Installer stops after copying temporary files, never getting to the printer information screen

This is most likely caused by Virus detection software preventing the second phase of the ImagePrint install from proceeding. It is also possible that there is insufficient disk space to complete the installation (ImagePrint requires approx. 100 megabytes of disk space, depending on the number of profiles you have selected to install).

If neither of the above apply, it is possible to directly run the IP Install (printer selection) portion of the installation by moving to the “Installation Files” folder on the installation cd, and launching the IP INSTALL.exe program. (This is only recommended for more advanced computer users.) After running the installation in that way, you will need to copy any desired profiles from the sub-folder(s) within the Profiles folder of the installation folder into the Color folder within the newly installed ImagePrint folder on your hard drive, as they will not have been copied when using this method. You must also copy the file “libiccdll.dll” from the Installation files folder on the CD to the System32 folder of your windows folder in order to run the software.

Print Jobs move quickly to the right (finished) side of the spool face window before the job prints. Job then may print normally or print garbage characters. <TOP>

This is a commonly seen error, caused by the existence of a Windows printer driver set to use the same printer port that the ImagePrint printer is using. (These drivers may be installed inadvertently as a result of automatic plug and play hardware setups). The Windows printer driver intercepts jobs sent to the printer port (usually LPT1) and places them in its queue, resulting in the job leaving the ImagePrint spooler very quickly. To solve the problem, delete the Windows printer, or change its PORT setting to “file” or “null”. (This setting is found in the properties window of the Windows printer, accessed via the Printers control panel). Altering the setting in this way will prevent the Windows driver from intercepting ImagePrint jobs.

After Installation, only a Color folder exists in the ImagePrint folder <TOP>

This is a result of not choosing the “Application files” checkbox at the top of the components list in the ImagePrint installation. Install the software again, from the CD, and make sure that the top checkbox is selected in this screen. (The printer names listed in this window refer to color profiles you wish to have installed).

ImagePrint doesn’t launch <TOP>

This condition can be caused by a few things:

- Make sure that you haven’t copied a folder to the COLOR folder within the ImagePrint folder. This folder should contain ONLY color profiles—a sub-folder will cause ImagePrint to fail to launch.

- Make sure that you are launching the application from either a valid shortcut, a Start Menu icon, or directly from the ImagePrint folder. Do NOT move any of ImagePrint’s application files (ImagePrint.exe, Spoolface.exe, IPInstall.exe or IPManage.exe) to a different location other then the ImagePrint folder or they will NOT work. For information on ImagePrint shortcuts, see After Installation, no icons appeared on my desktop.

- Make sure there are no invalid profiles in the COLOR folder within the ImagePrint folder. If you have added profiles to this folder prior to the problem, try removing the added profiles to see if it corrects the problems.

- If you have installed a SCSI printer, such as a Fuji Pictrography, the SCSI protocol ASPI is needed, as well as a SCSI card, in order to run the software. If you have a SCSI card on your system and ImagePrint will still not launch, try installing ASPI from the ASPI Distribution folder located within the ImagePrint folder. (To install ASPI, just double-click the ASPI Installation program for your version of Windows located in its respective folder and follow the prompts. Reboot afterwards and try to run ImagePrint again.)

- If you have installed a printer via IP Install, but that printer driver executable does not exist within the DRIVERS folder within the ImagePrint folder this problem could occur. (This scenario would only occur if the driver file had been moved from the folder).

After Installation, no icons appeared on my desktop <TOP>

ImagePrint’s icons are installed to the “All Users” desktop. If your current logged in user is not set to see that desktop, you will not see the desktop icons. You can find them, and drag them to your current desktop, by opening the /Documents and Settings /All Users/Desktop folder.

Note: Be very careful when adding icons to your desktop that you create shortcuts. Do NOT move any of the ImagePrint application files (ImagePrint, IP Install or SpoolFace) to the desktop or they will not function correctly. To create a shortcut, simply click the icon with the RIGHT mouse button, drag it to the desired location, and release the mouse button. You can then choose “Create Shortcut” from the menu that appears.

Nothing Prints! <TOP>

There could be many reasons for your jobs not to make it to the printer. While this troubleshooting guide lists causes of specific error conditions, here are the general things to check when you unsure of the problem:

· First, make sure you have launched SpoolFace, the interface to the ImagePrint Spooler. (For information on launching and using SpoolFace, see the ImagePrint manual or online tutorial located on ColorByte’s home page (http://www.colorbytesoftware.com/)).

· In SpoolFace, make sure that the Host menu shows the computer that is connected to the printer selected, and the Printer menu shows the correct printer.

