version 0.5 finally ready and available for download

After a long waiting, the new version of RIOT is available in the download section.

Here are the main changes:

1. Automatic Optimization Mode

RIOT revolutionizes the way images are optimized by combining the simplicity of automatic optimizations with the power of manual control. The Automatic Mode will select the most suitable format and parameters, still allowing the freedom of manual tweaking compression parameters, for even higher compression.
There is also a semi-automatic preset called “Auto, user format” which keeps the selected output format, and tries to obtain the minimum size by selecting the best parameters.

You will achieve the best compression ratio easier than ever !

2. Superior PNG compression

The internal PNG compression has been substantially improved, and is now one of the most powerful available.

There are 4 compression presets (low, medium, high and maximum). At low setting, the default compression is used (ZLIB deflate at maximum level). At the higher settings, a new compression is used: zopfli, which produces smaller files with the cost of a very slow processing.

Along with the automatic optimization mode and the manual mode, one can usually achieve smaller files than with any other product.

3. Greatly improved resize/resampling speed

Resize is done now usually 2-3x times faster

4. Progress monitoring

For a better user experience, RIOT 0.5 introduces progress monitoring for JPEG loading/saving and resize.

5. Added drag folder to program to load files in batch mode

Drag & Drap a folder from explorer to RIOT to add all supported images in the batch list.

6. Improved color reduction

Color quantization to 2 colors now outputs 1 bit images instead of 4 bit (smaller filesize)

Faster color quantization of images with 16 colors or less (output bit depth controlled by the quantizer itself)

7. Removed PNG interlacing setting

Now this setting is not needed anymore with the current internet speeds

8. misc. changes and fixes

RIOT 0.5 changelog

Legend:

* : fixed
! : changed
+ : added
- : removed

v. 0.5.0
+ added automatic optimization mode
+ added loading support for "half float" format to TIFF
+ added drag folder to load files in batch mode
+ added progress monitoring for jpeg load/save and resize
! superior internal PNG compression. Added 4 compression levels (zlib-9 with heuristics and filters for low setting and zopfli deflate used for the higher settings)
! color quantization to 2 colors now outputs 1 bit images instead of 4 bit (smaller filesize)
! changed transparency settings (added simplify checkbox)
! faster color quantization of images with 16 colors or less (output bit depth controlled by the quantizer itself)
! greatly improved resize/resampling speed
! upgraded to LibTiff 4.0.3
! upgraded to libPNG 1.5.13
! upgraded to OpenJPEG 1.5.1
! allowed loading of PNG with benign errors (such as images with too many IDATs)
* batch settings: keep date date & report size changes options are now preserved
* fixed crashing when loading some JPEG files with invalid EXIF tag length
* fixed PNG plugin with saving of transparent monochrome images
* fixed JPEG error: Exif: Suspicious offset of first IFD value
* fixed a crash when loading TIFF images with a TIFFTAG_TRANSFERFUNCTION Exif tag
* fixed a crash reading a TIFF with an uncommon 24-bit palettized file
* allowed loading of TIF with missing bitspersample/samplesperpixel/photometric tags
* fixed BigTIFF signature validation
* fixed TIFF plugin truncating metadata tag on loading if type is ASCII and it's value is of variable size (TIFF_VARIABLE)
* fixed loading of Exif with bad thumbnail data or with a bad first offset size
* fixed PSD parser when reading PSD files with corrupted resources
* resize: fixed a NULL-pointer access bug occurring for transparent images with a linear palette
- removed PNG interlacing
- removed Grayscale from Color reduction presets => replaced with Grayscale checkbox in Image adjustments
- removed libMNG, using internal reader instead