (asterisk) Automatically zooms the image to fit within the Viewer window.

- (minus sign) Reduces the magnification of the image (zooms out).

+ (plus sign) Increases the magnification of the image (zooms in).

/ Zooms the image to its actual size.

1 Displays the last item in the current folder.

3 Displays the next item.

7 Displays the previous item.

9 Displays the last item in the current folder.

See also...
Customizing keyboard shortcuts

290
 Appendices

Viewer mouse shortcuts

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while working in the Viewer.

To print this page for easy reference, right-click it, and then select Print.

This shortcut Has this result

Double-click Closes the Viewer and returns to the Browser.

Right-click Opens the Viewer shortcut menu.

Middle click Toggles full screen mode (on 3-button mouse).

Wheel click Toggles full screen mode.

Wheel up Displays the previous item.

Wheel down Displays the next item.

Ctrl + Wheel up Increases the magnification of the image (zooms in).

Ctrl + Wheel down Decreases the magnification of the image (zooms out).

Shift + Wheel up Displays the previous page of a multiple-page image.

Shift + Wheel down Displays the next page of a multiple-page image.

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Calendar pane shortcuts

Once you are familiar with the basic calendar pane options, consider using the following
shortcuts:
Click the title bar on a year, month, or day table to display all available images for that
year, month, or day.
Right-click the title bar on a year, month, or day table to scroll through and select from
adjacent years, months, or days.
In Year view double-click any month to switch to Month view. Or, in Month view,
double-click any date to switch to Day view.
In Month view click the letter indicating a day of the week to display all available images
for that day of the week. For example, click F to select all Fridays in that month.
In Day view click AM or PM to select the first or second half of a day.
In Event view press and hold the Ctrl key and click any month or day to display all
available images for those months or days.
Click on the title of any month calendar, to select all the photos in that month.
Click the name of the week, to select all the photos in those weeks of the month.
Drag and select any days in the calendar to select all the photos in those days.

File formats

Supported file formats

ACDSee supports over 50 different file formats. The files that you can view or edit and save with
ACDSee depend on which file format support plug-ins are installed on your computer.

For full format support, please see the system requirements.

Image formats
Read support
Write support

Archive formats
Read support
Write support

Video and audio formats

Read support

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 Appendices

Image read-support formats

ANI Windows Shows cursor animation
animated
cursor

ART AOL ART Still images

BMP Windows Windows and OS/2; 2/8/16/24/32 bpp; RLE and

Bitmap uncompressed

CNV Canvas Thumbnails only

CR2 Canon RAW

CR2

CRW Canon RAW

CRW

CUR Windows
cursor

CVX Canvas Thumbnails only

DCR Kodak RAW

DCR

DCX Multiple-page All sub-types and multiple pages supported

PCX

DNG Digital An open-source archival format for RAW files

negative

DJV DjVu

EMF Enhanced Win32 enhanced placeable metafiles

Metafile
Format

EPS Encapsulated Displays embedded thumbnail (TIFF formats) and first page
PostScript only

FPX FlashPix Multiple resolution support

GIF Graphics Single page and animated; 87a and 89a

Interchange
Format

ICN AT&T ICN

ICO Windows icon Shows multiple resolutions as separate pages

IFF EA/Amiga 1-24 bpp, including HAM and HAM8; multiple pages and
Interchange animations not supported
File Format

JP2 JPEG2000 48-bit support

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JPC JPEG2000 48-bit support

JPG JPEG JFIF JFIF and Adobe CMYK

KDC Kodak KDC Reads both the full image and the embedded thumbnail

MAG MAG All sub-types supported

MRW Konica
Minolta RAW

NEF Nikon RAW

ORF Olympus
RAW

PBM Portable
BitMap

PCD Kodak Up to 3072x2048 resolution (16BASE)

PhotoCD

PCX ZSoft All sub-types supported

Publishers
Paintbrush

PEF Pentax RAW

PEF

PGM Portable
GrayMap

PIC SoftImage All sub-types supported

PIC

PCT Macintosh
PICT

PDF Adobe Can read all pages.

Acrobat
documents

PIX Alias PIX 24 bpp

PNG Portable All sub-types supported

Network
Graphics

PPM Portable
PixMap

PS Adobe First page only

Postscript

PSD Adobe RGB, grayscale, duotone, paletted and bi-level

PhotoShop Lab color interpreted as grayscale only
Document

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 Appendices

PSP Paint Shop Version 5 and version 6

Pro

Quick- .qtif, .qif, .qfi Support for Apple QuickTime™ still image codecs
Time™

RAF Fujifilm RAW

RAS Sun Raster Uncompressed and RLE compressed

RAW Pentax RAW,

Leica RAW,
Contax RAW,
Casio RAW

RSB Red Storm All sub-types are supported

image format

SGI SGI Image 8-32 bpp; no colormaps; RLE or uncompressed

Format

TGA Targa TGA All sub-types supported

TIFF Tag Image 1/2/4/8/12/16 bits per sample, 1-4 samples per pixel
File Format Bilevel/RGB/Paletted/CMYK/YCrCb/LOGL/LOGLUV;
Uncompressed/PackBits/LZW//ThunderScan/
SGILog/CCITT/ZIP/NEXT/New-JPEG (no v6.0 JPEG support)
Support for multiple-page documents
Kodak RAW TIFF, Canon RAW TIFF

