Please click on a link below to access help for that
issue
After
Installation, only a Color Folder exists in the ImagePrint
Folder
IP
Manage flashes briefly but never appears
The Installer I
downloaded will not launch at all after uncompressing
it!
After
Installation, no icons appear on my desktop or
dock
Installer
stops after copying temporary files, never getting to the printer information
screen
IP
Manage flashes briefly but never appears
Dongle
number is never seen in IP Manage (shows “0”)
How can I
completely disable DEMO mode printing to avoid paper waste? (Emulation
Mode)
ImagePrint
has Unexpectedly Quit
The
Screen Display doesn't seem to reflect my selected page
size
When using
Templates, jobs sometimes cause errors in
SpoolFace
Images
appear split, reversed, or in triplicate on screen
What
resolution should my images be created at?
Images are
not centered on page
Certain
TIFF files won't open or print
Certain
JPEG files won't open or print
My JPEG
files are opening and printing at the wrong size!
What
is the Resolution setting in the Print Setup
window?
How
do I print directly from an application like Quark, InDesign, or
Photoshop?
Images are
not centered on page
When using
Templates, jobs sometimes cause errors in
SpoolFace
Certain
TIFF files won't open or print
Certain
JPEG files won't open or print
My FIREWIRE
Connected Epson printer is not accepting jobs or stalls
frequently!
My JPEG
files are printing at the wrong size!
Printer
flashes lights, or generates Command Error when attempting to print
Print
Jobs never appear in the Spooler, Spool face may generate error when
launched
Image
doesn’t move to right side of queue
Epson
2200 doesn’t print, red paper light shows
Warning: Unknown
TAG (or other Warnings)
ERROR 2: Jobs go
to spooler, but never print
ERROR 15: Jobs go
to spooler, but never print
ERROR 527 -
Jobs go to SpoolFace, but don't print
ERROR 97: File
access error- jobs go into spooler but never print:
ERROR
163: “Can’t print scanlines” error, jobs go into the spooler but never
print
ERROR 104 or
99: Out of Disk Space error when printing
What do the
profile names mean?
Where can
I put ImagePrint’s profiles to have Photoshop see
them?
ImagePrint
doesn’t match my Photoshop Display!
Problems
printing from a Networked Client
Consistent
Color Management Workflow
Installer
stops after copying temporary files, never getting to the printer information
screen.
<TOP>
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).
The
Installer I downloaded won’t launch at all after unstuffing
it! <TOP>
The reason the executable
isn't launching is because the Stuffit 8.0 no longer allows programs to remain
executable after unstuffing.
There's a fix on the Stuffit Home page that should fix the problem and
hopefully let you install normally:
Aladding Stuffit executable
fix:
http://www.aladdinsys.com/support/techsupport/qanda.php?id=534&sessionid=38359
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).
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 grey data to the 3
color screen display, and distortion will result.
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 are 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. (The SpoolFace menu will
be visible at the top of your Macintosh screen when SpoolFace is
active).
·
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).
·
FIREWIRE
PRINTING: If printing via firewire to an Epson
Printer, make sure you have run the firewire driver installer, which will
install the necessary Epson firewire drivers. The name of the file is: Sp2100_16b.pkg and it is
located in the ImagePrint folder on your computer. Launch it by double-clicking. When installation of the drivers are
complete, reboot and firewire connectivity will be available. Note that printing to an Epson 2200
printer via FIREWIRE on OSX is sometimes subject to printer stalling due to
issues with the Epson 3rd party drivers and OSX. USB or Ethernet are the recommended
connection methods for printing to a 2200.
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.
IP
Manage Flashes briefly, but never appears; ImagePrint fails to launch
<TOP>
Make sure that you have rebooted your computer after
running the ImagePrint Installer from the CD.
Make sure that you have set up your printers using
the IP Install utility after the initial installation from the
CD.
Make sure that you haven’t copied a subfolder 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 the ImagePrint folder has not been
moved or renamed. This folder must
retain the same name and location as it had after installation or the software
will not run.
Make sure that you are launching the application from
either a valid alias, a Dock icon, or directly from the ImagePrint folder. Do NOT move any of ImagePrint’s
application files (ImagePrint, Spoolface, IPInstall or IPManage) 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 are receiving a “shared library failure” when
trying to launch IP Manage, try launching the “MPI.pkg” package within the
ImagePrint folder. It will prompt
you for your MACINTOSH password.
After it completes, reboot and see if the problem is
solved.
If none of the above solves the problem, launch the
“etc edit script” utility within the
ImagePrint folder (make sure has “script” in the title, not just etc_edit).
It will prompt you for your
MACINTOSH password--after entering it and clicking OK, reboot your
Macintosh.
