Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

The problem: Started after I began to print a QImage generated queue of 30 A3 sheets with different sizes of photo's on it. The third sheet started, half way the print, to show bad colors. Very red/magenta and much to dark.

What I did: checked all settings, drivers profiles etc. Shaked the cardridges, cleaned the nozzles, did the ultrasone cleaning in the maintenance menu, upgraded the firmware, de- and installed all drivers and colorprofiles. Nothing helped. This happened while using my Epson 7800 printer. I assumed something had 'broken' in this printer.

Therefore I switched to my 4800 Epson printer. Same results! To red, to dark! After de- and installing QImage, after installing QImage Ultimate all results were identical for both printers: unusable for delivery to my clients.

When my time arrives I shall not have deserved a place in heaven I'am afraid. For things being said by me every now and then the last week... But for the moment my live goes on ( for a long time, I hope ;-) I'll have to print anyway.

How I solved it: I found that I can print straight from Photoshop when I let PS manage the colors. The prints become perfect.

The question is: how to handle te be able to use QImage again?

Thanks in advance, Lex Salverda, Netherlands.

P.S: Perhaps anyone knows how to deep-delete QImage from Windows7, without leaving a trace?

Hi Lex,

Not sure from your description, if all images now print bad, or just the ones beyond the first 2 sheets. If all are bad, then it seems a profile has got messed up. If only some, then I would check that from ps you are converting to the correct profile, not just assigning profiles. Anyway, this will remove anything http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

Best wishes,

Ray

Why not apply the same Let Printer Manage color to Qimage, setting teh driver to ICM, and Qimage will use the /pRGB.icm profile for the printer.
Make sure the paper selection is correct in the driver too.
So, ICM set for color in the driver and Qimage set to Let Printer Manage.

Give that a try.

Fred

Hi everybody.

I'm a french user and I encountered the exactly same problem with my EPSON 4800 + Qimage + personal profile.

Everything was working fine for many mounths... But few days ago, my usual profile has been corrupted...

In fact, not exactly corrupted, but my printer can't understand what the profile tells it.

The is the second time it happens. The first time, I had to install a fresh new Windows 7.

What I remember (for this second time) is that it happened juste after changing the trade a my photo paper and making a new 6000 patchs profile with my i1Pro.

If someone troubleshot this problem, I would be glad to know how ;) Thanks.

Sounds like you need to re-make the paper profile.

If you test the system by using some Epson paper with the Epson profile that matches, and the prints are fine, then the printer is fine; inks, nozzles, and heads.
That is assuming you have the driver set to (OFF) No color adjustment and the correct paper selection made in the driver.

Fred

I noticed a change to the darker side recently with an Epson 3880.

1. First run with a Canon 9000 and the metallic print looked fine with "dye" ink.

2. Wanted to try a direct comparison with "pigment" ink off the Epson 3880.

The Epson print came out with a border and was a tad yellowish over the Canon, but not bad.  Decided to try a borderless run and I noticed the Epson had dropped out of No color management (or whatever it's called that I usually leave it turned "Off") and had reverted to the "Let whatever control the color mode" when I resetting to borderless.  The Epson behaved like it was a new installation of its software for some reason.

Ran the second print borderless and it came out really dark with the color controls turned to "Off."  The ICM profiles worked fine prior being set to "Off" but somehow the Epson has changed something where the Canon still runs fine with Qimage Ultimate.  Don't know why the Epson reverted to its initial state of "Letting printer control color" as well as going back to bordered prints, but it was better than going to "Off" this time.  ???

I dunno...  Guess I need to redo the ICM profiles with the ColorMunki Photo and run some test prints and reset the Epson software to "Off" again.


Mack

Mack,
Save your QU print set-ups and recall when you change printer, paper etc. etc.
Terry

Terry,

Got a question about Qimage when it throws up a screen on opening that says Reset, Default, Last Used, or something else on occasions.  It's confusing when it happens, and I don't see a consistency when it does.

What is the proper one to use?  What does it reset or alter?  The printer's ICM with that paper choice, Qimage, the Epson drivers, Color management, or what exactly?  Could some registry or cleaner (CCleaner) affect the Qimage settings?  If I make the wrong choice, what happens (and I'm assuming the wrong choice lasts forever until the next pop-up error message)?

Fwiw, I just switched papers and used the ICM profile for that paper and it worked fine (Settings to "Off").  However, the other papers ICM must have changed somehow from what it was initially so that it doesn't need the color management turned "off" (Which makes it darker if "off.") and it works better if the software or printer manages color.  Something changed the ICM someplace on that paper.

Tia.

Mack

Hi Mack,

If QU is not shut down properly you get the message attached below, I usually select Normal. Not that it happens very often unless I've done something silly.

The only occasion I can think of when QU asked about "last used" is when I choose a different profile from the Job Properties tab. QU, then, very sensibly asks if you want to use the same printer settings as the last time you used that profile. See second attached screen shot
Normally it would be "Yes". That very rarely occurs for me because I nearly always Recall the appropriate saved Printer Setup.
I can't remember when you are asked about reset or default, I'll get Fred to look at this post, he probably will know.

