Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u

v2018.101   Jun 18, 2017

Priority: Med

2018.101 includes some minor fixes and optimizations.

Mike

Hello Mike, 101 seems to be sending the email for 100.

John

I've got 101 now.
I don't know why my first attempt gave me the 100 response.

John

Hi,
Love the new layout of the 2018 version.
Could you add an option to the "when Qimage Ultimate starts" to "show the queue" as its the only option missing and the one I need every time.
Thanks

Chris

Here's a small sample/example of a minor optimization.
Stuff that Mike adds to make it smoother working for us all if you need it.

Most often, I have a folder full of shots that includes scenery, with composition; and shots of people in an activity, and flowers and birds.
I usually crop to suit an aesthetic feel for the scene with no particular regard for aspect ratio at this point.
Other shots, makes no difference, no crop needed. Many times I'll crop from the page editor on those.

So I have a queue of 8 prints  at 8 x 10 on 8.5 x 11 paper.
Some are image cropped, and some are OK to apply crop scissors for 8 x 10.
This means that I have to be able to select certain ones for Scissors on, and certain ones to be left as is.
The small example is four tiny green corner dots when print is selected. No dots if print is not selected, and red dots if crop scissor is on and selected.
This little feature makes it so easy for me to scissor crop on for some and off for others.
Screen snaps  084 and 085 would not work with crop scissors since the special cropping I wanted was done in Page Editor as you can see by the white scissor icons. The scenery of the old dirt road can handle crop scissor on easily.

Just one of my little quirks.  You guys have your own methods I'm sure.
Have fun
Fred

I'd be curious to know what you are using the queue tab for.  Over the years with controls becoming more visual in nature and the expanded capability of the live view and thumbs, the queue has taken a back seat... and was eventually moved to the trunk with the spare tire.  That is, only needed for a very specific and specialized task.

Personally, I've not clicked on the queue tab in years (other than to test it in beta testing) so I can't imagine wanting to open to it.  That's why I'm curious how you are using it.  The only time think I would use it is if I, for some reason, wanted to replace a print on the live view with a different print but I generally don't have the need for that.

Regards,
Mike

Yes, I wondered whether the Queue tab could be weeded out too. Not installed 101 yet so can not comment on the other changes.

Ernst, op de lei getypt.

When I go to "Utilities" --> "Manage Plugin Exports" and delete things in there, I would also like to see these items "automagically" deleted from the history.

No big deal. Just a little "annoyance" :-)

I use the queue to sort the printing order. I use the queue to drag/drop replace files (keep all other parameters). I use the queue to quickly see full path name of files and printing resolution (sometimes need to hover the mouse over the entry to see the fully expanded entry). The queue also tells me the colorspace of the file. I use the queue to quickly navigate to the print preview of a particular item in the queue, especially for large jobs.

Yes, I still use the queue.

I've just installed 2018.101 and will let you know how it goes.

Cheers!

Brad

Every one of those things you can do without the queue, even easier, except for replacing files by dragging and dropping onto a line in the queue.  And for that, I could argue you should probably just do it the right way and create a layout if you find yourself doing that a lot.

(1) Sorting the print order: can do the same thing(s) from the live view.
(2) See full path name and print res: hold your mouse over the print on the live view for the same info.
(3) Color space: hold your mouse over the print on the page and look at the EXIF bar on the bottom of the main window.
(4) Navigating to an item for print preview: you can't tell what a photo is by filename anyway, so might as well just flip to next/prev page in live view where you can see what you are doing.

Mike

Yes, probably quite specific.  I load a number of images into the queue, which are then edited/cropped etc. Before I hit print it's useful to check that all images have filters (indicates they have been edited - the Queue shows this) and also preform a quick check that I have the correct image numbers required for the order.

Regards
Chris

Again, to emphasize, while in any screen, if you hover the mouse pointer over any thumbnail that has a red or purple colored filename, not only does it tell you that a filter is being applied, but it also tells you what you did. (Crop, DFS, saturation.. etc etc).
Which images are in the queue? Those have bold letters in the filemane.
And even more tedious would be for me to have to scroll horizontally in the QUEUE tab to see the filename and whether there is a filter applied.
Checking to see  if you have all your images accounted for, simply right click on View screen, Select all, and the number appears at the lower right corner.
Certainly more sure than counting rows in the queue tab.