· Make sure that the Queue menu at the top of the SpoolFace window is set to ENABLE. The spooler will disable if it encounters an error (such as running out of ink or paper) and it is important that you re-enable the spooler after correcting the problem, or nothing will be sent to the printer.

· Remember that the topmost job on the left side of SpoolFace is the next to print. If that job has a problem that disables the spooler, until it is moved out of the way (via the right facing arrow), no other jobs will be able to print.

· The bottom left corner of the SpoolFace window will show the current status of the printer, and the scrollable area at the bottom of SpoolFace will list job error messages. Make sure to read through these for information that might show the cause of the printing problem.

· Many printing problems are the result of an incorrect setting within ImagePrint (usually relating to Color Management or ink set).
So, make sure you have correctly specified your Color Management settings within ImagePrint’s Color Management window. (Remember to move old jobs from the left side of SpoolFace, and to reenable SpoolFace from the Queue menu, before attempting another print). For information on proper color settings, please see the ImagePrint PDF manual or online tutorial.

· The other major cause of printing problems is an incorrect Printer connection type having been specified when ImagePrint was originally installed. If you are not sure what was specified, you can check by launching IP Install from your desktop icon, or directly from the ImagePrint folder. Without making any changes, simply click the MANAGE button within IP Install, and IP Manage will launch, enabling you to view the CONNECTION/DEVICE settings for any installed printers. If the setting is incorrect, you can remove the printer by clicking the REMOVE button, then click the INSTALL button to return to IP INSTALL and reinstall your printer, this time specifying the connection type that properly reflects your printer connection (see the ImagePrint PDF manual, Quickstart, or Online Tutorial for the procedure).

· If your printer is connected via Ethernet, the usual reason for print failure is an incorrect IP Address specification for the printer when you installed ImagePrint. Make sure that you can ping the printer from either a DOS command prompt (Windows) or a Mac terminal (OSX) using the IP Address of the printer. Be aware that most printers are set to DHCP (auto) mode, which means that their IP Address is subject to change each time the printer is rebooted. (For information on setting the DHCP mode and IP Address on your printer, check your printer and/or printer network card documentation).

When using Templates, sometimes jobs error in SpoolFace <TOP>

Be careful when using custom made templates that no frame extends past the template border. In the Template creation window, frames are designated as green rectangles, the template border as blue. Also, be careful not to accidentally “stack” frames by repeatedly clicking the ADD button—frames on top of one another can cause problems. EPS, PostScript, and PDF files are not supported with templates, and templates cannot be rotated.

Images appear split, reversed or in triplicate on screen <TOP>

This condition occurs if you do not have a proper source profile chosen in the Bitmap section of the Color Management window. Its most often seen with Grayscale images. Make sure to have a valid gray profile selected in the Grayscale field (either “Grey gamma 1.8” or “Grey gamma 2.2”, not one of the printer profiles listed in that field). Also, you should make sure the Embedded field is set to PROMPT or APPLY if using embedded profiles in your image. Without a profile chosen, the software will have no way of determining how to map the single channel gray data to the 3 color screen display, and distortion will result.

Images are not centered on page <TOP>

Epson printers have different top and bottom margins, so, if not printing in borderless mode, the image will appear offset vertically when printed. To compensate for this, choose “CENTER MARGINS”, located in the OPTIONS dialog box, which is accessed in the PRINT Dialog. This will cause the image to be centered when CENTER is chosen from the ImagePrint tool bar or from the menu accessed by right-clicking the image.

Another potential cause of non-centered images is an incorrect setting in the Media Feed section of the OPTIONS dialog (for printers that support it). For thicker papers, select the closest match to your paper to ensure that paper is fed correctly.

Printer prints garbage text <TOP>

This problem occurs most often on Epson printers. It occurs when bad data or partial data is sent to the printer, causing the printer to go into “text” mode. Since turning off the printer can still leave stray data in the parallel buffer of the computer, and turning off the computer can still leave stray data in the printer buffer, it is advised that to correct this condition you power down both the printer and the computer. (Make sure to disable the ImagePrint queue before powering down the computer by choosing DISABLE from the Queue menu in SpoolFace).

Can’t Kill MUXD.EXE message <TOP>

MUXD.EXE is an application that runs in the background after installing ImagePrint. Since it is always active, reinstalling ImagePrint, or removing the ImagePrint folder, may result in this error message. It can safely be ignored and continued past if it occurs during installation. If it is preventing you from deleting the ImagePrint folder, or from running the IP UNINSTALL utility, you can stop the process via the Windows task manager—hit “Control-ALT-Delete” simultaneously, then, when the Windows Task Manager appears, look for the MUXD.EXE process in the PROCESS list (not applications). Choose “End Process” to stop the process from running, and you should be allowed to delete the folder or run the IP UNINSTALLER as normal.

