PatchTool is a multi-purpose utility for viewing, manipulating, comparing, averaging, converting, and exporting color lists.

Import CXF files with spectral data, or CGATS formatted lists, and even lists formatted in plain text.

Export your color lists in CGATS compatible files, in plain text format, or as images; you can also export them as color catalogues to be used within the BabelColor CT&A program.

PatchTool can also convert color lists to many kinds of standard color spaces.

Here are some key features of "PatchTool":

· Visualize color lists as color patches (the recognized color spaces are xyY, XYZ, L*a*b*, L*C*h*, RGB, CMYK, as well as spectral data).
· Measure a color lists on your display using an Eye-One Pro, Eye-One Display, or Spyder2.
· Import color lists defined in industry standard color lists formats (CGATS, CXF); switch between the Measured, Random, or Visual layouts of ECI2002 color lists.
· Import color lists saved in plain text format, as generated from spreadsheets or word processors.
· Import and export spectral data scaled between zero and one or between 0 and 100%.
· Import and export spectral data defined in a range of either 380 to 730 nm or 400 to 700 nm.
· Import RGB data encoded in 8 bit, 15 bit, 16 bit, or scaled to 100%.
· Compare a patch in a file to a patch in any other file, and get the color difference value.
· Compare two files (with the same number of patches) in the same window and get detailed statistics on their differences.
· Average color lists using either a weighted or un-weighted method (mix lists with or without spectral data).
· Turn and mirror patch layouts, flip rows and columns, or rename and renumber color lists.
· Re-order color lists according to any user-selected color space coordinate (or spectral value when available).
· Convert color lists to many standard color spaces (xyY, XYZ, L*a*b*, L*C*h*, RGB, CMYK).
· Check the display calibration (monitor calibration plus display profile) or only the monitor calibration (LUT, White Point, grey ramp, primaries).
· Check a display profile against itself.
· Export color lists as text files conforming to the CGATS standard format.
· Export RGB data in 8 bit, 15 bit+ (i.e. Photoshop "16 bit"), "true" 16 bit, or scaled to 100%.
· Export color lists to Munsell color space.
· Export color lists in a simplified Tab-delimited format for text reports and spreadsheets.
· Export color lists in many image formats (including TIFF-L*a*b* and TIFF-CMYK, 8 and 16 bit).
· Export color lists to be used as "Color Decks" in the BabelColor Color Translator and Analyzer (CT&A) program (BabelColor CT&A is not included).

Limitations:

· Limited features.

What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

New features:
Added support for the Optical Society of America Uniform Color Scales (OSA UCS):
· Import UCS color lists defined as Ljg coordinates into a PatchTool file.
· Generate UCS color lists for any of the nine standard UCS data planes.
· Export any opened file (with spectral data or 10 degree Observer data) as UCS coordinates.

Improvements:
· Added “D93” and “E” in the illuminant list.
· Added an alternate contextual menu to the “Patch view” tab. This new menu can be used to reassign the color of a single patch (single files and Compare files) or of a range of patches (Compare files only).
· Minor interface changes in the Gamut tools window and in the Export dialog.

Bug fixes:
· (Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard) Fixed a compatibility problem which made the program crash on startup.
· Disabled Munsell export for files defined only with the 10 degree Observer.