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Support Frequently asked questions


This Support FAQ provides answers to questions our support team frequently receives about Zoomify products, purchasing, and policies. Topics range from general presales questions, information about which product best serves your needs, and specific technical issues. This resource complements the documentation, examples, READ ME FIRST text files, and other reference materials that ship with our products.


UPDATE IN PROGRESS

New content coming following V5 release. Thank you for your patience!

For information about fixes and features in all versions please visit our
updates page!

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ZIF File Format Spec: Single-file, multi-resolution storage format details are here.






 

Company

What is the mission of Zoomify?
What are Zoomify’s core competencies?

Who are Zoomify's customers?
I've created a great site using Zoomify. Can you link to it?
Who are Zoomify's partners?
How can my company become a Zoomify partner?
Does Zoomify certify designers and developers?

Who do I contact with press questions?
Can I get a quote for my publication regarding Zoomify’s products?
What tradeshows, events, or organizations does Zoomify attend or sponsor?

Is Zoomify a public company? Can I invest?
Does Zoomify release financial information?
Where is Zoomify headquartered?

How many employees does Zoomify have?
Is Zoomify hiring? Where can I see a list of open positions?
How can I provide my resume to Zoomify for consideration?

What Intellectual Property Protection does Zoomify have?
I see on Google that Zoomify won a lawsuit. What was it about?
What indemnification does Zoomify provide if I use Zoomify’s products?

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Products

What is Zoomify?
What are the key benefits of Zoomify?
What applications and markets is Zoomify useful for?
Where can I see Web sites using Zoomify?

How do I create Zoomify content?
How do I publish Zoomify Images?
Is there any special server setup needed?
Can everyone view my Zoomify Images?
How easy is it to use the Zoomify Viewers?

Which of your products is right for me?
Where can I find detailed product information?
What makes Zoomify better than any alternatives?
How secure are my images with Zoomify?
Do Zoomify products include source code for the components?
Where can I download a trial version?
What are the limitations of Zoomify Export?
What are the limitations of Zoomify Express?

Can I save a Zoomify Image?
How can I print a Zoomify Image?
Can I customize the Zoomify Viewers?
Is Adobe Flash Player needed to view Zoomify content?
Are all browsers supported? What about devices?
Are there any special system requirements?

Does Zoomify provide documentation in languages other than English?

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Purchasing

How do I buy Zoomify products?
How do I submit a purchase order?
How much do Zoomify products cost?
What versions of Zoomify products are available?
When will new versions of Zoomify's products be available?

Is educational pricing available?
Is upgrade pricing available?
Are there discounts for customers of compatible or competitive products?
Can I buy a multi-seat, multi-user, or site license?
What criteria are Zoomify site license prices based on?
Does the Zoomify store charge tax?

The Zoomify store is not accepting my credit card. What should I do?
I received an error when attempting to purchase a Zoomify product. What should I do?
I accidentally made a duplicate purchase. How can I cancel it?
What is Zoomify's return / refund policy?

I am purchasing from outside the USA. Can I use the Zoomify store?
My country is not listed in the Zoomify store. Where can I buy your products?
Does Zoomify have a distributor in my country?

How can I become a reseller of Zoomify products?
I have other questions about purchasing or the store. Who do I contact?

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Policies

Support

What support alternatives does Zoomify offer?
What free support options are available to Zoomify customers?
What paid support options are available to Zoomify customers?
Is Zoomify product documentation available online?
Where can I see product tutorials or examples?
Does Zoomify provide API reference documentation online?
Does Zoomify provide an online FAQ?
Does Zoomify provide an online forum?
Is there a mailing list I can subscribe to for notification of product updates?
How quickly can I expect a response to my question from Zoomify Support?
How do I report a possible bug?
Is Zoomify support available in languages other than English?

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Licensing

What are the allowed uses of Zoomify products?
Are there any royalties or strings on my Zoomify content?
Where can I view the Zoomify License Agreement?
Can I install my Zoomify products on more than one machine?
Do I need a serial number for my Zoomify product?
How can I replace a product I've lost?
Can I remove or replace the Zoomify splashscreen and Zoomify Toolbar logo?

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Custom Development

How much help can Zoomify support give me with custom coding?
Does Zoomify offer custom development services?
Can Zoomify refer me to 3rd party consultants for development help?

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TechNotes

All Products

UPDATE IN PROGRESS - Updated content coming soon. Thank you for your patience.

 


All Products

How big should my image be for good zoom?
Is there a maximum file size for Zoomify Images?
Do I need special hardware for Zoomify? What is the best hardware setup?
What performance benchmarks can I expect with Zoomify?
My image shows up but it won't zoom at all - what's wrong?
I see the Zoomify logo and splash screen, but my image won't appear. Why?
Should a relative image path be relative to the Viewer '.swf' file or the calling web page '.htm' file?
Will the Zoomify Viewers work in a CSS layer in a web page?
I receive an error about changing security settings when viewing remote content from a local web page. Why?
How can I easily convert a large number of images?
How fast can Zoomify convert and display images?
Are any special setup steps needed to run the Zoomify Converter on Windows Vista?
How can I change the compression level of the Zoomify Converter?
What formats does the Zoomify Converter support?
When will Zoomify offer conversion support for formats like RAW or PSB?
Can Zoomify work with image tiles that are not lossy compressed?
Can Zoomify work with image tiles that are in other formats?
Can I use Zoomify with vector content?
How can I easily upload Zoomify Image folders to my Web server?

What is a 'cross-domain policy file' and how do I use it for multi-domain web site hosting?
How can I control the Zoomify Viewer from JavaScript in my web page?
How can I ensure that the Zoomify Viewer has focus when my Web page loads?
Which Zoomify products support 'map files'?
Does Zoomify work with Akamai and other edge servers?

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Company


What is the mission of Zoomify?

Zoomify makes high-quality images zoom-and-pan for fast, interactive viewing on the web. Zoomify's image viewing solutions use just HTML, JPEGs, and a tiny JavaScript file - no large downloads, no special installs, and no server-side setup is required. And Zoomify's innovative features provided added value including support for slideshows, hotspots, annotation, side-by-side comparison, and much more. Zoomify’s products meet the high-quality, high-resolution imaging needs of creative professionals and image-centric applications. Zoomify is revolutionizing digital imaging in medicine and the sciences, image archiving and museum exhibits, defense and security, education, entertainment, and more.

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What are Zoomify’s core competencies?

Zoomify is focused on developing technologies that enable fast, interactive use of high-quality images over networks, adding value with intuitive navigation, creative visualization, and efficient data integration, and delivering products with practical licensing and reasonable pricing to support widespread use of high-resolution images by design professionals and customers in image-centric markets. With over seven years' experience and partners including Adobe Systems, Aperio Technologies, Gallery Systems, and more, Zoomify is positioned as the leader in high-quality image publishing solutions.

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Who are Zoomify's customers?