Long Error Message starting with “107…” <TOP>

This error condition usually occurs when printing across the network from an ImagePrint Client to an ImagePrint host. It is the result of the Client (remote) job using a profile that is not available on the ImagePrint Host. It is critical that any profiles selected on the ImagePrint client be also available within the COLOR folder on the ImagePrint Host computer (the COLOR folder is found within the ImagePrint folder).

You can also get this error if your images have embedded profiles and are being sent from an ImagePrint client. To correct this problem, on the Client computer, open the TOOLS folder within the ImagePrint folder, and double-click the “Setup Client” utility. Choose your printer in the printer drop down window, and click APPLY. Then close the utility, and the problem should be fixed.

Certain TIFF files won’t print or open (but not all of them) <TOP>

ImagePrint does not support alpha channels in TIFF files. Make sure that no alpha channels are present in your image.

Certain JPEG files won’t print or open, or open very slowly (but not all of them) <TOP>

Try resaving the JPEG file, and make sure not to use “PROGRESSIVE” as the JPEG compression format.

JPEG files are printing at the wrong size! <TOP>

Currently, ImagePrint treats all JPEG files as 300 dpi. This is to avoid problems because of incorrect dpi data that sometimes is saved by Digital Cameras. If they were created at a different resolution, try re-saving them at 300 dpi to correct the size problem.

Print Jobs never appear in the Spooler, Spool_face may generate error when launched: <TOP>

In the Spool_face windows, choose the host from the Host menu, and the printer from the Printer menu. (Occasionally, after installation the host and printer names will have no selection associated with them, and this can cause an error condition.) If that doesn’t fix the problem, check that the name of the spooler computer doesn’t contain a space character. ImagePrint will not function correctly if there is a space in the name of the computer it is installed on because that is not a valid TCP/IP host naming format. If this does not correct the problem see the following category, “Spooler interface window does not launch or jobs never go to the queue after choosing PRINT”.

Job doesn’t move to right side of queue <TOP>

Clicking the right-pointing triangle button to cancel a job should cause the job to move to the right side of the SpoolFace window. If the job will not move over, it means that the printing process is not being allowed to quit normally by Windows. To force the job over, do one of the following:

1. The cleanest way to handle this condition is to DISABLE the queue and reboot the computer. The job should be able to move when the system comes back up. It is important to disable the queue first, to make sure the spooler doesn’t attempt to print again as soon as the system reboots. To disable the queue, simple choose “Disable” from the Queue menu in Spool Face. After rebooting and moving the job over, remember to re-enable the queue by choosing “Enable” from the same menu.

2. Alternatively, you can launch the “Kill_process” utility (Win 2000 and XP only) from within the ImagePrint directory and choose the printer driver from the list of running processes, then click “Kill”. The job should immediately move over.

3. You can also access the Windows task manager by pressing Control-Alt-Delete. Click TASK MANAGER, then PROCESSES. Choose either the printer driver executable (ie epson10000.exe) or the process “ipbatch.exe” and click the “End Process” button. The job will immediately move over.

Epson 2200 doesn’t print, red paper feed light shows <TOP>

This is typically caused when ImagePrint is set to the wrong paper mode (sheet vs roll). The 2200 is picky about this setting, and if ImagePrint is set to the wrong one for the type of media loaded in the printer, the result is no output, and a red light on the printer. The paper type setting can be checked in the SETUP dialog box of ImagePrint, which is accessed by clicking SETUP in the PRINT dialog. Make sure the SHEET button is selected if you are printing sheet. If you are printing with roll paper, make sure the SHEET button is not selected.

Screen area doesn’t seem to reflect my page size <TOP>

ImagePrint always displays the printable area of the page. The printable area depends on whether you are printing in Borderless mode, whether you are set to Sheet or Roll, and whether or not you have selected the Center Margins option. Those 3 settings (Sheet, Borderless and Center Margins) work together to determine the actual printable area.

If you have checked the Borderless button in the OPTIONS dialog window (accessed via the PRINT dialog) then the page size will show slightly larger then the actual page dimensions (Epson printers, when in borderless mode, expand the print area slightly to avoid the edge of the page showing). Remember that Borderless only works on some paper widths - different printers have different allowed borderless sizes. The specific borderless widths allowed for your printer should be in your printer manual. If you select Borderless and your current page size is NOT an allowed borderless size, no size change will occur in the interface.

If you have not selected Borderless, then ImagePrint will show the page size MINUS the non-printable margins. Therefore, the page will appear smaller than your selected page size.