WBMP Wireless
Bitmap

WMF Windows Win 3.x placeable metafiles

Metafile
Format

XBM X bitmap

XPM X pixmap

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Image write-support formats

BMP Windows Windows 1/8/24 bpp
Bitmap

GIF Graphics Non-interlaced GIF 89a only

Interchan
ge
Format

IFF EA/Amig 1-24 bpp, including HAM and HAM8; multiple pages and
a animations not supported
Interchan
ge File
Format

JP2 JPEG200
0

JPEG JPEG JFIF 8 and 24 bpp. Progressive and baseline; adjustable compression
factor, subsampling, smoothing and Huffman code optimization

PCX ZSoft 8 and 24 bpp; RLE compressed

Publisher
s
Paintbrus
h

PNG Portable 1/4/8 bpp colormapped; 24 bpp RGB

Network
Graphics

PSD Adobe RGB, grayscale, duotone, paletted and bi-level

PhotoSho Lab color interpreted as grayscale only
p
Documen
t

RAS Sun Uncompressed and RLE compressed

Raster

RSB Red All sub-types supported

Storm
image
format

SGI SGI 8-32 bpp; no colormaps; RLE or uncompressed

Image
Format

WBMP Wireless
Bitmap

TGA Targa 8 and 24 bpp. RLE and uncompressed, top-down and bottom-up
TGA

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TIFF Tag 1/8/24 bits per pixel, single-page; uncompressed, CCITT3,

Image CCITT4, LZW, Deflate (ZIP), and JPEG compression; Adjustable
File DPI tags
Format

Archive read-support formats

ARJ ARJ ARJ format
archive

CAB CAB Microsoft CAB file format

archive

GZ GZ archive Unix GZIP (GnuZIP)

LHA LHA and Lhd, lz4, lh0, lh1, lh4, lh5, lh6, lh7, Lzh
LZH
archives

RAR RAR RAR format

archive

TAR TAR Unix TAR format

archive

TGZ TGZ TAR format compressed with GZIP

archive

UU UU archive UUEncoded files

ZIP ZIP Store and Deflate

archive

Archive write-support formats

LHA LHA and Lhd, lz4, lh0, lh1, lh4, lh5, lh6, lh7, Lzh
LZH
archives

ZIP ZIP ZIP format

archive

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Video and audio read-support formats

AIF Audio Interchange File Format

AIFC Audio Interchange File Format

AIFF Audio Interchange File Format

ASF Active Streaming File - HoTMetaL Pro

AU A sound file format used on Sun Microsystems or other UNIX computers

AVI AVI movie format

GSM Global System for Mobile Audio

M15 Apple MPEG-1 Video

M1A Apple MPEG-1/2 Audio

M1V Apple MPEG-1 Video

M2A Apple Mpeg-1/2 Audio

M3U MP3 Playlist files

M75 Apple MPEG-1 Video

MOV QuickTime movie

MP2 MPEG Layer II compressed audio

MP3 MPEG Layer III compressed audio

MPA Apple MPEG-1/2 Audio

MPEG MPEG movie or animation file

MPG MPEG encoded file

MPV Apple MPEG-1 Video

QCP Qualcomm PureVoice

QTPF QuickTime PreFlight Text

SD2 Sound Designer II

SMI Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language

SMIL Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language

SML Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language

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 Appendices

SND Sound file

SWA MPEG layer III audio

SWF Adobe Flash 4

ULW ULAW - Sun/NeXT

VFW Video for Windows

WAV Sound file

WMV Windows Metafile

Supported RAW formats

For the most up-to-date list of supported formats, visit our website:
http://www.acdsee.com/products/acdseepro/rawformats

The following is a list of RAW format cameras supported by ACDSee:

 Adobe Digital Negative (DNG)
 Canon EOS-1D
 Canon EOS-1D Mark II
 Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
 Canon EOS-1Ds
 Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
 Canon EOS 5D
 Canon EOS 10D
 Canon EOS 20D
 Canon EOS 30D
 Canon EOS 300D/Digital Rebel/Kiss Digital
 Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT
 Canon EOS D30
 Canon EOS D60
 Canon EOS D2000C
 Canon PowerShot 600
 Canon PowerShot A5
 Canon PowerShot A5 Zoom

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 Canon PowerShot A50

 Canon PowerShot G1
 Canon PowerShot G2
 Canon PowerShot G3
 Canon PowerShot G5
 Canon PowerShot G6
 Canon PowerShot Pro1
 Canon PowerShot Pro70
 Canon PowerShot Pro90 IS
 Canon PowerShot S30
 Canon PowerShot S40
 Canon PowerShot S45
 Canon PowerShot S50
 Canon PowerShot S60
 Canon PowerShot S70
 Casio EX-P600
 Casio QV-2000UX
 Casio QV-3000EX
 Casio QV-3500EX
 Casio QV-4000
 Casio QV-5700
 Contax N DIGITAL
 Creo Leaf Valeo 22
 Epson R-D1
 FujiFilm F710
 FujiFilm FinePix E550
 Fujifilm FinePix E900
 FujiFilm FinePix F700
 FujiFilm FinePix S20Pro
 FujiFilm FinePix S2Pro
 FujiFilm FinePix S3Pro
 FujiFilm FinePix S5000
 Fujifilm FinePix S5500
 FujiFilm FinePix S7000

