Digital BW, The Print

Happy New Year everyone.

I'd like to announce the long awaited release of IJC/OPM 
( InkjetControl OpenPrintMaker) for Windows XP.   

This pre-release version 1.0.0 has most all of the Mac OS X features
with a few major improvements. The most notable new feature is profile 
blending through an Alphachannel.  This lets you assign a different profile 
selectively to an area of an image thru its alpha mask. You simply paint an 
Alpha mask onto your image in PhotoShop, then save as a TIFF file with 
it'smask.  Once imported into OPM, you can then assign one profile to the 
base image and a different profile to the Alpha mask.   So one example would 
be to, use this feature to isolate the shadows of an image and produce true 
split-toning, another would be to isolate a unique element of a image and 
control the tone of that element.  

Another new feature is the RGB channel mixer; this feature lets you
control how a RGB (color) image is converted into black and white.  The
channel mixer feature uses sliders for Red Green and Blue; these sliders can
be linked together so during adjustment the luminosity of the image is 
maintained. 

For a limited time (until Jan 5, 2005) we will be offering this pre-release 
version for $179.95, a savings of $70 off the regular price.  This is a special 
offer that you won't find advertised on any of the public pages of our website.  
In order to purchase the pre-release version please use this 

special log-in info:

Name: bwspecial
Password: ijcopmwin

And go to:

http://www.bowhaus.com/SPECIAL/IJCOPMBuyWINspl.htm

Sorry for the shameless plug..
 
Joe Berndt
BowHaus, Inc.

Joe, Antonis:

First, a Happy New Year to all, may 2005 have as many interesting 
and useful developments as 2004.

This all looks very interesting, but I need to have a few questions 
answered before making the leap:

Looking around on the Bowhaus web site, I see that the package comes 
with a set of 'starter' profiles, but I could not find out which 
papers and inks are covered, can you give us some info on that? Will 
there be more profiles available over time?

Realistically, does one need to have a densitometer to make new B&W 
profiles, or does a scanner actually work well?

I'm still not clear as to what kind of an ink setup this is intended 
for: quadtone, hextone, Ultrachromes, what?
and if it works with Ultrachromes is it ICC compliant? IOW can I use 
a third party profile made with, say Monaco, or Gretag, etc.,

Are there any compositing abilities? Can I print several different 
images/sizes on the same piece of paper?

Thanks looking forward to learning more.

Steve Karafyllakis--- In 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "jbowhaus" 
<joeberndt@v...> wrote:
> 
> Happy New Year everyone.
> 
> I'd like to announce the long awaited release of IJC/OPM 
> ( InkjetControl OpenPrintMaker) for Windows XP.   
> 
> This pre-release version 1.0.0 has most all of the Mac OS X 
features
> with a few major improvements. The most notable new feature is 
profile 
> blending through an Alphachannel.  This lets you assign a 
different profile 
> selectively to an area of an image thru its alpha mask. You simply 
paint an 
> Alpha mask onto your image in PhotoShop, then save as a TIFF file 
with 
> it'smask.  Once imported into OPM, you can then assign one profile 
to the 
> base image and a different profile to the Alpha mask.   So one 
example would 
> be to, use this feature to isolate the shadows of an image and 
produce true 
> split-toning, another would be to isolate a unique element of a 
image and 
> control the tone of that element.  
> 
> Another new feature is the RGB channel mixer; this feature lets you
> control how a RGB (color) image is converted into black and 
white.  The
> channel mixer feature uses sliders for Red Green and Blue; these 
sliders can
> be linked together so during adjustment the luminosity of the 
image is 
> maintained. 
> 
> For a limited time (until Jan 5, 2005) we will be offering this 
pre-release 
> version for $179.95, a savings of $70 off the regular price.  This 
is a special 
> offer that you won't find advertised on any of the public pages of 
our website.  

> In order to purchase the pre-release version please use this 
> 
> special log-in info:
> 
> Name: bwspecial
> Password: ijcopmwin
> 
> And go to:
> 
> http://www.bowhaus.com/SPECIAL/IJCOPMBuyWINspl.htm
> 
> Sorry for the shameless plug..
>  
> Joe Berndt
> BowHaus, Inc.

Hello Steven,

Sorry for the lack of profile information on the web site, a complete list will be 
posted on our web site very soon.  IJC/OPM ships with starter profiles for most 
all of it's supported printers.  Most of the shipping profiles are for the 2200/
2100 with UltraChrome Inks and MIS UT2. These UltraChrome profiles are 
easily modified for the 7600, 9600 and the 4000.  IJC/OPM profiles are not 
ICC profiles, so a standard ICC profile can't be used.  
Since IJC/OPM is built for any ink set,  IJC ( the profile editor) gives the user a 
complete visual system for making and modifying profiles.

