QTR-Quadtone RIP

I've done some looking into this whole jpeg issue.  The whole thing is a bit
complicated but I think I understand some of it now.

Originally there was a simple jpeg compression file that did not have
resolution information -- it just compressed the image data.  Soon after
a header called JFIF was added with some more info -- specifically
the resolution.  Most older programs used this for a long time.  More recently
a more general approach was started -- called EXIF data which most people
recognize from camera data.   The file extension .jpg and .jpeg are now used
for all these different formats.  So different programs write out
different headers
-- in fact Lightroom seems to use one for export and a different one for print.
(QTR is not the only program affected:  see
http://forums.adobe.com/message/2977973
if you want to see an unending discussion)

QTR on the PC has two distinct parts the QTRgui which is written in a high level
language with file reading builtin and a low level part which actually
writes to the
printer.  So QTRgui understands some more formats than the low level driver.
The driver uses open source libraries for reading files and the jpeg
library does not
look at or understand the EXIF version of the header --only the JFIF version.
This is the main cause of the print size problems.  Whether this can be easily
resolved is still unknown.

Another thing to consider is that in Lightroom the export and print
modules have
pretty different concepts in mind.  The export is pretty
straightforward -- it simply
exports just images -- conversions and formats are always one image at a time.
The print module on the other hand is a page formatting function.
When you print to
jpeg file you are formatting an entire page and outputting that full
page as a jpeg.
It can contain multiple images and most important includes all the borders and
margins.  So taking this formatted page and putting it into QTRgui which also
does page formatting is possible but needs careful thought of what's happening.
In particular LR formatting a 8.5x11 sheet will output an 8.5x11 jpg.
But reading
this into QTRgui for printing on 8.5x11 paper is a problem because of
the margins.
Typically the largest image is 8.25x10.75 on most Epson printers
(non-borderless).

Needless to say there are a lot of considerations here.  I'll try to
find a workflow
that accommodates this.

Thanks,
Roy

BTW, there's a little confusion of terminology here.  QTRgui is a
program only on
the PC and Print-Tool is Mac only.  I think QTRgui is being mentioned on the Mac
but I think its really referring to the print dialog page.

Roy



On Mon, Dec 31, 2012 at 7:09 AM, Sidney <skapuskar@...> wrote:
> While working with LR, I have never liked the print module and colorspace handling of LR.
>
> My BW workflow is as follows (Mac):
>
> -editing the Raw file in LR
> -export the file with 'edit in PS' command and convert straight to greyscale colorspace.
> -if necessary, I do additional retouching, then save+close the file.
> -it is placed as a Tiff file next to the original Raw file in LR.
> (at this point, NO new editing should be done in LR as it would otherwise be reconverted to Prophoto colorspace)
>
> Printing:
>
> -I have installed QTR-Print-Tool on my computer and have linked it to LR as an external editing tool (just like the 'edit in PS' command).
> QTR-Print-Tool is a small but powerful RIP software that bypasses any colorspace manipulation by the OS. (it is independant from the regular QTR Gui)
>
> -export with 'edit in QTR-Print_Tool' command (edit ORIGINAL!, only this option will keep the greyscale colorspace intact).
> -the image file is opened automatically in QTR-Print-Tool, where it can be resized and moved around the final paper size.
> -from within this tool you launch the print command, the standard QTR Gui will open up and you proceed as usual.
>
> Maybe this could be helpful to some.
>
> Happy New Year!
>
> Sidney
>
> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "stephane_bosman" <stb@...> wrote:
>>
>> I understand what you are saying.
>>
>> However, there ARE advantages to using the print module instead of the export module.
>>
>> The print module allows to design prints with precise positionning on the page, a nice image caption below the photo, etc.. and save them as prints, ready to be used again.
>>
>> The export module does not allow any of this because, well, it was not made for print.
>>
>> And printing is what QTR is all about, isn't it?
>>
>> SO, I'm back to square one, printing to QTR from the LR print module.
>>
>> I am advancing, though, by using an image converter to convert the jpeg to tif, all automated wih a utility that watches my output folder and run the conversion to tif and outputs to the folder watched by QTR.
>>
>>
>> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Don" <donsbryant@> wrote:
>> >
>> > Take Roy's advice and export your file as a Tif formatted file. There isn't any advantage to exporting to JPG for printing in QTR.
>> >
>> > You should create a a master edited file in LR for archiving and then do what you need to do in QTR for printing using an exported TIF file.
>> >
>> > >
>> > > I print to a JPEG with the LightRoom print module and then try to print the resulting JPEG with QTR Gui.
>> >
>>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>



-- 
Roy Harrington
roy@...
www.harrington.com