QTR-Quadtone RIP

First, I'm using QuadToneRIP Version 2.6.2.0 with a Epson1400 and
MIS UT14 inks.I have a few questions concerning the Ink setup tabs.
My first question concerns the use of the words "Gray Ink" and
"Toner" in the Curve creation process. On the first tab "Ink
Setup" the user has several choices for of each ink:       Not used
- Gray Ink – Toner - Toner 2 - Copy From - Load Curve Can someone
explain what the difference between Gray ink and Toner is and when one
is used and not another? It seems to me that with my particular inks,
they are all gray inks... some warm, some cool, etc.    My second
question concerns the "Load Curve" and how it is used under the
Ink Setup and also under the "Gray Curve", "Toner Curve"
and "Toner 2 Curve" tabs. Are the curves used or applied in
under the "Ink Setup" tab and the subsequent tabs or in just one
place. I understand how adjustment curve work, I'm just not sure
where to apply them. Also, I assume that if the user has entered values
for the Highlight, Shadows, Overlap and Gamma and then applies a curve
that this curve will them override those entries?   Thanks for the help


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

Yes, this can be confusing at times. I found the easiest way to get a grip on this is to play around, create some fake curves and look at the graph you get after pressing "show curve". Some trial and error gives already quite some insight.

Having said that, QTR assumes the "gray" inks to form the backbone of the inks: a series of grays in different densities. The darkest "gray" is black and starts at full black; the others blend in at smaller densities. The "toners" are supposed to influence the tone. Depending on the inkset they are true color pigments (C&LC, M&LM in the OEM inksets) or gray inks with a different tone then the "grays". This is the case dedicated B&W sets (such as UT14). In those B&W sets, the practical difference between the terms "grays" and the "toners" becomes blurry. They become more of a label than a real difference. 

Hope this helps 

Joost

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Joost Horsten" <j.h.j.h@...> wrote:
>
> Yes, this can be confusing at times. I found the easiest way to get a grip on this is to play around, create some fake curves and look at the graph you get after pressing "show curve". Some trial and error gives already quite some insight.
> 
> Having said that, QTR assumes the "gray" inks to form the backbone of the inks: a series of grays in different densities. The darkest "gray" is black and starts at full black; the others blend in at smaller densities. The "toners" are supposed to influence the tone. Depending on the inkset they are true color pigments (C&LC, M&LM in the OEM inksets) or gray inks with a different tone then the "grays". This is the case dedicated B&W sets (such as UT14). In those B&W sets, the practical difference between the terms "grays" and the "toners" becomes blurry. They become more of a label than a real difference. 
> 
> Hope this helps 
> 
> Joost

Thanks Joost that does help,
I thought that was the case, I specified all my inks as "gray" inks and I've gotten nice results with my first run with UT14 inks, but want to develop another couple profiles. 
 On my next attempt I want to use Photoshop generated Curves and importing them into Quadtone. Have you or any of the other members used the curves ink in the "Curve Creator"? I suppose my primary question would be where to apply them, under the "Ink Setup Tab" at each of the gray ink selections or under the next three tabs ...[Gray Curve] [toner Curve] or [toner 2 Curve]. If so if you could explain their usage or if possible post a couple to the files folder. Am I just looking for a typical Photoshop curve that would resemble say a medium contrast curve...or is it some thing more exotic? I've tried to load  a test ".ACV" but get errors on saving the curve. I noticed that the program is by default looking for a *.RAW file as a curve. Do you convert the .avc to a .raw file? Doesn't appear too straight forward, but perhaps I'm just missing something....any help with curves would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,
Seth     
>