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 Appendices

 FujiFilm FinePix S9000/S9500

 Imacon Ixpress
 Kodak DCS Pro 14n
 Kodak DCS Pro 14nx
 Kodak DCS Pro SLR/c
 Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n
 Kodak DCS315C
 Kodak DCS330C
 Kodak DCS420
 Kodak DCS460
 Kodak DCS520C
 Kodak DCS560C
 Kodak DCS620C
 Kodak DCS620X
 Kodak DCS660C
 Kodak DCS720X
 Kodak DCS760C
 Kodak EOSDCS1
 Kodak EOSDCS3B
 Kodak ProBack
 Kodak ProBack645
 Konica Minolta A200
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE 5
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE 7
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE 7i
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A1
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2
 Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200
 Konica Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 5D
 Konica Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 7D
 Leica Digilux 2
 Nikon D1
 Nikon D50

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 Nikon D100
 Nikon D200
 Nikon D1H
 Nikon D1X
 Nikon D2H
 Nikon D2Hs
 Nikon D2X
 Nikon D50
 Nikon D70
 Nikon D70s
 Nikon E5000
 Nikon E5400
 Nikon E5700
 Nikon E8700
 Nikon E8800
 Olympus C-5050 Zoom
 Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom
 Olympus C-7000 Zoom
 Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom
 Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom
 Olympus E-1
 Olympus E-10
 Olympus E-20
 Olympus E-300
 Olympus E-330
 Olympus E-300 DSLR
 Olympus E-500
 Olympus SP-500 UZ
 Panasonic DMC-FZ30
 Panasonic DMC-LC1
 Pentax *ist D
 Pentax *ist DL
 Pentax *ist DS
 Pentax *ist DS2

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 Appendices

 Pentax Optio S
 Pentax Optio S4
 Phase One H 10
 Phase One H 20
 Phase One H 25
 Phase One LightPhase
 Sinar 12582980-byte
 Sony DSC-F828
 Sony DSC-R1
 Sony DSC-V3

Registering and Associating files

ACDSee can work with a large number of file formats. If you are running Microsoft XP then you
can set ACDSee to be the default application to open certain file types. This process is called
associating files.
Microsoft Windows Vista has made it necessary to change how ACDSee associates files. Because
of these changes, if you are running Microsoft Vista you need to register file types (or
extensions) as well as associate them. When you register file types, you tell the Microsoft
Windows Vista that these file types are used with ACDSee. When you associate file types, you
set ACDSee as the default program to open these kinds of files when you double-click them.

For Microsoft XP
To associate files with ACDSee:
1. Click Tools | File Associations.
2. Select each of the following:
Select the Image Files tab and then select the check boxes next to the image file
formats that you want to associate with ACDSee.
Select the Archives tab and then select the check boxes next to the archive file
formats that you want to associate with ACDSee.
3. Click OK.

For Microsoft Windows Vista

To set file association options in ACDSee:
1. Click Tools | File Associations | Set File Associations.
2. Select one of the following options:

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All image file types - sets ACDSee as the default application to open all image
file types.
Image file types not currently associated with ACDSee or another program
- retains any file types already associated with ACDSee and adds any file types that
are not yet associated with a program.
Choose the image file types myself - opens a dialog where you can select the
files you want to associate with ACDSee.
3. Click OK.

To register new file extensions with Microsoft Windows Vista :

When you add a plug-in to ACDSee that allows it to recognize and use new file types, you need
to register the new file formats with the operating system as being used by ACDSee. You can
then use the same dialog to associate these files with ACDSee.
1. Click Tools | File Associations | Register New File Formats.
2. To only register the new file formats in the list, click OK.
3. To associate the new file formats with ACDSee so that it opens these file formats in the
future, check each file type by clicking in the white square.
4. Click OK to register and/or associate the new files.

You can change file associations directly in Microsoft Windows Vista by going to your
desktop and clicking Start | Default Programs.

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A
Absolute Colorimetric
Rendering intent, generally used for proofing. Based on a device-independent color space,
reproducing colors within the available gamut perfectly, and reducing colors outside of the
gamut to the nearest reproducible hue (at the expense of saturation).

ACD InTouch
Data exchange service for staying in touch with new developments at ACD Systems.

acquire
Often used term to describe the process of locating images on peripheral devices (such as
scanners and digital cameras) and adding the images to your hard drive. Can also refer to
taking screen captures.

album
Collection of images, often organized by theme or event. In ACDSee, albums contain
shortcuts to where the images are stored on your hard drive. ACDSee versions 5.0 and
earlier save albums using the .ais file extension.

aliasing
Process that smooths lines and curves in a digital image that become distorted due to low
resolution.

anchor
Method of fixing an object such as a selection to a screen, page, or image location. In ACD
Photo Editor, the selection marquee disappears after you anchor the selection to an image.

antialiasing, anti-aliasing
Software technique for reducing jagged lines, or ‗jaggies‘. Uses shades of gray and color to
smooth out the contrast between adjacent pixels. Although this technique may result in
some loss of overall image clarity, it significantly reduces the appearance of jaggies.

aspect ratio
An image‘s width-to-height ratio. For example, an image with an aspect ratio of 3:1 has a
width 3 times larger than its height.

archive
Collection of files saved as a single file for storage. Archive files usually use compression to
reduce their size. You can use archiving software such as ACDSee and ACDZip to create and
view archives.

azimuth
Angle of shadows that extend from the edges of image details. In ACDSee and Photo Editor,
you can control azimuth when applying the Emboss effect to an image.

