This page is part of the OpenRaster file format description.


(The following is historical information salvaged from the old wiki. It preserves the final text from the Requirements and Challenges sections as of 22 January 2011.)

OpenRaster Requirements

Following features should be present:

General

  • full freely available documentation
  • OpenDocument type of file format (archive with multiple files inside)
  • extensible, but private undocumented extensions should be excluded, any extension should be added to the spec and documentation of the file format
  • applications aren't expected to support all features of the file format, but when manipulating the file they shouldn't lose any information they can't handle

Metadata

  • storage of metadata using {XMP - Dublin Core - IPTC} tags
  • possibility to store metadata tags per layer
  • storage of EXIF tags
  • all text data in Unicode (UTF-8 or UTF-16)

Layers

  • storage of multiple layers
  • storage of each layer's coordinates
  • storage of blending (compositing) options for each layer
  • storage of adjustment layers
  • storage of layer effects
  • groups of layers
  • color information - profile, colorspace

Other

  • storage of paths, clipping paths, text on path
  • selections, masks
  • embedding documents within OpenDocument framework
  • support undo/history of commands/actions like PSD do

Challenges

A major problem is that because all features aren't available in all the programs, image won't be displayed the same way in different applications, especially for adjustement/filters layers. And "viewer" apps like inkscape or scribus won't have any implementation at all of those features

A likely work-around is the optional storage of a redundant extra layer containing the fully rendered pixel data as seen after all image processing, or possibly a lower-resolution snapshot of it suitable for previewing and thumbnailing.

Different implementations levels might be defined, like, tiny, simple, small, normal, full and custom.