If you have selected Center Margins in the OPTIONS dialog, then you are telling the software to center images on the whole page (margins included) rather then just the printable area. If you are not in Borderless mode (because the top and bottom margins differ on Epson printers), it is necessary to consider both top and margins the same in this case--therefore the smaller bottom margin has to be increased, shrinking the printable area in the vertical dimension.

Most printers don't allow top/bottom borderless printing when not in Roll paper mode. Therefore, when in Sheet mode, Borderless will not change the printable area shown in the vertical dimension. (Note: The Epson 2200/2100 does allow borderless printing in sheet mode).

Printer flashes lights, or generates Command Error when attempting to print <TOP>

This error is caused by specifying the wrong ink set within ImagePrint for the type of inkset currently in use by your printer. To correct this problem, choose File->Print from within ImagePrint, then click the Setup button in the Print dialog that appears. Within the setup window, choose the correct ink type for your printer.

The last few lines of my prints fade, or don’t print <TOP>

If you are using a firewire connection on an Epson printer, this may be caused by interference from the Windows Epson Stylus driver. Try getting properties on the Stylus driver (found in the Windows Printer Control Panel) and, in its PORTS tab, disable “Bi-directional Communication”.

This might also be caused by an incorrect page size setting. If the page size you have selected within ImagePrint is larger then the page loaded in the printer, the page may eject before the last bit of the image is printed. Also, make sure that the PRINTABLE area of the layout window conforms to the actual printable area of the loaded page. For example, if not in Borderless mode, building a custom page size within ImagePrint of 8.5 x 11 would not be correct if LETTER size paper is loaded in the printer, because the PRINTABLE area of a letter size sheet is not 8.5x11 because of the non-printable margin area.

Spooler interface window does not launch or jobs never go to the queue after choosing PRINT: <TOP>

This may be caused by corrupt entries in the spooler for one of the printers. Try the following procedure to reset the queue for this printer. If the condition is jobs not going into the queue, make sure to have checked the previous solution (Jobs never appear in the Spooler) before performing this operation.

Resetting the Queue

Move to the “spool\printers” directory off of the install directory (default: \program files\ImagePrint\spool\printers) and then move into the directory corresponding to the printer having the problem. Remove the “que” file and recreate an empty one using Windows Explorer. (Be careful not to inadvertently add a .txt extension to the file, or leave any characters, even a space, within the empty file). Delete the contents of the “reqs” directory, delete the "p_status" file, and relaunch ImagePrint.

Warning: Unknown TAG (or other Warnings) <TOP>

Warnings, such as unknown tag, are typically not critical informational displays and can be ignored. Almost all TIFF files will report “Unknown TAG warnings”.

Dongle number is never seen in IP Manage (shows “0”); Windows fails to install dongle drivers <TOP>

When installing ImagePrint, it is very important to install the software BEFORE inserting the dongle. If you put the dongle in first, Windows will attempt to put its own driver in place when it senses the dongle. Since Windows doesn’t have access to the correct dongle drivers, it will fail, and the dongle will not be seen by the system. You can check if this has occurred by checking the DEVICE MANAGER of windows (get properties on “MY COMPUTER”, choose HARDWARE, then DEVICE MANAGER). If there’s a question mark, or exclamation mark, beside the USB entry, the dongle drivers have probably been incorrectly installed.

Here's a procedure to try that may get around the problem:

With the dongle in place in the computer’s USB port, go to Device Manager on the system (usually accessed by right clicking My Computer, choosing Properties, then Hardware). Look for an exclamation point, or question mark, beside the USB entry for the dongle. If you see one, remove it by right clicking it and choosing "uninstall".

Remove the dongle.

Reboot.

Once the computer is back up, move to the c:\program files\ImagePrint folder, then License, then Marx. Run the CBSetup program by double-clicking it, and specify that it install the USB drivers for the dongle.

Reboot again.

Insert the dongle again. The new hardware wizard should appear, and should automatically find the drivers. (On XP, it will warn that they are unsigned by Microsoft, but that can be ignored). Let the Wizard finish.

Run IP Manage, and, hopefully, the dongle number will appear.

ERROR 97: File access error- jobs go into spooler but never print: <TOP>

This is a file access problem—the spooler is not able to access the file to be printed. Make sure the file to be printed is still accessible. If its across the network, try moving it to a local directory and reprinting to confirm a network access issue. If you are getting this error when printing from an ImagePrint Client installation, check the “Problems printing from a networked client” section of this guide.

