About Print Environments

Introduction

Print Environments in Ergosoft RIPs can be thought of as a package of settings relating to a specific printer / material / ink combination. Print Environments are sometimes referred to and thought of as Printer Drivers, but that is only one of their functions. Besides the basic driver architecture, they also contain several other settings and aspects that make them a very versatile solution for managing different printers and Ink / Media combinations.

Anything that can be set on the printer's panel, such as resolution, pass modes, heater settings, etc., can usually be controlled by the Print Environment, provided the manufacturer allows it.

The Port configuration so the RIP can communicate with the printer and send Data.
The Density Linearization and Printer Profile that describe the behavior of the printer with this Ink / Media combination, the most important component for output color management in the Ergosoft RIP.
The Ink Slot assignment for the printer, i.e. which ink sits in which cartridge.
Cost information relevant for cost calculation.
Output-altering functions such as mirroring and automatic size correction for flexible materials.

And that’s not even all! In short, Print Environments can be thought of as containers with all the information, settings and data that directly concern the printer. Where the Print Job is, what the Ergosoft RIP sends, to whom it is sent and how.

Since the number of Print Environments you can create is not limited, we recommend creating a separate Print Environment for each of your applications or set of parameters that you intend to use. Stick with the automatic naming conventions or choose custom names to easily identify which Print Environment to use to switch between sets of parameters within a second.

The modular nature of Print Environments also makes them highly portable. Want to move installations to a different system but keep your printer's relevant settings? Export the Print Environment, and you have your printer settings, density, profile, etc. in one neat file. Want to ensure consistent Print behavior across multiple installations running the same printer? Export the Print Environment and share it across installations to easily bring them on the same page.

Manage Print Environments

To manage different Print Environments, the Ergosoft RIP includes the Print Environments dialog. The Print Environments dialog is used to create new Print Environments, modify existing ones, Import and Export Print Environments, delete unused ones and download preconfigured Print Environments from Ergosoft's FTP server.

The following dialog shows all Print Environments currently available in this installation of the Ergosoft RIP. The Print Environments can be displayed either as a simple list or in a Tree Structure that groups Print Environments for the same printer together. To toggle between the different views, use the Checkbox Tree Structure at the top left of the dialog.

Description

The right-hand field will display the description of the Print Environment as defined in the General section of the Print Environments Settings. If no description is defined, the field will be shown empty.

Manage Write Protection

Activate the Manage Write Protection checkbox to lock Print Environments from being accidentally edited. Once the checkbox is activated, you’ll be able to place lock icons next to the Print Environments you want to protect by clicking in the empty area to the left of the Print Environment in the list.

A locked Print Environment can still be used, and the Print Settings can be opened to look at the settings, but the settings cannot be altered without removing the protection (You’ll notice you can make changes, but not confirm the dialog to save them). Also, locked Print Environments cannot be deleted.

Once you have selected all the Print Environments to protect, deactivate the Manage Write Protection Checkbox. The Print Environments will still be protected, but the locks can’t be removed anymore (Locked Environments are now designated with a special icon).

To remove the protection from a Print Environment, simply enable the Manage Write Protection checkbox again and remove the locks.

Settings

The settings button at the bottom of the dialog will open the Print Environment Settings dialog where you can edit the parameters of the Print Environment, such as printer resolution, etc. For more information on Print Environment Settings the article in this chapter.

Add...

Lets you add and configure a new Print Environment with the assistance of a multi-step wizard. Click on Add... to begin the Print Environment setup.

Rename

Set a different name for the currently selected Print Environment.

Remove

Delete the currently selected Print Environment. Note that this can not be undone.

Import

Import an existing Print Environment (*.PrEnv) file into your installation. Clicking Import opens a file browser that lets you select the Print Environment files from any custom location.

Export

Lets you export the selected Print Environment to a desired location as a *.PrEnv file. Exported profiles contain the settings, density linearization, color profile and named color profile, making them easily portable to other installations or great for backing up your printer calibrations.

Copy

Create a duplicate of the currently selected Print Environment, including the settings, density linearization, color profile and named color profile.