What I use it for is to get my perfect 16 x 12 with 2 borders and a floating text signature all set, Print, and then I use the queue tab to drag and swap another image into the exact same setting.


Have fun,
Fred

Thanks for the reply Fred, 
Unfortunately the first 2 suggestions don't work for me as I'm not using the Thumbnail View (File List). 
As to the 3rd suggestion you are correct, scrolling horizontially is a pain (never needed to on one of the older layouts as there was more width available when it was below the View Plane (?)), but its not the quantity of prints i'm checking it's the image numbers  ;)

Actually, Chris, that was pretty funny to me.
It would be the same situation had you said, I don't have any of my own teeth.
I have a great of difficulty eating apples, nuts and peanut brittle.

Trying to help, I might advise you to make sure your dentures fit properly, use a dab or two of denture adhesive on the lowers,and try to  chew with a more balanced positioning of the food in your mouth.

... and you reply; I am not using dentures.

No disrespect.... just arrived as extremely funny.
Would have been better if you mentioned no thumbnails used at the opening of the discourse.

Fred

LOL, yes I agree, probably better to have mentioned not using thumbnails  :) though to be honest after having used Qimage for 10+ years and never used thumbnails it slips my mind that other people do.   ;D

Hello all.

I'm for retaining the queue tab with it's functionality.

I use it frequently for an overview of the parameters of images in the queue.

Less often for replacing certain images in a large multi-page multi-image per page print job. Incidently the thumbnail drag onto a queue item seems to be more responsive now.

Please keep it!

Peter

I'm with you, Peter.
I use it a lot as I mentioned to the other gentleman. I print on 13 x 19 paper most often with  sizes from 12 x 16 to various fit to pages.... and I use A3 for 11 x 14 prints. I like unobtrusive borders (I can't do metrics) of 0.03 inches in white, with 0.09 in black on the outside.
This set up usually looks pretty decent. So I use the Queue tab to drag and swap images while keeping all the previous settings.
I also use the queue tab for template printing, where I can swap images on the page within the template.

This topic really grew legs when Brad asked about a switch in preferences to have QU open with Queue Tab as default.
I think the only one who thought it useless was Mike C.  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
Fred

This isn't about whether to keep it or get rid of it.  I would keep it just because queue is where Qimage got it's name. :P

My point was that I can see no purpose at all for having the Queue tab be your starting tab when you open QU.  Seems like all the scenarios you are proposing (where you are using the queue) are finishing scenarios, not starting scenarios.  By the time you get to the queue, you should have really at least glanced at the Printers and Settings tab to confirm printer and media, and you've probably used the "Prints" tab to pick your print sizes by the time you get to the "Queue" tab.

P.S.  In the next version, I'll add a little popup with two selections ("Insert" or "Replace") when you drag a thumbnail and drop it onto an existing print in the live view.  Then Fred will lose his only reason to use the queue.  We'll see what he says then.  ;)

Mike

I can go along with this perspective Mike. However, I'm just running jobs today with 2018.101 and I'm frustrated with the sizing of the right hand panel. The default width cuts-off the display of "Printer" and "Printer profile" which, in my case, are fairly long strings. Not to mention how it cuts off the display of Queue info. Sure, I can hover the mouse, but would it be possible/better to allow us to resize the width of the right hand panel relative to the width of preview area?

Thanks.

Cheers!

Brad

Ok, I dont use Printers and settings or the Prints tab for the majority of the printing that I do, as all my settings are saved as Printer settings which are recalled when needed.  It's not a big deal for me but just seemed that as the other 2 tabs could be set as start up options it would have been useful to have that option for the 3rd tab (Queue).

Chris

Not sure if this is a "bug" introduced in 2018.101 or I'm just losing my mind, but it seems QU refuses to rotate large prints to fit the media size if there is a non-zero border.