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 Glossary

B
background processing
Tasks or programs that function without user interaction.

banding
Disruption in a digital image‘s color gradation. Banding can also occur when printing images
on a multipass color printer.

bandwidth
Amount of data that can be sent through a network connection in a fixed amount of time.
Bandwidth is measured in kilobits per second (Kbps).

barrel distortion
In barrel distortion the photo appears to bulge outwards from the center.

batch processing
Any operation or tool, such as resizing, converting, or renaming, that can be used to adjust
multiple images or files simultaneously.

bit
Bits are small units of computer memory. The color depth of your image is constrained by
the number of bits available to store color information. For example, it is possible to store
256 different color values per color channel in 8-bit RGB images. Similarly, it is possible to
store 65,536 different color values per color channel in 18-bit images.

blackpoint
An image‘s darkest area. You can control the intensity of the black in an image by adjusting
its blackpoint.

blend modes
Filters that change the effect of a tool or the appearance of a selected object.

brightness
Light intensity of an image. You can make an image appear brighter or darker by adjusting
its brightness.

Browser
The Browser is what you see when you start ACDSee using the shortcut icon on your
desktop. In the Browser, you can find, move, preview, and sort your files, and access
organization and sharing tools.

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C
cache
High-speed storage mechanism. The ACD Systems Database is a cache.

caption
Text associated with a file, or a comment or description added to a printed image.

cataloging
Adding file information to the ACDSee database.

category
Assign categories to photos to help sort and manage them more easily.

Clipboard
Microsoft Windows tool you can use to copy data from one source to another. You can use
the standard Copy and Cut tools to move items to the Clipboard, and the standard Paste tool
to import or apply a Clipboard item.

CMYK
Color model that uses cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (key) as its primary colors.

codec
Abbreviation for technology that compresses and decompresses data. A codec compresses
files for storage or for transport over a network such as the Internet. You can use the same
codec to expand files to their original size so that they can be played or viewed on a
computer.

color cast
Changes the hue of an image while keeping the saturation and brightness intact. For
example, many digital cameras produce pictures with a slightly blue color cast. ACDSee
includes a tool that removes an unwanted color cast.

color channel value

Contains all pixel information for a single color. A grayscale image has one channel, while an
RGB image has three channels. You can adjust RGB values when editing a color.

color gamut
Range of colors that a device such as a printer or monitor can produce or display.

color management
Process of adjusting your computer settings so that the color output from your printer
matches the colors you see on your monitor.

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 Glossary

color space
There are two types of color spaces: device-independent or device-dependent. A device-
independent color space, such as RGB, describes all possible colors. A device-dependent
color space describes the subset of colors (from the device-independent color space) that a
particular device can reproduce. Device-dependent color spaces are used to map colors
between devices (for example, from a monitor to a printer) to ensure that colors are
reproduced accurately.

command line
Usually refers to the MS-DOS prompt, at which a user can enter commands in a specific
syntax to start an application with certain options enabled or disabled.

compression
Process that converts data to a storage format requiring less space than the original data.

contact sheet
Physical or digital page that contains a series of small images, usually in a grid format.

contrast
Measure of an image‘s color and brightness differences.

convert
Change a file from one format to another. For example, you might convert a file from a
bitmap (.bmp) to a JPEG (.jpg) to reduce the file size.

cropping
Removing unwanted image areas.

D
database
Electronic filing system that provides fast access to stored data. The ACD Systems Database
contains two parts: a cached thumbnail file and an information file. The cached thumbnail
file contains small copies (thumbnails) of the images on your system. The information file
contains details about the files on your system, such as descriptions, dates, authors, notes,
keywords, and categories.

database date
Date that you apply to the properties of a file and save in the ACD Systems Database.

DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange)

Multiple-process communication system used by Macintosh and Windows operating systems.
With DDE, two active applications can share data.

decode
Reading (or viewing) a file format.

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descriptions
Free-form text associated with a file. Prior to version 6.0, ACDSee stored descriptions in a
hidden file named descript.ion. ACDSee generated one descript.ion file for each folder
containing files with descriptions. ACDSee 6.0 file descriptions are called captions.

device profile
A set list of options for a specific digital camera, scanner, or other removable device that
helps to automate the process of getting photos from the device.

dithering
Adjusting the appearance of an image‘s colors and shades by varying the size and shape of
pixels.

dock
Attaching a toolbar, window, pane, panel, or dialog box to different screen areas.

DPI (dots per inch)

Measurement of an image‘s display resolution. For example, 92 DPI means 92 dots
horizontally and 92 dots vertically, which equals 8,464 dots per square inch. More dots per
inch result in higher resolution and image quality.

dynamic range
The dynamic range of an image is directly related to the dynamic range of your digital
camera's sensor. If your digital camera's sensor has a large dynamic range it can capture
the darkest shadows and brightest highlights at the same time, without clipping the shadows
or highlights. (RAW images preserve the dynamic range of your digital camera's sensor.)
Adjusting the tonal range of the image changes how the dynamic range of the image is
represented on a monitor or in a photo.

E
editor, image
See image editor.

Edit Mode
Open images in Edit Mode to adjust or enhance them using the editing tools and effects.

elevation
Height of an imaginary light source over an image. The elevation of the light source works in
conjunction with azimuth to generate a three-dimensional emboss effect.

encode
Writing (or saving) a file format.

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 Glossary

encryption
Method of converting data into a secure format. You need a digital password or key to read
an encrypted file.

EXIF (Exchangeable Image File)

Standard for storing information, primarily with images that use JPEG compression. Most
digital cameras create EXIF information and embed it in the image file. For example, EXIF
information can include details about shutter speed and whether a flash was used.

export
Moving data from one application to another. The exporting application places the data in a
format that the other application understands.

exposure
Exposure is the amount of time that your digital camera's sensor is exposed to light.