Download

Accesses the Ergosoft Web Server and lists the available, print-ready Print Environments offered by Ergosoft. These Print Environments come preconfigured with Density Linearization and Color Profile made by Ergosoft for a specific resolution and ink/material combination, making sure to match the high standards of the ErgoSoft applications team.

Since the Ergosoft applications team requires hands-on access to the respective printer and material combinations, please note that Ergosoft can not provide print-ready Print Environments for all Printer / Settings / Ink /Material combination. If your specific printer or material is not listed, then the Ergosoft Applications team probably hasn’t had the chance to create profiles for it at that point.

Add Print Environments & PrintQueues

To send data to a Printer, the RIP has to know where to send the data and where to save the data in the meantime. The ErgoSoft RIP PrintQueue combines the port settings for the printer, the spool settings for temporary data and the waiting queue for print jobs into one entity so you can configure and monitor everything together.

Adding a new Print Environment and PrintQueue with the Print Environment Manager

When adding a new Print Environment through the Print Environment Manager, the ErgoSoft RIP will automatically launch a Wizard application to guide you through the setup process. This process will help you set up a new Print Environment and PrintQueue or create a new Print Environment using an existing PrintQueue. To start the Wizard, open the Print Environment Manager and click the Add.. button.

New Queue or Existing Queue?

In the first window, choose whether you want to create a new Port and PrintQueue with your new Print Environment or if you would like to use an existing Port and PrintQueue.

Add Queue

Select this if you have not yet set up a Port and PrintQueue for this printer, or if you would like to use a separate, distinct Print Queue for the Print Environment you are creating. Click on Add Queue and click Next to continue.

Select the Base Driver

The next window lets you select the base driver for your Print Environment. You can also think of this as choosing your printer model. Navigate through the list and select the driver that matches your printer model and color setup. Note that this list will only display the printer models that are currently featured in your ErgoSoft RIP license. If you feel a driver is missing, please get in touch with your ErgoSoft RIP vendor. When you have selected your model, click Next to continue.

Configure the Port

This window configures the printer port. Either select an existing Port from the dropdown menu or click Add Port to configure a new one. Remove Port will delete the Port currently selected in the dropdown menu.

Add Port will display a list of suitable Ports for this printer. Select the appropriate port type and configure it according to your setup.

Status Monitor: An optional utility tool that communicates with the printer and displays information such as cartridge fill state, media width, etc. The status monitor is manufacturer-specific, so select the appropriate printer manufacturer for your printer.

Folder for Spool Files: Designates a folder where to store spool files (temporary files created during Job processing). By default, these will be stored in the ErgoSoft RIPs user data folder. You may of course choose a custom location, but make sure that there is sufficient space available on that drive, as spool files can be several GB in size. Also, make sure that communication with the spool file location is fast. Using network drives for spool folders is not recommended.

Cost Factor: Lets you set an hourly cost factor for running this printer. This cost factor will be used for Cost calculation for this Print Environment. The value can later be changed in the Costing tab of the Print Environment settings. The cost unit can be changed in Tools > Options > User Interface Preferences.

Set a Name

Finally, set a name for your Print Environment and PrintQueue. You may also enter a description for your PrintQueue to more easily identify it later. Once you are satisfied, confirm the dialog with Finish. Jump to the section Finishing the configuration further down in this guide.

Use Queue

Select this if you have previously set up a Port and PrintQueue for this printer, for example if you are creating a new Print Environment for a different material on an existing printer. Note that with this option, you will only be able to select from Print Environments that are compatible with printers you already have PrintQueues for.

Click on Add Queue and click Next to continue.

Select the Queue

The Select Queue window lets you select which PrintQueue you want to use for your new Print Environment. Select one of the Queues from the dropdown menu and verify if the description and port match the PrintQueue you are looking for. When you are satisfied, click Next to continue.

Select the Base Driver

Note that this list will only display the printer models that are currently featured in your ErgoSoft RIP license and that are compatible with the PrintQueue you selected. If you feel a driver is missing, please check if you selected the correct PrintQueue and get in touch with your ErgoSoft RIP vendor. When you are satisfied, click Next to continue. Finally, set a name for your Print Environment and PrintQueue. Once you are satisfied, confirm the dialog with Finish.

Set a Name

Finally, set a name for your Print Environment and PrintQueue. You may also enter a description for your PrintQueue to more easily identify it later.