After
Installation, no icons appear on my desktop or dock <TOP>
Aliases, or Dock Shortcuts, are NOT created
automatically during installation.
In order to create dock icons, you should navigate to
the ImagePrint folder, which is located in the Applications folder. Within the ImagePrint folder you should
locate the ImagePrint application, and drag it to the dock. (You can also create an alias if you
wish and place that on your desktop).
Do NOT drag the application itself to the desktop or it will NOT
function. You should also open the
SPOOL folder within the ImagePrint folder and drag the SpoolFace icon to the
Dock (or create a desktop alias). Again, do not move the SpoolFace application
itself or it will not function.
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 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).
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 resolution 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 likelihood of printer error. At larger sizes, the slightly more
grainy output typically isn't noticeable, 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 apparent
on thin 1 or two pixel wide lines).
To avoid interpolation completely, create your files at 360.
How do I
print directly from an Application like Quark, InDesign or
Photoshop?
<TOP>
IMAGEPRINT allows you to
print directly from virtually any other application, including Photoshop,
InDesign and Quark. All that’s required is our PostScript enabled version to make the
IMAGEPRINT printer appear in the Print Dialog box, just like any other printer.
Jobs printed in this way will go into the IMAGEPRINT spooler and can be
controlled via Spool Face just like any other IMAGEPRINT job. If you don’t have the PostScript version
of ImagePrint, all jobs printed this way will have the DEMO
watermark.
NOTE:
Currently, application level printer is available only on Jaguar, not Panther
OSX.
Application level printing is
installed automatically when you install either the Windows or Macintosh version
of IMAGEPRINT, but a few additional steps are required in order to set it up on
the Mac. Just follow these simple steps and IMAGEPRINT will print via the
Macintosh Print Center.
STEP 1:
Launch the Macintosh Print Center. (To do
this, open your Mac’s Application Folder, then open the Utility Folder and
double-click the Print Center icon.)
STEP 2:
From the Print Center window, choose the
Add button from its place among the top row of icons. the Add Printers window
will apear.
STEP 3:
From the Add Printers window, choose
IMAGEPRINT from the list of printer types. You will then see your installed
IMAGEPRINT printers listed. Choose from one of the listed printers and click
ADD.
Now you can select your
IMAGEPRINT printer from your Mac application’s dialog box just as you would any
other printer.
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.
Couldn’t
Open Temporary File <TOP>
This message appearing when clicking the PRINT button
indicates a problem with the deletion of the temporary request files made for
each print. Please contact
ImagePrint tech support (support@colorbytesoftware.com)
with your dongle number for more information on correcting the problem.
To manually delete the temporary files, follow the
procedure below (this should enable printing for the time being, but eventually
you will receive the error again until receiving a fix from our technical
support dept.)
- Open the ImagePrint folder (located in your
Applications folder), and find the ImagePrint application.
- Click on the ImagePrint application while holding
down the CONTROL key. You'll get a
drop-down menu, with a choice that says "View Package
Contents".
- Choose "View Package Contents", and you'll see the
folder structure of the ImagePrint application.
- You should see a number of files that start with
the word "print..." Delete those
files (NOT the file called ImagePrint, just the "print..."
files).
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.
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 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 the system. To correct the
problem, 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.
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.
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” in the HOST ID
field)
<TOP>
This is usually caused by Classic mode
running. (Macintosh OSX can have
problems accessing the USB bus when Classic applications are running.) Make sure that Classic is not set to
automatically start in your System Preferences, then reboot, and check IP
Manage. If the dongle is still not
showing up, try plugging it into a different USB port, or a hub if available.
Until the dongle number can be seen, and your encryption can be successfully
entered, the software will run in DEMO mode.
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.
“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.
ERROR
527: 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).
If connected via USB, make sure that Classic mode is not
running. Classic interferes with
the ability of the computer to communicate on the USB
port.
If connected via Firewire to an Epson printer, it is
necessary to have installed the Epson firewire drivers in order for Imageprint
to communicate with the printer.
ImagePrint includes those drivers in a file called “SP2100_16b.pkg. (For
older copies of ImagePrint, the name of the file was:
PM-4000PX_15d.pkg). Launch
that application from within the ImagePrint folder, then reboot to have firewire
connectivity enabled.
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”.
If connected via USB, make sure that Classic mode is not
running. Classic interferes with
the ability of the computer to communicate on the USB
port.
If connected via Firewire to an Epson printer, it is
necessary to have installed the Epson firewire drivers in order for Imageprint
to communicate with the printer.
ImagePrint includes those drivers in a file called “SP2100_16b.pkg. (For older copies of ImagePrint, the
name of the file was: PM-4000PX_15d.pkg). Launch
that application from within the ImagePrint folder, then reboot to have firewire
connectivity enabled.
