What are raw files

What is RAW in Photography, and why should you shoot in RAW?

Once you’ve done a bit of research into photography, you might start to come across photographers and photography websites recommending that you shoot in “RAW”. But what is RAW in photography, and why do so many photographers recommend it?

Well, in this post, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about RAW. What it is, why you should shoot in RAW – and even some reasons why you might not want to shoot in RAW.

This post is written based on my years as a professional photographer, and also teaching people photography, both online, and at workshops around the world, where often one of my main goals is to educate everyone on the benefits of shooting in RAW.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What is RAW in Photography?

A RAW file is simply a digital image file that is stored on your camera or smartphones memory card. It is minimally processed and is usually uncompressed.

Every camera manufacturer has their own RAW file format, for example Canon RAW files are . CR2 or .CR3, whilst Nikon are .NEF.

When it comes to smartphones, most Android smartphones which support RAW primarily shoot in DNG, which is a universal RAW file format. Apple has a new ProRAW format.

Let’s expand on this a bit for clarity.

When using a camera, the two main photo formats available are JPG (or JPEG) and RAW.

Normally when you shoot with a digital camera or smartphone, the default setting is for it to save the images you take to your camera’s memory card in a compressed format. The standard on most cameras and devices is a format known as JPEG. JPEG simply stands for “Joint Photographic Experts Group”, which is the name of the group that created the format.

This is often shortened to JPG, as a throwback to a time when file extensions could only be three letters. So a JPG file on your hard drive would look like “Image.JPG”. There is no difference between a JPG and a JPEG, they are the same.

JPG is a universally agreed upon image format that can be viewed across pretty much every device out there. So it’s easy to take a JPG image file and share it to a social media platform like Facebook or e-mail it to a friend, and they’ll be able to see that image without you needing to edit or change it in any way. It’s also how we publish photos on our sites.

JPG is also a compressed file format. This means that various optimizations are applied to the image file, which makes the file size smaller. The greater the compression, the greater the loss in quality, but the smaller the file size and the less storage space needed to save it.

There are other types of compression available, such as PNG files, HEIF files and so on. They each have advantages and disadvantages. JPG is by far the most widely used, with HEIF being the default on most iPhones.

Compressed files are a good thing. They mean that when we load a webpage, we don’t have to wait ages for all the images to load, and when we email images to friends, we don’t take up too much of their inbox space.

There are downsides however to using a compressed file like JPG or HEIF. A compressed image is a lot less flexible when it comes to editing, as much of the useful image data that image editors work with has been discarded in order to save file size. Additionally, the camera applies a number of tweaks to the image when it saves it in a compressed format, including adjusting the saturation, contrast, and sharpness of the image. These changes are difficult to undo if you don’t like them.

A RAW file on the other hand, is an uncompressed version of the image file. Essentially the camera takes the image data from the sensor, and saves it in an unedited and uncompressed format on the memory card.

This takes up a lot more space on your memory card. A RAW image file roughly works out to be around the same size as the number of megapixels of the camera – so for example, a 20 megapixel camera will save a RAW file of around 20 megabytes. Compare this to a JPG file of reasonable quality, from the same camera this will usually be around 4 megabytes – five times smaller!

As I mentioned at the start of this section, every camera manufacturer has their own RAW file format. For example, Canon RAW files have the “CR2” file type. Nikon RAW files are “NEF” files. So instead of “Image.JPG”, you would have “Image.CR2”, or “Image.NEF”.

You can’t just grab these RAW file and upload them to the internet or share them with friends. They also take up more space, and aren’t of a universal file format. So far, this doesn’t sound great for RAW files!

However, RAW does have a number of advantages, which we will cover in this post. First though, a quick summary of the differences between RAW and JPG, which also applied to RAW vs other compressed image types like PNG or HEIF.

RAW vs JPEG

Here’s a quick overview of RAW vs JPEG:

Both a type of photography image file
JPG: small file sizes, approximately a quarter the size of a RAW file
JPG: universal file format, RAW is unique to each camera
JPG: can be shared anywhere without editing, RAW requires editing before it can be shared
RAW: much greater control over the final image, JPG has reduced control as much of the image data is discarded
JPG: supported by vast majority of smartphones and compact cameras. RAW support is only on more expensive cameras like DSLR’s, mirrorless cameras, and some point and shoot cameras and smartphones
JPG is an 8-bit format, meaning it can store information on up to 16 million shades of colour. RAW can store between 68 billion and 4.3 trillion colour shades, depending on the camera, which is quite a lot!

Many of these comparisons are also true when comparing RAW against other compressed file formats like HEIF or PNG, although JPG is still the most widely supported compressed file format.

Why is RAW Capitalized?