Zoomify's customers include leading web design firms, museums, medical and scientific research institutions, government agencies, and more. For a partial listing please visit our Customers page.

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I've created a great site using Zoomify. Can you link to it?

We welcome news of creative, useful showcases of our technologies and are eager to see what you've created. We update our home page and Customers page on a regular basis and appreciate the opportunity to consider your site for inclusion. Please send us your link and contact information at the support address provided below.

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Who are Zoomify's partners?

Zoomify's Partners include leading technology firms in the computer software, microscopy, asset management, and other markets. For partial listing please visit our Partners page.

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How can my company become a Zoomify partner?

Zoomify partners are afforded priority support, highlighting on our site including logo, information, and link, as well as co-development and co-marketing opportunities as mutually determined to be appropriate. We welcome your interest and request that you contact us with information about your organization and your needs using our support address provided below.

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Does Zoomify certify designers and developers?

At the current time we are not offering a formal certification program, however, we are happy to provide customer referrals where an individual or organization's services and reputation warrant it. Please tell us more about yourself using the support address provided below.

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Who do I contact with press questions?

We're happy to provide press contacts with whatever information they may need to help familiarize themselves with our company and our products. If you work with a media organization and require assistance beyond the materials available on our About page and elsewhere on our web site, please don't hesitate to contact us at the support address provided below and we'll have the appropriate team member return your contact promptly.

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Can I get a quote for my publication regarding Zoomify’s products?

We'd be happy to have the right person contact you if you provide your name, email address and phone number, organization, and your topic of interest. Please visit our About page for more information.

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What tradeshows, events, or organizations does Zoomify attend or sponsor?

Zoomify has been a frequent sponsor and/or has provided speakers and participants to numerous shows and conferences related to web imaging and application development technologies, as well as events specific to digital pathology, image archives, and other image-centric application areas. Announcements have included activities at Flash Forward, The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), Visual Resources Association (VRA), Adobe MAX and more.

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Is Zoomify a public company? Can I invest?

Zoomify is a private company. While we are not focused on soliciting investment at this time, we have raised significant funds throughout our company's history and we are always interested in hearing about relevant opportunities. Please contact us with appropriate information about your self and/or your organization using the support address provided below. Thank you for your interest.

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Does Zoomify release financial information?

Zoomify is a private company and such data is considered strategic and confidential. If you’d like information on Zoomify’s recent public announcements or on investing in or partnering with Zoomify please let us know.

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Where is Zoomify headquartered?

Zoomify is located in sunny Santa Cruz, California, on the leading edge of Silicon Valley.

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How many employees does Zoomify have?

Zoomify's specific staffing information is confidential. We do our best to innovate rapidly while maintaining high quality and to meet support demand both in terms of volume and the skill set required given our products and customer needs.

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Is Zoomify hiring? Where can I see a list of open positions?

Zoomify employment opportunities are updated on our About page as available. For additional information or to submit your information, please contact us . Zoomify is an equal opportunity employer.

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How can I provide my resume to Zoomify for consideration?

We welcome the submission of your resume. Be sure to include complete contact information. Due to the volume of resumes we receive we cannot respond to every submission, however, your interest is appreciated and should an available position present a possible match we will contact you.

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What Intellectual Property Protection does Zoomify have?

Zoomify's products and services are copyrighted works, the development of which derives primarily from creative implementation of designs and code related to third-party platforms. In addition, Zoomify currently has licenses to patents that are relevant to zoom-and-pan image viewing, one from MGI Software and another from SGI (formerly Silicon Graphics). Zoomify has also identified prior art that we believe to be important. It is important to note that intellectual property is a complex arena and litigation is easier to begin than to resolve. We are happy to share information about the protection that we have, simply contact Zoomify Support.

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I see on Google that Zoomify won a lawsuit. What was it about?

During the years 2000 and 2001, Zoomify was involved in a lawsuit with a Canadian software company that is no longer operating. Zoomify and the firm disagreed over the value of a particular patent. The suit was settled on terms favorable to Zoomify. Zoomify's emphasis continues to be on innovation rather than litigation.

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What indemnification does Zoomify provide if I use Zoomify’s components?

Zoomify's Components are implemented using just HTML, JPEGs, and JavaScript and as such are copyrighted works developed as software 'extensions' to browser and mobile device platforms. As is standard with such extensions, no blanket indemnification is provided. The Zoomify License Agreement includes detailed information regarding the Limited Warranty and Disclaimer, Limited Liability, U.S. Government Restricted Rights, and other license articles.

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Products


What is Zoomify?

Zoomify is a tool that web designers use to make images 'zoomable', as well as a 'viewer' that web site visitors use to zoom-and-pan within a 'zoomified' image. Zoomify works by dicing an image into many pieces or 'tiles' - as in a mosaic. Zoomify performs this dicing on many versions of the image, each at a different resolution or size. The result is a pyramid of tiles which a web site visitor can navigate within to view any part of the image at any level of zoom. Viewing is fast and interactive because each view that the visitor zooms and pans to involves the download of only a small number of image tiles, each of which is small in size. No special server or client software is needed as Zoomify's solution uses just HTML, JPEGs, and a tiny JavaScript file that serves as the 'viewer'. Zoomify wraps this viewing solution in added-value with custom viewing alternatives supporting slideshow presentations, hotspots, annotations, side-by-side image comparison, synchronized multi-user viewing, and more.

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What are the key benefits of Zoomify?

Zoomify makes high-quality images zoom-and-pan for fast interactive viewing on the web. Zoomify products accomplish this feat by converting images in standard formats such as TIF, BMP, and JPEG into pieces - just like the tiles of a mosaic. These pieces are actually created for views of the image at many different resolutions or levels of zoom. The pieces can then be loaded on-demand, so that wherever a users zooms and pans, their view is always sharp and clear.

The Zoomify conversion process coupled with the Zoomify viewing approach yields the following benefits:

- Smallest possible downloads: Common web page implementations involving a thumbnail with a link to a large image file require the download of the entire image even if only a portion of it is of interest or if the majority of it won't fit in the page. With Zoomify, image data is never downloaded until the user decides to view it.

- No redundant downloads: Image data is never delivered twice. Multi-level server-side and client-side caching ensures that whatever is requested from the web server is available for subsequent requests, and whatever is downloaded to the viewer is ready for immediate reuse if the user views any part of the image twice.

- Instant display: Zoomify's requests for image 'tiles' are based a simple and consistent naming convention. This ensures an instant initial view by avoiding the need to download a large index of tile offset data.

- Fully-distributed processing: With Zoomify, all logic including identification of the current view, the needed tiles, and any offset information, occurs in the Zoomify Viewer on the end-user's computer. This completely distributed processing ensures your web server is able to handle the maximum possible site visitors with the minimum possible effort and no slow-downs as users enjoy zoom-and-pan access to your image content.

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What applications and markets is Zoomify useful for?