I'm sure there is consistency, it's the human touch that isn't  ::)
Terry

If you shut down or a power blip and do not shut Q down properly, just like Windows, it will ask if you want to RESET or not. RESET will put you back to a fresh start with regard to everything that Qimage saves in the ini files.
What you saved as Jobs or Printer setups, Layouts, etc, are unaffected.
So it's a nice clean start but you will have to locate the images in FOLDERS.
Make sure the profiles are in place and any other personalized settings you prefer.

If you say Normal, then QU will open using the previous  saved ini files.  If any one is corrupt, you will have to click HELP, and RESET ALL


The other screen is what Terry said, you were messing around with a printer profile or setting, and Qimage will ask....
I get that a lot when I open Studio  Studio grabs the default printer, and when I close Studio and open Ultimate, it asks me what I want to do about the printer.

Fred

Ah ha!

So maybe if I was printing documents (I was), and next day I went to print photos using QU, then the QU "Reset" or whatever pop-up window was due to the word processing software running the printer prior?  Would the same occur switching printers (I would think "No" but...?).

Dunno why shutting QU down (I hit the black X in the upper right to close it down), then using another printer software, then going back to QU opens the Reset or Yes window if another software has been run prior?  Seems if the other software (Word processor) can find the printer and run it without a verbal reprimand and questioning about prior usage, then QU should be able to do the same - unless the Word processor saves it's own ini file to call up and QU doesn't but rather forces you to make a decision as to which to call up.  I assume that QU is then asking me to pick some ini file previously used with those often cryptic pop-up windows?

Oh well.  So just say "Yes" is always the best answer.

edit --

Can QU reset the Epson driver software back to factory default where Color management goes from "No" to "Yes?"  Maybe the other software did it, but seems odd it changed.  Plus the colors look better "Yes" than "No" now too. (Re-profile is in order I'm guessing.).


Mack

QU remembers the last setting used.
There seems to be something wrong with your system if you get the warning message every time you open QU and the last settings QU used are not retained.
I don't think anyone else is getting similar problems so I wonder if your anti virus program is messing you up.
I think advise from a higher authority is required!
Terry

Mack, I really get confused between the three issues you bring up; the Not Shut Down Properly, issue and the Reset printer to the settings used last time with this printer, issue; and the Qimage was shut down after using a different printer (in Qimage) See snap.

Which one is bothering you?

I print documents, emails and pictures.
Never have a problem (unless)   I open STUDIO to help someone with a studio problem.  Studio picks up my HP printer with the cheaper paper, so I can print and test for placement and size and stuff.
When I close Studio, and open Ultimate, Qimage sees the last printer and says, Whoa! Something doesn't match here.
It warns me to make sure Ultimate has the printer you really want. I have to switch back to my Epson with a click of the RECALL.

Studio is looking for the Default printer which is the HP.
If I want to stop the nonsense, I could make the Epson the default printer.

If I didn't have two versions of Q running at the same time, I would never have an issue. I choose to do that only to be able to replicate an exact screen to help someone.

So it boils down to using a hammer to pound in a nail, and not the handle of a screwdriver.


Only if you open HELP and click RESET PRINTER.
...or like me..... run two versions of Qimage.


This one is unrepeatable.

Qimage remembers its own printer used and the settings.
I just set the Epson to print an email from Live mail, plain paper, color on, low quality... and printed.
Opened Q-Ultimate and the Epson opens with the correct settings for the last glossy paper I used.
If you get anything other than what everyone else gets after using the printer with another program, you are either doing something strange, or there's a corrupted driver or something like that.

Fred

Are you telling him to pray!

Yes, to the one & only chief QU guru, Mr C.
Terry

Praying ain't helping.   :(

Again I got this cryptic "Qimage (Ultimate) was not shut down properly." message.  "Normal" or "Reset?"

All I do is hit the black X in the upper right to shut it down as any other program.  Later in the day I get this cryptic message (Nothing else printed in the interim.).

Do I have to go to File > Exit each time and not use the Black X?

I have been answering it as "Normal" when it asks.  Should I use "Reset?"

Annoying bug as no other program behaves like this on restarting.

Hi Mack.
Are you saying that closing Qimage Ultimate using FILE/ EXIT from the menu works, but closing Qimage from the upper right corner (windows X ) X makes it ask for a reset?


Question. I thought you had done a RESET already.   
Reset will clear out the ini files and you will have to reset a few things to get back to where you were. (But wait on that)

Next item:  The first thing Qimage does upon opening, is to check for a printer. If it detects some sort of problem or anomaly, it will make a warning message.
So let's do two things (One at a time)
1) I would go into HELP menu and click RESET PRINTER.
Then DO NOT USE ANY SAVED JOBS OR PRINTER SETUPS!
Open the Printer Page setup and manually set the paper selection, paper size, quality, Color Management OFF!
Now Close Qimage and re-open.

Did that fix it?

If not, then something is "hosed" in an ini file.
2) Do a RESET ALL from the help file.

Again, do not use any saved jobs or printer setups at this time. RESET folder selection, printer setup, print size, etc. manually.
Now Close Qimage and reopen.

Let us know.

Fred