Another quick question – you might be wondering why the word “RAW” is usually written in capital letters. Well, unlike JPG, RAW doesn’t actually stand for anything. It’s also not a specific file format, as different camera manufacturers use their own file extensions, like “CR2” or “NEF”.

As far as I am able to ascertain, RAW is usually capitalized for two reasons. First, to distinguish it from the word “raw”, which has its own definition. Second, as file extensions traditionally have always been capitalized (like .DOC for Word documents, or .XLS for excel spreadsheets), this indicates that RAW refers to a filetype.

To be honest though, there’s no rule that says you have to write RAW rather than raw. It’s up to you!

What are the Advantages of Shooting in RAW?

I’m going to quickly go through some of the main advantages of shooting in RAW, so you know why you should be figuring out how to set your camera up to shoot in RAW.

1. You Keep all the Image Data

The major advantage you have when shooting in RAW is that you don’t lose any valuable image data.

Why is this important you ask?

Well, let’s think of some examples. Sometimes when we shoot a scene, the sky might be too bright, or the subject too dark. With a JPG file, it is very hard to do much about that, as the image is essentially already in a final state and allow only for a small amount of editing.

With a RAW file, there’s a massive amount of image information available, meaning you can recover skies that are too bright by reducing their brightness, and increase the shadows so they are brighter.

In the example above, you can see the original RAW file on the left, and the edited version on the right. As you can see, I had to underexpose the hillside here, so as to have the clouds and sky correctly exposed. Then, in post, I was able to recover the shadow details and create a more balanced and correctly exposed image.

Once you’ve done this a few times on an image that you thought was almost useless, you’ll wonder why you ever shot in JPG.

2. White Balance Adjustments

White balance is almost a whole other post, but in brief, when photographers talk about white balance, they are referring to the colour tone of the image. So for example, a warm white balance means the image is a golden yellow colour, and a cool white balance refers to a more blue looking image.

White balance varies depending on the source of the light. A tungsten bulb for example will give a different tone of light compared to the midday sun, which will look different to a setting sun.

Imagine if you hold up a white piece of paper – you know the paper is white, but if you put the same piece of paper under all these different types of light, it would likely look a different shade or tone of white.

When you take a picture, the camera usually has to try and figure out the tone of the light, so your image doesn’t look too blue or too yellow, and this is done with the white balance setting.

When you shoot in JPG, the camera has to figure out this white balance and apply it to the image. When you shoot in RAW, you can change the white balance after the fact much more easily, meaning it is a great deal easier to adjust the tone of the image in post-processing, and “fix” an image so it looks more natural and similar to reality.

As an example, you can see the original version of the image above, to the left, looks quite yellow. This is because the light source is quite warm, and so the white bowl ends up looking a bit yellow, as does the rest of the meal. By adjusting the white balance after the fact, we can make the bowl look white, and the rest of the food looks more natural as a result.

3. Sharpness and Noise Adjustments

When you shoot in JPG, the camera applies a number of edits to the image data as part of the conversion process to give the final JPG image a particular look. This look can normally be adjusted in the camera menu settings, and includes various things like colour saturation and contrast, as well as noise reduction and sharpness.

Whilst the camera software is generally ok at these adjustments, you get a lot finer control over sharpness and noise reduction if you use a dedicated image editing tool like Adobe Lightroom. So especially for darker scenes, like indoor shots where you can’t use a flash or night photography, shooting in RAW and adjusting the noise and sharpness in post processing will get you better results, resulting in a cleaner image overall.

When Should you not Shoot in RAW?

Whilst there are a number of obvious advantages to shooting in RAW, there are some reasons not to shoot in RAW.

First, if you can’t see yourself spending much time editing or working on your photos after pressing the shutter button on your camera, RAW might not be for you. It will add time to your workflow, and whilst the end result may be better photos, if you just don’t have the time or inclination to do it, it’s likely not going to be for you.

Another reason not to shoot in RAW is if you want to shoot continuous frames at a high burst rate – say an action sequence. Because JPG files are a lot smaller, they can be written to the camera’s memory card a lot faster than RAW files, and the cameras internal buffer will also be able to store more photos, meaning you can shoot a burst for longer.

So if capturing the moment is the most critical part of your shoot, RAW might not be for you.

RAW is also not necessarily the best if the pictures are highly time sensitive. When I’ve shot events for example, some press photographers have been shooting JPG alongside me, because they need to be able to quickly deliver the photos to a client so they can be published. There’s simply no time for the RAW editing process to take place.

Obviously, this is a niche need, but if having photos quickly is a priority, again, RAW might not be right for your needs.

Sometimes of course we also want to be able to travel and share our images with friends and family, and we don’t want to take a laptop with us on our trips. In these cases, RAW is also not ideal as you would usually need a computer to be able to edit your photos. In these instances, we’d advise shooting in JPG, and choosing a high quality setting to get the best results.

