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How to add thumbnails to existing TIFF files?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
July 22, 2018
2 replies
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How can I add thumbnails to existing TIFF files, using either Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom (or, for that matter, any other tool)? More precisely: How can I check whether existing TIFF files contain an embedded thumbnail image, and how can I then add thumbnails to any TIFF files that don't already contain an embedded image?

The TIFF files have been created using VueScan, scanning from 35mm negative film, but I only recently discovered the "enable TIFF thumbnails" setting. I think this means that all my existing TIFF files do not have a thumbnail image.

Many thanks.

Stefan

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Correct answer Stephen Marsh

Double check your Photoshop prefs:

Photoshop > Preferences > File Handling: File Saving Options (Image previews, thumbnail etc).

Then re-save the images from Photoshop. This is easy to do for batches using the built in Image Processor script or perhaps the excellent 3rd party Image Processor Pro script from xbytor.

There are other tools/methods, however this is probably the easiest for the average Photoshop user that does not wish to mess around with command line tools.

Stefan.Aalten-VoogdAuthor

Participating Frequently

Great answer - many thanks! That deals with the main part of my problem, though I'm still not clear on how I can check whether existing TIFF files already contain an embedded thumbnail image? I tried finding out via file properties, both in Windows Explorer (right-click file, Properties) and in Adobe Photoshop (File>Info).

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

It may be possible to check via a Photoshop or Bridge script, however I can’t really comment on that.

It can be done via ExifTool and I can comment further if desired. Using ExifTool you can elect to do many things with the info, such as create a log text file, or apply metadata such as keywords, Bridge labels or ratings, rename the files, move the files to another folder etc.

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

You 'think' they don't have an embedded thumbnail, but do you actually have encountered a problem because of that? Lightroom does not need embedded thumbnails, for example. It always creates its own.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

Stefan.Aalten-VoogdAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks Johan. Yes, I have encountered a problem in that it takes much longer for a thumbnail image to be displayed in, say, Windows Explorer for those images that (I suspect) don't have an "embedded thumbnail". It is as if Windows Explorer generates the thumbnail image "on the fly", which takes time and happens every time you visit a folder. I suspect other software tools (other than Windows Explorer) will do the same. I believe the TIFF standard allows for thumbnail images to be kept "inside" the TIFF file itself, to enable quick viewing of thumbnails. My question therefore is "how can I add such thumbnails into _already existing_ TIFF files?" I am aware I could go back to the start and rescan the images from the 35mm negative film and make sure that the "enable TIFF thumbnails" box is checked in VueScan but that seems like a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Stephen Marsh

Correct answer

Community Expert

Double check your Photoshop prefs:

Photoshop > Preferences > File Handling: File Saving Options (Image previews, thumbnail etc).

Then re-save the images from Photoshop. This is easy to do for batches using the built in Image Processor script or perhaps the excellent 3rd party Image Processor Pro script from xbytor.

There are other tools/methods, however this is probably the easiest for the average Photoshop user that does not wish to mess around with command line tools.

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