XFile 2 introduces 'seam carving'
updated 09:55 am EST, Thu February 21, 2008
HumanSoft ships XFile 2
Human Software has released XFile 2, the latest version of its specialist resizing plug-in for programs like Photoshop and PhotoPaint. The software gives users more control over how an image will altered, and attempts to preserve more detail. XFile 2 incorporates an option called "seam carving," also known as non-linear resizing; this lets users alter the size and aspect ratio of an image while keeping a particular focus area intact.
This is accomplished by identifying dead space in an image, and deleting it in an inconspicuous manner. To aid in this, users can "paint" which areas must be protected in resizing, and/or which ones are safe to delete. XFile 2 costs $100, and runs on Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. The plug-in works with PaintShop, PhotoPaint, Photoshop 7 through CS3 and Elements 2 through 6.