Once you are satisfied, confirm the dialog again with Finish.

Finishing the Configuration

From there, the RIP will automatically bring up your Print Environment Settings, allowing you to configure the print parameters for your new Print Environment. If you wish to just print with default settings at this stage or configure the settings at a later time, you can just confirm with Ok.

Adding a New PrintQueue from PrintQueue Setup

To configure a PrintQueue without creating a new Print Environment, open the PrintQueue setup through the button in the Toolbar or Tools > PrintQueues > Setup.

From there, you can either start an existing PrintQueue by selecting it from the dropdown menu at the top and clicking Start Client, or you can set up a new one by clicking the Add button.

After pressing Add, you will first be prompted to select the printer model you intend to use. Select the appropriate printer and model from the list, and confirm with Ok.

When you have selected your model, click Ok to continue.

Adding a new PrintQueue from Print Environment Settings > Output Device

PrintQueues can also be individually added to existing Print Environments, e.g. when the port to address the printer changes.

To add a new PrintQueue to an existing Print Environment, open the Print Environment Settings and go to Output Device.

With Printer selected, click the Add button to configure a new PrintQueue and Port. By default, the RIP will copy the settings of the currently selected PrintQueue and fill them out, but you can of course adapt any settings as you wish.

Port: To configure the port, click Add Port..., then select the appropriate port type from the menu (e.g. TCP/IP. Configure the port as you normally would; usually, most settings can be left at their default value as they work for a majority of systems. Once you’ve made your settings, confirm and make sure your new Port is selected.

Description: Lets you enter a description for the PrintQueue to more easily identify it later.

Cost Factor: Lets you set an hourly cost factor for running this printer. This cost factor will be used for Cost calculation for this Print Environment. The value can later be changed in the Costing tab of the Print Environment settings. The cost unit can be changed in Tools > Options > User Interface Preferences.

Once you are satisfied, confirm the dialog with Ok. A prompt will appear asking you to set a name for your new PrintQueue. This will be used to designate and identify the PrintQueue throughout the RIP. Confirm with Ok again to finish the configuration. Your new PrintQueue will then automatically be selected in the Print Environment.

Print Environment Settings

Besides the basic driver architecture, Print Environments also contain several other settings and aspects that make them a very versatile solution for managing different printers and Ink / Media combinations. These settings can be found in the so-called Print Environment Settings, and the settings are used every time something is printed with this Print Environment.

To access the Print Environment settings, select a Print Environment in the Tools > Print Environment Manager... and click the Settings button. Or select one from the Print Environment drop-down menu of the JobComposer toolbar, then click on the Print Environment Settings button. The Print Environment settings are split into different sections depending on the application they are about.

General

This section features the Print Environment Name, Description and the suitable media list. It also displays some technical details about the driver and licensing the Print Environment is based on in the bottom section.

Name: The name of the Print Environment. You can set a custom name to identify the Print Environment, or use the Auto button to auto-generate a name and description for the Print Environment using the settings. Note that the name and description don’t auto-update when you change settings, so you’ll need to update the description by pressing Auto again.

Description: A text field allowing you to enter a description of the Print Environment and its intended purpose. Can be auto-filled with information about the Print Environment using the Auto button.

Media: Lets you define a list of suitable materials for this Print Environment and create new materials. These materials are only relevant to cost calculation, and associating them with a Print Environment helps filter out unsuitable materials. Media sizes, etc., are not affected by this list. To add a suitable material, select it from the dropdown menu and click the Add Media button.

Print Data Type: The internal type of data that is being sent to the printer. Basically, what machine language is the data being sent in.

Create Version: What exact version of the RIP was used to create this Print Environment. Can help with troubleshooting in some cases.

Build Changed: What exact version of the RIP was used the last time changes were made to this Print Environment.

License: Identifies what license item is required to run this Print Environment. This can help in troubleshooting license issues.

BaseDriver: Identifies the driver that this Print Environment is based on.

Quality

This section focuses on Quality settings such as print resolution, dithering method and output color management in the form of density and printer profile.

