 Show Posts
|
|
Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 28
|
|
16
|
Technical Discussions / Printers / Re: HP Z3200ps Printer Driver Issues
|
on: September 14, 2020, 10:12:10 AM
|
Kelly, real color issues I have not experienced with different drivers, where they occured it was either hardware issues or when QU's interface to the driver was not correct on the HP media preset shown and actually used in the driver. I have asked Mike to add a short cut to reset only the HP driver to its default (that is now shift + click on the driver icon in QU) while keeping the QU settings for the rest. I often repeat jobs from the interactive log file so at least the QU settings stay as archived and the driver is reset to the default and I change the driver settings for a job only in the driver itself. If the QU windows show other driver settings than what I did in the driver I ignore that ( I rather see them greyed out for HP drivers but that is not in my hands ;-). Second thing is that I modify the default driver settings through Windows Configuration menu that the default becomes Application Color Management where it normally is Driver Color Management (one of the other things that can cause color shifts). Write this from memory so the exact terms are not used. I also set the print quality on high so 600PPI is asked by the printer and I set it to a glossy paper + the Gloss Enhancer used over the entire print area. That becomes the default while I usually take a matte paper and a lower resolution print quality. That is for me the most consistent workflow now. I archived HP W10 driver + Printer Utility versions in 2016 and 2017 while I still used W7 then. I have a simple complot theory: HP marketing dictates HP driver upgrade policy ;-), so a device no longer sold gets another treatment. W7 system + HP drivers are still better so there is a W7 comp. kept in reserve. On my W10 system I installed the 2017 driver + PU at the end of 2019. Then synchronised the media presets stored on the printer with PU which brings back all the custom media presets + custom profiles stored on the printer. I think some features of Color Center are lost in that upgrade, smaller target sizes for profile making etc. I can still access the W7 system for the larger ones I think. Old profiles are excellent though and calibrating the media presets I do from the printer panel. Not much new media used here. Latest issues were very slow transfer of the printer data to the printer. I do not know precisely what causes that. Emptied the printer harddisk of old jobs. Could be W10 security issues, I have to dig further. I can send you the drivers etc that I use if you like that. PM me. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla https://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
17
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.121 issues/comments
|
on: July 04, 2020, 09:34:58 AM
|
http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-uv2020.121 Jul 3, 2020 Priority: Low 2020.121 includes: - Color Management: Color management engine updated to LCMS 2.11.
- New sizing option: Full page print w/specified border (ex: full page minus 0.5 inch border on all sides). See "Custom" size, "Specify ONE dimension".
- UI: Greater accuracy when showing embedded print size in thumbnails when the specified image PPI is not a round number.
Mike Hello Mike, thank you for *3. I have to study *2 for its potentials. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla T SOLI AIR D |
|
|
|
|
18
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.120 issues/comments
|
on: June 19, 2020, 02:30:54 PM
|
Hi Ernst,
Are you sizing them in PS and using Original Size in QU? Can you put one of those 3 images in Google Drive so I can see how the info is stored in the image?
Regards,
Mike
Yes, that is the way I work. My customers send me Tiffs made in PS and set the (virtual) size (without resampling) in PS so it is easier for me to know what the print size of every image should be. I will do that. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
19
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.120 issues/comments
|
on: June 19, 2020, 07:51:56 AM
|
|
Hello Mike,
There is something in the file info that worries me for some months. When I have Tiffs saved from Photoshop with the virtual image sizes QU seems to round off the image size info data to the nearest whole PPI number. By that shifting the sizes when represented in mm. That is a bit confusing when you know there can be as little a 1 to 2 mm to cut off an image the size of 70x100cm. I know that the final prints will have the correct size but the info sizes etc are now not really telling me enough.
Some images that have close enough sizes in Photoshop and printing but show different sizes in the info's of QU.