ERROR 163: “Can’t print scanlines” error, jobs go into the spooler but never print <TOP>

This is usually an issue with the connection to the printer. Confirm that you designated the correct port for your printer during install (you can double check this setting by launching the IP Manage utility and seeing what is listed as the DEVICE. Also, make sure that all printer cables and connections are firmly seated and that the printer is on and ready. If you know that these are correct, and the problem still persists, you should re-install ImagePrint, using the instructions listed in the “Installing using the Windows Stylus Driver as the Connection” section of this troubleshooting guide.

ERROR 2 or ERROR 15: Jobs go to spooler, but don’t print <TOP>

This indicates a problem communicating with the printer. Make sure that you specified the correct connection setting when installing ImagePrint (you can double-check this by launching IP Manage and seeing what is listed in the Connection field). Make sure the printer is connected correctly, and shows “READY”.

For an EPSON printer, check that the Epson stylus driver is able to print (you can get properties on it and choose to “Print a test page”.) If it does print, but ImagePrint still fails to print, try using the Windows Driver Connection Method listed HERE.

ERROR MESSAGE: “Application has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify its compatibility with Windows XP” appears

During installation on Windows XP <TOP>

This message indicates that the Dongle driver software installed during ImagePrint setup has not been submitted for testing to Microsoft. This message can safely be ignored—click continue to proceed with the installtion.

ERROR 104 or 99: Out of Disk Space error when printing <TOP>

Large temporary files may be created if you are printing PostScript or EPS files, or images on the page have been rotated 90 degrees, or you are using the step and repeat function. If you encounter this error, increase your disk space by deleting unnecessary files, or change the directory in which ImagePrint writes temporary files. There are two temporary file locations—one used for PostScript and EPS temporary files, the other for rotated and step/repeat images. Here are the procedures for changing these directories:

1. Change the default temporary file directory for rotating and stepping images

To change the directory in which ImagePrint writes temp files (needed when images are rotated 90 or 270 degrees), edit the file “ipbatch.bat", located in the ...printers\”printer_name” directory off of the ImagePrint software directory, and add the line: “PRINT_TMP=directory” entry to the end of the file to reflect the new directory. (for example, set the PRINT_TMP=d:\temp)

2. Change the default PostScript/EPS temporary file directory

To change the directory in which the PostScript rip creates files while ripping, edit the ip_config file within the ImagePrint directory, and add the following line to the bottom of the file:

TMPDIR: "Directory path and name"

Where "Directory path and name" is the path and name of the directory you wish to contain the temporary files. These files will be deleted after the job is printed. Important: Make sure that a new line appears after the TMPDIR entry.

FromPS error when opening JPEG files <TOP>

This can occur when ImagePrint attempts to read the jpeg file as a postscript file first, rather then jpeg, generating that error when it fails.

This can be corrected with the following procedure:

In the ImagePrint folder (typically located within c:\program files) there is a file called "ip config". Double-click the ip config file--when Windows pops up a dialog box asking what to open it with, choose "Notepad" or "Wordpad". You'll see a window showing the contents of the ip config file. At the top, will be some lines that look like this:

FILTER:fromtif:TIFF:tif

FILTER:fromsgi:SGI:rgb

FILTER:fromsun:SUN:ras

FILTER:fromps:PostScript:ps

FILTER:fromjpg:JPEG:jpg

FILTER:frompsd:PSD:psd

To correct the problem, the line referring to PostScript needs to be moved to the bottom of this group, so it looks like:

FILTER:fromtif:TIFF:tif

FILTER:fromsgi:SGI:rgb

FILTER:fromsun:SUN:ras

FILTER:fromjpg:JPEG:jpg

FILTER:frompsd:PSD:psd

FILTER:fromps:PostScript:ps

You can do this by highlighting the PostScript line, cutting it to the clipboard, then pasting it at the end of this group.

When done, save the “ip config” file by choosing “FILE”, then “SAVE”, and close the text editor. The problem should be corrected.

MFC Application Error when ImagePrint is launched <TOP>

This error has been known to occur if a corrupt profile has been placed in the C:\Winnt\System32\Color folder. Corel Paint has been known to do this. Removing profiles from that folder if it exists may correct the problem. If that is not the issue, it may mean that ImagePrint program files are corrupt, and you may need to re-install the software.

What is the Resolution setting in the Print Setup window? <TOP>

The Resolution setting is ImagePrint's "interpolation resolution". Every print driver takes all the images on a page and builds a large raster image, that is sent to the printer. This is distinct from the resolution (or quality) that the printer is driven at. (The printer uses multiple dots to present each pixel, so the 1440 or 2880 resolution that the printer is capable of doesn't translate to the resoultion of the raster data that is sent to it.)