Zoomify is an essential tool for web designers and developers whose work involves high-quality, high-resolution images. Zoomify's zoom-and-pan viewing offers tremendous value to diverse applications. Zoomify's slideshow, hotspot, annotation, and other features add value in ways especially relevant to high-quality images.

Types of content Zoomify is especially relevant to include:

Photos

Scans

Screenshots

Galleries

Maps

Drawings

Composites

Games

Application areas Zoomify delivers mission critical value to include:

Education & Entertainment

Museum, Galleries & Image Archives

Wireless & Handhelds

Mapping, GIS, Real Estate & Travel

Aerial Photos & Space Imaging

eStore, eCatalog, & eMarketing

Medical & Scientific

Defense, Security & Infrastructure

Auctions & Classifieds

Insurance, Law Enforcement & Forensics

Industrial Quality Assurance

Materials Science and Metallurgy

For a partial listing of sites using Zoomify in these areas and more please visit our Customers page.

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Where can I see Web sites using Zoomify?

Zoomify's customers include leading web design firms, museums, medical and scientific research institutions, government agencies, and more. For a partial listing please visit our Customers page.

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How do I create Zoomify content?

Zoomify Images are created by dragging any image file onto the Zoomify Converter. The Converter rapidly creates a folder of small pieces or 'tiles' of the source image. These tiles are created at many resolutions and are stored as JPEG files. The resulting Zoomify Image Folder provides everything the Zoomify Viewer needs to enable web site visitors to zoom-and-pan within the image.

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How do I publish Zoomify Images?

Simple! Publishing Zoomify Images requires just three things: a Zoomify Image folder, a Zoomify Viewer, and a web page. The Zoomify Image folder is created by the Zoomify Converter from your original source image (see the question 'How do I create Zoomify content?'). The Zoomify Viewer is simply the small JavaScript file file the name of which ends with the extension '.js. One or more Zoomify Viewers are available in each Zoomify product with names such as 'ZoomifyImageViewerExpress-min.js'. Simply place these three items in a folder and copy that to your web server or hosted server space. Viewing the web page in a browser automatically loads the Zoomify JS file and opens the Zoomify Viewer, which displays the Zoomify Image - that's it! Note that each of these steps presents many options which are covered in the product Users Guides. For detailed steps for publishing Zoomify Images please see the question 'Where can I find step-by-step, detailed instructions for using Zoomify Express?'

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Is there any special server setup needed?

No. Zoomify Images can be viewed without any special server setup. Zoomify Images use just JPEGs, HTML, and a tiny JavaScript file that serves as the 'viewer'. For this reason, they can be copied to any web server and immediately viewed by any site visitor without special server setup or special client software.

Note that Zoomify products present numerous optional features that can work in conjunction with additional Internet standard formats or popular server-side software. For example, the Zoomify Viewer in the Zoomify HTML5 Pro product can present data stored in XML (text) files, and the Zoomify Viewer in the in the Zoomify HTML5 Enterprise product can be used in an 'edit mode' that is designed to save edits with the help of a server-side 'posting' page. Additional optional features include synchronized multi-user viewing, scripted/automated image conversion, and more. In each case, these are optional features designed for compatibility with your choice of server systems.

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Can everyone view my Zoomify Images?

Yes. Zoomify requires only a browser for zoom-and-pan viewing.

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How easy is it to use the Zoomify Viewers?

The Zoomify Viewers are completely intuitive to use, having been applied on thousands of web sites with millions of site visitors. Each Viewer automatically presents one or more Zoomify Images with a familiar toolbar including zoom and pan navigation buttons. The Viewer also supports direct mouse dragging to navigate an image. And the Zoomify Viewer supports common keystrokes including the arrow keys for panning and the Shift and Control keys for zooming in and out.

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Which of your products is right for me?

Zoomify Free is for web designers needing a quick and simple way to include high-quality images in their sites - whether private or public, personal or commercial.

Zoomify Express adds support for numerous enhanced features including the ability to customize the look and feel of the Zoomify Viewer using simple HTML parameters - no JavaScript editing is needed! Zoomify Express is tailored to the needs of web designers.

Zoomify Pro adds many additional powerful features - Slideshows, Hotspots, Rotation, and more - plus Zoomify Pro includes complete JavaScript source code enabling total customization control of the look and feel of the Zoomify Viewer. And the powerful Zoomify API supports integratation of zoom-and-pan functionality into any web project. Zoomify Pro is designed for web designers and developers.

Zoomify Enterprise adds a powerful pre-built web-based annotation palette with both 'view' and 'edit' modes as well as image filters, Save-To-File, authoring of Narratives and much more. It is the right choice for sites that need to create and publish information about high quality images.

For detailed information please see our site's product pages - Zoomify Express, Zoomify Pro, Zoomify Enterprise - as well as our Compare page.

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Where can I find detailed product information?

Detailed product information is available on our site's product pages - Zoomify Express, Zoomify Pro, Zoomify Enterprise. Also of interest, our Compare page.

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What makes Zoomify better than any alternatives?

1. Zoomify delivers the most efficient, compelling solutions and works closely with key technology partners to ensure maximum compatibility with your content, tools, and workflow. Witness the new Zoomify Export option built directly into Adobe Photoshop.

2. Zoomify sells products with the most designer and developer friendly licensing and the most customer-friendly pricing. This includes extensive control of layout and functionality via HTML and XML parameters, complete JavaScript source code, a powerful Zoomify API, no royalties on your use, and no strings on your content.

3. Zoomify works responsively with leaders in key application areas including the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard Medical School, the Discovery Channel, and the National Forest Service to ensure our products meet our customers' needs.

In short, right technology, right business model, right standards.

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How secure are my images with Zoomify?

Zoomify's zoom-and-pan viewing solution makes copying images much more difficult than other viewing alternatives. Zoomify is viewed using any popular web browser and does not present a right-click Save As option as is standard with any large image in a web page. Second, Zoomify's display approach uses many small pieces - like a mosaic. These image 'tiles' are downloaded only as needed, so the entire image at full resolution is not displayed at full resolution. Using 'screen shots' to capture an image would therefore require assembling many small images in a photo editor - an inexact and time consuming process.

It is important to note, however, that no image presented on the web can be completely protected - if you can see an image, the data is on your computer and it can be retrieved by someone sufficiently determined. For this reason, we provide Zoomify as a viewing solution and not an image security system.

It is worth noting that there have been attempts in the past to use complex Java viewers to block screen printing and printer driver use. But these protections were circumvented by developers who knew how to create their own screen drivers to both display the image and write it to a file. And remember, anyone can point a digital camera at the screen and capture a fair quality representation.

Our recommendation to photographers and others whose images are their products is that they select some images for high-resolution display and/or as a marketing tool. They can then protect the majority of their collection by not presenting it at full resolution or as complete works. It is important to clarify that many customers - famous museums for example - are using our solution and the general consensus seems to be that they are more worried about making their collections accessible than about protecting them from copying. Never to have any of their content on the web would also imply never selling posters (which can be photocopied or scanned very easily).

