What Is an ATF File?
A file with the ATF file extension could be an Adobe Photoshop transfer function file. It stores settings that allow pictures transferred to film to be printed in the proper color. ATF is the extension used in Windows, while the macOS equivalent is 8BTF. Unrelated to Photoshop, some ATF files you find may be Adobe Texture Format files, a container format used to store image data for certain games created using Stage3D. Since it’s a container format, a single ATF file can deliver textures to multiple platforms, like iOS, Android, and Windows. The ATF extension is also used by GenePix analysis software as Axon text files, a plain text format. AlternativaPlayer uses this same file extension for a format that stores 3D model textures.
How to Open an ATF File
ATF files that are related to Adobe Photoshop can be opened with (you guessed it!) Photoshop. To do this in modern versions of Photoshop, go to Image > Adjustments > Curves > select the small menu/settings button > Load Preset. Change the file type at the bottom of that window to Transfer Functions (*.ATF), and then select the file and choose Load. If you’re using Photoshop 7, go to Edit > Print with Preview to find the option to import the file. Or, look for Page Setup or Print Options in older versions. You should be able to open Adobe Texture Format ATF files in any game engine that supports Stage3D, like Starling. Otherwise, use a converter program to save the file to a more common format supported by any image viewer (see how to do this below). Another option for opening this file is to use ATFViewer (part of ATF Tools). Axon text files are similar to a database or spreadsheet file. This means that Excel, as well as most free spreadsheet software programs, are probably the best bet for these. Since they are text files, any text editor will do the job, too, like Notepad++ (see this Best Free Text Editors list for other options). This format is also used by the Molecular Devices GenePix software. The only way we know to open ATX files that are Alternativa textures is with Alternativa Games software. However, there’s a good chance that your file belongs to one of the other formats we already mentioned.
How to Convert an ATF File
Adobe Texture Format files can be converted to PNG images using the free ATF2PNG tool. Once the file is in the PNG format, you can use just about any free image converter to save that to JPG, GIF, BMP, etc. Also, see the Starling Manual for help converting an ATF file using command-line commands. Any text editor can convert an Axon text file to another text-based format. You might also be able to use the GenePix software to save it to some other format. We don’t see any reason for converting Photoshop transfer function files. Also, given that we don’t know of any way to open Alternativa texture files, we also know of no converter that can be used in that format.
