| Full Name | Interchange File Format |
| Format ID | ImGearFormats.IFF |
| File Extension(s) | *.iff |
| Data Type | Raster Image |
| Data Encoding | Binary |
| Multi-Page Support | Yes |
| Alpha Channel Support | No |
| Metadata Update Support | No |
| ImageGear Platforms Support | WIN32, WIN64, Unix, Unix64, .NET, .NET64, MAC |
None
This type of file format is referred to as a "wrapper" because it can include any type of data that is encoded in any manner.
The basic organization of the IFF file format utilizes storage structures known as "chunks". A chunk is a block of data that contains its own header (that identifies the chunk size and type). This makes it easy for an IFF viewer to identify chunks and to skip over the ones that are not necessary.
The Header Chunk contains 17 fields, including the size of the header chunk, the identification of the chunk as a header, the size and origin of the image, data encoding (yes or no), and aspect ratio.
A "CMG Chunk" may follow, containing data specific to Amiga display hardware.
A "CMAP Chunk" contains the RGB palette for the image.
The "Body Chunk" (also called the ILBM or "interleaved bitmap"), is the image data itself. It is stored in an "interleaved" format, by bit plane. Interleaving allows for data with different resolutions to be neatly stored together. The data may be uncompressed or compressed using an RLE scheme. See See RLE Compression. section at the beginning of this chapter for more information.
Brown, C. Wayne, and Barry J. Shepherd. Graphics File Formats: Reference and Guide. Greenwich, CT.: Manning Publications, 1992.
Kay, David C. and John R. Levine. Graphics File Formats. Windcrest Books, 1992.
Murray, James D. and William vanRyper. Encyclopedia of Graphics File Formats. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1994.