QTR-Quadtone RIP

Thanks, Joe.  

I spent a lot of time the last two days getting my arms around this.  
I have found that everything you described is correct.  I am used to 
printing with ICC aware applications (photoshop, epson driver, 
ImagePrint, and other RIPs).  My biggest problem was in understand 
what QTR wants to receive and how it handles data.  Your description 
is exactly what I have found, but it took a lot of screwing around to 
figure that out.

Being on a Windows platform, I have to either convert the file as you 
proposed, or use Paul Roark's workflow and add a curve adjustment 
layer to my edited file before printing to convert a gamma 2.2 file 
into a linear Lab based file.  The advantage of this approach, is 
that it preserves the original file in gamma 2.2 space, but the 
disadvantage is that it is grayscale only, not coloration.  The 
Create ICC approach will probably be the most accurate and will allow 
viewing color on screen.

I appreciate your response.  

I sure wish a front end could be added to QTR to make it fully ICC 
aware like other graphics programs.  This would make life so much 
simpler and make the program just about perfect, IMO.  

Regards,

Lou

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "joemulligan_68" 
<joemulligan_68@...> wrote:
>
> Lou,
> 
> I haven't used the Create ICC function in some time since my screnn 
to print match 
> without it has been very good, I'll try to answer some of your 
questions.  Others who use 
> this function more frequently can probably give more insights.  
> 
> Comments listed next to your queries.
> 
> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Louis Dina" <lou@> wrote:
> >
> > I am a bit confused on the creation and use of ICC profiles for 
> > printing and proofing with QTR.  I am on a Windows machine.
> > 
> > If I understand it correctly, QTR uses the raw numbers in a 
grayscale 
> > file for printing, and any profile tag is ignored.  The raw 
numbers 
> > work with the chosen profile in QTR to determine ink loads.
> 
> IF YOU WERE TO OPEN THE 21 STEP FILE YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS IS AN 
UNTAGGED FILE.
> > 
> > Let's say I have a QTR warm profile that has a good Dmax, 
> > linearization and tone.  I want to make a profile for soft 
proofing 
> > in Photoshop, and a profile for printing, so that the soft proof 
> > jives with the data QTR sends to the print so the two match.  
> 
> OUTSIDE OF SOFT PROOFING THE ICC SHOULD REMAP THE IMAGE DATA TO THE 
RANGE OF 
> THE PAPER SINCE WHEN YOU MEASURE THE FILE YOU ARE GOING FROM DMIN-
PAPER 
> WHITE TO DMAX-MAX BLACK.  
> > 
> > 1.  Do I create an RGB profile or a grayscale profile with QTR-
Create-
> > ICC.exe, or do I need both?
> 
> NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THIS QUESTION.  YOU ARE ONLY MAKING ONE 
PROFILE 
> WHICH WILL BE USED FOR SOFT PROOF AND PRINTING.  JUST OPEN THE 21 
STEP FILE, 
> MEASURE THE DATA THROUGH A PROGRAM LIIKE PRINT FIX PRO 2 OR IF ON 
GRETAG, USE 
> THE MEASURE TOOL FUNCTION.  WHEN DONE MEASURING, TAKE THE READINGS 
AND 
> INSERT THEM INTO A TEXT FILE WHICH YOU CAN DROP INTO THE QTR CREATE 
ICC 
> PROGRAM.  I KEEP THE QTR CREATE ICC ICON ON MY DESKTOP FOR EASY 
REFERENCE.  
> ONCE DROPPING THE FILE INTO THIS, AN ICC WILL BE MADE AND SHOULD 
POP UP 
> SOMEWHERE ON YOUR DESKTOP WHICH YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY INSTALL.
> > 
> > 2.  When editing the file in Photoshop, do I first convert from 
my 
> > normal working space to the grayscale profile that mimics my warm 
> > profile above?  I read that I use perceptual with BPC.  So, will 
this 
> > remap the numbers so I have the correct tonal scale when printing 
> > with my warm profile?
> 
> YOU DON'T NEED TO CONVERT.  JUST USE THE SOFT PROOF FUNCTION IN 
PHOTOSHOP 
> USING PERCEPTUAL BPC.   IF YOU ARE PRINTING FROM PHOTOSHOP, YOU 
WILL NEED TO 
> HAVE PHOTOSHOP MANAGE THE COLORS AND SELECT THE NEWLY MADE QTR ICC 
PROFILE 
> USING PERCEPTUAL BPC.  TURN COLOR MANAGEMENT OFF IN THE PRINTER 
DRIVER.  IF 
> PRINTING WITH QTR ON WINDOWS YOU SHOULD USE CONVERT TO PROFILE 
FUNCTION IN 
> PHOTOSHOP BEFORE PRINTING THE FILE WITH QTR.
> > 
> > 3.  Do I soft proof in PS using the RGB version of the profile, 
so I 
> > can see not only tonality, but also the color of the profile, in 
this 
> > case warm tones? What about 'paper gray'?  Do people use that for 
low 
> > Dmax papers and not use it for higher Dmax papers?
> 
> THE QTR ICC PROFILE WILL NOT ONLY SHOW TONALITY OF IMAGE BUT TINT 
AS WELL IN 
> THE SOFT PROOF. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE WARM TONES IN YOUR 
SOFT PROOF. 
> NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY PAPER GRAY.  
> > 
> > 4.  And will this process work with any RIP, driver, or process?
> 
> HAVE NOT USED IT OUTSIDE OF THE EPSON DRIVER AND QTR BUT WOULD 
ASSUME IT 
> SHOULD.  I DON'T KNOW THOUGH ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE IMAGEPRINT SINCE 
> IMAGEPRINT ALREADY USES ICC PROFILES TO CREATE THEIR BLACK AND 
WHITE.
> > 
> > If I have this wrong, I sure would appreciate some help in 
sorting it 
> > out so it is very clear.  I want my screen to match my prints.  I 
> > understand all this in a fully color managed workflow (eg, when 
> > printing color with the Epson driver), but I am a little fuzzy 
when 
> > it comes to QTR.
> 
> IF YOU ARE ALREADY COLOR MANAGED THIS SHOULD BE EASY FOR YOU.  JUST 
MAKE THE 
> PROFILE AND USE IT IN YOUR SOFT PROOF.  YOU SHOULD GET PRETTY CLOSE 
SCREEN TO 
> PRINT MATCHING.
> > 
> > Thanks for your help,
> > 
> > Lou Dina
> >
>