The 180 setting may result in slightly faster processing speeds. It is usually only recommended for very large (10 feet+) images, as those are so huge the extra time and reduced data being sent can save a lot of time and result in less liklihood of printer error. At larger sizes, the slightly more grainy output typically isn't noticable, as those sized images are usually meant to be viewed at a distance. For all other images, 360 is the recommended resolution.

Since the RIP will interpolate the images to 360, there's no benefit for going higher then this. Really, anything above 240 or so doesn't show any improvement on these printers. (This is 240 dpi at the printed size--if you're scaling the image, of course, you'll want to start with a higher resolution.)

ImagePrint can handle any resolution--it uses bi-cubic interpolation to interpolate them to 360 before printing. In rare cases, this interpolation can result in some reduction in quality (typically only apparant on thin 1 or two pixel wide lines). To avoid interpolation completely, create your files at 360.

Magenta cast in prints <TOP>

There are two issues that typically lead to magenta cast in images:

The first is regarding profile selection.

The two most common color temperatures to use are EDAY (daylight) and ECWF2 (mixed lighting). We have seen many users using the

EDAY profiles and viewing under fluorescent light--this will cause a magenta cast most noticeable in blues. The ECWF2 profiles are more accurate for viewing under mixed lighting conditions and most likely will remove the magenta cast you see with the daylight profiles.

The second area is color management of the image.

It is easy, especially with older digital cameras that do not tag the image with a source space to import an image into Photoshop and force it into Adobe 98 color space. If the image is not already in Adobe 98, improperly assigning it will cause strong magenta casts in the image when printed. This is due to the fact that the image data is really in some other source space.

Consistant Color Management <TOP>

ImagePrint is a tightly color managed application. If you observe proper color management techniques in your workflow, your results will be outstanding, but, by the same token, incorrect color management can lead to unsatisfactory output. In fact, you are more likely to see the negative results of incorrect color management in ImagePrint then in less advanced RIPs—just as correct color management will give you superior results then you would see in those other RIPs.

There are many opinions as to which is the “best” color space for images to be in (Adobe 1998, Color Match RGB, etc.) and that decision is beyond the scope of this troubleshooting guide. However, one key to proper color management is consistency. Many color-managed workflows are “broken” when an image is incorrectly “dumped” into the wrong color space, resulting in undesirable color and gamut shifts. This most often is seen when an image is opened for the first time in Photoshop.

When you open a document, Photoshop uses what it calls "policies" to determine the best way to handle the color space of the image when it doesn't match the working color spaces Photoshop is currently using. (You can see those in your Color Settings preferences in Photoshop). Photoshop’s policies usually result in a dialog box appearing when you open these images, asking if you wish to use the embedded profile in the image (if it exists), use Photoshop’s current working space, specify another working space, or disable color management altogether (bad idea).

Some images already have a color profile embedded in them. (An “embedded” profile just means the profile that was used when the image was created or last edited is included within the data of the image file) In those cases, its easy for Photoshop to open the image into the correct color space, or to convert it into another space, since it knows the color space the image came from.

In cases where there is no profile embedded in the image, Photoshop can't tell what color space the image should be brought into, so it is “flying blind”. This is where you need to know the appropriate color space to tell Photoshop when it opens the image. If you tell Photoshop to "assign working RGB: Adobe 1998", and the image wasn't created in that color space, you've likely just messed up the colors of the image. The same thing applies if you choose the "Specify another profile" option, but pick a profile that the image wasn't created in--Photoshop essentially dumps the image into that space, and colors get messed up. This is probably the single most common pitfall of color managed workflows--opening the image into Photoshop's current RGB working space, when the image wasn't created for that working space.

So...if the image doesn't have an embedded profile, how do you know the appropriate color space?

Generally, Digital cameras tend to use SRGB type color spaces, so that's the one to use if in doubt for those images. Scanner images often are best opened into Colormatch RGB or Adobe 1998. If neither of those give you good results, you may have to find out from the manufacturer, or the person that provided the image, what color space it was created for. Once you know what that is, you can set up PhotoShop’s RGB working space to that profile and just let Photoshop "convert your images into the current working space". You could also choose to specify the appropriate profile for the image (without changing your current working space) and Photoshop will use the specified profile for the image.

Once you have the image in the correct working space within Photoshop, you can then, if desired, convert to another working space doing a profile conversion. Since at that point Photoshop knows where the image is coming from (workspace-wise) and where it is going to, it can do an intelligent conversion, and your image should not suffer (assuming you are converting it to an appropriate color space for the image’s ultimate destination).

Finally, to ensure consistent color management, it is usually a good idea to embed the profile when saving your image from Photoshop (via the Embed profile) checkbox in Photoshop’s save dialog. This will enable other applications, (like ImagePrint) to use the correct color space automatically for the image, and greatly reduces the further risk of profile mismatching.