General IJC/OPM profile information.

Three main parts to a IJC/OPM profile;
1, Ink Curve shapes (ink partitioning) 
2, Linearization 
3. Toner adjustment.

Ink Shapes-
This is where each ink shape is set,  this controls where each ink starts, where 
it stops and it's actual shape.  In IJC/OPM each ink in your printer is controlled 
by it's own unique 16bit spline.  These splines are edited in IJC in the Curve 
Shape editor.  

When editing a Curve Shape you can use any of the built-in predefined curve 
shapes, or completely free hand (Free Edit) your own.  The built in shapes are 
designed to be a quick way to make quadtone or hextone profiles.  For 
example to make a profile for a 4 color printer (like a 1160) with Quadtone 
inks, it's as simple as Selecting the "Black ink Shape" for Ink 1,  the "Dark grey 
Shape" for ink 2, the "Mid Grey Shape" for ink 3 and the "Light grey ink  
shape" for ink 4., Then print out your Linearization Target read it in and your 
done. (More on Linearization later )

In Free Edit mode, the spline editor lets you control the ink shapes by letting 
you manipulate the curve by clicking and dragging control points.   This is 
similar to the "Curves" window of PhotoShop.  Free edit mode also gives you 
the ability of  importing and exporting the these curve shape.  IJC/OPM PC 
ships with a complete set of Epson UltraChrome Free Edit ink shapes.  These 
can be used on any Epson UC printer, 2200, 7600, 9600 and the 4000. To 
make new profiles.

Free edit curves and the built-in Quadtone curves can be used within the 
same profile. This is really nice when you are working with a Quadtone inkset 
with toners.

Linearization-
Once you have your Ink Shapes, ( ink partitioned ) the next step is to 
Linearize.  By definition, linearization establishes a standard, this standard  is 
the ideal relationship of each step from hilight to shadow.  IJC/OPM generates 
internal targets which you use for Linearization.  IJC will take values read from 
this Target from a densitometer,  a Spectrophotometer or you can scan this 
Target and import the scan directly into IJC.  These readings are analyzed by 
IJC and the corresponding linearization is attached to the profile.

One example of  Linearization would be to use a 2200 profile on a 9600.  You 
would simply load the 2200 profile in IJC, print a target for linearization to your 
9600.  Then input the readings and save the new profile.

Toner Adjustment-
This is a quick and easy method to modify the tone of a profile.  Profiles with 
ink toners or color inks, e.g. Epson UltraChrome and MIS UT7.
The toners can be linked to a slider,.  These sliders can be in linked together 
or independently adjusted.  This gives the user the ability to modify the tone of 
a profile in a quick and easy method..  


Joe.
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Steven Karafyllakis" 
<steve@s...> wrote:

> 
> Joe, Antonis:
> 
> First, a Happy New Year to all, may 2005 have as many interesting 
> and useful developments as 2004.
> 
> This all looks very interesting, but I need to have a few questions 
> answered before making the leap:
> 
> Looking around on the Bowhaus web site, I see that the package comes 
> with a set of 'starter' profiles, but I could not find out which 
> papers and inks are covered, can you give us some info on that? Will 
> there be more profiles available over time?
> 
> Realistically, does one need to have a densitometer to make new B&W 
> profiles, or does a scanner actually work well?
> 
> I'm still not clear as to what kind of an ink setup this is intended 
> for: quadtone, hextone, Ultrachromes, what?
> and if it works with Ultrachromes is it ICC compliant? IOW can I use 
> a third party profile made with, say Monaco, or Gretag, etc.,
> 
> Are there any compositing abilities? Can I print several different 
> images/sizes on the same piece of paper?
> 
> Thanks looking forward to learning more.
>

Hi Joe,

Congratulations on the release. What are your plans for registered 
users of IJC/OPM who want to switch over from the Mac version to the 
Windows XP version?

Thanks,
Peter.



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "jbowhaus" 
<joeberndt@v...> wrote:

> 
> 
> I'd like to announce the long awaited release of IJC/OPM 
> ( InkjetControl OpenPrintMaker) for Windows XP.   
>

> I'd like to announce the long awaited release of IJC/OPM 
> ( InkjetControl OpenPrintMaker) for Windows XP.   

Is this exactly the same software that will be part of the Lyson 
Daylight Darkroom package ?

David

Is there not a demo version available - $179 is quite steep for a 
step into the unknown.

Secondly by "pre-release" are we saying that the "release" version 
will have extra features or just a higher price?

Question for Bowhaus - Will the new features incorporated in the Windows XP version also 
be incorporated into the the Mac version (and when)??

