Smart Layer Export
- Acorn 6 3 1 – Bitmap Image Editor Files
- Microsoft Bitmap Editor
- Acorn 6 3 1 – Bitmap Image Editor File Jpg
Acorn 6.3.3 macOS 15:11 Everyone needs to edit photos at some point, but not everyone has the time to learn complicated super pricey photo editing software. Priced at $50, Acorn 3 is a full featured image editor with a lot of high-end features, including raw conversion, multiple layers, vector graphics. What's not entirely clear is who it's aimed at.
Overview Smart layer export is an alternative to traditional slicing found in image editors.Navigate to Layer ▸ Smart Layer Export Settings… and the inspector palette will populate with the various export options.A movable and adjustable canvas frame will appear on your canvas that represents the export bounds of your layer.Click and drag on the frame to change its position, or hover over a corner of the frame while clicking and dragging to resize.There is also the option to adjust the size and position of the frame in the inspector palette fields. Smart Layer Export Options Smart Layer Export checkbox - Check this box to have your smart layer export palette settings used when choosing File ▸ Export ▸ Smart Layer Export. File Name - Enter a name for the layer you are exporting.Acorn will default to the filename. |
Versatil markdown 2 0 15 – markdowncommonmark hypernotebook editor.
Format - Choose your export file format from PNG, JPG, JPEG 200, GIF, or TIFF.
Sizes - Choose from 1x to 5x.
Quality Slider - Adjust the quality of your export via the slider if your file format is JPG or JPEG 2000.
If you are ready to export your layer, click the ‘export' button on the inspector palette.If you want to come back to your settings at a later time, click ‘Done'.
Alternative Method
The technique outlined here is an alternative option if you have the ‘Smart Layer Export' box unchecked in the palette.When you have the ‘Smart Layer Export' box checked, Acorn will default to the export settings you have created in the palette.
This tutorial will use the example of smart layer export being used on an image of 'submit' buttons.You can download the sample image here: FancySubmitButtonSmartExport.acorn.This is what the sample image looks like:
The sample image file has two buttons meant for a website.They are different sizes so the smaller one can be shown on regular screens, and the larger one for Retina class devices (such as an iPhone 4, iPad 3, or a Retina MacBook Pro).
Smart Layer Export Steps:
- Name your layer or layer groups with the name of the file you would like to save it as.You'll have to use one of the following file extensions on the file name: .png, .jpeg/jpg, .tiff/tif, or .gif.
- Optionally create a layer at the bottom of each group and name it '@frame' or '@bounds'.The layer doesn't need to be visible.This layer tells Acorn exactly which part of the image you want written out.In this example the @frame is a shape layer with a single rectangle object defining the area of the group to be exported.You could also use a bitmap layer, in which case the opaque areas of the bitmap layer would define the frame of the area to be exported.If no @frame or @bounds layer is added, then Acorn will default to the size of the canvas for the export size.
- Choose the File ▸ Smart Layer Export… menu item.
- That's it!
To see how this is done, take a look at the layers list of the example image:
There are a total of 11 layers.You'll notice that two layer groups are named as files.When you use smart layer export, Acorn will use the layers which are part of the group (and only that group) to make a brand new image.Since the 'Background' layer is outside of both groups, it will not be used when exporting.However, if you renamed 'Background' to 'Background.png', there would be 3 files exported out instead of 2.
Below are the two images created from the smart layer export:
Acorn 6 3 1 – Bitmap Image Editor Files
Microsoft Bitmap Editor
Acorn 6 3 1 – Bitmap Image Editor File Jpg
Auto-Scaling
Acorn can do the work of automatically exporting the image at different sizes without maintaining multiple copies of the same image in the canvas.
Instead of creating multiple layer groups for your images, just create one size. In the example below, the image is at @2x. In the layer name, put the name of the image you are starting with (submit@2x.png), followed by the names of the other images you would like auto-scaled and exported after it. For 'submit.png' Acorn will take the layer and scale it down for export.For 'submit@3x.png', Acorn will scale it up for export.
You can download this sample image from here: FancySubmitButtonSmartExportAutoScale.acorn.