PS 1004 x 703,96mm 172,64 PPI
QU 1001.8 x 702.4 mm 173 PPI
PS 1004,0 x 703,93mm 171,096PPI
QU 1004.6 x 704.4 mm 171 PPI
PS 1004 x 704,06mm 171,652PPI
QU 1002 x 702.6 mm 172 PPI
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
Technical Discussions / Printers / Re: restore qimage settings to earlier time
|
on: June 13, 2020, 01:15:35 PM
|
thanks for your help Fred, its frustrating as it worked fine for months, i changed no settings then boom!, would process prints but would not send them to the printer, i love the software as i can send quite a few prints to the printer at once rather that hp webaccess sending one at a time, i have even tried uninstalling/reinstalling but even when i delete the qimage folder before reinstalling all the settings are saved print driver settings stored job ect, maybe i am doing something wrong when uninstalling.
Regards.
Fred wrote me a PM for help. My knowledge of HP printer drivers is not as wide as Fred suggested, HP Z3200-PS and Z3100 only. Right now I have QU .119 installed and the oldest HP Z3200 PCL3 driver that was made for Windows 10, could even be a W8 driver. I archived several versions of HP drivers when they became available as I know newer usually does not mean better with HP drivers. Printer is now 12 years old. The 5500 is a workhorse and there will still be several in use. Their users will probably be a better source of information on its drivers on different Windows versions than I am. I might suggest the obvious answers or be totally wrong, so do not blame me for that. Is there a PCL3 or a PS3 driver for the 5500? I wonder whether that HPGL2 driver is compatible with Qimage Ultimate, Mike will know. Ethernet connection to the printer and set the IP correctly? It is not always going correct in auto mode, manual is better. Pinged the connection? Tried other software with that driver and does it print then and the system not going belly up? The shift key pushed and Properties clicked brings the printer driver settings to default. I have asked for a feature like that as the QU integrated driver menu creates internal havoc when HP drivers are used with QU. Be aware that you better create a good printer driver default setting with the printer driver preferences in Windows. For example I have an extra large custom print page size there so any job images/nesting fits. I use Application Color Management and have that also set in the default mode. More of that so what I need to change in Properties is a little as possible and I can trust the rest being default. When all set and okay in Properties = real printer driver I ignore anything of the real printer settings as shown in QU's menu, for my taste they may become greyed out In QU. When recalling a job, I check the job text, I accept the QU specific menu settings but still do the shift/properties route and okay there as remains of the job before can make havoc again in the printer settings. What changed for me with W10 is that I no longer can have both the PCL3 and PS3 driver installed for the same printer. I doubt this will solve your problem. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
21
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.119 issues/comments
|
on: May 23, 2020, 09:54:53 AM
|
The perceptual/RC selection is not picked until the printer profile is applied so to see what the auto setting picked, click the soft proof button under the live view and then hold your mouse over print(s). The intent that the auto setting picked is displayed in the popup information when you hover over prints during soft proof. Auto only affect rendering intent so set BPC to your preference. I've found that BPC varies a lot between profiles (and profile-making tools) so it's not a good pick for an automatic setting. With some profiles, you find yourself turning BPC off a lot because BPC causes a loss of contrast particularly on matte papers. With other profiles, BPC seems to help every time. So simply put, if you find that you have to turn BPC off for a fair number of images with the profile you are using, leave it off when using auto intent. If BPC seems to do no damage and sometimes helps with your profile, leave it on. And if you don't know: run some tests or just leave it on until you have a problem like your prints looking washed out at which point, you can turn BPC off to see if it improves contrast.
Regards,
Mike
Thank you Mike, I share your comment on BPC + matte papers and that is why I asked about the BPC. The images nested on one print page get individual rendering choices with Auto so that is good and expected, makes things faster and there is still the choice to interfere on Auto with Custom. No BPC shown in the info per image but at the bottom of the softproof window for the general setting. When settings are changed, like BPC on/off, the changes are not instantly shown. I wonder whether a single menu page including the active CM settings (Paper Profile/Rendering/BPC) + Softproof (Gamut/Paper + Custom CM setting added) would not be preferable now and changes instantly shown in the Softproof mode. Including an enlarged view of a selected print page image with all the CM info (incl BPC) and Gamut + Paper shown when set. Throw out the Printer Profile CM setting menu in Printers and Settings. The Softproof feature starting from the folder icons using the same features + info. Right now all this is split over 4 routes more or less. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
22
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.119 issues/comments
|
on: May 22, 2020, 01:53:21 PM
|
The decision is made per the description in the video I posted. The algorithm looks at how much of the image is out of gamut and if enough of the image is out of gamut, it switches to perceptual intent. The algorithm considers the colors that are out of gamut, where they occur in the image, and other factors and was tweaked using hundreds of images from various users/photographers. It's an "automatic" feature so the actual metrics need not be known as I know other (companies) like to copy my work. There is a possibility to add an RC/perceptual threshold slider in the future if needed. For now, I think it best to allow people to use it and see how it is working for them before adding more complexity (and potential confusion).
