Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

Getting "Image Read Error" on TIF file (240.9MB). Tried changing from 180ppi to 150ppi (167.4MB) and also 180ppi and 8-bit (120.5MB). All get the same error. Upgraded to v2020.120, no help. Running Windows 10, 64-bit, 32GB RAM. Can open failing file from Qimage Ultimate folder into Photoshop... opens fine, so file is ok. What should I try next?

Rebooting the system and then deleting the file(s) from the Qimage folder from which I print, then transferring to that folder again fixed this. Not sure I understand why, but I'll take it. Back to printing... (note: rebooting without deleting the offending files didn't work - had to re-transfer them after the reboot).

I’ve started experiencing this issue lately, and for me it seems that when saving TIFFs out of Photoshop with “Image Compression” set to None this is where the problems are coming from. When the same file is re-saved with “LZW” as then QImage is happy to read it.
The odd thing is – image compression is a misnomer; for most of my large TIFFs (1GB+) turning the setting to LZW produces larger files than with “None” which is why I am not using the compression option. That said, perhaps for print-only files reverting to LZW will solve all these issues?
Can anyone else confirm this potential workaround?
Thanks.

I also have had this problem for several months. It happens only with certain TIF files. I see no reason why.

If I create again the same TIF file using exactly the same specs in my raw processing software (On1 PhotoRaw), then it sometimes works in QI Ultimate, sometimes not. I see no more reason why.

At first, I thought it was because I use ProPhoto color space in my TIF files, but the problem happens also with Adobe RGB color space.

Solution please!

Yvan

Unfortunately no one can come up with a solution based on a few random observations.  We are going to need some concrete information:

(1) What software was used to save the TIFF
(2) What is the resolution of the TIFF and what is the bit depth (8 bits/channel, 16 bits/channel, etc.)
(3) Best of all, place the TIFF in question on Google Drive or another cloud service and provide a download link so we can download it and look at it.

#3 above takes care of a lot of cases because we've found a lot of corrupted (malformed) TIFF files where the headers do not follow specs.  With people saving files from an unending list of third party tools, we really need the TIFF to be able to test it as we have no problems with properly formed (saved) TIFFs up to 1 GB in size.  In many cases, we've found file errors in offending TIFF images.

Regards,
Mike

Hi Mike,

Email and file link sent a minute ago.

Thanks,

Yvan

Didn't get any email.  You could send me a private message here too if you like.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Just back from a short trip. I sent again the file using WeTransfer this time. You should receive it in a few minutes.

Thanks a lot

Yvan

Hi Mike,

Qimage Ultimate v2021.106.
Its not making the thumbs for larger sized TIF or JPEG.  Not in the thumbnail window and not in the print area window. I still sent the job to test, and it doesn't go to print.

Refresh, restart, rebuild have not worked.

It first happened on the TIF file. Came here and read that it is compression TIF. So I saved in JPEG, and still not working. its 42x90 inch print, so size was large...but that's the whole point.

I have already upgraded maybe 2 or 3 times in the past years, but hardly used the software. Now I am finally printing again.

Is there a fix for this?
Should I uninstall and re-install
Should I install an older version?

Thanks!!

The version you are using is already 2 years old so I'd say no: you don't need an older version.   :D

It's possible the latest version would fix the problem but I don't know anything about the TIFF/JPEG you are trying to print.  Let's start with the real size: what are the pixel dimensions of the image?

Regards,
Mike

I am all about supporting such businesses, but I have upgraded when I was more able to a number of times WHILE the SW sat idle not doing anything. Also I thought initially I had a life time license, and it now says I don't.  Now that I am wanting to use it maybe 2-5 times a month and with current tightening down all around, I need to rein in my hobbies and artistic projects....
So if an older version doesnt have such a bug or a issue in parsing data, I'll use it

There has been no upgrade to date older than 2 years back that has made a difference for my needs.  Other than perhaps broken things that needed fixing within the version anyway.

Let me see, file is... 21240x10020

Qimage Ultimate never even offered lifetime licenses until about a year ago.  There were no lifetime licenses when you bought it and that fact was made perfectly clear on the page where you bought it: one year of updates came with the software and you can buy yearly updates after that.  We now offer lifetime licenses (starting about a year ago) at an additional cost.

21240 x 10020 is a 638MB file: an easy task for Qimage Ultimate.  Even if it is 16 bits/channel, that's 1.2GB and the latest version can handle that without a problem.

Referring to your quote about upgrades: you may "sit idle"... but I don't.  There have been 32 updates to Qimage since the version you are using.  You could download the latest demo and try it: the latest version will handle the 21240 x 10020 TIFF/JPEG images without a problem as long as you are on a 64 bit operating system and provided it isn't a TIFF with tons of superfluous layers and alpha channels.  If you have the install file for your old 2021.106 version, you could even reinstall that after trying the demo if you decide you'd rather stay with a 2 year old version and not pay for any upgrades.

Regards,
Mike

I had recently done an upgrade less than 2 years. It would be under the same payment method, but not necessarily under same registration info.
Maybe I am not using the new program/license?

As for the current issue of the file, it is 8bit TIF.
The TIF file says its 608MB, and Jpeg while closed is 59mb, and since it is based off the TIF, it opens to the TIF size of 608mb.

Does that mean my version cannot generate a thumbnail to work from on a 59mb file, nor a 600+mb size file?

A 21240 x 10020 8 bit/channel file is 638 million bytes.  It doesn't matter whether you squash it down to 59 MB because it is JPEG compressed: when you open it, the image is going to occupy 638 MB (or 608MB if you are using base 2 - 1024).

As long as you are on a 64 bit operating system, that size shouldn't be a problem but there have been several upgrades since the version you are using that improved compatibility with larger files.

Mike

We are saying the same thing...Its what I said above.
I was not aware of QImage not able to handle 608mb file sizes.
What is the size limit my version can handle? This should be info available.
Thanks

As long as you are on a 64 bit operating system, that size shouldn't be a problem but there have been several upgrades since the version you are using that improved compatibility with larger files.


What Mike is telling you is your file size is not even close to the max file size,  I think that was 1.2 gigabytes or more.
If your old version is balking, update to the current version.
Fred

That's quite a random assumption.  Where did you get that Qimage can't handle 608MB files, especially when I already said this in post #11: "21240 x 10020 is a 638MB file: an easy task for Qimage Ultimate."?  As Fred said, I even followed that up with the statement: "As long as you are on a 64 bit operating system, that size shouldn't be a problem but there have been several upgrades since the version you are using that improved compatibility with larger files."  Larger: meaning larger than 608MB.

ALL versions, even very old versions, could handle 608MB files so there is something else going on here.  You might want to click "Help" from the top menu and then hold the Shift key while you click "Analyze Current Settings" to see how much memory is available on your system.

Mike

Yes, I am running a 64bit OS Windows 10.
So what could have caused the software to trip up like this?

Yes, its just 2 years old...Wadda ya think, it wore out?

Without the image, I would have no way to answer.  608 MB is the file size and file size is always irrelevant.  What matters is the resolution, bit depth, and whether or not the TIFF is stuffed full of alpha channels or layers.  The latter is what I suspect: that there is likely a lot of overhead in that TIFF that is not needed like PS layers, PS metadata channels, alpha channels, etc. that cause the image loading to have a RAM "cost" of significantly more than the anticipated 608 MB.

Mike