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Do Zoomify products include source code for the components?

Yes. Our Zoomify Pro and Zoomify Enterprise products include JavaScript source code files for the Zoomify Viewers they provide and include powerful underlying Zoomify API. Additional examples and sample projects are provided as they become available and source files are provided for these as well. Note that our Zoomify Free and Zoomify Express products do not include source files as they are intended for web designers rather than web developers.

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Where can I download a trial version?

We are happy to provide product to support evaluation on a case-by-case basis - please contact our Support team at the address provided below !

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What are the limitations of Zoomify Export?

The Zoomify Export feature included in Adobe Photoshop is free and fully functional. It allows easy image conversion and intuitive zoom-and-pan viewing. It is approved for web sites whether private or public, personal or commercial and is not limited by features that have been turned-off nor will it 'time-out' after any period of use. The Zoomify Viewer included in the Zoomify Export feature is, however, limited to the standard HTML parameters supported by HTML for container DIV elements (background color, etc.) as well as one Zoomify-specific parameter that supports showing or hiding the Zoomify Navigator ('bird's-eye-view'). Web designers requiring greater HTML or XML parameter control of Viewer layout and functionality will prefer Zoomify Express. Web developers desiring to modify make deep changes to Viewer functionality or integrate zoom-and-pan into their own web projects will prefer Zoomify Pro.

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Can I save a Zoomify Image?

No. Zoomify images are protected in that they cannot be saved the way that JPEGs in a browser page can: right-click Save As. Screen captures are possible but will only capture the current view (along with the toolbar and navigator window). While Zoomify is not presented as an image security technology, it does offer the benefit of making acquisition of images from a site much more difficult.

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How can I print a Zoomify Image?

Printing the current view is simple. As with anything displayed in a browser, one can select Print from the menu. This will, however, print the current view, including the toolbar and navigator window. Note that this menu can be hidden by site designers via an HTML parameter.

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Can I customize the Zoomify Viewers?

Absolutely. Zoomify Express can be customized using extensive HTML and XML parameters. Zoomify Pro includes the editable JavaScript source files enabling customization of the layout and functionality of the Zoomify Viewer as well as creation of totally custom viewing solutions. In addition, Zoomify Pro is built using the powerful Zoomify API. This makes integration of zoom-and-pan in your own projects straightforward and efficient.

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Is Adobe Flash Player is needed to view Zoomify content?

No. Zoomify HTML5 products use only HTML , JPEGs, and a tiny JavaScript file - they require only a standard browser. No Flash is needed! This change took place in 2014!

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Are all browsers supported? What about devices?

Yes. HTML5 is supported in recent versions of all popular browsers (including but not limited to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Edge) on every common platform (including but not limited to Windows, Macintosh, and Linux) as well as many devices (including iOS and Android devices).

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Are there any special system requirements?

No. Zoomify is viewed using a tiny JavaScript file. JavaScript is supported by all popular browsers on all common desktop and device platforms.

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Does Zoomify provide documentation in languages other than English?

At the current time Zoomify documentation is available in English. While it is currently true that as much as half of Zoomify's use is by customers outside the United States, these customers are spread across an enormous array of nations and languages. As Zoomify grows we will do our best to be responsive to customer needs. Accordingly, information about your language preferences will be greatly appreciated.

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Purchasing


How do I buy Zoomify products?

Zoomify's products are always available for purchase from the Zoomify online store. Customers from all over the world are able to purchase from this store. Limited exceptions exist where partnerships with exclusive resellers provide local purchase opportunities. At present, these countries include China and Poland. (Additional exceptions include certain countries currently barred from trade per government regulations.)

In addition, we are happy to support your institutional purchases. Simply fax your purchase order to us at 831.420.0401 and we'll promptly email you an invoice including your purchase order number. Your institution can then pay via check, money order, or wire transfer (EFT).

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How do I submit a purchase order?

Simply fax your purchase order to us at 831.420.0401 and we'll promptly email you an invoice including your purchase order number. Your institution can then pay via check, money order, or wire transfer (EFT).

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How much do Zoomify products cost?

Zoomify's pricing is provided in the Zoomify online store. Prices range from $9 to $395, and educational and other discounts are available.

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What versions of Zoomify products are available?

In order to ensure quality products and provide the best possible support for the common needs of the vast majority of our customers, current sales are always for current versions of our products. (Please note that in some instances prior versions may be bundled with current version downloads to support development and deployment flexibility. Where this is the case, the included versions will be noted on the relevant product pages on the Zoomify web site.)

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When will new versions of Zoomify's products be available?

Information about new product releases, when provided, is made available via announcements on our web site and press releases. This typically involves the availability of a beta release, also announced on the Zoomify web site. Please note that significant testing and customer feedback occurs via private releases to limited groups so as to allow responsive management of the release and feedback process. If you'd like to add your name to our beta list for our next product release please contact our Support team at the address provided below.

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Is educational pricing available?

Yes. A standard 30% discount is provided to students and staff of accredited educational institutions via the Education link in our online store. Additionally, Zoomify frequently provides product licenses to computer labs at educational institutions at no cost.

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Is upgrade pricing available?

Yes. Product upgrades (full integer releases such as v1.0, v2.0, etc.). are typically provided for a small fee, in the range of 10% to 30% of the original product price. When available, links will be found alongside standard product offerings in the Zoomify Store. In addition, product updates ('point releases' such as v1.01, v1.2, etc.). are typically provided at no cost.

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Are there discounts for customers of compatible or competitive products?

At the current time we are not offering any compatible product or competitive product discounts. If you have a particular product you'd be interested in seeing us support in this manner please let us know. We appreciate your suggestions.

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Can I buy a multi-seat, multi-user, or site license?

Yes. For discounted pricing on our products please contact us at the address provided below with information about your situation and we'll do our very best to meet your needs. For information on how such prices are calculated, please see the answer to the question 'What criteria are Zoomify site license prices based on?'.

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What criteria are Zoomify site license prices based on?

Zoomify's site license pricing is flexible. It is negotiated on a case-by-case basis and typically provides a discount off standard pricing in the range of 20% to 50%. Our goals are to avoid any need for the customer to track the number of users of Zoomify Express or Zoomify Pro, or in the case of Zoomify Enterprise, the number of servers hosting the annotation system or Converter. We also do our best to ensure that adopting the product makes good fiscal sense for all customers, large and small.

Note that a site license may optionally include enhanced support (phone support, priority email support, priority bug fixes) as well as account maintenance (free upgrades for a year rather than just updates (full version changes rather than just small interim revisions).

In proposing a price and discount, we consider a number of factors including, but not limited to those listed below. To discuss the specific needs and cost factors relevant to your use of Zoomify, please contact us.