As to the gamut check, Qimage uses the standard form of gamut check. The standard color management tools (the tools I use and likely the ones other tools use) don't provide a way to see how far out of gamut an out of gamut color is: it's either in or out. I agree that would be interesting to see but ultimately it wouldn't matter because out of gamut essentially means "clipped" so no matter how far out it is, you will lose detail there unless you use something like perceptual to scale it.
Regards,
Mike
Hello Mike, A nice auto feature. Was there feedback on what the choice was in the .118 version? I seem to recall that it showed perceptual somewhere when I tried the Auto rendering but can not find that in .119. Could be fine to see what was done right or wrong of my rendering decisions in the past. The BPC part of a Relative Colormetric choice by Auto, is that still relying on what is manually set or does it ignore that with Auto rendering? Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
23
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate Wish List / Re: Other nesting option, or did I overlook something?
|
on: May 15, 2020, 07:03:19 AM
|
Optimal/Spaced kind of already does that with the exception that it also adds space at the sides so you get maximum spacing all around. Also, have you tried using any of the Intelli methods and just setting the gap to what you prefer for spacing?
Regards,
Mike
Yes, I have used them and it is more a trial and error route. In the existing nesting choices you start from the printer driver created print page with the print margins deducted. The same nesting choices starting from the entire print page would give me what I wanted. Adding a limitation of a minimum border of 5mm would avoid images cropped at the edges. Just a thought. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
24
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate Wish List / Re: Other nesting option, or did I overlook something?
|
on: May 14, 2020, 02:53:55 PM
|
Ernst,
Can you give a little more info as to how/why this would be used? It sounds like it would maximize paper usage. Are you looking to just spread out the prints as far as possible on the page?
Mike
Mike, In a sense it is to maximize paper usage. Sometimes I do not add cutting or corner marks and in Edit Page shift some images to the sides to add extra print margin's white to the borders and create a bit more than twice the (then created) border width between them. It may add an extra print on the width of the 36"or 44" roll or give just that slightly more separation to make a nicer paper cut between the prints. Mainly for print runs with the same size prints so I can repeat cut the prints with an optical alignment to an image edge. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
27
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.115 issues/comments
|
on: March 19, 2020, 08:18:41 AM
|
Thanks - I wonder if installing utilities like Epson's LFP Remote Panel when I installed the E4880 might have affected the installed driver for the E4800.
