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Author Topic: A Few Qimage Questions  (Read 29833 times)
na goodman
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« on: June 18, 2010, 02:48:21 AM »

First let me start off by saying I am a Mac user but I acquired a pc laptop to download the demo version of QI to try. I do have a few questions if someone could help me out. First I was thinking of running an Epson 9800 off of the pc with QI. I don't have any image editing programs on the pc but was thinking I could just save from the Mac as tiff files and open in QI. Problem so far is that I can not get QI to see the .tif file. Am I doing something wrong? Also, can someone please tell me how to get the pc and the macs all to see each other. The pc is on my network but I cannot get it to see the macs. The 2 macs see each other and I can share files but how do I get the pc to see the macs and vice versa. I'm sure it's a setting on the pc side that I just do not know. I chose to try it this way instead of running thru Paralles or Fusion. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I did get the driver installed for the 9800 and will add the 3800 if I get QI to see the files.
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BrianPrice
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« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2010, 06:55:21 AM »

Hi

Using a PC as a print server  is probably the best way to use QI on a Mac network, there are many using it in this way. There is normally no problem integrating PCs and Macs, but  I'm not a Mac or network person so others will help you out on this.
Tiffs should be saved without compression using 'Interleaved' Pixel Order to ensure compatibility, perhaps that is the problem. You can also save time and disc space by using maximum quality Jpegs - you won't see any difference in the finished print (try it  Smiley).

Brian
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Terry-M
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« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2010, 07:07:38 AM »

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Problem so far is that I can not get QI to see the .tif file
Make sure Qimage is set to "see" tif's in the View menu: Thumbnail Browser\Include File Types.
Terry
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na goodman
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« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2010, 12:56:58 PM »

I do have all files checked under the thumb browser. When QI opens up on the left it says template and that is the only think I can click. The folder structure is there but my tiff file is nowhere to be found. Maybe I'll try saving as a jpeg but I really don't want to do that as they degrade the more you open and save. I've tried saving the tiff to desktop, pictures, it doesn't seem to matter.When QI first opens I do have to click a page that says skip and continue or something like that. Do you think it was the way I downloaded the program. It says it is running in demo mode but maybe something is locked. I'm not getting discouraged, I just want to give it a go. Any other help is greatly appreciated, thank you.
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na goodman
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« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2010, 01:20:16 PM »

Hi

Using a PC as a print server  is probably the best way to use QI on a Mac network, there are many using it in this way. There is normally no problem integrating PCs and Macs, but  I'm not a Mac or network person so others will help you out on this.
Tiffs should be saved without compression using 'Interleaved' Pixel Order to ensure compatibility, perhaps that is the problem. You can also save time and disc space by using maximum quality Jpegs - you won't see any difference in the finished print (try it  Smiley).

Brian

Ok, it was set to interleaved but the byte order was set to Mac, when I changed that it showed up - I just dragged it in and it shows up on the right but not the left, is that correct? The other big question is since I am on Epson's do I leave the res alone and will it automatically be at 360 or a division of for output? I found the jobs where I could choose a template for say printing targets as long as I leave it at original size, otherwise do I  play with the resolution at all or will OI leave it alone as the original. I  makes sense. Thanks for your help
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Terry-M
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« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2010, 03:33:34 PM »

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I just dragged it in and it shows up on the right but not the left, is that correct?
Yes, that is correct. When you drag in like that it goes directly into the Queue and shows on the Page preview.
Click the folder bar on the LHS to browse a to a folder and select. The thumbs in that folder will then build, once only, instant next time, and show on the LHS.
Images in the thumbnail browser can be added to the Queue by double clicking, or dragging. Select the image print size first, or select on the page preview when in the queue and then select the size.
Quote
The other big question is since I am on Epson's do I leave the res alone and will it automatically be at 360 or a division of for output?
YES - leave the res alone, Qimage does all that for you and interpolates to the printer native resolution as reported to Q by the driver. For Epson this is normally 720ppi for the best quality but may be 360ppi for other driver settings especially on the large format printers like yours. This feature is the what makes Qimage unique and provides the best possible print quality because the interpolation algorithms are superior to others.
The reported resolution can be seen just above the  page preview together with the printable area size.

Quote
I found the jobs where I could choose a template for say printing targets as long as I leave it at original size,
That is specifically for printing a target for making a printer profile, nothing else.
You can use "original size" if an image has an embedded one - from Custom sizes.
However, the easiest & best way to use Qimage is to forget that and use the image at it's original resolution and let Qimage deal with all the pixel re-sizing. You just have to think about the linear dimensions of the prints and specify your requirement. There are standard sizes available in the lists but custom sizes can be set. You must have the crop (scissors) button on to get the size, otherwise the image is fitted into the "envelope" with the image aspect ratio.
Keep asking your questions, we'll get you up and running to make the best prints you've ever seen  Grin
Terry.
 
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rayw
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« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2010, 05:03:56 PM »

Just a note to be aware of - if you have selected 'borderless printing' in the Epson driver, then the ppi reported by Qimage will not be 720, but some odd higher number. Don't worry about that. Get a roll, or sheets of the cheapest paper, and just play around with the sizing/formatting options in Qimage. Obviously use the quality media for testing the quality/colour management. When it comes to buy, get the studio edition - it has additions that are not in the demo, afaik.

I know nothing about your network problems, but 'Google', or 'Bing' is your friend. Hopefully you're using a tried and tested win OS, such as xp, or 2000. Just searching on ' windows and mac networking'  gets this, http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=54704 which looks pretty straightforward (but appearances can be deceptive  Sad, but there are many others.

