If our software warns you about a non-optimal format of your input files, this means that the images are stored in a way that does not allow software to access it as fast as possible. Often, the performance loss does not hamper the processing of image data, so this warning can be ignored. In some cases, however, slow performance can be avoided by following the steps below.


Reasons for Unsuitable Pyramidal Structure:

  • Your input files are flat (i.e. non-pyramidal) .jpeg/.tiff files. This is often the case when images are exported rather than saved from a scanner vendor’s viewing application.
  • Several vendors store their image data in a pyramidal format (which enables high-performance access). But the coarsest-resolution image might still be too large.
  • In the case of Zeiss .czi files, an incompatible downsampling factor was used when storing the image data.

General Recommendations:

  • Use the hardware vendors’ pyramidal image formats whenever possible and supported by our software. (Please check the recommendations for specific vendor settings below.)
  • If you have more than 30 sections, a file conversion might be advisable, otherwise just try without conversion first (but note that you might still have to perform a conversion if you experience performance issues later).

Detailed Resolutions:

Before attempting to use your input files, please follow these steps to obtain files that enable high-performance access to the image data:

  • For 3DHISTECH, Aperio, Hamamatsu, Huron, Leica, and Nikon scanners: Save in the vendor’s native file format.
  • For recent Zeiss scanners (with .czi output): Save in the vendor’s native format and try to make sure that the coarsest resolution image has less than or equal to 1024x1024 pixels.
  • Workaround for other vendors or flat files (e.g. .jpeg, .tiff, ...), if you are using Voloom:
    • Start the file conversion wizard by clicking on “Convert” in the first menu of Voloom,
    • convert all input files to a series of .ims files, and
    • use the generated .ims files (instead of your original files) for reconstruction.