This error typically means there is a problem in the
Color Management settings of your print job. Check your settings in the Color
Management window to ensure you have made correct choices:
-
In the System Section of the
Color Management window, a PRINTER profile should be selected that is correct
for your printer and ink. (Note: if you wish to print grayscale images on an
Ultrachrome printer, make sure to pick a printer profile with “Gray” in the
title.) Most users should leave the
PROOFER setting to “NONE” unless they are trying to match another device, like a
press.
-
In the Bitmap section of the
Color Management window, make sure that an appropriate source profile for your
images is selected for each color space your images use (RGB, CMYK,
Grayscale). For printing
single-channel grayscale images, make sure to pick either “gray gamma 1.8”, or
“gray gamma 2.2”, in the Grayscale field.
If using embedded profiles, make sure to select either PROMPT or APPLY in
the Embedded field.
-
In the Vector section of the
Color Management window, make sure that an appropriate source profile for your
images is selected for each color space your images use (RGB, CMYK). If you are only printing photography and
not vector style images (eg Illustrator, Corel Draw), this section can be
ignored.
An incorrect ink set setting can cause this error to
occur as well. Normally, when
choosing a Printer profile the proper ink set will be automatically
selected. If using a profile that
was not created by ColorByte, it will be necessary to manually choose the
correct ink set prior to printing via the Setup window, accessed from the Print
Dialog box.
Also, with version 5.6 or earlier of ImagePrint, it
is important that you do not mix images with Grayscale printer profiles and
Color printer profiles on the same page or you may see this
error.
A wrong setting in the print job being sent from
ImagePrint most likely causes this error.
Check that the selected INKSET is correct for what is loaded in your
printer. Make sure that you have
made valid Profile selections in the Color Management window of
Imageprint.
ERROR
651
<TOP>
This error can happen when printing to a Fuji printer
and no resolution setting has been selected. It may also appear when rotating an
image. New versions of ImagePrint
should correct this problem.
This error typically means there is an alpha channel in the image file you are printing. Alpha channels are not supported by ImagePrint.
ImagePrint
has Unexpectedly Quit <TOP>
This behavior can occur if you have not setup a
printer via the IP Install application.
IP Install must be run after the initial installation from CD
This problem can also occur if a corrupt or invalid
profile has been chosen in the ImagePrint Color Management
window.
A bad preferences file may also cause this behavior.
Try deleting ImagePrint’s preferences file and launching ImagePrint again. ImagePrint’s preferences file is called
“ip preferences”, and is located in the following folder:
/Users/"user
name"/library/preferences
MPI Shared Library Error <TOP>
That means that the dongle library package didn't
install correctly during the initial phase of the install. This package can be run manually by launching the
"mpi.pkg" file in the ImagePrint folder. It will ask for the Macintosh password,
then the volume (hard drive) you are installing. . Once it has completed its installation,
reboot your computer and the problem should be resolved.
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. Rotating the images first, before
bringing them into ImagePrint, can also prevent the need for the temp file to be
built.
This error may also occur if the dimensions of the
print you are making cause a temporary file to be made that exceeds the 2
gigabyte limitation of your operating system. If you are printing a very large, banner
type image and are seeing this, try setting the Resolution setting (located in
the Setup window accessed by clicking Setup in the Print dialog box) to 180
rather then the default 360.
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.
Consistent
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. You may want to try plugging the dongle
into another USB port, or a USB hub.
Note that the USB connection in
the Macintosh keyboard sometimes has trouble supplying power to USB dongles, so
if possible, do not use the keyboard port for your
dongle.
2.
Make sure Classic mode
is not running. Classic mode can
cause problems with the system seeing USB devices such as the dongle. To be sure, check your System
Preferences to ensure that the Macintosh is not set to start Classic
automatically, then reboot. Launch
the IP Manage utility from the ImagePrint folder and make sure that the HOST ID
field shows your dongle number.
3.
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.
4.
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.
5.
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
Note: EMULATION MODE To avoid paper/ink wastage by
unexpectedly printing in demo mode, you can setup ImagePrint to skip output when
it detects it is in DEMO mode. This
mode is enabled when the ImagePrint software folder contains a file by the name
of "DemoNullOutput.txt".
This filename is case sensitive, and must be named exactly as shown. The contents or filetype of this file do
not matter, only its name. With
this file in place, if ImagePrint fails to detect a dongle or a valid printing
license, all jobs sent to the ImagePrint spooler will go through the motions of
printing, but no information will be sent to the printer. To return to normal, demo-enabled
printing mode, simply give the "DemoNullOutput.txt" file a different
name.
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 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 3rd 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:
Many different things can cause banding on
prints.
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.