Digital BW, The Print

>Bruce Kinch wrote:
>
>from Robert L Krawitz letter:
>>>>  4.3 offers direct control of the individual inks, but there's only one
>>>>  test application in the package that allows actually doing this (it's
>>>>  called a test pattern generator, but it's also capable of printing an
>>>>  image file in a special 16-bit format).  Unfortunately, none of the
>>>>  really juicy stuff is yet available on OS X; if you're willing to
>>>>  experiment with Linux, it can be done.
>
>I find this info a bit confusing.

As I understand it, odd number decimals are versions still under 
development, even are ready for general release. Hence v4.2.2 exists 
for OS X, not 4.3. It may not have occurred to them that control of 
individual inks, 16 bit data, quad grayscale, etc. are useful 
features, especially if they are using the Epson driver as a 
standard. If such possibilities are supported in later versions, it 
will likely be because someone like you or me convinces them there's 
a reason to.

>  When I first looked thru that developer
>forum last week I had trouble isolation any info that shed light on the
>matter... wise of you to contact Mr. Krawitz directly.
>
>It sounds like the only way to print a CMYK file without the driver doing
>any interpreting is thru a test pattern, and that that isn't available to OS
>X.  Otherwise it is converting CMYK back to RGB and then doing it's process
>like the Epson driver.

I don't think so-

>It's capable of printing CMYK.  This is available in both 4.2 and
>>>4.3.  I think the version of CUPS on OS X 10.2 is recent enough, but
>>>I'm not certain (versions of CUPS prior to about 1.1.14 converted CMYK
>>>files to RGB, to apply a rather primitive profile, and then converted
>  >>back to CMYK!  Needless to say that's not quite the right idea).

I think anyone interested should contact Krawitz directly-I think 
he'd be interested in our concerns.


>
>Without actually playing with it, I have had little luck finding direct info
>that it will print my seperated CMYK file as such. Is it a true CMYK driver?
>or is it still RGB with CMYK control only available thru a test.  Is this
>worth an upgrade to Jaguar? That's all I'd really like to know..

He seems to suggest it is,  you should query him directly.

>
>
>>>>  There's also a workflow Regis Rampnoux has devised for printing
>>>>  grayscale images from the GIMP, which is analogous to Photoshop.  You
>>>>  may be able to adapt his workflow.
>>>
>>>  This does sound interesting.
>
>Perhaps like the workflows you are all familiar with.
>
>The postscript capabilities, thru ghostscript are interesting.

I'd just encourage contacting them, articulating what is needed in 
actualpractice, and seeing what they can do.


-- 
Bruce C. Kinch
Associate Professor of Photography
The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University