The exception is if you are shooting on your smartphone, as if it supports RAW shooting it will normally have a built-in RAW editor that lets you edit your photos and save them in a shareable format like JPG.

Another option, rather than setting your camera to only shoot in JPG, is to see if if lets you shoot in “RAW+ JPG”. This means the camera will record both a compressed JPG version of the image, and an uncompressed version.

This is a good way to start shooting in RAW without the overhead of having to worry about editing all your images. It will take up the most space on your camera memory card, and isn’t suitable if you want to shoot fast bursts of images, such as for action shots, as writing so much data to your camera memory card for every shot will slow your camera down a bit. However, it is a good bridge solution before you go all in on RAW, which would be our recommended setting to aim for.

Why Do RAW Files Look Washed Out?

One common question I’m asked is why RAW files look so washed out compared to the JPG files. This is especially noticeable if you shoot both RAW and JPG, and load them up next to each other in your editing software.

The difference will be quite obvious – the colours will be more muted in the RAW file, and it might have a more reduced contrast and not look as sharp as the JPG file.

As an example, the left image above is the camera JPG, whereas the shot on the right is the RAW file. You can see the the colours are a lot less vibrant in the unedited RAW file compared to the camera’s JPG version of the exact same photo.

The reason for this is that when a camera processes the image data and saves it as a JPG, it applies what is known as an image profile to it. Essentially, the camera edits the photo for you, putting it into a final, usable state. So this means making it colourful, sharp, and ready to publish.

A RAW file isn’t edited at all. It’s essentially a blank canvas – the data is ready for you to adjust into a final image, with the adjustments that you want to make, rather than those that the camera wants to apply. So whilst this means that the initial image you look at won’t be quite so impressive as the JPG version, the potential for creating something more impressive is there.

How To Enable RAW in Your Camera or Smartphone

The steps you need to take to enabling RAW support will vary across manufacturers, but will usually involve you accessing an image quality setting in the menu system. This should be a fairly easy setting to access and change.

On Canon cameras for example, you access the Menu by pressing the “Menu” button, and then accessing the image quality setting from one of the first screens (this will vary by camera model).

When you find the “Image Quality” option, press the “Set” button to access it. You can then choose the RAW quality level (we suggest the highest quality option, if there are options). You can also adjust the JPG quality option here.

For specific instructions for your Canon camera, take a look at the Canon Support website, which will have step by step instructions. For example, these are the instructions for my Canon 6D camera.

You can find the support site for Nikon here, for Sony here and for Panasonic here. For other manufacturers, simply searching for “Manufacturer name camera support page” should get you the documents you need.

On Smartphones, like the iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, if RAW support is available it will normally be a toggle inside the camera app.

How to Open a RAW file?

To open a RAW file, you need viewing software that specifically supports the RAW file produced by your camera.

As mentioned above, RAW files are not universally recognized file types, and they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. To get the most out of your RAW file, you’ll need to edit it, and then convert it to something like a JPEG so you can distribute it.

Usually your camera or smartphone will come with a RAW file viewer and editor, and many popular image file viewers also support various RAW files, although support varies based on your camera manufacturer and model.

If you don’t have a RAW file viewer, we can suggest Microsoft Photos, Fast RAW viewer, or one of the editors listed below, as a starting point. On smartphones, the built in photo viewer and editor should support your smartphones RAW file format if your smartphone supports RAW.

Which RAW Photo Editor is Best?

There are a number of options when it comes to editing your RAW files. These include:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC (monthly/annual subscription, Mac & PC)
On1 Photo RAW (monthly/annual subscription, Mac & PC)
Capture One (standalone license or monthly subscription available, Mac & PC)
Luminar (standalone license, Mac & PC)
Darktable (free, Mac & PC)
RAWtherapee (free, Mac & PC)
RAW editing software that comes with your camera (free)

My preferred tool for editing my RAW files is Adobe Lightroom. This is because it offers a full photography workflow, meaning I can manage all my photos as well as edit the RAW files. I also find the interface and RAW editing to be the best suited to the way I work. It is also the product, I believe, with the most guides online, meaning it’s easy to learn how to use it.

Of course, I appreciate that the monthly subscription can be an issue for many, and unfortunately Adobe have discontinued the one-off license fee option. The advantage of this subscription model is that you are always kept up to date with the latest product releases, and I actually think that the lifetime cost of this model is no different to buying a single product and then paying for yearly updates. You can also try it as a trial version, and you can cancel after your subscription expires if you don’t want it any more.

However, if you don’t want to commit to a monthly (or annual) subscription, there are other photo editing options that I cover here.

The best two alternatives that I suggest you check out are On1 Photo RAW and Skylum Luminar. Photo RAW is the closest replacement to Lightroom I have found, with a similar interface and a one-off payment option.

