XCF to TCR Converter

Online XCF to TCR converter — create e-books free

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Faithful Transfer

Image content moves from XCF to TCR without degradation. Colors, dimensions, and detail are preserved throughout the conversion.

Any Device Works

Run the XCF to TCR converter from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone — all you need is a web browser and internet access.

No Installation

Everything happens in the browser. Open Convertio, upload your XCF file, and download the TCR result — zero setup required.

How to convert XCF to TCR

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose tcr or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your tcr file right afterwards

About formats

XCF (eXperimental Computing Facility) is the native file format of GIMP) (GNU Image Manipulation Program), named after the computing facility at UC Berkeley where Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis originally developed GIMP as a student project, with the format introduced alongside GIMP 1.0 in 1998. XCF stores the complete editing state of a GIMP project: all layers with their positions, dimensions, opacity, and blending modes; layer masks; channels (including custom alpha channels); paths (vector shapes stored as Bezier curves); parasites (arbitrary named data attached to the image or individual layers); and the image's color profile, resolution, guides, and grid settings. The format supports 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit floating-point precision per channel in RGB, grayscale, and indexed color modes, and uses a tile-based internal structure where the image is divided into 64x64 pixel tiles that are individually RLE-compressed. Each layer in an XCF file is stored independently with its own dimensions (layers can be larger or smaller than the canvas), enabling non-destructive editing workflows where source material is preserved at full resolution. One advantage is complete state preservation: XCF files save everything needed to resume editing exactly where you left off — every layer, mask, path, and setting — making them the essential working format for any multi-session GIMP project. The format's open specification is another strength: the XCF structure is fully documented and readable by GIMP, XnView, ImageMagick, and various programming libraries, ensuring project files remain accessible without vendor lock-in.
Initial release: 1998
TCR (Text Compression for Reader) is a compressed plain-text ebook format developed by Barry Childress in the early 1990s for the Psion Series 3 family of palmtop computers. The format was created for Childress's Reader3 application, a text file viewer that needed to fit large books into the Psion's extremely limited storage — typically 128 KB to 2 MB of available memory. TCR uses a dictionary-based compression scheme derived from the earlier ZVR format by Ian Giddings, replacing repeated byte sequences with single-byte tokens that reference a header dictionary. This straightforward approach achieves compression ratios of roughly 40-60% on typical English prose while requiring minimal CPU resources for decompression. The Psion Series 3 ran on a 3.84 MHz NEC V30 processor with no floating-point unit, so TCR's low computational overhead was essential for smooth page-by-page reading. A key advantage is remarkable storage efficiency for its simplicity — users could carry dozens of novels on removable SSD cards that held only a few hundred kilobytes. The format found a dedicated user community among Psion enthusiasts who built libraries of compressed literature for portable reading years before smartphones existed. Though the Psion platform faded from the market in the early 2000s, TCR files can still be opened and converted by modern ebook tools, and the format stands as an early example of purpose-built mobile reading technology from the pre-smartphone era.
Developer: Barry Childress
Initial release: 1993

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert XCF to TCR?

XCF files require GIMP to open. Converting to TCR lets you share your artwork with anyone, regardless of what software they have installed.

What can I use to view TCR files?

Psion devices, Calibre e-book manager, and legacy PDA e-book readers.

Is the conversion fast?

Yes — XCF to TCR conversion on Convertio runs on cloud servers and completes in seconds for typical image files.

Does this work on my phone?

Yes — the Convertio converter runs in any mobile browser. Upload your XCF file, pick TCR, and download the result directly on your phone.

Do I need to install anything?

No — the entire conversion runs in your web browser. There is nothing to download or install on your computer or phone to convert XCF to TCR.

Is it safe to upload XCF files?

Convertio deletes uploaded files immediately after conversion. Converted output is removed from servers within 24 hours for your privacy.