F
feather
Softening image edges to blend them into the background.

file listing
In ACDSee, a report of the files currently displayed in the Browser.

file name collision

Action that results from moving or copying an item to a folder or drive that already contains
an item with the same file name.

file format
Medium for encoding information in a file. Each type of file has a different file format that
specifies how it organizes the information it contains.

filter
Program that can apply an effect to an image, such as an embossed appearance or a sepia
tone.

fisheye distortion
In fisheye distortion, the photo appears to bulge outwards from the center, as if the photo
were wrapped around a sphere.

footer
Comment or description added to the bottom of an image. Sometimes called a caption.

frame
Single still image in a film or video.

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frame rate
Speed at which a film or video displays frames. Frame rate is measured in frames per
second (FPS).

G
gamma
Range of color values a monitor, scanner, or printer can display. Adjusting this value
increases or decreases the intensity of the light spectrum. A gamma corrected image
simulates the adjusted display value when it is saved.

grayscale image
Image composed of different shades of gray.

H
header
Comment or description added to the top of an image. Also referred to as a caption.

highlights
Highlights are the brightest or whitest parts of an image.

histogram
A histogram is a bar graph that displays the dynamic range of shadows and highlights in an
image.

HSL
An acronym for hue, saturation, and lightness.

hue
Predominant color in an image.

I
image editor
Program that you can use to create and edit images. ACD Photo Editor is an image editor.

image optimizer
Program you can use to make your images more suitable for the Internet. ACD
RealOptimizer is an image optimizer.

image resolution
Quality of image details and colors. Also used to describe the quality of monitors and printer
output.

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 Glossary

image viewer
Program that displays images. ACDSee and ACD Photo Editor are image viewers.

import
Bringing data into an application from another using a format that the receiving application
understands.

interpolation
Process that uses nearby pixels to estimate the color of new pixels added to the larger
image. For example, interpolation might be used when enlarging a digital image.

IPTC
Standard method of encoding information within image files so that items such as
descriptive comments and copyright information can be transmitted with the image.

J-K
jaggies
Individual pixels displayed in an image with low resolution. The appearance of pixels in an
image causes lines and curves to appear jagged.

L
lossless compression
Form of compression that retains all image data and quality.

lossless rotation and flipping

Rotation of a JPEG image without loss of image quality. This works best on images with
dimensions that are a multiple of 8 or 16.

lossy compression
Form of compression that attempts to remove unnecessary data. This data loss can affect
image quality.

M
marquee
Dashed-line frame that identifies a selected portion of an image. Depending on the tool, you
can resize or move a marquee with or without changing the underlying image.

metadata
Information about an image and how it was taken. For example, the metadata of digital
camera images can contain the date and time the picture was taken, the shutter speed, the
exposure settings of the camera, and whether a flash was used.

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monochrome image
Image containing a single color.

multiple page image

Image containing more than one image in a single file. For example, images in TIFF format
can have multiple pages.

myACD
A control panel that you can use to check the status of your software, enter a license code to
update your trial versions, and download other products to try or buy.

N
newsreader
Application for reading and posting messages on Internet newsgroups (online discussion
groups).

noise
Effect produced when a variety of pixel colors are used in the same color region. Noise often
results during image resizing, or when converting an image to a new format.

O
opacity
Determines how visible an effect is when applied to an image or a selection. High opacity
produces a more solid effect, while low opacity results in a nearly invisible effect.

overexposed
Images that are overexposed have too many highlights, and tend to look faded or grainy.
You typically overexpose images by exposing your digital camera's sensor to light for too
long.

P-Q
panning
Moving zoomed images vertically, horizontally, and diagonally across the display area to
view specific areas of the image.

PDF
An acronym for Portable Document Format. You can view PDFs on any computer using the
free Adobe Reader software.

Perceptual
Rendering intent that scales all of the colors within one gamut to fit within another gamut.
Best used for photographic images, as it maintains the relationship between the colors more
accurately than the colors themselves.

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 Glossary

perspective distortion
Perspective distortion is caused by wide angle and telephoto lenses, which distort the
perspective of large or far-away objects. For example, if you take a photo of a tall building,
the building may appear to be narrower at the top even though the building is the same
width from top to bottom.

photo album
See album.

photo editor
See image editor.

picture viewer
See image viewer.

pincushion distortion
In pincushion distortion the photo appears to shrink inwards toward the center.

pixel (PICture ELement)

Smallest visible portion of a digital image, arranged in rows and columns.

plug-in
Software module that adds functionality to a larger program.

PPI (pixels per inch)

Measurement of how an image is displayed. More pixels per inch result in higher image
quality.

primary colors
Colors that can produce other colors when blended. For example, in the RGB color model,
red, green, and blue are primary colors.

R
raster image
Image composed of a rectangular grid of pixels. Each pixel contains a defined value about its
color, size, and location in the image. As a result, resizing the image can affect its quality.

rating
Assign ratings (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) to photos to help sort and manage them more easily.

RAW
An image file format. RAW files contain all of the image data that was captured by your
digital camera's sensor. RAW files are not processed by your camera; instead, you must
process RAW images using a RAW processor.

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recursive
Program or task that can repeat itself indefinitely, such as a slide show.

red-eye
Red-eye occurs when the light from your digital camera's flash reflects off the retinas in the
subject's eyes. The subject's eyes look red instead of their normal color.