Luminar offers a more automated workflow with built in AI tools to make editing more accessible. It also offers full RAW editing support, and is designed to be easy to use.

Both tools are available for a one-off purchase price. I recommend trying them both and seeing which you prefer. You can download a Luminar here to try it out (there’s a 30 day money back guarantee), and Photo RAW here with a 30 day trial.

We also have an exclusive Luminar discount code for readers who decide to purchase Luminar, which will get you $10 / €10 off the price of Luminar. The code is TRAVELCATS, just enter it at checkout for the discount.

There are also a number of free, open-source image editing solutions. These can be an easy way to dip your toe into RAW file editing without any cost. The features they offer vary, and there are less tutorials available online, so they can be a bit more overwhelming when you are starting out.

If your camera supports shooting in RAW, it should come with software to enable you to edit the RAW files. For example, Canon cameras come with software called “Digital Photo Professional”, which offers full RAW file editing support for Canon RAW files. Nikon cameras often come with free Capture NX-D software to edit Nikon’s . NEF RAW files. This software is another good option for free RAW file editing, although won’t let you manage your photos or organise them.

For tips on choosing software to edit your RAW files, see our full guide to the best photo editing software. If you’re looking for something to edit your photos on, see our guide to the best laptops for photo editing

Looking to Improve Your Photography?

If you found this post helpful, and you want to improve your photography overall, you might want to check out my online travel photography course.

Since launching the course in 2016, I’ve already helped over 2,000+ students learn how to take better photos. The course covers pretty much everything you need to know, from the basics of how a camera works, through to composition, light, and photo editing.

It also covers more advanced topics, including astrophotography, long exposure photography, flash photography and HDR photography.

You get feedback from me as you progress, access to webinars, interviews and videos, as well as exclusive membership of a facebook group where you can get feedback on your work and take part in regular challenges.

It’s available for an amazing one-off price for lifetime access, and I think you should check it out. Which you can do by clicking here.

And that’s it for our guide to shooting in RAW. Hopefully this has inspired you to find the RAW setting in your camera and start using it. As always, if you have any questions or feedback about this post, or any travel and photography questions, just let us know in the comments below!

What is a Raw File? (And How to Open One)

By Christopher Bryan-Smith

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Digital photography is full of jargon and technical terminology. And one of the most common terms you’ll come across is a ‘RAW file’. You’ll find it on your camera and in your editing software. And you’ll hear other photographers talking about them.

But what are RAW files? What are they for, and how do you open them? If you need these questions answered, you’re in the right place. We’ll give you a quick rundown of RAW files and how they work.

What is a RAW File?

A RAW file is a type of image file created by modern digital cameras. All enthusiast and professional-level cameras will give you the option to shoot in RAW. And even some beginner digital cameras provide that option too.

A RAW image file contains the complete and uncompressed information relating to that image. It holds all the original data from the camera’s sensor. The image will show the photo, including the adjustments made by the camera settings, like the ISO and white balance.

Unlike other image files, a RAW format file holds on to the unchanged information from the camera sensor. This gives you much more freedom to edit your image in post-processing.

The RAW files contain the sensor’s original image data, which you can revert back to. This means you can remove or change the settings you used in-camera when editing them image. Ultimately, a RAW file gives you the greatest amount of creative freedom for image editing.

Differences Between RAW and JPEG Files

You might be more familiar with the JPEG file format. They’re compact, compressed, and more universally accessible. Most digital cameras will create images as JPEGs as the default setting.

A JPEG stores an image with all the camera settings applied. Whichever ISO or saturation preferences you used while taking the picture are saved as basic image information.

It makes for a smaller-sized file as it holds less information. This is good for storing and moving files. And it means you can open a JPEG with very basic software.

The downside is that you have less freedom when editing the image. You can’t undo or change any of the settings applied in-camera. The image created by the camera is the baseline you have to work with.

JPEG files also have inferior image quality compared to RAW files. A JPEG is compressed, which makes it a smaller file, but the file loses image data and information from the sensor.

RAW File Formats

One of the problems with RAW image files is that there is no universal RAW file format. All the leading camera manufacturers use their own RAW image format. This can cause problems when sharing files or working with others.

The most common RAW image file is the .dng format. Adobe created the .dng in 2003 in to create a universal RAW file everyone in the industry could use. It hasn’t solved the problem completely, but it has become the most common RAW file.

There are still many different RAW file formats, each with its own RAW file extension. The problem is that you need specific programs to open and edit each RAW image format.

No program can open all RAW image formats, which can make opening RAW files a bit tricky.

How to Open a RAW File

You can open a JPEG with a couple of clicks on pretty much any device. But opening a RAW file isn’t so simple. Certain RAW file formats need specific programs to open and view them.

