User Guide

Glossary
There are two types of color spaces: device-independent or device-dependent. A device-independent color space, such as RGB,
describes all possible colors. A device-dependent color space describes the subset of colors (from the device-independent color
space) that a particular device can reproduce. Device-dependent color spaces are used to map colors between devices (for
example, from a monitor to a printer) to ensure that colors are reproduced accurately.
compression
Process that converts data to a storage format requiring less space than the original data.
contact sheet
Physical or digital page that contains a series of small images, usually in a grid format.
contrast
Measure of an image’s color and brightness differences.
convert
Change a file from one format to another. For example, you might convert a file from a bitmap (.bmp) to a JPEG (.jpg) to reduce
the file size.
cropping
Removing unwanted image areas.
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database
Electronic filing system that provides fast access to stored data. The ACD Systems Database contains two parts: a cached
thumbnail file and an information file. The cached thumbnail file contains small copies (thumbnails) of the images on your
system. The information file contains details about the files on your system, such as descriptions, dates, authors, notes,
keywords, and categories.
database date
Date that you apply to the properties of a file and save in the ACD Systems Database.
descriptions
ACDSee 12 stores descriptions in a hidden file named descript.ion. Descriptions such as file name and captions for an image will
be included in the descript.ion files.
dock
Attaching a toolbar, window, or pane to different screen areas.
DPI (dots per inch)
Measurement of an image’s display resolution. For example, 92 DPI means 92 dots horizontally and 92 dots vertically, which
equals 8,464 dots per square inch. More dots per inch result in higher resolution and image quality.
dynamic range
The dynamic range of an image is directly related to the dynamic range of your digital camera's sensor. If your digital camera's
sensor has a large dynamic range it can capture the darkest shadows and brightest highlights at the same time, without clipping
the shadows or highlights. (RAW images preserve the dynamic range of your digital camera's sensor.) Adjusting the tonal range
of the image changes how the dynamic range of the image is represented on a monitor or in a photo.
E
elevation
Height of an imaginary light source over an image. The elevation of the light source works in conjunction with azimuth to
generate a three-dimensional emboss effect.
encode
Writing (or saving) a file format.
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