Specifically, I want a print to be 24" x 16" PLUS 0.50" borders = 25" x 17" including borders. I have set this up as a custom setting (see screenshot) on 24" wide roll stock with media size set to 24" x 25".

When I add the image, I expect QU to rotate the image to align the 25" side with the length of the media so the 17" will print across the roll. Instead, QU reduces the image size to 23" x 16" PLUS 0.50 borders = 24" x 17" so the 24" dimension prints across the roll (see screenshot).

I tried all the usual tricks to force QU to get print oriented correctly, e.g. click a rotate arrow, click (B), then (B+), change the print placement options, etc. Eventually, I found a work-around by removing the border, getting the correct orientation, then adding the border.

Cheers!

Brad

Minor issue in the job log.

If you have adjusted the column widths from the default (I like to slide the File Date, Printed To, Prts and Pgs as far to the right as possible), and then you Rename or Delete a job, the program resets the column widths back to the default.

Hi Brad,
I have been trying to emulate what you are trying.
Please see screen snap 097 attached.
My first dilemma is the printable area the driver reports to Qimage Ultimate.
With a user defined page at 24" x 25" I get a printable area as shown (23.606 x 24.606)
Therefore, off the top, can't put a 25" print including borders into either side. I guess something tries to make it fit, either the driver or QU.
On the other hand, I set the user page size (just for an experiment) to 24.02 x 40", and you can do somersaults with the print.
The next screen snap shows a 17 x 25 with borders on a 40" long page.. Plenty of room

** Brad is there another way to create a user defined page size other than opening Devices and Printers, right click on the driver, open printer preferences, and locate user defined, and then set it and save it there?
I would like to try 24.02 x 26" page instead of 24" next as that should give me enough printable area.
Next question: Why do you show a printable area in your screen snap of 24 x 25?
Just trying to help
Fred

Hi, Fred. The Z3200 driver has a "margin" feature that reports 0" printing margins to QU and therefore QU can use the full specified sheet size. That's the mode I've been using for years on paper prints with white borders. And QU has (historically) always rotated the prints into correct position. I've just noticed with the latest release this was no longer happening.

Cheers!

Brad

Actually Fred, I create all my forms (i.e. Media sizes) in the Windows "Print Server Properties" tool, "Forms" tab.

C:\Windows\System32\printui.exe /s /t0

These form sizes are saved in the Windows registry. QU reads them and populates the "Media size" drop down on the "Printers and Settings" tab. I don't use the printer driver to create user defined forms.

Then, in the Z3200 Printer Driver, I ensure that the "Margins/Layout" option is set to "Clip contents by margins". That means the driver will tell QU the printing margin is 0", even though the printing margin will actually clip the image (i.e. it is not borderless). This is OK because my paper prints always have white borders (in B+ mode) and my canvas prints are printed on roll widths that ensure I have a minimum of 1/2" white space all around ("slop" area for when I apply the coating).

The net effect is QU displays a printable area ("page size") the same size as the selected Media size with no printer margin deducted. I don't know if other printers have the same capability, but perhaps using the borderless setting would emulate the same situation as far as image placement and rotation is concerned.

I print on roll stock and the Media size determines where the printer will cut off the prints.

Cheers!

Brad

Thanks Brad for all the information.
I keep a bunch of various drivers installed so I can try to simulate problems and try to help.
The Z3200  gives me fits, to be honest about it. Nothing  about it seems to have the same logic as Epson and Canon, and even some less extensive  HP models I have had.
So I really appreciate your sharing with me.
Thanks, Fred

I know what you mean. The main bug that bites me is the HP driver frequently forgets the paper size. So if I must open the driver to check a setting, it frequently resets the paper size to some bizarre value and then sends that back to QU, thereby upsetting my job parameters. Argh. To make matters worse, the HP driver doesn't sort its paper size list, which would make it a lot easier to "remind" the driver what size I really want.

The net of all this is I try to stay out of the HP driver as much as possible. Which is why I like to recall previous print jobs from the QU log. Which would be a perfect situation except for the "Control with no parent" problem that I  often have with QU (and no one else seems to have it). Oh well.

Cheers!

Brad