QTR-Quadtone RIP

What's the difference between the files in the Profile directory vs 
files in the Quad directory? Also what's the difference between a gray 
curve and a linearization curve?  I'm starting to do some 
platinum/palladium printing, and have developed an appropriate 
adjustment curve (I have both an acv file as well as the input/output 
paramaters) but a: don't know whether to input those paired values in 
the gray curve or the linearization sections, and don't know whether 
to edit the file in the quad directory or the profile directory.  If I 
do edit the file in the profile directory, I don't think that's the 
file I select under the curve setup section of the printing interface.  
I'm using QTR for windows.  Thanks.

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "tim_gray" <timgray@...> wrote:
>
> What's the difference between the files in the Profile directory vs 
> files in the Quad directory? 

Both are text files that can be opened, viewed, and edited in any text 
editor.  A qidf file is essentially a summary of the QTR settings you 
input using the Windows graphical user interface and a graphical 
representation of the resulting overlapping ink seperations.  It is 
used by QTR to generate the inking files that control the printer.  
The quad file isessentially a table of how much ink is to be layed 
down from each ink source you specified in the qidf file for each 
grayscale value given all the data you entered in the qidf file.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Jeff Randall" <jrandall@...> wrote:
>
> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "tim_gray" <timgray@> wrote:
> >
> > What's the difference between the files in the Profile directory vs 
> > files in the Quad directory? 
> 
> Both are text files that can be opened, viewed, and edited in any text 
> editor.  A qidf file is essentially a summary of the QTR settings you 
> input using the Windows graphical user interface and a graphical 
> representation of the resulting overlapping ink seperations.  It is 
> used by QTR to generate the inking files that control the printer.  
> The quad file isessentially a table of how much ink is to be layed 
> down from each ink source you specified in the qidf file for each 
> grayscale value given all the data you entered in the qidf file.

This assumes QTR for Windows also contains the program QTR-CurveView as the Mac version does.  As Jeff mentioned, there is the difference in the files, and, you can also view the 
individual ink curves by opening the .quad file in QTR CurveView.   I find this very handy when making custom profiles.

Here are some incomplete notes on the effects of some commands on the curves themselves.  By viewing the quad files in QTR CurveView you can see the effects on your ink curves 
with the commands.  The ink curves are primarily partitioned by QTR but you can affect that partitioning with the commands.  

INK LIMIT: increase moves highest curve point up
GRAY INK VALUE: Ink 2 value increase narrows spread  of ink 1 and ink 2 and pushes all curve highest points to the right
GRAY INK VALUE:  Ink 3 value increase opens spread of ink 3 and pushes all curves to the right
GRAY SHADOW: increase moves center of upper curve(s) to the right
GRAY HIGHLIGHT: increase moves center of lower curve(s) to left
TONER VALUE: increase does not change curve with one toner value only
TONER GAMMA:  increase raises curve ramp of toner ink at center

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "robert49brake" 
<robert49brake@...> wrote:
>
> 
> This assumes QTR for Windows also contains the program QTR-CurveView 
as the Mac version does.  As Jeff mentioned, there is the difference 
in the files, and, you can also view the 
> individual ink curves by opening the .quad file in QTR CurveView.   
I find this very handy when making custom profiles.
> 


QTRgui, the Steve Billard created Windows front end to QTR and
packaged in the Windows version of QTR, has the CurveView already
built-in. Tools|Curve Creation|Show Curve (after opening a qidf file --
Files|Open).