If you want to open RAW image files, you’ll need editing software such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. They are the leading programs for photo editing in the industry. But you need to pay the subscription fee to use them.

If you open a RAW image with Lightroom, the process is simple, and you don’t need any other programs. Photoshop is a bit tricky because you need Adobe Camera Raw to prepare the file for editing.

Adobe software can open all .dng RAW format files, as this is their format extension. And they do recognise many of the RAW extensions of the leading camera brands.

The problem is that Adobe software updates don’t always keep up with the manufacturers. If a camera brand releases a new camera model with a new RAW file extension, Adobe might not recognise it until its next update. Or maybe not at all.

It can be a frustrating situation. But there are workarounds and solutions to using other RAW file reading programs.

File Extensions and File Reading Programs

Finding the right software for each RAW file extension can be a bit of a maze. But we’ve got a list of the extension names, their manufacturer, and the program you need to open the file.

IIQ—Intelligent Image Quality by Phase One—Use Capture One, Adobe Lightroom, or Photoshop
3FR—Hasselblad—Use Adobe Photoshop Elements, Microsoft Photos, or File Magic
DCR, K25, KDC—Kodak—Use GIMP or Adobe Photoshop
CRW, CR2, CR3—Canon—Use Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom
MEF—Mamiya—Use Adobe Photoshop Elements or DNG Converter
MOS—Leaf—Use Capture One or RawTherapee
NEF—Nikon—Use Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom
ORF—Olympus—Use Aftershot, Adobe Photoshop CC, or Photoshop Elements
PEF—Pentax Electronic File by Pentax—Use Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements
RW2—Panasonic—Use Adobe Photoshop Elements or RawTherapee
ARW, SRF, SR2—Sony—Use Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

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The Pros of Shooting in RAW

There are plenty of benefits to shooting in RAW file format. The main pro is that the RAW file gives you far more freedom to edit your photos.

The RAW file saves the original image data from the sensor. This allows you to change settings that are usually set in the digital camera as you take the picture.

For example, you may have several photos from a shoot that you need to correct. Perhaps you didn’t realise until after, but the white balance is way off. With a JPEG, you wouldn’t be able to change it. But with a RAW image file, you can change the white balance with editing software.

RAW image files capture a greater dynamic range than other file formats. They allow you to brighten darkened areas of your shots or reduce the brightness in the over-exposed areas.

The Cons of Shooting in RAW

Shooting in RAW isn’t always smooth sailing, though. Before you run off to start snapping RAW images, there are some downsides to consider.

Firstly, the file size is much large than that of a JPEG. It holds more information, which is good for editing. But they’ll take up more space on your memory cards and hard drives. It also takes longer to transfer the files between devices.

The second downside is that RAW files always need some processing. As a basic RAW file, most programs won’t be able to view them. This makes it difficult to share them with other people and impossible to upload RAW images to social media.

In their purest form, RAW files often appear dull compared to JPEG images. The Raw file loses some of the effects and settings applied by the camera. With a JPEG, none of that information is lost.

How To Convert a RAW file to a JPEG

The process is fairly simple to convert RAW files into JPEGs. But you do need the right tools—the main one being software that can open RAW files.

Adobe Lightroom is the most straightforward. It can open and read RAW files without any other software, unlike Photoshop.

Once the file is open and you’ve made your edits, you can save export the image as a JPEG. You can even save them as TIFFs, PNGs, or GIFs.

Other programs follow the same logic. You open the file in the software, make any edits to the image, and once you’re done, save the file however you wish. Then the file is ready to share.

Conclusion

RAW files have become a massive part of digital photography. If you want to take digital photography seriously, you need to know about RAW files.

They are great for editing photos. You can correct errors and enhance your images in post-processing. But using RAW files can be complicated and time-consuming. So they’re not the holy grail of photography.

Check out our Effortless Editing with Lightroom course to make the most of your RAW files.

Raw File Destination - SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)

Article
09/26/2022
Reading takes 7 minutes

Applies to: SQL Server (all supported versions) SSIS Integration Runtime in Azure Data Factory

The Raw File destination writes raw data to a file. Since the data format is native to the destination, the data does not require translation and only needs a little analysis. This means that the Raw File destination can write data faster than other destinations such as Flat File or OLE DB.

In addition to writing raw data to a file, you can also use the Raw File destination to create an empty raw file containing only columns (a metadata-only file) without having to run the package. The Raw File source is used to retrieve the raw data recorded previously by the destination of the same name. You can also specify a file that contains only metadata as the Raw File source. nine0017

The raw file format contains sorting information. The Raw File destination retains all sort information, including comparison flags for string columns. The Raw File source reads and respects sort information. Using the advanced editor, you can set the Raw File source so that the sort flags in the file will not be taken into account. For more information about comparison flags, see Comparing String Data.