Factors relevant to site license pricing:

Quantitative Value Criteria

- Total site traffic (page views)
- Total site images to be Zoomified
- Average application/product/service price-point (if applicable)
- Total site/product revenue

Qualitative Value Criteria

- Mission-critical impact: image-centric extent of site business
- Competitive position: number of sites and site rank
- Image quality: anticipated average resolution and degree of zoom

Cost-Based Criteria

- Custom development requirements (feature/function customization, integration)
- Special service requirements (authoring assistance, hosting)
- Special support requirements

Discount Criteria

- Reseller/OEM opportunities
- Showcase account value (reference application, showcase quality)
- In-kind opportunities (co-marketing, technology sharing, intellectual property cross-licensing).

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Does the Zoomify store charge tax?

Where appropriate, the Zoomify online store will automatically calculate and charge sales tax.

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The Zoomify store is not accepting my credit card. What should I do?

The most common reason any online store may not accept a credit card is inaccurate information ' typically a mistyped credit card number, an expiration date that has passed, or a zip code that does not correspond to the billing address associated with the card. If you double-check this information and retry only to have your card declined again please contact us at the address provided below. We'll help you identify the problem and get product to you with as little delay as possible.

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I received an error when attempting to purchase a Zoomify product. What should I do?

Please contact us and tell us the error message, the time you received it, and any steps to reproduce it that you can recall, as well as your PC platform and version, and browser type and version. We will do our very best to resolve the problem promptly, and if necessary, provide the desired product to you via an alternate means.

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I accidentally made a duplicate purchase. How can I cancel it?

Please notify us at the address provided below and we'll ensure that our store manager cancels the duplicate order and credits your card accordingly.

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What is Zoomify's return / refund policy?

Zoomify is dedicated to customer satisfaction. Our Support team is eager to answer your questions and to help you resolve any problems you may encounter. Should you decide that you'd like to return a product we're happy to assist you in accordance with our standard 30 day return policy.

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I am purchasing from outside the USA. Can I use the Zoomify store?

Yes. Our store is available to customers 24/7 and worldwide. Limited exceptions exist where partnerships with exclusive resellers provide local purchase opportunities. At present, these countries include China and Poland. (Additional exceptions include certain countries currently barred from trade per government regulations.)

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My country is not listed in the Zoomify store. Where can I buy your products?

Zoomify's store is available worldwide with the exception of specific countries where partnerships with exclusive resellers provide local purchase opportunities. At present, these countries include China and Poland. (Additional exceptions include certain countries currently barred from trade per government regulations.) If your country is not listed and you feel it does not fall under one of the above exceptions, please let us know at the address provided below and we'll do our best to help.

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Does Zoomify have a distributor in my country?

Zoomify has distributors in China and Poland and is available from resellers including Insight (formerly Software Spectrum), QBS Software, and others in many countries. In addition, the Zoomify products are always available in the Zoomify online store.

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How can I become a reseller of Zoomify products?

Simply contact us at the address provided below and we'll be happy to support you. If you have an immediate customer need, please provide your contact information and the product and number of units your customer is interested in. We'll do our best to respond promptly to help you meet your customer's needs quickly.

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I have other questions about purchasing or the store. Who do I contact?

Our Support team is standing by to help. Please contact us and we'll do our best to answer your questions right away.

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Policies


Support


What support alternatives does Zoomify offer?

Zoomify is committed to delivering high-quality product support to ensure maximum customer productivity and satisfaction. Accordingly, Zoomify provides complementary installation, ‘getting started’, and general technical support for customers making use of the features and functionality of Zoomify products. Customers our encouraged to submit support questions and reports of possible bugs to our support team.

Zoomify Enterprise customers additionally receive priority phone support and account management - free upgrades for the year following product purchase.

Zoomify is currently investigating providing a dedicated forum for customers to post questions, receive answers, and share information. Additionally, extended support options such as paid assistance for customers requiring more involved developer support, are under consideration. Your input is welcomed. Zoomify support policies are subject to change over time without notice.

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What free support options are available to Zoomify customers?

Zoomify's primary support materials are the product User's Guides and example projects. In addition, detailed Help and ActionScript API documentation accompany the products. The Zoomify web site includes numerous live Zoomify examples, each of which makes use of different features in creative and useful ways that can be easily duplicated. This Frequently Asked Questions document provides important information and should be reviewed carefully. Should these resources not answer any question you may have regarding our products our Support team is standing by to assist and is most easily reached using our Support email address.

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What paid support options are available to Zoomify customers?

Zoomify Enterprise customers currently receive one year of priority phone and email support as well as one year of free product maintenance (full integer version upgrades in addition to interim point-release updates). Additional years of priority support are available by contacting us at our Support email address. Zoomify is interested to hear about your support needs above and beyond installation, up-and-running, and other such basic needs. We are reviewing possible enhanced levels of support that may be provided in the future on a paid incident basis. We welcome your suggestions.

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Is Zoomify product documentation available online?

Zoomify product User's Guides are not currently available for download as they constitute a major component of the value of our products. However, User's Guide tables of contents as well as an index to our Zoomify ActionScript API are available online for viewing. Links are provided on each product page on our web site to the relevant listing.

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Where can I see product tutorials or examples?

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Does Zoomify provide API reference documentation online?

The Zoomify ActionScript API Reference is not currently available for download as it constitutes a major component of the value of our Zoomify Pro and Zoomify Enterprise products. However, an index to the ActionScript API is available online for viewing and provides a complete listing of the API calls available. A link is provided on the Zoomify Pro and Enterprise product pages on our web site as well as here.

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Does Zoomify provide an online FAQ?

Certainly. This answer is part of our online Frequently Asked Questions document which includes answers to over 300 of the most commonly asked questions of our customers. If you do not find an answer to your question here, we welcome your email at our Support email address.

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Does Zoomify provide an online forum?

At the current time Zoomify has not implemented an online forum. We recognize the value of such a resource and hope to provide one in the near future. We appreciate your input regarding the third-party forums you find valuable, on which our staff might participate in the interim.

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Is there a mailing list I can subscribe to for notification of product updates?

You are welcome to provide your contact information to us at our Support email address, however, all customers are notified of the release of new versions and information about recent releases and new resources is also posted on our homepage as quickly as it becomes available.

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How quickly can I expect a response to my question from Zoomify Support?

Zoomify Support is committed to responding to every support question within 24 hours. While variations in demand and other impacts beyond our control may prevent us from always meeting this commitment, we do our best as we understand the importance of quality support to our customers' use of our products. Please be aware that additional assistance is available in the form or this online FAQ and web site examples.

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How do I report a possible bug?

Reports of problems with our products should be emailed to our Support team at the email address below. Prior to sending your bug report please be sure to isolate the problem to the greatest extent possible. Ensure that no other software is running which might contribute to the issue, and attempt to determine the most direct steps necessary to reproduce the problem. Please include detailed information on your product and version, relevant features you are using, platform and operating system versions, your image sizes and formats, and any information you have about your computer memory, and disk space. This information will help us help you as quickly as possible.

