QTR-Quadtone RIP

Thanks, Carl. I started up my EPSON Printer Utility and it decided to work for me this time. 
And the utility did, in fact, reveal some clogged heads. It also told me two of my cartridges 
were almost out; since I didn't have Piezography NK7 replacements, I just put original 
EPSON color cartridges in the two slots where my NK7 carts were empty. After a couple of 
cleaning cycles, I got a good printout of the test pattern. (Of course, two of the grids were 
color instead of B+W). So my next step is to order more NK7 carts and see if I'm back on 
track. Thanks again for your help.

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, Carl Schofield <scho@m...> wrote:
>
> Sounds like you may need to do a nozzle check and cleaning cycle.
> 
> On Nov 27, 2005, at 2:48 PM, mturner55 wrote:
> 
> >
> > Hello everybody. I just joined the group and I've looked over some  
> > of the previous posts
> > and it appears that most of you are quite a bit further along than  
> > me in your knowledge of
> > this almost-too-good-to-be-true RIP. I downloaded it for evaluation  
> > and my first efforts a
> > few months ago were excellent. I made a couple of prints and  
> > thought my long search for
> > a replacement for my old silver darkroom was over.
> >
> > I'm still very hopeful but I seem to have hit a wall. After that  
> > first trial, I didn't print
> > anything for a few months (waiting to scrape together money for  
> > supplies). Over the past
> > few days I've been trying to get a print like the first ones I made  
> > and have had bewildering
> > results. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but after reading over  
> > the documentation
> > many times, I can't figure out where things went off the tracks.  
> > Can anybody give me a
> > hint about where my error might lie?
> >
> > I'm running Photoshop 7 on a Mac G4, printing to an Epson 2200  
> > stocked with
> > Piezography Neutral K7 inks. I'm using Quadtone RIP 2.3.2.
> >
> > I downloaded the dmg file and double-clicked to install. Then I  
> > went to the Profiles folder
> > and double-clicked on the Install program for the 2200 profiles.  
> > Sure enough, when I went
> > to my Photoshop Print with Preview dialog box and from there to  
> > Page Setup, there was a
> > menu option for Quadtone 2200-NK7. (I'm always amazed when really  
> > tech-y things seem
> > to work, in spite of my general technical ineptitude.) When I went  
> > back to the Print with
> > Preview dialog box, I chose for color management Source: Gray Gamma  
> > 2.2 and for print
> > space, QTR Gray Matte Paper, Perceptual and Black Point  
> > Compensation. When I clicked
> > "Print," I used pull-down menus to choose "Quad2200-NK7" as my  
> > printer, then chose the
> > Quadtone RIP menu item from a drop-down menu, then chose Mode:  
> > QuadTone RIP, then
> > Manual Feed, then for Curve 1 I chose 2880 Bradford Brilliant White  
> > Duo (the paper I am
> > using), then nothing for Curve 2, then resolution 2880, then Better  
> > rather than Faster, then
> > I left the other menus (Tone Blend, etc.) alone (at least on the  
> > first 50 or 60 attempts).
> >
> > Here is the sketchy history of the past few days of efforts.
> >
> > My first print, using the same file from which I pulled an  
> > excellent print a few months ago,
> > was . . . not excellent. It displayed what seemed to be  
> > posterization, sort of. There was no
> > subtle gradation of tones. Areas that should have been very light  
> > grey were instead middle
> > tones. Very, very muddy and posterized.
> >
> > I tried several things and each print came out the same. Then, I  
> > tried uninstalling the RIP,
> > then reinstalling it and restarting Photoshop. Sometime after this  
> > procedure (I don't
> > remember exactly if it was immediately following the procedure), I  
> > got an okay print. It still
> > didn't hold a candle to the excellent prints I got a few months  
> > ago, but there was nothing
> > hugely wrong with it. It didn't have the broad tonal range of the  
> > first prints, but it was
> > close enough that I thought I could tweak the Photoshop file (TIFF)  
> > and eventually get what
> > I was looking for.
> >
> > Unfortunately, that was the last decent print I got. Every print  
> > since then has been beyond
> > bad. They look like there is only one part of the spectrum being  
> > printed. They look,
> > basically, like bad photocopies of photocopies --- very contrasty,  
> > many large areas blown
> > out, no tonal range at all.
> >
> > I have uninstalled and reinstalled the RIP and the profiles  
> > numerous times, to no avail.
> >
> > Complicating all this is the fact that I have difficulty  
> > troubleshooting my printer, since my
> > EPSON Printer Utility (version 2.14) doesn't seem to work with  
> > Tiger (OSX 10.4). I say
> > "seems" because it will work once for every 30 attempts. All other  
> > attempts end in crashes.
> >
> > Sorry for the novel-length post. If you're still reading, you are a  
> > trooper and an unusually
> > altruistic person. Thank you just for reading, even if you can't  
> > help me. But if you can help
> > me, please respond to this post. Below, I'm adding what I got from  
> > the diagnostic Terminal
> > program, which I'm afraid is Greek to me. Again, thanks for listening.