Relative Colorimetric
Rendering intent that maps the colors that fall exactly within the color gamuts of both the
input and output devices. Best used for single- or limited-color images as colors outside of
both gamuts may be mapped to a single color.

render
Drawing images to your screen.

rendering intent
Approach used to map colors from one color gamut to another. There are four rendering
intents available: Perceptual, Relative Colorimetric, Saturation, and Absolute Colorimetric.

resolution
Quality and clarity of an image, measured in pixels, dots per inch, or pixels per inch.

RGB
Color model that uses red, green, and blue as its primary colors.

ringing artifacts
Distortion around the edges of image subjects, caused by compressing or resizing an image.

S
sample
Audio wave, measured in bits. More sample bits result in higher clarity and fidelity.

sample rate
Number of samples, measured in Hertz (Hz - cycles per second), to represent a sound
digitally. More samples per second result in a more accurate digital representation of the
sound. An audio recording‘s sample rate is a key factor determining its overall sound quality.

sample size
Size of an audio sample, measured in bits.

saturation
Purity of a color. Higher color saturation results in more gray.

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 Glossary

Saturation (rendering intent)

Rendering intent that maintains color saturation from one gamut to another. Best suited for
images in which the actual color represented is less important than the color‘s vividness.

SendPix
ACD SendPix is a free, electronic photo sharing service offered by ACD Systems.

selection
Portion of an image that you define with a selection tool. A marquee surrounds a selection.
ACDSee and ACD Photo Editor include selection tools.

sepia
Sepia-toned images are composed of shades of brown. Many old photographs have a sepia
tone.

sharpness
The sharpness in an image is determined, primarily, by your digital camera's lens and
sensor. You can also create the illusion of sharpness by increasing the contrast between
edges within an image.

shell
Another term for user interface. In ACD Systems software, shell refers to your operating
system or parent application. You can use shell commands to access other programs or
applications from within ACD Systems software.

shell command
Instruction sent to the operating system or parent application by another program or
application.

shortcut menu
Menu that appears when you right-click within a program. Sometimes referred to as a
context menu.

slide show
Automated sequential display of images. You can use slide show software such as ACDSee
and ACD FotoAngelo to create and display slide shows of your images.

streaming
Playing an audio or video file as it downloads from the Internet (in contrast to downloading
the entire file before playing it).

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T
tagging
Tagging, like categories and ratings, is a great way to organize and group your photos
without moving the files into different folders. You can tag a photo with one click. Similarly,
you can display all tagged photos with one click.

thumbnails
Small preview of a full-sized image.

timestamp
Date and time associated with a file.

TiVo
TiVo is a television recording device and service. You can publish your digital photos from
ACDSee to your TiVo device and view them on your television.

transitions
Special effects used between images or video segments in slide shows, screen savers, and
videos.

TWAIN
Interface standard for scanners and some digital cameras.

U
underexposed
Images that are underexposed have too many shadows. Images typically become
underexposed if you don't expose your digital camera's sensor to light long enough.

unsharp mask
An unsharp mask is a tool for sharpening images. The original image is blurred slightly. This
blurred version of the image is subtracted from the original image, revealing the edges in
the original image. These edges are the unsharp mask. These edges can then be sharpened
by increasing contrast.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

Computer port for connecting peripheral devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, camera, or
scanner.

V
VCD
Video Compact Disc, or video stored to a regular CD.

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 Glossary

vector image
Image consisting of individual objects rather than pixels. Mathematical equations define the
objects. You can adjust the size of a vector image and the image will retain its clarity and
quality.

viewer, image
See image viewer.

W
watermark
Background text or graphics added to an image, usually to provide copyright protection.

whitepoint
Lightest image area. You can control the intensity of the white in an image by adjusting its
whitepoint.

X-Z
XML (Extensible Markup Language)
Standard language for Web documents.

zoom
In ACDSee, zoom refers to the process of increasing or decreasing the display scale for an
image. Increase the display scale to view a portion of an image or a specific image detail.
Decrease the display scale to view more or all of the image.

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320
Index

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ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

ACDInTouch, 21 rotating, 126

ACDSee black and white, 118
ACDInTouch, 21 blend modes, 97
contacting ACD Systems, 22 blurring, 121
credits and acknowledgements, 2 brightness, 107
database, 202 Browser
getting photos, 26 and RAW files, 46
myACD, 21 Burn Basket, 224
starting, 9 Context-Sensitive toolbar, 272
system requirements, 20 customizing the layout, 270
user interface, 10 customizing toolbars, 272
what's new, 3 Favorites pane, 45
acquiring photos, 26 File List pane, 38
archiving files, 230 Folders pane, 40
assigning categories and ratings, 194 Image Basket, 56
associating files with ACDSee, 303 keyboard shortcuts, 282
audio options, 247
adding to images, 237 Properties pane, 199
playing, 234 Quick Search bar, 213
recording to images, 237 Search pane, 214
auto advance, 66 Selective Browsing pane, 216
auto color, 117 using, 11
backing up view modes, 47
database, 207 Burn Basket, 224
tips and strategies, 209 cataloging files, 203
barrel distortion, 105 categories
batch editing assigning, 194
about, 125 finding unassigned images, 220
Batch Processor, 131 managing, 193
color profiles, 130 CD
exposure, 129 creating, 224
flipping, 126 getting photos, 33
renaming, 190 Photo discs, 69
resizing, 128 setting CD/DVD management options, 257