You can set the Raw File destination as follows. nine0017

Specify an access mode that is either the name of a file or a variable containing the name of the file that the Raw File destination writes to.
Specify whether the Raw File destination will append data to an existing file of the same name or create a new file.

The Raw File destination is often used to capture intermediate results of partial data processing between batch runs. Raw data storage means that the data can be quickly read using the Raw File source and then converted to the final destination before being loaded. For example, a package might run multiple times, each time writing raw data to the files. Later, another package can use the Raw File source to read data from each file, then use a Merge All transformation to gather all the data into one set, and then apply additional transformations to finalize the data before loading it into a target, such as a table. SQL Server. nine0017

Note

The Raw File destination supports NULL data but does not support BLOB data.

Note

The Raw File destination does not use a connection manager.

This source has one standard input. Error output is not supported.

Append and New File options

The WriteOption property includes the ability to append data to an existing file or create a new file.

The following table describes the available values for the WriteOption property. nine0017

Parameter	Description
Add	Appends data to an existing file. The metadata of the attached data must match the file format.
Create always	Always creates a new file.
	Creates a new file. If the file exists, then the component crashes.
Truncate and append	Truncates an existing file and then writes the data. The metadata of the attached data must match the file format.

The following are important questions about adding data.

Adding data to an existing raw file does not re-sort the data.

You must ensure that the sort keys remain in the correct order.
Adding data to an existing raw file does not change that file's metadata (sort information). nine0017

For example, the package reads data sorted by product key (ProductKey, PK). The batch data stream appends data to an existing raw file. The first time the package is run, three strings will be received (PK 1000, 1100, 1200). The raw file now contains the following data.

1000, productA
1100, productB
1200 productC

The second time the package is run, two new strings will be received (PK 1001, 1300). The raw file now contains the following data. nine0017

1000, productA
1100, productB
1200 productC
1001, productD
1300, product E

New data is added to the end of the raw file, and the order of sorted keys (PKs) is out of order. In addition, the append operation does not change the file's metadata (sorting information). If the file was read using the Raw File source, the component indicates that the file is still sorted by PK, even though the data in the file is no longer in the correct order. nine0017

To keep sortable keys in the correct order after adding data, you can design a batch data stream like this:

Extracting new rows using source A.
Extract existing rows from RawFile1 using source B.
Combine inputs from sources A and B using the Merge All transformation.
Sorted by PK.
nine0004
Writing to RawFile2 using the Raw File destination.

RawFile1 is locked because it is being read from in the data stream.
Replace RawFile1 with RawFile2.

Using the Raw File Destination in a Loop

If the data stream using the Raw File Destination is a loop, the file is created once and then the data is written to the file as the loop repeats. To add data to a file, the format of the data must match the format of the existing file. nine0017

To create a file in the first iteration of the loop and then add rows to it in subsequent iterations of the loop, you must do the following during development.

Set the WriteOption property to CreateOnce or CreateAlways and run one iteration of the loop. The file will be created. This will ensure that the metadata you add and the file match.
Reset the WriteOption property to Append and set the ValidateExternalMetadata property to False .

If parameter TruncateAppend is used instead of parameter Append , then rows that were added in any previous iteration will be truncated before a new row is added. Using parameter TruncateAppend also requires the data to match the file format.

Raw file destination setting

Property values can be set using the Integration Services Designer or programmatically.

Dialog box Advanced editor contains properties that can be set programmatically. For more information about the properties that you can set in the Advanced Editor dialog box or programmatically, see the following sections.

General properties

Raw file custom properties

For more information about setting component properties, see Set Data Flow Component Properties.

See also

Blog entry Raw files are great at sqlservercentral.com.

Raw File Destination Editor (Connection Manager Page)

Use the Raw File Destination Editor to configure the Raw File Destination to write raw data to a file. nine0017
Select action

Open destination editor "Raw file"

Setting options on the Connection Manager tab

Setting options on the Columns tab

Opening the Raw File Destination Editor

Add a Raw File Destination to an Integration Services package in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT).

nine0003
Right-click the component and select Edit .

Setting options on the Connection Manager tab

Access mode
Select the order in which the file name is specified. Select item File name to enter the file name and path directly, or item File name from variable to specify a variable containing the file name.

File name or Variable name
Enter the raw file name and path, or select a variable containing the file name.

Write Parameter
Select the method used to create the file and write to the file.

Create raw raw file
Click this button to create an empty raw file that contains only columns (metadata-only file) without having to run the package. The file contains the columns selected on page Columns windows Raw file destination editor . You can specify a "Raw File" source on a file that contains only this metadata.

After clicking Create Raw Source File , a message box appears. Click OK to continue creating the file. Click Cancel to select a different list of columns on page Columns .