Job prints black or distorted <TOP>

Distorted prints or black printing is usually caused by an incorrect profile being selected in the Color Management window. Also, make sure that the proper ink set for your printer is selected by selecting Print, then Setup within ImagePrint. Certain printers such as the Epson10000 and Roland Pro must have the proper ink set selected in order to print correctly. Finally, make sure that you have selected the right source profile for the image type within the Color Management window (see Images appear split, reversed or in triplicate on screen for more information).

DEMO appears on all prints <TOP>

This occurs when ImagePrint is printing in “DEMO” mode.

Be aware that if you are using the Desktop (LITE) version of ImagePrint, use of TEMPLATES, PAGE TILING, and the COLOR CORRECTION TOOLS will cause the software to run in DEMO Mode. Also, if you are using the RASTER version of the software, POSTCRIPT, EPS, and PDF files will print with the DEMO watermark.

If the above doesn’t apply, please check the following:

1. Make sure that an ImagePrint dongle is attached to your computer.

2. Make sure that a valid encryption has been entered and enabled via the IP Manage utility. An encryption must be received by ColorByte in order to unlock the software.

Also, make sure you have not accidentally installed additional printers. You can check this by clicking on the PRINTER menu in IP MANAGE to see what printers are available.

3. If the dongle is connected, and the printer has been enabled and DEMO still occasionally appears on prints, may be that a third party software utility, like the EPSON status monitor, is blocking ImagePrint from reading the dongle at print time. Remove or disable any such utility to correct the problem.

4. If none of the above apply, its possible that the dongle drivers have been incorrectly installed. Try the procedure listed in the entry “Dongle number never seen In IP Manage”, listed below

What do the profile names mean? <TOP>

ImagePrint’s profiles start with the PRINTER NAME (abbreviated), followed by the INK SET used for this profile (mk is matte black, pk is photo black). Next comes the VERSION LETTER of the driver they are made for, then the PAPER TYPE (sometimes very abbreviated) and the QUALITY at which they were made (if no quality appears in the name, assume 1440).

The letters “pk” and “mk” in the profile name refer to the type of black ink used on Ultrachrome printers. “MK” is for MATTE BLACK, “PK” is for Photo Black.

The designations at the end of the name refer to the lighting temperature the print will be best suited to be displayed in. Inkjet printers often exhibit metamerism (which is the characteristic of a print changing its appearance as it is moved to different lighting conditions) so we give a few choices to enable you to pick the temperature that most closely will match where the print will be viewed. (Although you can't always know where a print will be viewed, having the ability to choose the temperature can make a huge difference).

The abbreviations are:

ETUNG - This is for tungsten lighting

EDAY - Daylight

ECWF - Cool White Fluorescent

ECWF2 - Cool White Fluorescent, alternate version (this version is a bit less warm then our standard ECWF profile, some people, especially portrait photographers, prefer it).

Where can I put profiles to have Photoshop see them (for use in Soft Proofing?) <TOP>

Color profiles must be copied from the Color folder which is located in the ImagePrint folder into the folder that Photoshop uses for 3^rd party color profiles.

On OSX Macintosh the folder is:

/library/application support/adobe/color/profiles

On Windows the folder is:

/winnt/system32/spool/drivers/color

Problems printing from a networked client <TOP>

If you are having problems printing from an ImagePrint client computer to an ImagePrint server:

Make sure that the Server computer can print directly to the printer.
Make sure that the Client computer can “see” the Server across the network via Network neighborhood, or “pinging” it via a DOS or OSX Terminal window.
If the server can print, but jobs from the Client do not appear in the Servers SpoolFace window, make sure that you specified the name of the Server computer (or the IP Address if the Server is a Macintosh) when installing ImagePrint on the Client. This entry should go in the PRINTER HOST field--make sure you did not put it in the wrong field. To double-check, launch IP MANAGE and see what setting is listed for PRINTER HOST. If incorrect, REMOVE the printer using the REMOVE button in IP Manage, and reinstall via IP INSTALL.
If the jobs are making it to the SERVER’s Spoolface window, but erroring out (typically with a long string of numbers starting with “107…” ) it is usually because a profile is being selected on the CLIENT side that is not available on the SERVER side. Make sure that any profiles you are using are available in ImagePrint’s COLOR folder of both systems.
If you are getting an error “97” on the Server side, that means that the images to be printed are not being copied over correctly. You can set the software to copy the images over the network as soon as PRINT is selected on the Client (rather then “streamed” across as the image is printed) -- this often alleviates error 97 problems. To do this, on the Client computer, open the TOOLS folder within the ImagePrint folder, and double-click the “Setup Client” utility. Choose your printer in the printer drop down window, and click APPLY.
Another potential cause of error “97”, or problems printing Client jobs, is a mismatch in the FILTERS list that each system maintains. (Filters are the applications that ImagePrint uses to open different file types). On both the Client and Server system, open the ImagePrint folder, then open the “IP CONFIG” file located there in a text editor such as notepad. Confirm that the list of FILTERS at the beginning of this file are the same between the two systems. If they are in a different order, you can cut and paste the entries to make the listed order match.

