.. index:: Zeiss AxioVision ZVI (Zeiss Vision Image)
.. index:: .zvi

Zeiss AxioVision ZVI (Zeiss Vision Image)
===============================================================================

Extensions: .zvi

Developer: `Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH <https://www.zeiss.com/microscopy>`_

Owner: `ZEISS International <https://www.zeiss.com>`_

**Support**


BSD-licensed: |no|

Export: |no|

Officially Supported Versions: 1.0, 2.0

Reader: ZeissZVIReader (:bfreader:`Source Code <ZeissZVIReader.java>`, :doc:`Supported Metadata Fields </metadata/ZeissZVIReader>`)


Freely Available Software:

- `Zeiss Zen <https://www.zeiss.com/microscopy/en/products/software/zeiss-zen.html>`_


We currently have:

* a ZVI specification document (v2.0.5, from 2010 August, in PDF) 
* an older ZVI specification document (v2.0.2, from 2006 August 23, in PDF) 
* an older ZVI specification document (v2.0.1, from 2005 April 21, in PDF) 
* an older ZVI specification document (v1.0.26.01.01, from 2001 January 29, in DOC) 
* Zeiss' ZvImageReader code (v1.0, from 2001 January 25, in C++) 
* many ZVI datasets



**Ratings**


Pixels: |Outstanding|

Metadata: |Very good|

Openness: |Very good|

Presence: |Good|

Utility: |Good|

**Additional Information**

**Please note that while we have specification documents for this
format, we are not able to distribute them to third parties.**

Bio-Formats uses a modified version of the `Apache POI library <http://poi.apache.org/>`_ to read ZVI files. 
ImageJ/FIJI will use the ZVI reader plugin in preference to Bio-Formats if 
both are installed. If you have a problem which is solved by opening the file 
using the Bio-Formats Importer plugin, you can just remove the 
ZVI_Reader.class from the plugins folder. 

Commercial applications that support ZVI include `Bitplane Imaris <http://www.bitplane.com/>`_. 

As of May 2021, the proprietary ZEISS AxioVision software is classed as `End of Support <https://www.zeiss.com/microscopy/en/service-support/support/discontinued-products.html>`_. Zeiss ZEN is the successor programme to AxioVision.