Setting options on the Columns tab

Available input columns
Select one or more input columns to write to the raw file.

Input column
The input column is automatically added to this table during selection in the list Available input columns . You can also select an input column directly in this table.

Output Alias 
Specify an alternative name for the output column.

Line File Destination Editor (Columns Page)

Use the Raw File destination editor to configure the Raw File destination to write raw data to a file.

Selecting an action

Opening the raw file destination editor

Setting options on the Connection Manager tab

Setting options on the Columns tab

Opening the Raw File Destination Editor

Add a Raw File destination to an Integration Services package in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT).

Right-click the component and select Edit .

Setting options on the Connection Manager tab

Access mode
Select the order in which the file name is specified. Select item File name to enter the file name and path directly, or item File name from variable to specify a variable containing the file name.

File name or Variable name
Enter the raw file name and path, or select a variable containing the file name.

Write Parameter
Select the method used to create the file and write to the file.

Create raw raw file
Click this button to create an empty raw file that contains only columns (metadata-only file) without having to run the package. You can specify a "Raw File" source on a file that contains only metadata. nine0017
After pressing this button, a list of columns appears. You can click the Cancel button and change the columns, or you can click the OK button to continue creating the file.

Set options on the Columns tab

Available input columns
Select one or more input columns to write to the raw file.

Input column
Input column is automatically added to this table during list selection Available input columns . You can also select an input column directly in this table.

Output Alias 
Specify an alternative name for the output column.

See Also

Raw File Source
Data Stream

Processing, Saving, and Opening Images in Adobe Camera Raw

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The most convenient way to work with multiple raw images is to use Camera Raw's Filmstrip view. The Filmstrip view is displayed by default when you open multiple images in Camera Raw from Adobe Bridge.

Filmstrip view is not available when importing multiple images into After Effects. nine0017
In the Filmstrip, images can have the following three states: unselected, selected (but inactive), and active (and selected). Typically, adjustments are applied to all selected images.

You can also sync settings to apply settings related to the same active image to all selected images. You can quickly apply a series of adjustments to a whole set of images (for example, to all pictures taken under the same conditions), and then fine-tune your favorite pictures later. You can synchronize both global and local correction settings. nine0017

To select an image, click on its thumbnail. To select a range of images, click the first and last thumbnails of the range while holding down the Shift key. To add an image to the selected images, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) its thumbnail.

To change the active image without changing the composition of the selected images, click the navigation arrow at the bottom of the view section.

To apply the active image settings to all selected images, click the Synchronize button at the top of the Filmstrip section and select the settings to be synchronized. nine0004
To assign a star rating, click one of the ratings below the image thumbnail.

To mark selected images for deletion, click the Mark for Deletion button.
A red cross appears on the thumbnail of an image marked for deletion. After the Camera Raw dialog box is closed, the deleted file is placed in the Recycle Bin on Windows or Mac OS. (If you want to keep the image marked for deletion, select it in the Filmstrip and click the Mark for Deletion button again before you close the Camera Raw dialog box.)

Tutorial for synchronizing edits across multiple Camera Raw photos: Synchronizing edits in Adobe Camera Raw by Dan Moughamian.

Image Processing Automation

You can create an action to automate the processing of image files using Camera Raw. Editing and saving processes can be automated in formats such as PSD, DNG, JPEG, Large Document Format (PSB), TIFF, and PDF. In Photoshop, you can also use the Batch command, the Image Processor feature, or the Create Droplet command to process one or more image files. The Image Processor feature is especially useful when saving image files in multiple formats in the same processing session. nine0017
The following are tips for automating the handling of raw image files.

Before you can record an action, Image Settings must be selected from the Camera Raw Settings menu in the Camera Raw dialog box. When using this method, each image's specific settings (taken from the Camera Raw database or accompanying XMP files) are used to reproduce the action.

If you plan to use the action in combination with the Batch command, you can use the Save As command and select a file format when saving the raw image. nine0017

When an action is used to open a raw image file, the Camera Raw dialog box displays the settings used when the action was recorded. You can create different actions to open raw image files with different settings.

When using the Batch command, select the Ignore Open commands option. In this case, all the "Open" commands provided in the action will apply to the files included in the package, and not to the files specified by name in the action. Deselect the Ignore Open Commands option only if you want to apply the action to open files or if the Open command is used to retrieve required information. nine0017

When using the Batch command, select the Suppress File Open Options Dialogs option to suppress the opening of the Camera Raw dialog box when processing each raw image.

When using the Batch command, select the Ignore Save As Commands option if you want to use the Save As instructions from the Batch command rather than the corresponding instructions from the Save As command. If you select this option, the action must include a Save As command, because the Batch command does not automatically save source files. Deselect Ignore Save As Commands to save files processed by the Batch command in the directory specified in the Batch dialog box. nine0017

When creating a Droplet, select the Suppress File Open Options Dialogs option in the Run section of the Create Droplet dialog box. This will prevent the Camera Raw dialog box from appearing when processing each raw image.

