Tiff Tips

Many items in the Library's collections are in Tiff format or what are known as Tiff images. A Tiff image will have a file extension of .tif or .tiff that your computer will need to recognize and handle properly. If you are having trouble viewing a Tiff image please refer to the tips below or consult your computer's warranty provider for more help.

Windows Operating Systems

Windows is normally configured to view Tiff files, but some other viewer programs or plug-ins will associate themselves with the Tiff file type, over-riding your computer's settings. See solutions below to try to associate Tiff files to the proper viewer. We have also listed several programs that can be used to view Tiff images and when installed will associate the Tiff extensions automatically.

Configuring Windows Vista or Windows 7 for Tiff Files

• Click the Start button
• Choose Default Programs
• Set your default programs
  or
  Associate a file type or protocol with a program

More information can be found at either of the following two links:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Change-which-programs-Windows-uses-by-default
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Change-which-programs-Windows-uses-by-default

Configuring Windows XP for Tiff Files

• Click Start, Programs, Accessories, then Windows Explorer
• In Windows Explorer, select Tools, and then Folder Options…
• Click the File Types tab
• Select the TIF extension and click Change…
  • If a tif extension is not present click new to add it to the listing.
• Select Windows Imaging, Microsoft Office Document Imaging or another program of your choosing and click OK.

More information can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307859

Configuring Windows 98 for Tiff Files

• Open My Computer by double clicking on it.
• Click on View in the Menu Bar, then on Folder Options.
• Click on the File Type tab in the Folder Options dialog box.
• Go through file types until you find the Tiff file type.
• If it is not associated with Imaging for Windows, i.e., KODAKIMG, then select the TIF file type and click on Edit.
• In the Edit File Type dialog box, select Open under the Actions section, then click on the Edit button.
• Browse to C:\windows\kodakimg.exe.
• Ok to all dialog boxes, then try opening a Tiff document. 

For additional information about associating file types with programs, click the Start button, click Help, type "associating, file types with programs" on the Index tab, click Display, and view a topic.

"Open" Option Not Available in Windows 2000

Solution 1

• Doubleclick on My Computer
• Click on Tools in the Menu Bar, then on Folder Options.
• Click on the File Types tab.
• Scroll down to the Tif and Tiff file types.
• In the lower section, there should be two buttons, Change and Restore or Change and Advanced. The information may read that "You have customized files with extension tiff. To restore to their default type, click Restore."
• Click the Restore button. The file type description should change from Tiff file to Tiff Image Document.
• Now instead of Restore there is an Advanced button. Click the Advanced button, Uncheck the box for "Confirm Open after Download."
• Click Ok.
• Make sure this is done for both .tif and .tiff file types.
   

Solution 2

If the first solution does not work, you may have to modify the registry. The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - Q319829 explains how to do that.

Problem with the Quick Time Plug-in

Problem: viewer will only view one page of a multiple page document

Solution: Put cursor on the one page that does come up and press right button on mouse and if "About QuickTime Plug-in" appears as the first menu item do the following:

• After pressing the right button on mouse, select the "Plug-In settings" option.
• Select the "MIME settings" button.
• Roll down to find Images and click on the plus sign in the box.
• Roll down to find TIFF and click on the "X" to uncheck the box.
• Click on OK button.
• A message indicating you are trying to change the Browser while it is open appears, click on OK.
• Close and reopen the browser and go back to the website to view the image. It should be using Imaging for Windows which allows you view the next page by selecting Page from Toolbar and then Next. If you see a ? Icon, click on it and it should bring up help for Imaging.

Apple / Mac Users

For various problems with Tiff files, please contact Apple and supply them with information about the specific browser you are using. We have also listed some Macintosh compatable Tiff viewing software below.

Shareware Downloads

Microsoft Windows (You will need a viewer that can handle multipage documents.)

AlternaTIFF
www.tucows.com
www.zdnet.com
Informative Graphics (displays .tiff and .pdf files)

Mac

Accel ViewTIFF
GraphicConverter

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