Doug Nielsen

Hi Joe, a couple more questions:
  IJC/OPM profiles are not 
> ICC profiles, so a standard ICC profile can't be used.  
> Since IJC/OPM is built for any ink set,  IJC ( the profile editor) 
gives the user a 
> complete visual system for making and modifying profiles.

In a related post Peter mentioned that OPM is a standalone program; 
does that mean that one could work up the profiles in IJC and print 
them in any standalone program, like Qimage, for instance? How are 
the profiles applied, are they adjustment layers as in Paul's 
workflow, are they imbedded, which part of the IJC/OPM duo actually 
applies them? I ask because very high on my wish list is the need to 
have multiple-print compositng somewhere along the line without 
having to make really massive Photoshop documents. If I can print 
from Qimage or better still, Quark, it would make a huge difference.

 
> When editing a Curve Shape you can use any of the built-in 
predefined curve 
> shapes, or completely free hand (Free Edit) your own.  The built 
in shapes are 
> designed to be a quick way to make quadtone or hextone profiles.  
For 
> example to make a profile for a 4 color printer (like a 1160) with 
Quadtone 
> inks, it's as simple as Selecting the "Black ink Shape" for Ink 
1,  the "Dark grey 
> Shape" for ink 2, the "Mid Grey Shape" for ink 3 and the "Light 
grey ink  
> shape" for ink 4., Then print out your Linearization Target read 
it in and your 
> done. (More on Linearization later )
> 
>
How difficult would it be for someone like me, who has a good 
flatbed scanner but no densitometer, to re-assign and profile5 ink 
channels in a 7500 to print neutral to warm matte inks, and reserve 
the K channel for a gloss optimizer for RC prints? 

Steve Karafyllakis

On 1/2/05 7:41 AM, "Steven Karafyllakis" <steve@...> wrote:

Hello Steve,
OPM and IJC are two separate programs, you can run one without the other.
OPM is the printing portion, you use OPM to import a image, position it on
the page, select a profile from a popup menu and print.  IJC is the program
that makes and modifies the profiles used by OPM.

Currently you can only print one image at a time in OPM.


Joe


> Hi Joe, a couple more questions:
>   IJC/OPM profiles are not
>> > ICC profiles, so a standard ICC profile can't be used.
>> > Since IJC/OPM is built for any ink set,  IJC ( the profile editor)
> gives the user a 
>> > complete visual system for making and modifying profiles.
> 
> In a related post Peter mentioned that OPM is a standalone program;
> does that mean that one could work up the profiles in IJC and print
> them in any standalone program, like Qimage, for instance? How are
> the profiles applied, are they adjustment layers as in Paul's
> workflow, are they imbedded, which part of the IJC/OPM duo actually
> applies them? I ask because very high on my wish list is the need to
> have multiple-print compositng somewhere along the line without
> having to make really massive Photoshop documents. If I can print
> from Qimage or better still, Quark, it would make a huge difference.
> 
> 
>> > When editing a Curve Shape you can use any of the built-in
> predefined curve 
>> > shapes, or completely free hand (Free Edit) your own.  The built
> in shapes are 
>> > designed to be a quick way to make quadtone or hextone profiles.
> For 
>> > example to make a profile for a 4 color printer (like a 1160) with
> Quadtone 
>> > inks, it's as simple as Selecting the "Black ink Shape" for Ink
> 1,  the "Dark grey
>> > Shape" for ink 2, the "Mid Grey Shape" for ink 3 and the "Light
> grey ink  
>> > shape" for ink 4., Then print out your Linearization Target read
> it in and your 
>> > done. (More on Linearization later )
>> > 
>> >
> How difficult would it be for someone like me, who has a good
> flatbed scanner but no densitometer, to re-assign and profile5 ink
> channels in a 7500 to print neutral to warm matte inks, and reserve
> the K channel for a gloss optimizer for RC prints?
> 
> Steve Karafyllakis
> 
> 
> 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello Doug,

The new features in the Windows version came about through the inspiration
of development.  So as both products grow the best of each will remain and
at some point in the future I¹d like to have both the MAC and PC version
identical.

Joe 

On 1/2/05 7:29 AM, "Doug Nielsen" <dougnielsen@...> wrote:

> 
> Question for Bowhaus - Will the new features incorporated in the Windows XP
> version also 
> be incorporated into the the Mac version (and when)??
> 
> Doug Nielsen
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Steven 
Karafyllakis" <steve@s...> wrote:
> 
Steve wrote...
> In a related post Peter mentioned that OPM is a standalone program; 
> does that mean that one could work up the profiles in IJC and print 
> them in any standalone program, like Qimage, for instance? 

No. The profiles created in IJC can only be used in OPM. They are not 
the same as ICC profiles. 

Peter