The Adobe Swatch Exchange file otherwise known as .ASE file is a file extension used for saving a collection of colors accessed using the Swatches palette of Adobe products, specifically Photoshop. ASE files are mostly used in design and graphics applications, with this file format, it is easy to share colors between programs as it contains a collection of color swatches that designers and illustrators need.
The Autodesk software supports the .ase file extension, and can export .ase files to the Autodesk ASCII Scene Export format. In Autodesk software, these file formats are used as plain text files that store information about 2D and 3D scenes, and can include more information like shapes and points.
ASE files are also used in Velvet Studio Sample audio files that store instrument sounds, or Aseprite Sprite graphic files. Opening .ase files can be quite complicated, but here’s all you need to know about opening, editing, and converting .ase files.
Another application that uses .ASE file extension is Alice, a software that educates students in computer programming using 3D environment as a medium. Learners have total control of characters and 3D objects in a virtual world and can create everything that their minds can perceive in 3D dynamics.
How to create ASE files
Use an Adobe program to create .ASE files.
- Go to Window .
- Navigate to Swatches menu.
- There is a small menu button at the top right of the palette, select it.
- Select the save option called Save Swatches for Exchanges.
- From here you can author Adobe Swatch Exchange files at Adobe Color, and then download as an ASE file.
- Pre-installed ASE files are stored in the Adobe program’s \Presets\Swatches\ folder by default.
How to open an ASE file
There are quite a number of software that can help you open an .ASE file; Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, InCopy software, and even the discontinued Fireworks program.
The Swatches palette is used to open .ase files.
- Go to Window.
- Navigate to Swatches menu.
- There is a small menu button at the top right of the palette, select it.
- Then click Load Swatches ( Open Swatch Library in Illustrator and Add Swatches in Fireworks).
Note: Set the “Files of type:” option to Swatch Exchange (*.ASE),so you don’t get another file result like ACO or ACT files.
How to open .ASE file in InDesign
- First download the file to a location where you will easily find it later.
- Then go ahead to open the swatches palette.
- Click the flyout menu and Select “Load Swatches.”
- Go to the ASE file location, where you downloaded it into.
- Swatches will be appended to current swatches in InDesign, the swatches import as spot colors.
How to open an .ASE file in Illustrator
- Open Illustrator.
- Then Select “Window” and select “Swatches” to open the swatch palette.
- Then open Swatch Library” and select “Other Library”.
- Find the saved .ASE file in the dialog box that opens, , then select it, and click “Open”.
Photopea is another application that opens this file extension. It is an online image editor that supports this file, similar to Photoshop. To open the file
- Go to File and open to select the .ASE file.
- find it in Windows and click Swatches.
Using an ASE Color Decoder, you can open ASE files online also, if it is an Autodesk ASCII Scene Export (ASE) file and Autodesk ASCII Export (ASC) files, you can open it with an AutoCAD and 3ds Max. Velvet Studio Sample files can be opened by Velvet Studio.
You can open an .ase file using the Aspose. 3D viewer app a third party app for opening such files, here’s how to:
- Click the file drop area so you can upload the file or simply drag & drop the file into the file drop area.
- The 3D file will be automatically rendered so you can view it. You can also download the original file if you want.
Note: There are a number of file extensions that share the same letters as .ASE files, that doesn’t mean that the formats are related or you can open them with the same programs.
Example the AST and ASL files look the same in letters with ASE. Check the file format to ensure you are opening an ASE file and not AST or ASL.
How to convert an ASE File
ASE files are for different uses, and can be opened by the different software where it is needed. However, there are no official file converters or programs other than the programs that uses the .ase files.
But there are a few third-party apps that specialize in converting the .ase files into other file formats.
How to convert .ASE to PDF
The Aspose.app is a third-party app that can convert ASE files to 3D PDF format. Here’s how to:
- Open the application using a web browser.
- Drag your document into the upload area.
- The file will be uploaded and converted to 3D PDF.
- Download the link of the file which is available immediately after conversion.
- Send this link to your email address.
This app can convert the .ASE file to any format of your choice; DOC, AMF, RVM, GLB, OBJ, etc. It works fast, and you can convert to PDF in a few seconds.
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How to convert .ASE to JPG
To convert a .ase file to JPG, it also requires third-party software like the Filestar, reaConverter. You can use any of them to convert your .ase files to Jpg format.
Also do not rename the extension on .ase files, this will not change the file type. Only special conversion software can change a file from one file type to another.