How to Create a Solid or Gradient Color Block for Testing

How to Create a Solid or Gradient Color Block for Testing

Problem/Question

How can I create a solid color block or gradient color block for testing and troubleshooting?

This is a useful tool for troubleshooting print quality issues.   Print quality issues can arise from a wide range of potential causes,  and requires a methodical approach in order to systematically eliminate different possible root causes.    

File Issues:     If you are experiencing a print quality issue with a particular file,  or series of files,  the solid color block gives you something to quickly print that is derived from a different format from the problematic files.  

Ink Coverage / Channel Issues:    Sometimes issues can arise only at certain ink densities, within certain coverage areas,  or with specific ink channels.     Using a gradient color block from zero to 100 percent can help to test for system performance across the full range of a channel.   Also,  using one solid color block for each primary channel can offer a larger coverage area than Ergosoft's control strip and production strip option.     

Banding:  When banding occurs on a print it is a common misconception that the RIP software is responsible for causing it.   if you're trying to diagnose a banding issue these color blocks can help. 


Note:   The information above is simply illustrate a few possible ways that the color block can be used to assist with a broader effort of root cause analysis for print quality issues.   A thorough knowledge of the entire printing system is generally required to sufficiently investigate and diagnose this type of complex problem.   

Solution/Work-Around

To create a Solid color block

  1.  In JobComposer in a new job or with no image selected click "add Job Element" in the Properties & Actions panel
  2.  Click the "Generated Elements" drop down menu
  3.  Select "Colored Rectangle" from the drop down menu
  4.  Click Add
  5.  In the settings window that pops up set your Width and Height.
  6.  Then set your color
  7.  You can change the angle here if needed for testing as well
  8.  Click OK
Now your Solid Color Block will be created

To create a Gradient color block

  1.  In JobComposer in a new job or with no image selected click "add Job Element" in the Properties & Actions panel
  2.  Click the "Generated Elements" drop down menu
  3.  Select "Gradient Rectangle" from the drop down menu
  4.  Click Add
  5.  In the settings window that pops up set your Width and Height.
  6.  Then set your left color & right color
  7.  You can change the angle here if needed for testing as well
  8.  Click OK
Now your Gradient Color Block will be created





Related Articles

  1. About Job Elements



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