322
 Index

VCD, 226 File management, 258

color Folders pane, 255
Auto color, 117 keyboard shortcuts, 275
changing color depth, 118 moving panes, 13
changing color profiles, 130 Organize pane, 255
removing a color cast, 117 Preview pane, 254
setting color management options, 259 toolbars, 272
comparing images, 53 Viewer, 262
contact information, 22 database
contact sheets about, 202
creating, 229 adding information to, 196
printing, 243 backing up, 207
Context-Sensitive toolbar, 272 cataloging files, 203
converting converting, 204
databases, 204 descript.ion files, 205
descript.ion files, 205 excluding folders, 203
images to another file format, 125 exporting, 206
images to video, 226 importing, 204
to grayscale, 118 keywords, 195, 211
copying maintaining, 210
files, 186 mapping drives, 212
images, 187 optimizing, 211
Crayon Drawing effect, 162 options, 261
credits, 2 quarantining files, 211
crooked photos, 104 rebuilding thumbnails, 211
cropping, 86 restoring, 209
Crosshatch effect, 163 tips and strategies, 209
Custom tab, 271 date
customizing changing in multiple files, 198
Browser layout, 270 Dauber effect, 163
Calendar pane, 256 descript.ion files, 205
Database, 261 Details View mode, 47
Edit Panel, 274 Details View options, 253
File List pane, 248 Device Detector, 26

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device profiles cloning, 102

creating, 29 configuring editors, 275
editing, 30 correcting barrel distortion, 105
getting photos, 30 correcting crooked photos, 104
digital camera correcting fisheye distortion, 105
getting photos, 30 correcting perspective distortion, 104
plug-ins, 26 correcting pincushion distortion, 105
downloading correcting shadows and highlights, 108
photos automatically, 30 cropping, 86
photos from a CD, 33 Edit Mode, 17, 80
photos from a digital camera, 30 exposure, 106
photos from a mass storage device, 32 flipping, 86
photos from a mobile phone, 33 HSL values, 118
photos from a scanner, 31 light levels, 114
photos in ACDSee, 26 removing a color cast, 117
Duplicate Finder, 219 removing noise, 123
DVD removing red-eye, 103
creating, 224 repairing, 102
setting CD/DVD management options, 257 resizing, 84
VCD, 226 RGB values, 119
Edge Detect effect, 163 rotating, 85
Edit Mode sharpness, 120
customizing the Edit Panel, 274 special effects, 159
Preview bar, 83 tool presets, 99
saving images, 99 toolbars, 272
tool presets, 99 unsharp mask, 120
undo/redo, 83 effects
editing about, 159
adding noise, 124 Bathroom Window, 160
adding text, 95 Blinds, 160
auto color, 117 Bulge, 161
blurring, 121 Colored Edges, 161
brightness, 107 Contours, 162
brightness curves, 116 Crayon Drawing, 162

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 Index

Crosshatch, 163 Waves, 181

Dauber, 163 Weave, 182
Edge Detect, 163 Wind, 182
Emboss, 164 e-mailing images, 222
Furry Edges, 164 Emboss effect, 164
Glowing Edges, 165 excluding folders from database, 203
Granite, 166 EXIF
Mirror, 166 adding EXIF information, 196
Negative, 166 batch set information, 196
Oil Paint, 167 viewing, 200
Old, 167 exporting database information, 206
Outline, 168 exposure
Pencil Drawing, 168 adjusting automatically, 106
Pixel Explosion, 168 adjusting for multiple images, 129
Pixelate, 169 Favorites pane, 45
Posterize, 170 file formats, 292
Radial Waves, 170 File List pane
Rain, 171 customizing, 248
Ripple, 172 filtering files, 48
Scattered Tiles, 172 full screen, 39
Sepia, 173 setting Details View options, 253
Sheet Metal, 173 setting File List options, 248
Shift, 174 setting thumbnail display options, 251
Slant, 174 using, 38
Solarize, 175 view modes, 47
Stained Glass, 176 files
Sunspot, 177 archiving, 230
Swirl, 177 associating with ACDSee, 303
Threshold, 178 cataloging in the database, 203
Topographic Map, 178 changing dates, 198
user defined, 183 copying and moving, 186
Vignette, 178 details, 47
Water, 180 finding duplicates, 219
Water Drops, 180 listing, 207

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management options, 258 Device Detector, 26

organizing, 17 from a CD, 33
pasting, 187 from a digital camera, 30
playing audio and video, 234 from a mass storage device, 32
properties, 199 from a mobile phone, 33
quarantining, 211 from a scanner, 31
renaming, 188 renaming templates, 34
replacing, 187 Glowing Edges effect, 165
selecting, 52 Granite effect, 166
sorting, 51 grayscale, 118
supported formats, 292 header
synchronizing between folders, 201 in the Viewer, 67
filtering files, 48 printing on pages, 242
fisheye distortion, 105 Heal tool, 102
flipping hicolor, 118
in Edit Mode, 86 highlights, 108
multiple photos, 126 histogram, 117
folders HSL, 118
browsing, 40 HTML album, 226
excluding from database, 203 Image Basket, 56
mobile phone, 33 Image Well, 220
pasting, 187 images
renaming, 188 adding audio, 237
synchronizing files, 201 comparing, 53
synchronizing in Viewer, 68 converting to another format, 125
Folders pane copying, 187
options, 255 downloading, 26
using, 40 e-mailing, 222
footer extracting from video files, 236
in the Viewer, 67 finding quickly, 220
printing on pages, 242 panning, 61
fullscreen mode, 15 supported formats, 292
Furry Edges effect, 164 viewing, 15
getting photos importing database information, 204