| Developer(s) | Flying Meat Inc. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | September 10, 2007; 13 years ago |
| Stable release | 6.5.3 (November 20, 2019; 10 months ago[1]) [±] |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Type | Raster graphics editor |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | flyingmeat.com/acorn/ |
Acorn is a raster graphic editor for macOS developed by August Mueller of Flying Meat Inc, based out of Mukilteo, Washington, United States. Acorn was first released on September 10, 2007[2] and was built upon the framework of a previous image editing application of Flying Meat Inc., FlySketch.[3]
Acorn makes extensive use of Apple's Core Image framework for its image processing,.[4][5] The native file format of Acorn is .acorn. Acorn combines vector drawing with bitmap editing,[6] and has been described as an alternative to Photoshop.[7] Key features of Acorn include image filters, a custom color picker, a brush designer, and image editing tools such as crop, erase, paint, select, pan, zoom, move, clone, smudge, dodge, and burn.[8]
Major Features[edit]
- Layers based editing
- Layer masks and blending modes
- Multi-layer screenshots [9]
- Nondestructive stackable filters[10]
- Curves and levels
- Multi-stop live gradients
- Scriptable [11]
- Automator support [11]
- Built in brush designer to create custom brushes
- Photoshop brush import
- Vector shapes, Bézier pen tool, and text tools
- Shape processor
- Circle text tool
- RAW image import
- Multiple selection tools including quick mask and magic wand
- Smart layer export
- Web export
- Guides, grids, rulers, and snapping
- Native support for Apple's retina displays
- Color profile management
- Deep color image support
- Documentation online and in ePub format
- Runs on Metal 2[12]
Version history[edit]
| Version | Initial Release Date | OS Compatibility | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 - 1.5.5[13][14] | September 10, 2007 | 10.4 - 10.10[15] | Initial release;[16] brush designer,[14] fancy crop, open and save JPEG 2000 images |
| 2.0 - 2.6.5[13] | September 13, 2009 | 10.6 - 10.10 [15] | Layered screenshots, rulers, RAW image support, 64 bit support, touchup tools, JSTalk scripting support, AppleScript support, layer groups, guides and snapping, layer masks, WebP |
| 3.0 - 3.5.2[13] | April 12, 2011 | 10.6 - 10.10 [15] | Layer styles,[17] quick mask, instant alpha,[9] live multi-stop gradients, new filters, add/subtract points on Bézier curves, full screen support, autosave and versions, retina canvas support,[18] smart layer export, web export scaling, new blending modes [19] |
| 4.0 - 4.5.7[13] | May 2, 2013 | 10.8 - 10.12 [15] | Nondestructive stackable filters,[7] curves adjustment,[11] vector line join style, multi-layer selection,[10] save selection with file, CMYK support when saving as JPEG and TIFF, editable image depth, sharing support, soft eraser, live font updates, live blending updates, share extension for Photos |
| 5.0 - 5.6[13] | August 20, 2015 | 10.10+ [15] | Shape processor, nondestructive curves and levels, improved PDF import, Photoshop brush import, image metadata editing, basic SVG support, deep color image support, circle text tool, new color picker, improved color management[20] |
| 6.0 - 6.3.3[13] | July 10, 2017 | 10.11+ [15] | Text on a path, clone tool works across layers and images, new Web Export features, smart layer export settings palette, new Bézier tools, color profiles, make shape from selection [21] |
Reviews and awards[edit]
- Houston Chronicle Acorn 4 review[22]
- The 25 Best Alternatives to Photoshop[23]
- Macworld Editor's Choice Award 2009[24]
- Mac App Store Best Apps of 2013[25]
- Mac App Store Best Apps of 2015
- 50 Mac Essentials #46 [6]
- Acorn 5: Tom's Mac Software Pick [26]
- Clash of the Image Editors: Acorn vs Pixelmator[27]
- Acorn 4 Macworld Review [7]
- Acorn 4 The Verge Review [11]
- 16 Essential Photo Editor Apps [28]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Acorn Release Notes'. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
- ^Kim, Arnold (September 10, 2007). 'New Mac Image Editor Acorn'. MacRumors. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ^Viticci, Frederico (December 18, 2012). 'Mac Stories Interviews Gus Mueller'. MacStories. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ^Lee, Mike; Meyers, Scott (2009). Learn Mac OS X Snow Leopard. New York, NY: Apress. p. 572. ISBN978-1-4302-1947-7.
- ^Mueller, August (August 21, 2015). 'Acorn, OS 10.11 El Capitan and You'. FlyingMeatBlog. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- ^ abTurbell, Giles (February 21, 2012). 'Acorn is a Fine Image Editor for Everyone'. CultofMac. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ abcFriedman, Lex (May 1, 2013). 'Review: Acorn 4 adds impressive features and a smart new look'. MacWorld. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^'Best Mac Photo Editing Software'. TopTenReviews. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^ abGirard, David (October 30, 2011). 'The seed of something great: Acorn 3.1 reviewed'. ArsTechnica. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ abSumra, Husain (May 2, 2013). 'Acorn 4 image editor adds improved speed, enhanced user interface, and more'. MacRumors. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ abcdBlagdon, Jeff (May 2, 2013). 'Review: Acorn 4 flies through image editing with new filter UI, improved speed, and curves'. TheVerge. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^'Acorn Feature List'. Flying Meat Inc. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
- ^ abcdef'Acorn Release Notes'. Flying Meat Inc. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ abBerka, Justin (January 5, 2009). 'Mac-based image editor Acorn bumped to version 1.5'. ArsTechnica. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ abcdef'Acorn FAQ'. Flying Meat Inc. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
- ^Chartier, David (September 10, 2007). 'Acorn? The OS X image editor we've been waiting for'. ArsTechnica. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^Turnbull, Giles (April 20, 2011). 'Acorn image editor updated with new features, special price'. CultofMac. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^Sorrel, Charlie (June 22, 2012). 'Acorn 3.3 to get awesome 'retina canvas''. CultofMac. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^Smith, Barrie. 'Acorn Version 3.5.1 Image Editing Software'. DigitalPhotographySchool. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^Keller, Joseph (August 20, 2015). 'Acorn 5 for Mac arrives to let you take control of shapes'. iMore. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^'Acorn 6'. July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^'Acorn image editor worth scooping up'. The Houston Chronicle. February 19, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^Gibbs, Samuel (May 6, 2013). 'The 25 Best Alternatives to Photoshop'. The Guardian. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^'25th Annual Editor's Choice'. MacWorld. December 10, 2009. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ^Viticci, Frederico (December 17, 2013). 'Apple Posts 'Best of 2013' iTunes Lists'. MacStories. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ^Nelson, Tom (August 29, 2016). 'Acorn 5: Tom's Mac Software Pick'. LifeWire. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^Lobo, Pedro (July 5, 2013). 'Clash of the Image Editors: Acorn vs Pixelmator'. MacAppstorm. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^Stewart, Craig (August 4, 2016). '16 essential photo editor apps'. CreativeBloq. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
External links[edit]