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Is Zoomify support available in languages other than English?

At the current time Zoomify Support is available in English. As we grow and our customer base broadens we will do our best to be responsive to customer needs - information about your language preferences is welcomed. Please note that free online translation services available via Google and other web sites, though sometimes problematic for translation of conversations on various everyday topics, has proven very helpful to many of our customers for translating technical messages which are generally of more limited scope in terms of the complexity of the vocabulary and grammar involved.

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Licensing


What are the allowed uses of Zoomify products?

Zoomify enables web designers and developers as well as museum curators, medical researchers, defense analysts, and others to publish high-quality images for fast, intuitive viewing on the web as well as on CDs and DVDs. Accordingly, the Zoomify License Agreement provides the greatest possible flexibility for Zoomify's customers.

Regarding software use, the Zoomify products are licensed per user, just like other popular programs such as Adobe Photoshop. The exception is Zoomify Enterprise, which is licensed per server, as is common with Enterprise software programs.

Regarding redistribution, the Zoomify Viewers may be redistributed, with the exception being the Zoomify Annotation Viewer, which may not be redistributed. Distribution is also prohibited for the source code of the Zoomify Viewers as well as the Zoomify Converter.

Zoomify does not charge any fees per number of images, per number of times an image is viewed, or per time period. Zoomify does not require any 'broadcast key' or other licensing technology.

Complete information regarding license terms can be found in the Zoomify License Agreement.

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Are there any royalties or strings on my Zoomify content?

No. Zoomify does not charge any royalty fees whether per number of images, per number of times an image is viewed, or per time period. Nor does Zoomify require any 'broadcast key' or other licensing technology. Your content is your content. Complete information regarding license terms can be found in the Zoomify License Agreement.

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Where can I view the Zoomify License Agreement?

Complete information regarding license terms can be found by following this link to the Zoomify License Agreement.

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Can I install my Zoomify products on more than one machine?

Zoomify's products are licensed per user, just like other popular programs such as Adobe Photoshop. This means that if you have more than one machine you may install your Zoomify product on both machines - for your use. Please take care to avoid having others make use of your duplicate installation, however, as this would require an additional license. Note that Zoomify Enterprise is licensed differently - per server - as is common with Enterprise software programs. Complete information regarding license terms can be found by following this link to the Zoomify License Agreement.

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Do I need a serial number for my Zoomify product?

No. Zoomify products are not serialized at this time. Please retain the order number and email receipt you received at the time of your purchase as these will serve as your proof of purchase for support and discounted upgrades should we experience any difficulties with our online systems.

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How can I replace a product I've lost?

Simply contact us at our Support email address with your name, product, and platform. If available, please include your order number and date of purchase. We'll be able to verify your purchase and provide you with new download links.

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Can I remove or replace the Zoomify splashscreen and Zoomify Toolbar logo?

The Zoomify logo is present in all Zoomify products by default. It must remain visible in the Viewer included in the Zoomify Free product and in the Viewer included in the Zoomify Export feature included in Adobe Photoshop. However, the logo can be hidden in the Viewer included in Zoomify Express and it can be hidden or replaced in the Viewer included in Zoomify Pro and Zoomify Enterprise. Hiding or replacing the logo is accomplished using a simple HTML parameter. For more information on these HTML parameters please see the Parameters List in the Documentation folder of any Zoomify product.

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Custom Development


How much help can Zoomify support give me with custom coding?

Technical support for Zoomify is provided for implementation issues (system setup and deployment), design issues (features such as layout and properties), development issues (features related to JavaScript calls to the Zoomify API), and end-user issues (display-time interaction on supported platforms).

Please note that source code for Zoomify Viewers and examples is provided to allow web developers the access and control necessary to understand and modify the functionality of the Viewer independently. Given the resource requirements that would be required, Zoomify is not able to offer technical support for development below the level of the Zoomify API calls, nor for custom code created by our customers. We appreciate your understanding as we do our best to provide quality support and continued development while offering our products at reasonable prices.

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Does Zoomify offer custom development services?

At Zoomify our resources are completely focused on delivering innovative, high-quality imaging software. As a result, we are staffed and organized for product development rather than for providing custom development services. We have developed custom projects for numerous clients and will continue to do so as resources permit, however, these projects tend to be large in scale, narrow in scope, and relevant in feature set to the evolution of our product line. That is, the custom development projects we undertake are most typically pursued under terms that provide expedited access to desirable new features for a customer along with a license for use, while allowing Zoomify to retain primary access to the intellectual property created and expand the features and functionality of one or more products in ways that are relevant to a broad base of customers. For all other purposes, we do our best to refer customers to a third-party developer more focused on custom development services. If you are a designer or developer with demonstrated skill and familiarity with Zoomify products and a desire to receive referrals please let us know.

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Can Zoomify refer me to 3rd party consultants for development help?

Yes. We do our best to provide referrals to designers and developers with demonstrated skill and familiarity with our products. Please note that many of the talented professionals who fit this description are either in great demand or often hired for projects of considerable duration. It can therefore prove difficult to provide referrals to meet all needs. However, the Zoomify products are developed and documented to provide the smallest possible learning curve, and with millions of web designers and developers in the world it is almost always possible for the determined customer to identify a resource online or through contacts.

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TechNotes

All Products


All Products


How big should my image be for good zoom?

There are two factors that define 'good zoom'. The first is how much you are able to zoom in, the second is what you end up looking at. That is, zooming for a long time provides a certain sense of satisfaction, but ending up looking at something interesting is important too.

How much you are able to zoom in depends on the size of the source image as compared to the size of the intended display area. An image that is 1024x768 pixels when zoomified will offer no zoom at all if displayed in a view area that is 1024x768. The image will need to be zoomed 100% just to fill the display area. (Setting zoomifyMaxZoom equal to something higher than 100% is possible but beyond 110% or so stretching will be evident.) If the same image is displayed in a postage stamp-sized view area, however, it will zoom one or two levels of magnification. Given that a view area of at least 1/2 a screen and even larger is generally preferred, a source image should best be 2000 to 3000 pixels in width and/or height at a minimum.

What you end up looking at is also important as this determines whether the experience feels useful and is therefore satisfying. Users zooming on an image of a crowd expect to be able to clearly see a face. Users zooming on an image of a face expect to clearly see blood vessels in an eye. This is simply how user expectations work, in our experience.

A note regarding capture methods: scanning a 35mm negative at 2400 dpi gives about 17.5 megabytes of data - thousands of pixels in both dimensions. This will provide considerable zoom. Most digital cameras are multi-megapixel and their images will also provide significant zoom. It is exciting to have content like our Paris satellite image (courtesy of GeoEye), however, an image 9500 pixels in each dimension - hundreds of megabytes in size when uncompressed - is much more than is needed for most subject matter.

