There is a way to do an aspect ratio change in Qimage but I do not think it was ever intended that way.

With a paper roll on the printer I select a usable print page size of 650x90 mm to print a proof strip of a 650x500 mm image. First I loaded that image at original size. I get the message to shrink the image so it can fit the page or print it on more pages. I select Yes to print on more pages. Then I go to the Full Page Editor and select Test Strip: crop and reduce. The preview in that menu then shows the scissors and the cropped part 650x90 mm. No deformation visible in that preview and no deformation visible in the general preview. I print either to a printer or to file and I get a 650x90 image where the 500 image dimension is resampled to 90mm so not cropped as shown in the preview, the 650mm dimension is untouched.

To avoid it I use Photoshop for a working print crop. This is an old issue that I never reported, maybe something can be done about it as it would be faster to have the Test Strip feature working in the conditions I sketched.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

Mike,

I can repeat it again and again. Borders off, Info off, metric or imperial, extrapolation off. Different images. Images spread on 6 pages or 2. Image turned once before the crop. As soon as I hit the "Test Strip: crop and reduce" the image fills the total (small strip, horizontal or vertical) print page and whether I change the dimensions of the crop manually or not I get the same outcome but at different scales.  One dimension is always compressed.

If I use the High Definition crop the aspect ratio of the crop is fixed and I only get pixel numbers as a guide so keeping original size and getting a strip is near impossible. If I use Auto cropping the image is no longer at the original size resolution in the crop. Both methods at least work without a squeezed outcome.

Whether I do something wrong  is one aspect but the previews are not representing the print and an aspect ratio change on a total image is not normal in Qimage.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

Screendumps are here:

http://www.pigment-print.com/QimageCropProblem.htm



met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

Sorry about the eyes. My eyes are a bit exhausted too after all the trials. You fixed it but it is unlikely that I will use it in that fashion. The original size relation is lost anyway and it more or less does what Auto cropping does. In that case I better set a smaller roll width in the driver than what the roll actually is, the width equal to longest image dimension + 10 mm print margin total and say 10 cm roll length. And do the Auto cropping in Qimage. Thinking about that again and the extra work + control to do + the limitations in what part to proof it is more likely that I will do it in the linked Photoshop like I do it right now.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

Fred,

I would even say nobody after its true function is revealed. It does almost the same what Auto Cropping does. In general it is a duplication of the Auto Cropping function but you can reduce the crop, after it expanded to fit the page though. To get the original size resolution back means that the crop will also be smaller than the limitating print page size dimension. What I was looking for is a crop of the original size filling the limitating print page dimension optimally. Loss of some unused paper at the ends of that paper strip isn't a problem if one counts the time it takes to remove a roll on the machine and insert a sheet and go back again to the roll for the real print.

BTW. if you undo the crop (hit X) in the menu, the preview now shows a deformed image while the actual crop made is alright.

I wonder whether the High Precision Crop can be made more flexible in crop size/aspect ratio, giving good size information back at the same time. Say equal to the PS crop function + keeping the selected resolution like the PS tool does too. Allow expansion or reduction after that within the limitation of the print page. Test crops should be 1:1 to the print size one selects for the real print. The Test Strip Crop and "Reduce" can be taken out in my opinion. It probably was never used anyway as the bug hasn't been reported before while I know it existed a long time. Not only with "Original Size" but with any size choice at the start of the job that exceeds the print page size.

The Auto Cropping together with the choice Original Size doesn't do what one expects either. It makes a crop that fits the print page. Either chance the High Precision crop as suggested above or change the Auto Cropping function that it holds the original size of the image and only crops on the dimension that doesn't fit the print page. A choice of which section will be used for the crop could be a new feature.

Or make a flexible crop function possible before the page nesting stage and either save that crop for the time being or keep it more virtual if saving goes against the "unaltered image file" philosophy of Qimage. This way you can load one or more test crops on one strip or sheet while keeping the original size resolution or expand/reduce if that is your preference. Edit, I see this is already available in the thumbnail filter creation, looks very good but I can´t find a size other than pixels. MMs would be nice.

The crop functions as used in Qimage are mainly based on a fit to page function and alteration choices start after that. Exception is the High Precision Crop that isn't a very flexible tool either.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

It may be a difference in expectations then. In that case you better color some crop functions grey if the conditions make them unworkable. Takes away false expectations. I did some tests what works and what doesn't. Very little is usable with Original Size as the first goal.

When I load a Tiff image with a PS made size description of 260x173mm with Original Size to a print page of 500x500 mm it is described as 260x173mm

at 400 PPI and printed that way. Entirely correct.

Auto Cropping:

When I load the same image with Original Size to a print page of 150x150mm and Auto Cropping is on and I give the OK for fitting = cropping to the

print page I get the dimension 150x150mm at 462 PPI. No borders etc set. That isn't the correct resolution. It reduces the shortest dimension to

150mm and crops the longest dimension as far as the preview is the right information. Could be the displayed resolution isn't correct, could be that

it doesn't print correct.

