Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

For starters, did I save the various paper ICC profiles (.icc) I've gathered to the wrong folder on my computer?

I find them in C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\color. Where do they properly belong so QU can both see and select them?

Shouldn't they show up under the dropdown menu "Media Type?" There I only see the selections in my ET-8550 printer driver.

Under the "Printer Profile" dropdown selection is "Browse Printer Profiles..." which opens the folder address above. If I select my paper's matching .icc profile, does it override "Media Type" above? Why doesn't the "Media Type" box change to show the specific paper I chose below? Should this be a recommendation?

Please point me to the best training/education video.

Thanks!

I don't have any links for training videos like that as we don't get into the training end of things when it comes to how to operate your printer, what color management is and how it works, etc.  But I can answer the question...

You have the correct location where profiles go: C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\color

A profile is not a media type, however, so you will never see profiles in the media type selection either in Qimage or in the driver as they don't belong there.  Media type only tells the driver/printer what type of paper is being used in the printer.  The profile defines how to apply color to that paper, like a color filter.  So you could select "Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy" as the media type and THEN you select whatever profile you want to use.  If you drop down printer profile (on the Qimage window) and select "Suggest profiles", it'll put the Epson standard profile for "Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy" at the top but you might choose to use a different one: you might have another one you downloaded for that paper, you might have made one yourself, etc.

The TLDR is you want to be able to use a different profile and not be forced to use the one from Epson that comes with the printer, so media type and profile are separate selections so you can match whatever color profile you want with whatever media type you want: they are independent so you can do that.

Regards,
Mike

When you download a new profile, you right click on it and choose Install. I'm not sure if this adds some registry entry or other record, but I never just copy a file directly to the directory. Mike?

Finally, the lightbulb is on.  :roar:  Your explanation makes it clear, Mike. Somehow I was operating with the idea that the paper company's "officially-issued," printer-specific, ICC profile was fully "automatic"...i.e., all-inclusive of commands needed for both printer head adjustment(s) as well as color management.

As far as I know, clicking "Install" simply copies it to \windows\system32\spool\drivers\color.  It's convenient particularly if you aren't a "power user" and you don't know that it is supposed to go in that folder.

Mike