Navigation:  Menu File > Saving Image

Menu: File -> Save or Save As.

Note: By default Photo-Brush will use the "Save..." command the same way as "Save as..."

That means it will always show the "Save-as" dialog box where you can enter name of the file and choose the file format - or leave the current/last used name and format.

This is in order to prevent new users from overwriting the original images - which is surprisingly a common mistake. Overwriting an original file can be fine in a text editor - you can always type the text again, but if you overwrite an original image mistakenly, you have no way to get it back! (You can only retake the photo). Backup your images, and never overwrite an original unless you are sure you won't need it again. By default, Photo-Brush will remind you to do this by always using the "Save as..." command.

If you want Photo-Brush behave the standard way - that is; if you click "Save", it will save the file without prompting; then go to menu Tools - Settings and check "Allow Save without asking" to ON.

Formats

Photo-Brush supports various standard formats that are good for sharing digital photos.

JPG format.

This format uses a lossy compression. This means that by saving in this format, the image will always suffer from some degree of data loss (not always visible), but this allows producing a much smaller file size than any other format. This format is used on web pages, benefiting from the small file size. All consumer digital cameras save their images in this format.

Enhance Sampling Quality (by default ON)

By using this option Photo-Brush will use a superior sampling technique for JPG compression, producing absolutely the best possible output for the desired quality. The file size is slightly larger than when set to OFF, but it prevents color streaking of details common to many jpg compressed images.

The JPG quality window will show you a small preview of a part of your image where you can check how the quality settings will affect the image. You can click and drag the image to find a place with important details. The window is updated automatically - and you may check for yourself that the loss of quality starts to be rapidly visible after settings of 50 and lower.

For archiving purposes you may use a Quality setting of 80-100 with Enhance Sampling Quality. Note: The JPG format is always lossy, even if you use 100 as a quality; however, the loss is mostly in the areas where the human eye can't really see the difference.

By default Photo-Brush uses integer jpg compression, you can switch it to floating point in the Settings.

DPI resolution flag

Some software reading JPG can benefit from DPI information stored in JPG. For example, printing software can calculate the desired printing size based on DPI. Photo-Brush allows you to set this DPI flag during saving. You can leave it on Default - no additional information about DPI will be stored in JPG, which most of the jpg readers would translate as 96 DPI, or you can set the flag to specific DPI. (If a you loaded JPG with DPI information already stored in, this will be displayed here and the switch will be on “Set flag to”)

Note: Any value here will not change the saved JPG file, the file size, or quality at all. This is just a flag inside the JPG file, and it doesn't affect the data. If you don't know anything about DPI or simply don't care, leave it on Default.

The DPI stands for Dots Per Inch. If you have image of size 1200x1200 pixels and you set the DPI flag to 300 DPI, that would mean for printing software that your image should have desired size on paper 4x4 inch (4 x 300 = 1200). Of course any printing software should let you adjust the size no matter what DPI flag you set.

Using DPI has application mostly for flat bed scanners. If you scan a postcard on 120 DPI, which will give you 720x480 pixels, the stored flag (120 DPI) will always carry the information about the original size.

n the other hand, using DPI for digital camera images has no logic reason - there isn't original size of image - it would be something like 1/2*1/2 inch or smaller (which is the size of CCD chip in camera). It isn't very probable that anyone would like to print it back in that size. If digital camera stores any DPI information, this is just what the developers of camera feel would be the reasonable size of image if it is printed on paper. In other words, don't worry much about DPI.

Set Time/Date of the File

Normally any software sets the file date and time when the file is being modified. Photo-Brush can change the saved date and time to the date and time when the image was originally taken (Extracted from EXIF info). This may come very handy feature since your images on disk will show the exact date when it was taken, not when it was modified. You will be able to tell by simply looking at the date in Windows Explorer when the photo was shot.

If original image has no EXIF info (such as image not originated from digital camera) the option will be disabled.

PNG format.

If you are editing a new file, Photo-Brush will prompt you to save in this format by default. This is because PNG is a lossless format, the quality doesn't change, while it still produces reasonably small file sizes. Even more interesting is the fact that most of the new web browsers (IE 5.0 as well as Netscape Navigator 4.3) now support this format.

You can use the PNG format for archiving or for files you will be changing repeatedly. While this format is in many aspects superior to JPG only new graphics applications will support it. (Because it is newer than JPG format)

BMP format.

BMP format is a native Windows format. There are no benefits to using this format except the fact that any windows application, even very old ones will probably support at least this format. The file sizes are much bigger in comparison to JPG or PNG. It is a lossless format, so the quality doesn't change.

There are a few other formats for compatibility, but any other graphics application should read one of the first 3 described here.

Exif

Preserve original Data - the EXIF date from the original file will be copied to the saved file
Update Thumbnail - the EXIF thumbnail will be updated with the new image.