326
 Index

IPTC optimizing the database, 211

adding IPTC information, 196 options
removing IPTC keywords and ACDSee Quick View, 70
supplemental categories, 197
batch set information, 197
viewing, 200
Browser, 247
JPEG options, 267
Calendar pane, 256
keyboard shortcuts
contact sheet, 243
Browser, 282
database, 261
customizing, 275
device profiles, 30
Viewer, 286
file management, 258
light levels, 114
Folders, 255
listing files, 207
general, 246
local contrast enhancement, 108
Organize pane, 255
magnifying glass, 62
Preview pane, 254
median noise reduction, 123
Viewer, 262
Mirror effect, 166
Organize pane
mobile phone, 33
customizing, 255
mouse shortcuts, 291
organizing
moving
assigning categories, 194
Browser panes, 11
assigning ratings, 194
files, 186
files, 17
multiple images
finding images quickly, 220
adjusting exposure, 129
managing categories, 193
renaming, 190
Outline effect, 168
resizing, 128
overwriting files, 187
myACD, 21
panes
navigator, 61
auto-hiding, 270
Negative effect, 166
moving, 12
noise
resetting to default layout, 11
about, 122
PDF, 224
adding to an image, 124
Pencil Drawing effect, 168
removing from an image, 123
perspective distortion, 104
Oilpaint effect, 167
photo discs, 69
Old effect, 167
Photo Repair tool, 102

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photo transfer settings processing, 149, 156

configuring a device profile, 27 processing a batch of files, 157
destination options, 28 removing processing settings, 158
getting photos from a profiled device, 30 sharing processing settings, 158
storage options, 29 supported formats, 299
pincushion distortion, 105 viewing, 68
Pixel Explosion effect, 168 recording image audio, 237
pixel resize options, 100 red-eye removal, 103
Pixelate effect, 169 removeable devices, 26
plug-ins renaming
about, 277 file or folder, 188
managing, 277 multiple files, 190
viewing properties, 278 while getting photos, 34
Posterize effect, 170 replacing files, 187
preset options, 99 resizing
Preview pane multiple images, 128
customizing, 254 one image, 84
using, 52 restoring database information, 209
printing RGB, 119
contact sheet options, 243 Ripple effect, 172
custom print formats, 244 rotating
setting size and positioning, 242 in Edit Mode, 85
text on pages, 242 multiple photos, 126
Properties pane, 199 scanner, 31
Properties pane options, 258 Scattered Tiles effect, 172
quarantining files, 211 screen capture, 34
Radial Waves effect, 170 screen savers
Rain effect, 171 creating, 72
ratings sharing, 222
assigning, 194 Search pane, 214
RAW images searching
about processing, 148 file name patterns, 215
browsing, 46 for duplicate files, 219
editing, 159 Image Well, 220

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 Index

Quick Search bar, 213 configuring, 62

setting Quick Search options, 248 sharing, 222
wild cards, 215 starting automatically, 65
with ACDSee, 18 Solarize effect, 175
with the Search pane, 214 sorting files, 51
selecting sound
files, 52 adding to images, 237
part of a media file, 236 recording, 237
part of an image, 94 Stained Glass effect, 176
Selective Browsing, 216 starting
SendPix albums, 232 ACDSee, 9
Sepia effect, 173 slide shows automatically, 65
sharing, 108 Sunspot effect, 177
archives, 230 supported file formats, 292
contact sheets, 229 Swirl effect, 177
e-mailing images, 222 synchronizing
HTML albums, 226 files between folders, 201
PDFs, 224 Viewer to a folder, 68
screen savers, 222 system requirements, 20
SendPix albums, 232 tagging images, 192
slide shows, 222 text
VCDs, 226 adding to an image, 95
video files, 226 adding to pages (printing), 242
with ACDSee, 19 blend modes, 97
sharpness, 120 displaying on images in the Viewer, 67
Sheet Metal effect, 173 lists of files, 207
Shift effect, 174 Threshold effect, 178
shortcuts thumbnails
Browser, 282 rebuilding, 211
mouse, 291 setting display options, 251
Viewer, 286 setting ratio options, 252
Slant effect, 174 view modes, 47
slide shows timestamp, 198
auto advance, 66 timestamps, 198

329
ACDSee Pro 2 - User Guide

TiVo, 232 panning, 61

tool presets, 99 setting display options, 263
toolbars, 272 setting zoom level, 59
Topographic Map effect, 178 synchronizing to a folder, 69
truecolor, 118 using, 14
TWAIN zooming an image, 58
about, 26 viewing
getting photos, 31 file properties, 199
unsharp mask, 120 file types in the File List, 48
USB mass storage device fullscreen, 15
about, 26 images, 14
getting photos, 32 images in another application, 72
user interface, 10 slide shows, 64
video files text on images in the Viewer, 67
creating, 226 Vignette effect, 178
extracting frames, 236 wallpaper, 73
playing, 234 Water Drops effect, 180
Viewer Water effect, 180
auto advance, 66 watermarks, 98
automatic zooming, 59 Waves effect, 181
customizing, 262 Weave effect, 182
displaying text, 67 wild cards, 215
fullscreen mode, 15 Wind effect, 182
histogram, 117 zooming
keyboard shortcuts, 286 automatically, 59
magnifying glass, 62 in the Viewer, 58
mouse shortcuts, 291 setting level, 59
navigator, 61

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© 2006-2007 ACD Systems International Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.