> >
> > Last login: Sun Nov 27 14:06:42 on ttyp1
> > Welcome to Darwin!
> > /Volumes/QTRIP2.3/DiagnosticScript.command; exit
> > [cpe-065-188-147-168:~] michaelt% /Volumes/QTRIP2.3/ 
> > DiagnosticScript.command;
> > exit
> >
> > ********************************************************************
> >
> > **** QuadToneRIP 2.3.2 Diagnostic Script --- Save Output for  
> > Analysis ****
> >
> > ********************************************************************
> >
> > Sun Nov 27 14:13:45 EST 2005
> >
> > **** System Info ****
> > Darwin Kernel Version 8.3.0: Mon Oct  3 20:04:04 PDT 2005;  
> > root:xnu-792.6.22.obj~2/
> > RELEASE_PPC
> >
> > **** Printer Info ****
> > scheduler is running
> > system default destination: Stylus_Photo_2200-2
> > device for Quad2200-NK7: usb://EPSON/Stylus%20Photo%202200?
> > serial=L72010302070729100
> > device for Stylus_C42: usb://EPSON/Stylus%20C42? 
> > serial=FM4BB0208270347260
> > device for Stylus_Photo_2200: ///dev/null
> > device for Stylus_Photo_2200-1: usb://EPSON/Stylus%20Photo%202200?
> > serial=L72010302070729100
> > device for Stylus_Photo_2200-2: usb://EPSON/Stylus%20Photo%202200?
> > serial=L72010302070729100
> > Quad2200-NK7 accepting requests since Jan 01 00:00
> > Stylus_C42 accepting requests since Jan 01 00:00
> > Stylus_Photo_2200 accepting requests since Jan 01 00:00
> > Stylus_Photo_2200-1 accepting requests since Jan 01 00:00
> > Stylus_Photo_2200-2 accepting requests since Jan 01 00:00
> > printer Quad2200-NK7 is idle.  enabled since Jan 01 00:00
> >         Ready to print.
> > printer Stylus_C42 is idle.  enabled since Jan 01 00:00
> > printer Stylus_Photo_2200 is idle.  enabled since Jan 01 00:00
> > printer Stylus_Photo_2200-1 is idle.  enabled since Jan 01 00:00
> > printer Stylus_Photo_2200-2 is idle.  enabled since Jan 01 00:00
> >
> > **** QTR Programs ****
> > /usr/local/bin
> > Quad.pm*        qcurve*         qgamma*         qmerge*          
> > qspline*
> > qacv*           qdensity*       qgraph*         qpart*           
> > quadcurves*
> > qacvraw*        qdiff*          qlimit*         qpart2*          
> > quadprofile*
> > qadd*           qdotgain*       qline*          qplot*
> >
> > /usr/libexec/cups/filter
> > quadtoneprint*  quadtoprinter*
> >
> > **** Plugin Programs ****
> > total 0
> > drwxrwxrwx   4 root      admin  136 Oct 24 18:35 AdobePDFPDE.plugin
> > drwxr-xr-x   3 michaelt  501    102 Aug 11  2004 QuadTone.plugin
> >
> > **** QTR Printer Descriptions ****
> > /usr/share/cups/model/C
> > escp2-1160-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-860-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-1200-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-870-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-1270-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-890-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-1280-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-9000-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-1290-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-9500-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-2000-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-9600-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-2100-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-980-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-2200-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-9800-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-3000-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-EX-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-4000-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-R1800-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-4800-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-R200-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-7000-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-R2400-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-7500-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-R300-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-7600-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-R320-quad.ppd.gz
> > escp2-7800-quad.ppd.gz          escp2-R800-quad.ppd.gz
> >
> > **** QTR Profiles ****
> > K7-1440-HanPhotoRag.quad                NK7-2880-HanPhotoRag.quad
> > NK7-2880-BradfordBCoolMatte.quad        NK7-2880-HanWhiteVelvet.quad
> > NK7-2880-BradfordRBrightW.quad          NK7-2880-HanWilliamTurner.quad
> > NK7-2880-BradfordRBrilliantWD.quad      NK7-2880- 
> > InnovaColdPressArt.quad
> > NK7-2880-BradfordRNaturalW.quad         NK7-2880- 
> > InnovaPhotoFibraP.quad
> > NK7-2880-EpEnhancedMatte.quad           NK7-2880- 
> > InnovaPhotoSmoothC.quad
> > NK7-2880-HanAlbrechtDurer.quad          NK7-2880-InnovaSoftTexArt.quad
> > NK7-2880-HanArtProof.quad               NK7-2880- 
> > LgnSomersetPEnhVel.quad
> > NK7-2880-HanEtching.quad
> >
> > **** USB connections ****
> > -rwxr-xr-x   1 root  wheel  29516 May 31 19:44 /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > backend/usb
> > direct usb "Unknown" "USB Printer (usb)"
> > direct usb://EPSON/Stylus%20C42?serial=FM4BB0208270347260 "EPSON  
> > Stylus C42"
> > "Stylus C42"
> > direct usb://EPSON/Stylus%20Photo%202200?serial=L72010302070729100  
> > "EPSON Stylus
> > Photo 2200" "Stylus Photo 2200"
> >
> > **** CUPS Info ****
> > N [27/Nov/2005:13:45:50 -0500] [Job 70] : cupsWidth = 5940
> > N [27/Nov/2005:13:45:50 -0500] [Job 70] : cupsHeight = 7740
> > N [27/Nov/2005:13:45:50 -0500] [Job 70] : stp_get_resolution(v) |2880|
> > N [27/Nov/2005:13:45:50 -0500] [Job 70] : stp_get_dither_algorithm 
> > (v) |Ordered|
> > N [27/Nov/2005:13:45:50 -0500] [Job 70] : GIMP-PRINT w=612 l=9  
> > r=603  h=792 t=783
> > b=9
> > N [27/Nov/2005:13:45:50 -0500] [Job 70] : GIMP-PRINT w=5940 l=90  
> > r=90  h=7740
> > t=90 b=90
> > E [27/Nov/2005:14:01:20 -0500] get_printer_attrs: resource name '/ 
> > printers/ ' no good!
