On Dec 11, 2007, at 9:33 PM, harleyandhiggins wrote:
> I'm back. I've spent a several days playing around with this program
> with not much joy and no consistancy. I'm getting frustrated and
> worried regarding my decision to purchase. I'll save describing the
> fun I've had attempting to calibrate my monitor for another day.
>
> PrintFixPro Suite, using Printfix 3.
>
> I was able to build a profile yesterday from both 225 targets (1
> color, 1gray), but not today.
>
> Today I tried profiling a different paper using both 225 targets.
> Both targets were read and saved as before.
>
> I was able to profile the color target. Backed up, chose the gray
> file, but the colour target remained on the screen. The saved gray
> target did not appear.
>
> I've rebooted, exited and reloaded Printfix, all the usual things
> were tried.
>
> I looked at both files and the data looks okay to my untrained eye.
>
> I tried profiling the supplied Epson demo targets and same result.
> The gray target won't load.
>
> What next?
>
> Regards, Paul.
> in Haliburton
>
I've posted this several times to the list, so here goes again...:-)
The short answer is: you have to PRINT both a color and a grays
target; and measure them separately. When you say "you backed up
and chose the gray file", what you must mean is: you backed up,
to the Select Target screen; chose the 238 Grays target; and
stepped forward again to the Read Patches screen; and the measurements
for your colors remained in the popup at the bottom of the screen.
That's all expected behavior. You haven't PRINTED the extended grays
yet; and you haven't measured them. You need to measure this 2nd sheet
of extended grays in order to use the feature.
Keep reading, below, for the "long" answer, which is the exact
description
of what you need to do...:-)
******
How to use Extended Grays:
First, print one of the color targets (either 225 or 729 patches; I'd
suggest
starting with 225, to keep things simple, then try again with 729
later if you
like).
Then print the Extended Grays target. If you do the 225 colors and the
238
extended grays, you'll have two sheets of letter size targets ready to
measure.
It's extremely important that you print both of these on the same
paper, using
the same driver settings.
Then, on the Read Patches screen, measure each one of them. Before you
step
forward into that screen, you need to set "which" kind of target
you're going
to be measuring on the Select Target screen. So: Select Target: 225;
click
Next; Save Measurements To...; then Read Patches. Step back to Select
Target:
Extended Grays; click Next; Save Measurements To...; Read Patches
again. Now
you have measurements saved for colors, and for grays.
Visually check them, too, for accuracy. Open up the Target window for
each,
switch to Measured mode so you can see only the measured colors, drag
on the
lower right corner to make the window even larger, then visually
compare to
your target print. You should see a reasonably close match. Look for
"bad"
measurements, which (if they exist) will typically be too-light
patches that
stand out among their neighbors in the darker regions; they should be
easy
to spot. Remeasure any bad ones (arrow keys to locate the patch, then
measure
again).
Now that you've got these, you can Build.
The Extended Grays are used as a supplement to the colors; but you
don't build
a profile straight from them; that why if you select them in the
measurement
list, you can't step forward to the Build screen. (We have to let them
show
UP in that popup, though, because you need a way to measure and
preview and
possibly remeasure them).
Instead, this is what you do:
- Select your COLOR measurements in the main popup on the Read Patches
screen.
- Once you do this, another checkbox and popup (smaller) will show up
below
that, and your Extended Grays measurements will be in THAT popup. (All
Extended Grays measurements that are in your Data:PRO folder will show
up in
this supplementary popup below the main popup). Use that smaller popup
to
select "which" extended grays measurements you want to use; and then
CHECK
the checkbox if you want them to actually be USED when you build the
profile.
(If the checkbox isn't checked, then when you build, only the color
measurements
will be used when you build the profile).
- To summarize: to build a profile with Extended Grays used as part of
the
profiling process:
- Measure a color target and a grays target
- Select the color target in the main popup
- Select the extended grays target in the supplementary popup that
appears
below it; and also CHECK the "Use extended grays" checkbox.
Best regards,
David Miller
Senior Software Developer, Digital Color Solutions
Colorvision
David Miller
Senior Software Developer, Digital Color Solutions
Colorvision