Resolution: Set the printing resolution from a list of resolutions supported by this printer. In some Print Environments, this may be greyed out. If so, check the Device Options tab for the resolution setting, as some printers require the resolution to be set differently. Some Print Environments also don’t display the resolution in clear text but instead offer settings such as Quality, Production, Draft, etc. In such cases, please consult the printer's manual or contact the printer manufacturer to find out what resolution corresponds to what setting.

Dithering Method: Sets the dithering method for the rastering process. Generally, it is recommended to use the default Digital Printing Applications. For printing raster points on film and to customize the raster grid, switch to Screen Printing Applications. If you want to emulate the raster behavior of older versions, use the Show All checkbox to enable legacy rasters such as Stochastic and Smooth Diffusion.

Density Linearization: Sets the density linearization file that should be used for this Print Environment. Usually this will be either the default density (Marked by «Initial Density» in the description) or if you already created a density linearization with this Print Environment selected, it will be embedded automatically. If the selected density shows Embedded, this means that the density is embedded as part of the Print Environment itself and not currently saved as an external file.

External: If you wish to select a different density linearization from an external file, check the External box. This will enable the dropdown menu and allow you to select from the currently available density linearization files for this installation of the ErgoSoft RIP (I.e. all Density linearization files located in C:\Users\Public\Documents\EsRip\15\Data\Color\Density).

Delete: Deletes the currently selected Density Linearization file.

Export: Exports the currently selected Density Linearization as a .pdn file and makes it selectable in other Print Environments using External.

Printer Profile: Sets the printer profile that should be used for this Print Environment. Usually, this will be none at first if no profile has yet been created or selected. If you already created a profile with this Print Environment selected, it will be embedded automatically, and the dropdown menu will show Embedded. If the selected density shows Embedded, this means that the profile is embedded as part of the Print Environment itself and not currently saved as an external file.

External: If you wish to select a different printer profile from an external file, check the External box. This will enable the dropdown menu and allow you to select from the currently available printer profiles for this installation of the ErgoSoft RIP (I.e. all Printer Profile files located in C:\Users\Public\Documents\EsRip\15\Data\Color\Printer).

Delete: Deletes the currently selected Printer Profile file.

Export: Exports the currently selected Printer Profile as an .icc file and makes it selectable in other Print Environments using External.

Import: Lets you import an ICC profile into the ErgoSoft RIP. The imported profile will be stored in C:\Users\Public\Documents\EsRip\15\Data\Color\Printer and instantly become available in the Printer Profile dropdown menu when External is checked.

Apply Total Ink Limit: The Total Ink Limit controls the amount of ink that may be applied to create color mixtures. The default Total Ink Limit is set to 300%, which means that 3 colors (e.g. CMY) may apply 100% ink. A lower limit such as 240% can help with overinking and bleeding in mixed colors as it reduces the maximum ink application allowed for the combined channels. Using the CMY example, 240% would allow an even spread of 80% for each channel, or more individual distributions such as 50% C, 100% M, 90% Y. The distributions and ink mixtures themselves are still controlled by the Printer Profile and color management, but the Total Ink Ink Limit gives us a powerful tool to influence these mixtures even after the profile has been created.

Note that the Total Ink Limit does not affect single color channels, as values should always be way over 100%. Generally, values below 230% are not recommended and should be used with care as they drastically reduce the color gamut.

Since Patch Release 17.6.2.0282, you can now pre-define a Preferred Rendering Intent. If predefined and such an active Print Environment is present, all newly imported images (all formats, PDF/EPS artwork objects, and input color spaces) into a job will have this rendering intent preselected under the Color Management Setting tab in the Image Properties. The different rendering intent ICC tables (Perceptual, Saturation, Relative Colorimetric with/without Black Point Compensation, and Absolute Colorimetric) of an output printer profile can have a substantial effect on the overall color reproduction and image color appearance, as defined by the International Color Consortium (ICC). Typically, the smaller the printer gamut, the more relevant the rendering intent choice becomes. In such situations, the best image color reproduction often varies depending on taste. With the new option to override the global application color management defaults depending on a Print Environment selection, the "best" choice can be defined based on the available output printer gamut.

Output Device

Controls the port that is used to communicate with the printer, PrintQueue behavior, Spool folders for temporary data and Printer Pools.