> > E [27/Nov/2005:14:01:20 -0500] get_printer_attrs: resource name '/ 
> > printers/ ' no good!
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:02:39 -0500] Adding start banner page "none" to  
> > job 71.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:02:39 -0500] Job 71 queued on 'Quad2200-NK7' by  
> > 'michaelturner'.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:02:39 -0500] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > filter/cgpdftoraster (PID
> > 346) for job 71.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:02:39 -0500] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > filter/quadtoneprint (PID
> > 347) for job 71.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:02:39 -0500] Started backend /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > backend/usb (PID
> > 348) for job 71.
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:41 -0500] [Job 71] : QuadToneRIP: using curve  
> > NK7-2880-
> > BradfordRBrilliantWD
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : QTR using curve file  
> > NK7-2880-
> > BradfordRBrilliantWD
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : HWResolution = [ 720 720 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : ImagingBoundingBox = [ 9  
> > 9 594 774 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : Margins = [ 0 0 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : PageSize = [ 612 792 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : cupsWidth = 5940
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : cupsHeight = 7740
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : stp_get_resolution(v) |1440|
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : stp_get_dither_algorithm 
> > (v) |Ordered|
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : GIMP-PRINT w=612 l=9  
> > r=603  h=792 t=783
> > b=9
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:02:42 -0500] [Job 71] : GIMP-PRINT w=5940 l=90  
> > r=90  h=7740
> > t=90 b=90
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:43 -0500] Saving printers.conf...
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:43 -0500] Printer 'Quad2200-NK7' modified by ''.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:43 -0500] Setting Quad2200-NK7 printer-is- 
> > accepting-jobs to 1
> > (was 1.)
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:43 -0500] Setting Quad2200-NK7 printer-state  
> > to 3 (was 3.)
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:43 -0500] Saving printers.conf...
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:43 -0500] Printer 'Quad2200-NK7' modified by ''.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:47 -0500] Saving printers.conf...
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:06:47 -0500] Printer 'Quad2200-NK7' modified by ''.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:08:59 -0500] Adding start banner page "none" to  
> > job 72.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:08:59 -0500] Job 72 queued on 'Quad2200-NK7' by  
> > 'michaelturner'.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:08:59 -0500] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > filter/cgpdftoraster (PID
> > 436) for job 72.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:08:59 -0500] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > filter/quadtoneprint (PID
> > 437) for job 72.
> > I [27/Nov/2005:14:08:59 -0500] Started backend /usr/libexec/cups/ 
> > backend/usb (PID
> > 438) for job 72.
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:08:59 -0500] [Job 72] : QuadToneRIP: using curve  
> > NK7-2880-
> > BradfordRBrilliantWD
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : QTR using curve file  
> > NK7-2880-
> > BradfordRBrilliantWD
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : HWResolution = [ 720 720 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : ImagingBoundingBox = [ 9  
> > 9 594 774 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : Margins = [ 0 0 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : PageSize = [ 612 792 ]
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : cupsWidth = 5940
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : cupsHeight = 7740
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : stp_get_resolution(v) |2880|
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : stp_get_dither_algorithm 
> > (v) |Ordered|
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : GIMP-PRINT w=612 l=9  
> > r=603  h=792 t=783
> > b=9
> > N [27/Nov/2005:14:09:00 -0500] [Job 72] : GIMP-PRINT w=5940 l=90  
> > r=90  h=7740
> > t=90 b=90
> >
> > ********************************************************************
> >
> > **** QuadToneRIP Diagnostic Script --- Save Output for Analysis ****
> >
> > ********************************************************************
> >
> > logout
> > [Process completed]
> >
>