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Is there a maximum file size for Zoomify Images?

Zoomify's technologies and products have been designed to support extreme file sizes. Zoomify's testing as well as actual implementations by many of Zoomify's customers have included images tens of gigabytes in size. Exact calculations of the maximum supported file size are difficult due to the many factors involved. These include the types of programming variables used, the efficiency of memory and disk space usage, potential limitations in standard codec libraries that are leveraged in some areas, file format limitations, and potential operating system issues.

Please note that specific editions of the Zoomify Converter support image files of different sizes. The Zoomify Converter included in Zoomify's standard and Developer products can convert source images up to 256 megapixels in size. The Converter included in our Enterprise products supports images up to 768 megapixels in size. Additional Converters are available which support images that are larger or even unlimited in size (within operating system and file format constraints) - that is, tens of gigabytes in size. If you require support for images over 768 megapixels or support for special file formats or Unix/Linux platforms please contact our support team for pricing and assistance.

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Do I need special hardware for Zoomify? What is the best hardware setup?

No. Zoomify does not require special hardware. Zoomify simply requires:

   -     For image conversion, sufficient memory and disk space (two and three times the size of the image
         being converted, respectively);

   -     For viewer customization or component use, hardware sufficient to run a text, HTML, or JavaScript editing tool;

   -     And for viewing, sufficient memory for any popular browser.

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What performance benchmarks can I expect with Zoomify?

Zoomify delivers maximum efficiency for maximum performance. Every aspect of Zoomify's zoom-and-pan viewing technology has been optimized: processing is distributed, image data downloads are minimized, redundant data requests are prevented, IT costs are minimized and the end-user experience is maximized.

Most importantly, viewing images with Zoomify prevents all unnecessary downloads. Image data is requested by the Zoomify Viewer only for the parts of the image that the user actually looks at and only at the zoom level they actually zoom to. This provides a significant bandwidth savings as compared to common implementations involving large JPEGs, wherein, the entire image is downloaded even if two thirds of the image won't fit on the user's screen and only the center third is ever viewed.

Another key design efficiency in our system is that all logic and processing occur on the viewing computer rather than the web server - a fully distributed approach. As site visitors navigate within an image, it is their systems and not the server that determine what the current view is, and what image data is needed for that view.

Note that where optional single-file (PFF) image storage is used, the Zoomify Servlet is used to fulfill requests for the parts (byte ranges) of the image file that the client computer has determined are needed for the current view. Fulfilling byte-range requests is a standard HTTP 1.1 protocol function just like fulfilling file requests, which is what Web servers are designed for. The two tasks, file fulfillment and partial file fulfillment, show no discernable difference in processing speed or scaling performance.

Additional efficiencies include the use of all possible caches both server-side and client-side. Zoomify's solution is entirely standards based and is therefore perfectly suited to leveraging existing efficiencies of web servers, operating systems, and browsers. Any requested image 'tile' at any resolution, is simply a JPEG and will therefore be automatically managed according to the web server cache settings you have in place. Similarly, these tiny JPEGs are stored on the client machine by the browser for fast subsequent accesses by the Viewer.

A common question is whether extra hardware and bandwidth is needed to support zoomable images - it is not. The better question is whether extra hardware needed to support image zooming - i.e., the additional exploration of images that naturally occurs when site visitors are given access to high-quality images via an intuitive, interactive interface. With more time devoted to viewing behavior, more bandwidth may be used. Predicting end-use behavior is a challenging task and quite specific to particular audiences and their style of use of images. As a broad generalization, users will spend significantly more time viewing zoomable images than low-res images - on the order of three to five times as much time. Given this fact, throughput analysis is useful:

On a 1 GHz Pentium 4 with at least 1 GB of RAM memory assuming throughput of at least 2 saturated 100 mbps Fast Ethernet connections, theoretical throughput is 2 x 100 mbps = 200 mbps. Effective real throughput (40%) is 80 mbps = 10,000 KB/s. At 9.5 KB per 256-pixel tile this represents 1053 tiles per second. At approximately 2.5 tiles per second per user (that is, a half screen view every 2 seconds) this supports 421 concurrent users with a 1 second response time (this assumes 125 concurrent users with only one Ethernet connection). Of course, the above example illustrates a worst case scenario given hardware and bandwidth available at reasonable cost.

Ultimately, it is not throughput which best informs site design choices regarding image presentation alternatives. The critical factor is not how much data can be passed through a system, but how little. That is, given the limitations of any server/network context, the opportunity lies in reducing unnecessary processing and bandwidth impacts in order to free up resources for desirable user behavior - efficient image viewing - which is the purpose and proficiency of Zoomify.

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My image shows up but it won't zoom at all - what's wrong?

While it is possible that a viewer problem or incorrect parameter is at fault (such as a zoomifyMaxZoom setting below 100%), the most likely cause of an image showing up but failing to zoom is that the source image was simply very small. The Zoomify converter will convert any image file so long as it is at least 512 pixels wide or tall, however, any file that is as small or smaller than the intended display area will simply fill the area and will not have additional resolution to zoom into. While it is true that the zoomifyMaxZoom parameter can be set to a value of 120 (rather than the default 100, which represents 100%) - or even 150 or 200, this simply forces the browser Canvas to stretch the image data. All image content will show artifacts if stretched beyond a certain point. For most images this is point is in the range of 110% to 120%. The only solution for this problem is higher quality source content - details can simply not be created where they do not exist.

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I see the Zoomify logo and splash screen, but my image won't appear. Why?

For an image to be displayed and zoomable, three steps must successfully occur:

   -     1. The HTML page must tell the browser to load the Zoomify Viewer JavaScript file;

   -     2. The HTML must tell the browser to display the Zoomify Viewer in a particular location in the page;

   -     3. The HTML must tell the Zoomify Viewer to open a specific Zoomify Image;

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Will the Zoomify Viewers work in a CSS layer in a web page?

Yes! See the example included in Zoomify Pro and Zoomify Enteprise for complete details!

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Should a relative image path be relative to the Viewer '.swf' file or the calling web page '.htm' file?

A relative path should always be relative to the calling web page ('.htm' file).

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I receive an error about changing security settings when viewing remote content from a local web page. Why?

Browsers other than Firefox either block local viewing of dynamically loaded content or require special settings. The Zoomify Viewer includes special instructions to load image data using file system functions rather than internet function when viewing locally. Please see the Local Viewing example in the product for complete details!

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How can I easily convert a large number of images?

The Zoomify Converter included with Zoomify Express, Zoomify Pro, and Zoomify Enterprise supports 'batch' image conversion. Simply drag-drop many files onto the converter and it will automatically convert them one by one. Or, double-click the converter and within the standard Open File dialog that is presented, shift-click to select multiple image file names. Note that the Zoomify Converter included with Zoomify Enterprise also supports scripted conversion (the use of ASP, JSP, PHP, or other scripting languages to instruct the Converter to process a specific image). For information on how many images can be batch converted at once please see the question 'How many images can I batch convert at once?'. For information on scripting the Enterprise Converter, please see the question 'How can I script conversion of one file after another?'.