Best wishes,

Ray
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na goodman
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« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2010, 05:42:46 PM »

Quote
I just dragged it in and it shows up on the right but not the left, is that correct?
Yes, that is correct. When you drag in like that it goes directly into the Queue and shows on the Page preview.
Click the folder bar on the LHS to browse a to a folder and select. The thumbs in that folder will then build, once only, instant next time, and show on the LHS.
Images in the thumbnail browser can be added to the Queue by double clicking, or dragging. Select the image print size first, or select on the page preview when in the queue and then select the size.
Quote
The other big question is since I am on Epson's do I leave the res alone and will it automatically be at 360 or a division of for output?
YES - leave the res alone, Qimage does all that for you and interpolates to the printer native resolution as reported to Q by the driver. For Epson this is normally 720ppi for the best quality but may be 360ppi for other driver settings especially on the large format printers like yours. This feature is the what makes Qimage unique and provides the best possible print quality because the interpolation algorithms are superior to others.
The reported resolution can be seen just above the  page preview together with the printable area size.

Quote
I found the jobs where I could choose a template for say printing targets as long as I leave it at original size,
That is specifically for printing a target for making a printer profile, nothing else.
You can use "original size" if an image has an embedded one - from Custom sizes.
However, the easiest & best way to use Qimage is to forget that and use the image at it's original resolution and let Qimage deal with all the pixel re-sizing. You just have to think about the linear dimensions of the prints and specify your requirement. There are standard sizes available in the lists but custom sizes can be set. You must have the crop (scissors) button on to get the size, otherwise the image is fitted into the "envelope" with the image aspect ratio.
Keep asking your questions, we'll get you up and running to make the best prints you've ever seen  Grin
Terry.
 

Thank you for your replies. And yes, I would be printing profile targets. I'll be in the studio later today and will give things a whirl. Thanks again, and I'm sure I'll be back with questions. The only other thing I'm not sure about and I'll have to play around with is sharpening. I do all of my sharpening which is usually thru Photoshop and by contrast masking so I'll have to see about that, I see I can turn it off completely if I need to. I just need to get these guys networked to share files. I'll work on that later too.  Thanks again.
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Terry-M
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« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2010, 07:48:35 PM »

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The only other thing I'm not sure about and I'll have to play around with is sharpening. I do all of my sharpening which is usually thru Photoshop and by contrast masking so I'll have to see about that, I see I can turn it off completely if I need to.
Qimage does "Smart" Print sharpening which is based on image size and several other factors. Check out Edit/Preferences/Printing Options and click the Help button there, it explains what it does. Basically, you set the Print Sharpening such that the print has the same appearance as the on-screen image, start with the default level. Once set to your liking it can usually be left at the one setting. This means you still sharpen your image to look right on screen and then Print Sharpening looks after the print - no more adjusting the sharpening of an image to get the print right, Q takes the strain  Cool
BTW. print sharpening is set to Off for target printing using the Target Saved Job.
Terry
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BrianPrice
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« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2010, 05:18:43 AM »

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Maybe I'll try saving as a jpeg but I really don't want to do that as they degrade the more you open and save.

This is only true if the file is opened and re-closed in an editing program such as Photoshop. You can print a Jpeg as many times as you like and the file will remain exactly the same with NO degradation. I save my edited file twice - once as a Photoshop .psd file and once as a Jpeg for printing. Any re-editing is done on the Psd file.
As Terry  said, do not change the resolution before sending to QI. If you want to crop in Photoshop, leave the 'Resolution' box blank.

HTH

Brian
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na goodman
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« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2010, 01:15:24 PM »

Ok. I'm having a hard time finding ICM in the driver to turn off color management because I am using printer profiles. I know where it is supposed to be but for some reason I'm not seeing it.
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na goodman
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« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2010, 01:50:37 PM »

Quote
Maybe I'll try saving as a jpeg but I really don't want to do that as they degrade the more you open and save.

This is only true if the file is opened and re-closed in an editing program such as Photoshop. You can print a Jpeg as many times as you like and the file will remain exactly the same with NO degradation. I save my edited file twice - once as a Photoshop .psd file and once as a Jpeg for printing. Any re-editing is done on the Psd file.
As Terry  said, do not change the resolution before sending to QI. If you want to crop in Photoshop, leave the 'Resolution' box blank.

HTH

Brian
So if I save a JPEG high quality will it have the same quality of as a tiff if I use it just for the final printing purposes. The pc will really be used as a print server and all editing done on the mac.
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Terry-M
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« Reply #12 on: June 19, 2010, 01:52:36 PM »

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Ok. I'm having a hard time finding ICM in the driver to turn off color management because I am using printer profiles.
For Epson, typically:
Main tab, Colour management, ICM, No Colour Adjustment.
or
main tab, Dot in Custom then NCA from drop down list.
Terry.
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na goodman
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« Reply #13 on: June 19, 2010, 03:05:43 PM »

Thank you, I'll look again. Hopefully I just missed it.
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Fred A
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« Reply #14 on: June 19, 2010, 04:30:11 PM »

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Thank you, I'll look again. Hopefully I just missed it.
In the 3800 the No Color Adjustment is found on the main driver screen after clicking in MODE, CUSTOM, and Color Controls.
Select: No Color Adjustment
I just checked the 9800, and it is exactly the same as the 3800 driver screens.


Fred
« Last Edit: June 19, 2010, 04:32:00 PM by Fred A » Logged
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