Firewire/USB connection issues (Error 15) <TOP>

For Firewire and USB connections, ImagePrint relies on the Windows or Printer manufacturer device drivers to be installed correctly. If there is a connectivity problem, try printing from the printer manufacturers driver via the Test Page option within the Printer control panel for that printer. If the page prints, confirm that the Port number used by that driver is the same specified for use by ImagePrint (ie USB001 or EP1394_003). If you have recently switched connection types (from parallel mode, for example) it is sometimes necessary to reboot the printer before the new connection accepts jobs properly. If the above steps do not correct the problem, try using the Windows Stylus Driver as the Connection type, as listed here.

Installing using the Windows Stylus Driver as the Connection. <TOP>

When using an Epson 1270/80, 2200, 7600, 9600, 10000 or 10600 the following procedure often gets around connectivity problems.

Install the printer again (using the desktop IP Install icon, not from the ImagePrint cd-rom) and this time, specify the name of the Epson stylus driver (for example: EPSON Stylus Pro 7600) as the Local Connection type (instead of the USB/Firewire port number). Make sure to type it EXACTLY as it appears in the printer list, spaces included. This will let ImagePrint’s connection "piggyback" off the Epson driver’ connection, while still using all the features of our driver. You should set the Epson Stylus driver to "Print irectly to Printer" in its Spooling properties, to ensure our jobs don't end up passing through the Windows spooling system. Using this method, if the Epson Stylus driver can print, ImagePrint should be able to as well. Important: For firewire connections on a 2200, it may be necessary to also disable “bi-directional communication” within the Stylus driver in order to prevent jobs from stalling out before completion.

Prints show banding <TOP>

Banding on prints can be caused by a number of different things.

The first thing to check if you are experiencing banding issues is the nozzles of the printer. Even one missing or incorrectly firing nozzle can cause unpredictable banding. Run a nozzle check, and, if nozzles are missing or incorrectly aligned, run printer cleanings until it is corrected.

If the nozzles seem correct and you are still experiencing banding issues, try printing at a higher number of passes to see if the problem is alleviated. If your printer supports the Paper Thickness setting (accessed via the Option button in the Print Dialog box), make sure you are set to a correct paper setting for your media.

ImagePrint doesn’t match my Photoshop display! <TOP>

Photoshop’s display does nothing to simulate for how ImagePrint will print, so often it will appear differently then ImagePrint’s display and output. You can however tell Photoshop to use ImagePrint’s color profiles when creating its display, allowing you to work in a Photoshop environment that reflects more closely how ImagePrint will print your files.

To cause Photoshop to pass its display through ImagePrint’s printer profile, you must first copy the printer profile you are using in ImagePrint into the color profile used by Photoshop. On OSX Macintosh, that folder is: "/library/application support/adobe/color/profiles"

On Windows, its: “/winnt/system32/spool/drivers/color”

Once in place, this profile can be selected within Photoshop via Photoshop’s Proof Setup option.

Note: For grayscale printing, Photoshop’s Proof Setup cannot be used, as Photoshop does not recognize the format of ImagePrint’s Grey profiles. In that case, Photoshop adjustment layers can be used to simulate ImagePrint’s output in Photoshop. Here’s the procedure to follow:

Print an image through ImagePrint, then open that image within Photoshop. Choose Image->Curves from the Photoshop menu. Adjust the curve to match your ImagePrint output. Once you have a curve that causes the on screen image to match the print, click the Save button within the Curves dialog box, and save the Photoshop curve as an adjustment layer (you may wish to give it the name of the media you are matching). You can create multiple adjustment layers in this way, each characterizing a different media output of ImagePrint. To enable/disable a particular adjustment layer, simply click the layer visibility icon (an eye symbol) within the Layers palette of Photoshop. This will allow you to work in a Photoshop environment that simulates how ImagePrint will print for that particular media.

Important: When saving the image, you should make sure that none of these custom adjustment layers are enabled in the layers window (the “eye” icon should not be beside any of them). This will ensure that the information in that layer is not saved with the image, which would be undesirable as the adjustment layer is used to adjust the Photoshop preview only, and should not be applied to the image data itself.