Saving Results
Data Fidelity level affects how an RTI result is saved in the database. The setting determines whether the result remains editable, how its processing data is encoded, and whether the original captures are preserved.
Choosing the Data Fidelity Level
| Data Fidelity | Saved data | Approx. size in the example | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact | Final image only, stored as JPEG | 0.5 MB | You need the smallest file and do not need to adjust the RTI visualization again. |
| Standard | Final image, albedo, height map, normal map, mask, and visualization settings; image data uses JPEG | 6.0 MB | You want an editable RTI result with a practical balance between file size and data fidelity. |
| Professional | Final image and albedo in PNG; height map and separate X, Y, and Z normal maps in 32-bit TIFF; mask and visualization settings | 40.0 MB | You need lossless processed data for detailed documentation or further analysis. |
| Archival | All Professional data plus the 6 original source images in PNG | 65.0 MB | You need to preserve the complete capture set for long-term storage or future reprocessing. |
Compact
Use Compact only when a static result is sufficient. The software stores the rendered RTI view as a regular photograph and does not retain the height, normal, albedo, mask, or visualization-setting data required to reopen the RTI controls.
You cannot restore RTI editability from the compact result. Keep a higher-fidelity copy if the lighting, topography, or mask may need to be adjusted later.
Standard
For routine documentation where the result must remain editable, choose Standard. The software retains the processed RTI maps, mask, and visualization settings, but encodes the image-based maps as JPEG to limit the file size.
Professional
Choose Professional when preserving the processed data without JPEG compression is more important than storage space. The final image and albedo are stored as PNG. The height map and the X, Y, and Z components of the normal map are stored separately as 32-bit TIFF files.
Archival
When the complete acquisition record must be retained, use Archival. It stores the same processed data as Professional and adds the 6 source images used to calculate the RTI result.
Because the original captures are included, Archival provides the best basis for long-term preservation and future reprocessing. It also requires the most storage space.
Saving the Result
- Choose the required Data Fidelity level when saving the result.
- Complete the RTI adjustments and click Apply to add the result to the drawing.
- Store the drawing and save the database as described in Store the Drawing.
💡 Tip: Use Standard for routine working records. Use Professional when the processed surface data is an important research output, and use Archival when the original capture sequence must also be preserved.