Printer connections in ErgoSoft RIPs use two different components: The port itself that is used to communicate with the printer (E.g. USB, TCP/IP, Firewire, etc. this determines where the data is sent to be printed). The PrintQueue is a sort of waiting Queue where jobs are stored before they are sent to the printer. The PrintQueue is a powerful tool that allows you to manage Jobs waiting for production, reprint old Jobs, survey workload on a machine, and so on.

Both the Port and the PrintQueue work in tandem to combine functionality and utility for the user. While older ErgoSoft RIP versions allowed printing «directly» without using a PrintQueue, in ErgoSoft RIP every machine connection in the ErgoSoft RIP requires a PrintQueue or CutQueue to connect to the machine (except for some specific cut devices).

To define a Print Port and PrintQueue to connect to the printer, click the + Icon to the right of the Printer dropdown. This will bring up the Printer Port configuration window.

Either select an existing Port from the dropdown menu or click Add Port to configure a new one. Remove Port will delete the Port currently selected in the dropdown menu.

Add Port will display a list of suitable Ports for this printer. Select the appropriate port type and configure it according to your setup.

Cost Factor: Lets you set an hourly cost factor for running this printer. This cost factor will be used for Cost calculation for this Print Environment. The value can later be changed in the Cost Factor tab of the Print Environment settings. The cost unit can be changed in Tools > Options > User Interface Preferences.

Once you are satisfied, confirm the dialog with Ok. You will then be asked to set a name for your new PrintQueue. Enter a descriptive name to identify your PrintQueue and confirm again.

You’ll notice that your PrintQueue is now selected and the dialog displays the details of the PrintQueue you just set up. You can edit your PrintQueue and Port settings at any time using the button next to the dropdown.

Below the PrintQueue parameters, you’ll also find two useful settings for your PrintQueue:

Start PrintQueue: Controls in what state the PrintQueue starts when it is launched. These different settings can be useful for different cases and applications.

Offline: The PrintQueue starts in Offline mode and does not communicate with the Printer until it is set to Online mode. Jobs sent to print will be rastered and added to the waiting queue, but not sent to the printer until the PrintQueue status is changed to Online by the user.

Online: The PrintQueue starts in Online mode and immediately establishes communication with the Printer. Jobs sent to print are rastered and immediately sent out from the PrintQueue to the Printer until the PrintQueue is closed or set to Offline mode.

Manual Start: The PrintQueue establishes a connection to the Printer, but does not automatically send out Jobs. Jobs sent to print are rastered and placed in the waiting queue. From there, every Job must be launched individually using the start button in the PrintQueue window to begin sending it to the actual printer.

Start Printing after having ripped: Controls when printing of a Job actually starts. Using a setting of e.g. 100MB will postpone printing until the RIP-Server has processed 100MB of raster data. So the start of the printing process is held until the specified amount of data is ready. This can be useful to avoid head pausing during printing by ensuring that enough data is ready to be sent out in a continuous stream. Depending on the processing speed of the system, data size and data complexity, higher values may be necessary here up until the All Data setting, which will raster the entire file first before sending the rastered data to the printer.

Extras

Contains special settings specific to the Print Environment. These parameters are always applied when using this Print Environment.

Mirror: Mirrors images in the Job or the full Job horizontally. Note that this does not create image copies, but instead flips the image itself.

Image by Image: Applies the mirroring to each image individually. The image's placement within the job is not affected.

Job Optimized: Mirrors the entire Job width, also affecting the order of the images (First image left will end up on the right, etc.). Space is preserved without mirroring (E.g. space on the right side will remain on the right side).

Job in Full width: Mirrors the entire Job width, also affecting the order of the images (First image left will end up on the right, etc.). Space on either side of the images is preserved and mirrored along with the rest of the job (E.g. space on the right side of the job will end up on the left).

Size Changes caused by additional processing

Some processes applied to a material, such as steaming, will cause size changes in the material, distorting printouts. This feature allows to compensate for such size changes by altering the image size beforehand so it comes out in the correct dimensions/aspect ratio after processing. So, e.g. if your treatment shrinks the printout by 10%, this feature allows you to automatically scale the printout up by 10% so your product output is correct after treatment.

