Editing OpenEXR (section)

==Overview==
A full technical introduction of the format is available on the OpenEXR website.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://openexr.com/en/latest/
  |title=OpenEXR
  |author=<!-- not stated -->
  |publisher=LF Projects, LLC
  |access-date=2025-01-05 }}</ref>

OpenEXR, or EXR for short, is a deep raster format developed by ILM and broadly used in the computer-graphics industry, both visual effects and animation.

OpenEXR's multi-resolution and arbitrary channel format makes it appealing for [[Digital compositing|compositing]], as it alleviates several painful elements of the process. Since it can store arbitrary channels—[[Specularity|specular]], diffuse, [[Alpha compositing|alpha]], RGB, normals, and various other types—in one file, it takes away the need to store this information in separate files. The multi-channel concept also reduces the necessity to "bake" in the aforementioned data to the final image. If a compositor is not happy with the current level of [[specularity]], they can adjust that specific channel.<ref name="EXR_file_layout">{{cite web|url=https://openexr.com/en/latest/OpenEXRFileLayout.html|title=OpenEXR File Layout|access-date=25 May 2023}}</ref>

OpenEXR's [[Application programming interface|API]] makes tools development a relative ease for developers. Since there are almost never two identical production pipelines, custom tools always need to be developed to address problems (e.g. image-manipulation issue). OpenEXR's library allows quick and easy access to the image's attributes such as tiles and channels.<ref name=EXR_file_layout />

The OpenEXR library is developed in [[C++]] and is available in source format as well as compiled format for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]] and [[Linux]]. Python bindings for the library are also available for version 2.x.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pypi.python.org/pypi/OpenEXR|title=OpenEXR 1.3.0 : Python Package Index|website=pypi.python.org|access-date=11 April 2018}}</ref>

===History===
OpenEXR was created by ILM in 1999 and released to the public in 2003 along with an [[Open-source license|open source]] [[software library]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.openexr.com/OpenEXR_Press_Release_1_22_03.pdf |date=22 January 2003 |title=Industrial Light & Magic Releases Proprietary Extended Dynamic Range Image File Format OpenEXR to Open Source Community |access-date=11 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721234341/http://www.openexr.com/OpenEXR_Press_Release_1_22_03.pdf |archive-date=21 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="OpenEXRdotCom">{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr|title=OpenEXR|date=January 16, 2023|via=GitHub}}</ref> It soon received wide adoption by software used in [[computer graphics]], particularly for [[Film production|film]] and [[Television production|television]] production. The format has been updated several times, adding support for tiles, [[mipmaps]], new compression methods, and other features.<ref name=OpenEXRdotCom/> In 2007, OpenEXR was honored with an [[Academy Award for Technical Achievement]].<ref name=OpenEXRdotCom/>

OpenEXR 2.0 was released in April 2013, extending the format with support for [[Deep image compositing|deep image buffers]] and multiple images embedded in a single file.<ref name=OpenEXRdotCom/><ref>{{cite mailing list |url=https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/openexr-announce/2013-04/msg00000.html |first=Piotr |last=Stanczyk |title=v2.0.0.0 (GM) release announcement |mailing-list=openexr-announce |date=9 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/openexr_2.0 |title=OpenEXR 2.0 |date=10 April 2013 |work=The CGSoceity}}</ref> Version 2.2, released August 2014, added the lossy DWA compression format.<ref name="OpenEXR 2.2">{{cite press release|date=8 August 2014|title=DreamWorks Animation Contributes Lossy Compression To OpenEXR 2.2|url=https://www.renderosity.com/dreamworks-animation-contributes-lossy-compression-to-openexr-2-2-cms-17221|location=Glendale, CA|access-date=2014-08-18}}</ref>