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Are any special setup steps needed to run the Zoomify Converter on Windows Vista?

No. Prior versions of the Zoomify Converter may, however, need to be run in Compatibility Mode. If errors are encountered regarding the excecutable being incompatible contact Zoomify to receive the latest Zoomify Converter or use the following steps to run the Converter in Compatibility Mode: Right-click the converter and select Properties, then the Compatibility tab, then check the box labeled "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select from the dropdown, 'Windows XP'. Note that the converter also has to run in "Administrator mode".

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How fast can Zoomify convert and display images?

Zoomify is designed to deliver the maximum possible efficiency in image preparation and viewing.

Image preparation is typically performed at site authoring time though it is also possible to implement at view-time using the scriptable Zoomify Converter included in Zoomify Enterprise. The Zoomify Converter can process gigabytes of image data in minutes - actual performance varies according to processing power and memory availability.

Viewing of Zoomify images is significantly more efficient than with any other approach. Each new view that a site visitor zooms-and-pans to only involves the image data essential for that view at that resolution. The user experience is further optimized by server and client-side caching.

For additional information on Zoomify performance please see the questions 'What performance benchmarks can I expect with Zoomify?', and 'What are the key benefits of Zoomify?'.

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How can I change the compression level of the Zoomify Converter?

The default compression of the Zoomify Converter can be easily changed by locating the file zoomifyConvertPrefs.asp* and changing one line. The file will be located immediately next to the Zoomify Converter after any conversion, or for some prior versions in the Zoomify | Cache directory. The line that requires changing reads as follows by default:

ZOOM_COMPRESSION: 80

The number 80 can be changed to anything from 1 to 100. Note that settings below 80 may show JPEG compression artifacts.

*This file will exist AFTER you've converted at least one image

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What formats does the Zoomify Converter support?

The Zoomify Converter natively supports TIF, BMP, and JPEG formats. Numerous additional formats are supported through the built-in Zoomify Export available in Adobe Photoshop CS5, CS4, and CS3.

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When will Zoomify offer conversion support for formats like RAW or PSB?

In Adobe Photoshop Zoomify conversion is an integrated feature. Photoshop users can simply select File | Export | Zoomify... to prepare their images for Zoomify viewing. While it may still be of interest for some Zoomify customers for the Zoomify Converter to directly support the RAW or PSB format, the built-in support provided by Adobe delivers excellent convenience and performance. Your input as to how direct support within the Zoomify Converter weighs against the development or enhancement of other Zoomify features is welcomed. (Please note that prior to exporting from within Photoshop users will want to ensure their image is 8-bit and in sRGB format (in order to ensure consistent color presentation across Windows and Macintosh platforms.)

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Can Zoomify work with image tiles that are not lossy compressed?

Yes, by default Zoomify makes use of browser Canvas's support for the JPEG image formats and, accordingly, the image tiles the Zoomify Converter outputs are in JPEG format. However, PNG tiles are also supported by the Zoomify Converter and by the Zoomify Viewer included in the Zoomify Pro and Enterprise products.

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Can Zoomify work with image tiles that are in other formats?

Yes, the Zoomify Converters and Viewers included in the Zoomify Pro and Enterprise products include support for tiles in JPEG and PNG file formats.

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Can I use Zoomify with vector content?

Unfortunately, vector content cannot currently be converted using the Zoomify Converter into a base image to be displayed within the Zoomify Viewer. It is necessary to convert your vector contact to raster/bitmap content prior to conversion.

The benefit of the Zoomify technology is in the rapid, interactive viewing of bitmap (photo) files. This is essential as bitmap images of any reasonable quality typically make for very large files. Cutting these files into JPEG tiles and doing so at many different tiers of resolution enables the Zoomify Viewer to download only the small portion of the image that is essential for the current view that has been zoomed and panned to by the user. This ensures that each new view will require only a download of perhaps 100k to 300k regardless of whether the source image is 5 megabytes or 500 gigabytes in size.

Vector content, in contrast, is typically small with respect to file size. It can be downloaded quickly and scaled with the built-in functionality of common browsers. For such content, Zoomify's tiled/tiered approach is typically not required. Where one's vector content is exceptionally complex or broad in scope - for example a street map for an entire city - tiling and tiering would prove valuable. Zoomify has explored this possible additional use and weighed the non-trivial vector tiling requirement against the apparent demand and the development has simply not been justifiable to-date. There are many other features associated with much greater customer demand. We are, however, interested in the value of such a feature addition and we welcome your input about your needs and potential uses for such a feature.

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How can I easily upload Zoomify Image folders to my Web server?

Zoomify Image folders can contain numerous JPEG 'tile' files. As a result, it is often helpful to first 'zip' or 'stuff' one or more folders prior to uploading. The uploaded file can then be unzipped or unstuffed on the server. This approach results in the transfer of a comparable amount of data but only a single file transfer. The savings in client and server communication can reduce the copy time dramatically. This approach is also recommended due to the reduced risk of any individual JPEG file being corrupted or lost during the transfer process whether due to operating system or human error. Utilities for compressing and uncompressing files as described above can be downloaded from numerous sites including WinZip.com and Stuffit.com.

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What is a 'cross-domain policy file' and how do I use it for multi-domain web site hosting?

Security restrictions have prevented web pages from dynamically loading content from domains other than the domain that the calling web page itself is in. In some cases this restriction can be addressed through the use of a cross-domain policy file.

A cross-domain policy file is simply an XML (text) file that provides a way for the server to indicate that its data and documents are available to web pages served from certain domains or from all domains.

When a web page attempts to load data from another domain, the page automatically looks for policy file on that domain. If one is present, the data is automatically accessible.

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How can I control the Zoomify Viewer from JavaScript in my web page?

Using Javascript to talk into the Zoomify Viewer is very simple because the Viewer is simply JavaScript in the web page. The Zoomify API includes many functions that can be called from within the web page. These are documented in detail in the Function List that is in the Documentation folder included in both the Zoomify HTML5 Pro and Zoomify HTML5 Enterprise products.

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Does Zoomify work with Akamai and other edge servers?

Zoomify's default 'folder-based storage' involves just JPEGs, HTML, and a tiny JavaScript file which functions as the 'viewer'. This zoom-and-pan solution is completely standard in terms of web server hosting, caching, and other publishing considerations. Whether working with Akamai or another 'edge server' system, the small JPEG image files which make up any Zoomify view will be propagated over the network optimally and independently based on demand - just as if they were individually placed within a web page.

Zoomify's 'one-file' storage approach, in which the JPEG files that make up different views of an image are stored in a single file with a '.zif' extension.

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