When I load the same image with Original Size to a print page of 500x150mm and Auto Cropping is on and I give the OK for fitting is cropping to the

print page I get the dimension 500x150mm at 208 PPI. That isn't the correct resolution. It expands the longest image dimension of the image to the

longest dimension of the print page and crops the shortest dimension to the print page.

To me that doesn't represent a crop on the Original Size. That the logic of it suits people using Qimage based custom or fixed sizes etc is another

thing.

Test Strip cropping:

When I load a Tiff image with a PS made size description of 260x173mm with Original Size to a print page of 500x500 mm it is described as 260x173mm

at 400 PPI and printed that way. Entirely correct.  When I then hit the Test Strip button it crops to the predefined crop size and in that state it

keeps the 400 PPI. I can not select another segment of the image or reduce the crop while keeping the 400 PPI. When the print queue is cleared and

the same image is selected again it can happen that the crop is applied again while no crop action is made. A habit that is also present in the High

Precison crop functions but worse there. More or less usable in Original Size mode.

When I load the same image with Original Size to a print page of 150x150mm and let the image cover more print pages (2x2) it takes the size

260x173mm at 400 PPI according the queue information. When I hit the Test Strip button the two image dimensions crop on the 150 mm, all the sizes

displayed say 150X150mm and the resolution says 400 PPI. Looks like that is done correctly.

When I load the same image with Original Size to a print page of 500x150mm and let the image cover more print pages (2) it takes the size 260x173mm

at 400 PPI according the queue information. When I hit the Test Strip button the image fills the 500 mm and crops on the 150mm resolution, all the

sizes displayed say 500X150mm but the resolution says 400 PPI. Either the displayed sizes are wrong or the resolution and the preview isn't correct.

It could be that it prints correctly at 400 PPI and a reduced size but I have had it with trial prints meanwhile.

High Precision Crop:

When I load the same image with Original Size to a print page of 150x150mm and let the image cover more print pages (2x2) it takes the size

260x173mm at 400 PPI according the queue information. When I hit the High Precision Crop the aspect ratio of the image is used for the crop and any

variation of that size will deliver no 400 PPI in the end result. The only one that will is no crop. This function has even more the habit to stay

fixed on the image in the file. If I clear the queue and reload the image again at original size I get the crop in the preview window scissors

included but spread over 2x2 pages. It can only be cleared when I return to the Page Edit menu and clear the crop there. Looks like it lends too

much function from the action filters without telling the user

Same issues with a 500x150 print page.

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I wouldn't mind if you scrap the entire crop functions if Original Size is selected or when an image covers more print pages in that condition.

The Thumbnail action filter is what I will use. It seems to be the reliable and usable one for Original Size. It would be nice though to have
the mm's displayed when the crop has to be defined.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

Fred,


There's no need to explain to me that I want a proof print at 1:1. It is exactly what I asked for.

We all arrived at the conclusion that it works in the Page Edit menu if both dimensions of the print page are smaller or larger than the image is. It doesn't work however when only one dimension is. And that is what I wanted with a strip of a wide roll on a wide printer as the destination of the proof crop. I get that right now with the Thumbnail Action crop. A very good feature that spares the image data in good old Qimage fashion. Could be improved to excellent with mm feedback from the image data on cropping time.

My advice is to grey out the crop functions in the Full Page Edit window if only one dimension of the print page is short. There's no need to weed out bugs for a non functional feature. Nobody ever reported the bugs as they probably realised that it didn't bring them what they sought either. That you, Fred, had to dig in the manual for its features is another indication. Any warning there to use it only with both dimensions in the same condition?
The cropping steps are nice if you work with a desktop model and put in what normally would be wasted paper. On wide formats that isn't so handy. Try the cropping steps in some conditions that are buggy: one dimension to short and original size. Look what happens.

Putting a saw on a dead branch can help the tree and prevent accidents.

Back to business again.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

Ernst,
Please stay on point.
I went into the manual because that feature has been there for many years, and I seldom if ever even think about it because I am pretty accurate with my settings and rarely have a redo on prints, plus I don't have super expensive paper running.
I refreshed my memory because a) I'm old, and b) I never looked at it in years.
c) I was trying to help you understand the point of the feature which is maintaining the actual ppi of the large print in a test strip so you can see the real output on smaller inexpensive paper.
You seem to insist on making your own rules on how to use the Test Strip feature, and I even went so far as to install a driver from a 9800 Epson to make sure it worked the same on a 44.0 x 60 page size with a 42.0 x 58.0 inch print size on it.
It worked flawlessly.
8 clicks on the Test Strip icon gave me a dimension of 9.73 x 7.05 which then allows me to slip an 8.5 x 11 sheet in the other slot and print my test print at the same ppi as the 42. x 58 size print.
That's the best I can do.
Sorry,
Fred