Opening images

To process images in Camera Raw, select one or more raw files in Adobe Bridge, then choose File > Open in Camera Raw Window or press Ctrl+R » (Windows) or Command + R (Mac OS). After making changes in the Camera Raw dialog box, click the Done button to confirm the changes and close the window. You can also click the Open Image button to open a copy of the adjusted image in Photoshop. nine0004
To process JPEG or TIFF images in the Camera Raw window, select one or more JPEG or TIFF files in Adobe Bridge, and then choose File > Open in Camera Raw Window, or press Ctrl+R (Windows ) or Command+R (Mac OS). After making changes in the Camera Raw dialog box, click the Done button to confirm the changes and close the window. In the JPEG and TIFF Handling section of the Camera Raw Preferences window, you can set Camera Raw to automatically open JPEG or TIFF images using Camera Raw settings. nine0004
To import raw images into Photoshop, select one or more raw files in Adobe Bridge, then choose File > Open With > Adobe Photoshop CS5. (You can also choose File > Open in Photoshop and browse for the raw image files you want.) After making changes in the Camera Raw dialog box, click the Open Image button to accept the changes and open the adjusted image in Photoshop. Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) to open a copy of the adjusted image and not save changes to the original image's metadata. Shift-click the Open Image button to open the image in Photoshop as a Smart Object. To set Camera Raw settings, at any time, double-click the left mouse button on the Smart Object layer that contains the raw image file. nine0014 Tip. Hold down the Shift key and double-click a thumbnail in Adobe Bridge to open the raw image in Photoshop without displaying the Camera Raw dialog box. Hold down the Shift key while choosing File > Open to open multiple selected images.

To import raw images into After Effects using Adobe Bridge, select one or more raw files in Adobe Bridge and choose File > Open With > Adobe After Effects CS5. (You can also choose File > Import in After Effects and browse for the raw image files you need.) After making changes in the Camera Raw dialog box, click OK to confirm your changes. nine0004
To import TIFF and JPEG files into After Effects using Camera Raw, choose File > Import in After Effects, and then choose All Files from the Include menu (Mac OS) or the File Types menu ( Windows) in the After Effects Import File dialog box. Select the file you want to import, choose Camera Raw from the Format menu, and click Open.

To import Camera Raw images into After Effects as a sequence, choose File > Import in After Effects. Select the desired images, check the "Camera Raw Sequence" box and click "Open". The Camera Raw settings applied to the first raw camera file when imported are applied to the rest of the files in the sequence, unless subsequent files in the sequence contain sidecar XMP files. In this case, the settings specified in the XMP or DNG file are applied to this frame in the sequence, and the settings specified for the first file in the sequence are used for all other frames. nine0004

If you have problems opening Camera Raw files, see Why doesn't my version of Photoshop or Lightroom support my camera?

Saving a Camera Raw image in a different format

Raw files can be saved as PSD, TIFF, JPEG, or DNG in the Camera Raw dialog box.

When you use the Save Image command in the Camera Raw dialog box, files are queued for processing and saving. This is useful when processing multiple files in the Camera Raw dialog box and saving them in the same format. nine0017

Click the Save Image button in the lower left corner of the Camera Raw dialog box.

Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the button to prevent the Camera Raw Save Options dialog box from appearing when you save the file.

In the Save Options dialog box, specify the following options.

Target Profile

Specifies the directory to save the file. If necessary, click the Select Folder button and navigate to the desired directory. nine0017
File naming

Lets you specify a file name using a naming standard that includes items such as date and camera serial number. Using descriptive filenames generated according to a naming standard makes it easier to organize your image files.

Select a file format from the Format menu.

digital negative

Allows you to save a copy of the raw image file in DNG format. nine0017
Compatibility

Specifies the versions of Camera Raw and Lightroom that can read the file.

If "Custom" is selected, select whether you want DNG 1.1 or DNG 1.3 compatibility. By default, the conversion uses lossless compression (in order to preserve information when reducing the file size). Selecting Linear (with no tiling) saves image data in an interpolated format. This means that other software can read the file even if it does not have a profile for the digital camera that took the picture. nine0017

JPEG Preview

Embeds JPEG thumbnails in a DNG file. When embedding a JPEG thumbnail, you can select its size. When a JPEG thumbnail is embedded in a DNG file, the contents of the DNG file can be viewed in other applications without analyzing the raw image data.

Embed Original Raw File

Allows you to save all raw raw image image data in a DNG file. nine0017

JPEG

Allows you to save a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) raw image file copy.
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