A very wild guess: Could it be in the Job File Naming choices in Preferences? A previous job has a similar name but other settings and shows in the list where you would expect the new one. I had an issue with the interactive log file that probably always had the Auto (Name using date and time) setting but after an upgrade 20020.114? used another setting so my last jobs were not shown at the top of the log list. Took me some time to figure it out. Now some recent jobs are way down the list. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst Dinkla T SOLI AIR D |
|
|
|
|
28
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: v2020.114 issues/comments
|
on: February 28, 2020, 04:07:07 PM
|
http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-uv2020.114 Feb 23, 2020 Priority: Low 2020.114 allows a user-specified gap between prints when using any of the "Intelli" placement modes (option is on the main Printers and Settings tab). Mike Mike, thank you. Makes sense using Intellicut, cutting off at least a 2mm strip on the edge gives the better cut. Normally I would use one of the Space settings to create some distance. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htmMarch 2017 update, 750+ inkjet media white spectral plots "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." H. L. Mencken |
|
|
|
|
29
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: Colors print issue with Qimage on HpZ9
|
on: February 04, 2020, 02:06:42 PM
|
One thing you could do is grey out QU's media preset window when QU finds an HP Designjet printer driver, it is really the main risk for CM issues. I did look into that about a year ago as I thought that might be a better option too. I decided not to remove that feature for DJ drivers because I found that at least the media type settings worked OK when the driver is first installed. The custom media size problem is an issue from the start but the problems with media type collisions in the driver don't seem to surface until some number of user media presets are created (and saved) in the driver. So I didn't want to disable the feature for all and at least at the time, I thought I had a reliable way to determine if the media type bug existed at any given time. I do detect collisions or missing indices in the media type table, so I thought that should eliminate any CM issues where the wrong paper type is chosen; with your latest report, however, I may have to take another look. The steps that I took to "work around" the driver bugs may not be as complete as I thought. When I find a duplicate media type index, QU should report "Select in driver" for example. And when there is NO index found in the table for the paper you chose in the driver, it should list "UNDEFINED" along with the index number. That seemed to prevent any problems where QU could indicate one media type but the driver have selected a different one. Worst case, QU should show "UNDEFINED" or "Select in Driver" and you'd know you would have to open the driver. But I'll try to take another look: it wouldn't surprise me if there are other bugs that I wasn't aware of (and don't detect yet). Mike Mark, I will manage as it is. Though I am still curious whether the Z9+ driver might cope better in practice. It is the machine to upgrade to one day. Hardware wise I do not know a better one for me than the Z3200. Software wise HP can improve a lot, not just drivers, its websites as well. Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst http://www.pigment-print.com/SpectralPlots/SpectrumViz_1.htmMarch 2017 update, 750+ inkjet media white spectral plots |
|
|
|
|
30
|
Mike's Software / Qimage Ultimate / Re: Colors print issue with Qimage on HpZ9
|
on: February 03, 2020, 04:11:04 PM
|
My money would be on the HPZ9 printers having all the same driver bugs as the Z3 series. A year ago I outlined a number of serious bugs in the Z series drivers and included proof via specific examples that showed how the HP drivers were not following the Windows driver specs... along with the simple code fix that was needed to make them comply with the specs. I sent this info to someone I had worked with in the past who I knew worked on the Z series drivers for HP; turns out he no longer works for HP but was able to give me some information.
From that interaction, my understanding is that every HP Z driver includes the code for every Designjet printer back to the first one released. They don't write new drivers: they simply take the old one from a prior model and add in new features. Because of this, the Z series drivers are now over a million lines of code and no one wants to touch the baseline code that has been there for years: I was told no one dares touch it and it is considered "cryptic and obscure". Given this, I would suspect that the bugs that plague the underlying Windows framework (API) support will just propogate from one HP DJ printer to the next and will never get fixed.
I've expressed my concern that I'm able to support features on every other printer that cannot be supported (or suppoerted fully) on HP Z series printers because their drivers don't comply with Windows standards. But I'm convinced they've built such a rats nest of code that they now do not have the resources to fix it: if you can get a print to the printer... leave it alone!
Mike
Thank you Mike, I saw the Designjet Z5200 name flashing by when I installed the Z3200 PCL3 driver on Windows 10 last week. Which intrigued me. One thing you could do is grey out QU's media preset window when QU finds an HP Designjet printer driver, it is really the main risk for CM issues. Sizes and portrait/landscape settings can also result in problems but the HP Print Preview stop in the workflow shows it when a print page meant landscape lands as portrait on a roll, most common issue then. Can still happen though when the roll is not 1118mm or 914mm wide but one mm less, so I have my custom media size settings at 1mm less. I can manage but last week I tried a 2017 version of QU to get rid of the maze routes I am used to now. Too many new features and a better general GUI in the QU 2020 versions though. What helps is making the default settings of the HP driver to one that is most used in practice and having it set at 600PPI requested input quality. The last takes more printing time if it was not intended but the quality does not suffer then. The other way around it can lower quality on the best papers. Next to that I have extra Printing Shortcuts in the HP driver for more usual print jobs. Is Qimage One coping better with HP Designjet drivers? Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst http://www.pigment-print.com/SpectralPlots/SpectrumViz_1.htmMarch 2017 update, 750+ inkjet media white spectral plots |
|
|
|
|
Qimage registration expired? New lifetime licenses are only $59.99!