Horizontal / Vertical: Sets a correction factor in % for horizontal and vertical size changes. Note that the entered value should reflect what the treated dimensions are. So if your product shrinks by 10% horizontally, enter 90% in Horizontal. To determine the correct setting, you may also use the Calculator using the button. Simply enter the intended output size and the actual measured output size to get the correct percentage value for your size correction.

Named Colors Profile

Sets a named color profile for automatic named color (Spot Color replacement) replacement. By default, this will be set to none. Defining a Named Color Profile will automatically embed it into the currently active Print Environment.

External: If you wish to select a different Named Color profile from an external file, check the External box. This will enable the dropdown menu and allow you to select from the currently available Named Color profiles for this installation of the ErgoSoft RIP (I.e. all Named Color Profile files located in C:\Users\Public\Documents\EsRip\15\Data\Color\NamedColors).

Delete: Deletes the currently selected Named Color Profile file.

Export: Exports the currently selected Named Color Profile as an .icc file and makes it selectable in other Print Environments using External.

Import: Lets you import a Named Color Profile into the ErgoSoft RIP. The imported profile will be stored in C:\Users\Public\Documents\EsRip\15\Data\Color\NamedColors and instantly become available in the Printer Profile dropdown menu when External is checked.

Simulate Target Printer (Legacy)

This is a legacy function and has been replaced by Simulate Target Printer in image Properties & Actions. It is generally recommended to use the new function, as this one will not be developed further.

Simulate Target Printer sets a color profile to be simulated by this Print Environment for proofing or to ensure similar behavior between different printers. By setting a simulation profile, the Print Environment will attempt to mimic the color gamut of the simulation profile and it’s color behavior using the current Print Environment. This is achieved by first converting a printed image to the LAB color space using the input color management settings for the respective file type. Then, the LAB colors are transitioned into the color space of the profile that is set in Simulate Target Printer. From there, the color values are again transitioned into the printer's actual color space (i.e. the Print Profile of this Print Environment) to match the Simulated Printers' colors as closely as possible.

To use Simulate Target Printer, an accurate Density Linearization and Color Profile need to be set in Print Settings/Quality, as a description of the actual printer's behaviour is needed to accurately simulate a different printer's behaviour on it.

Also, make sure that the Input Color Management settings in either Tools/Application Defaults or Image Properties & Actions match the ones used for printing on the original system that is being simulated. Different input color management settings can have very noticeable effects on the color conversion and may falsify the output results.

Ideally, the current Print Environment should have a larger gamut than the one that should be simulated; otherwise, many colors may not be correctly simulated since they are out of the actual gamut of the physical printer.

To use a profile for simulation, make sure it is exported as an individual file in Print Settings/Quality by clicking the Export button for the Printer Profile. This will save the profile as an individual ICC file and make it available in the Simulation Profile dropdown menu.

Select the ICC profile that should be simulated from the dropdown menu or import it using the Import button if it is not yet available in the dropdown.

Set an intended rendering intent for the simulation to determine how out-of-gamut-color should be treated during the simulation (See Color Management > Rendering Intents for more information on Rendering Intents and their behavior)

Apply your settings by confirming with Ok. The Printer Simulation is automatically applied to every printout that uses this Print Environment.

Printing Ink Assignment

Assigns the different ink colors to the respective slots on the printer to let the RIP know which Ink is where. The ErgoSoft RIP comes preconfigured with the most common Ink Assignment order for each model, but all ErgoSoft RIP Print Environments allow for custom Ink Assignments to give users more freedom in customizing their processes and workflows.

To change the color for a slot, click the dropdown menu and select the correct color for the slot. The most common colors are already defined by name (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Blue/Violet, Red/Orange, etc.). If the color you want is not present by name, there are several custom types of colors that you can assign depending on the intended use of the color/ink. Note that some types of colors have additional settings and features available that can be accessed through the Settings button that appears next to the respective ink slot when the color type is selected.

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Red/Orange, Blue/Violet: The most common profile channels are predefined with their names in the RIP for easier understanding. Internally, these are simply treated as Profile Channels 1-7. Note that Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black are required in every ink setup unless the Ink Assignment is set to Monochrome.

Light Cyan, Light Magenta, Light Yellow, Light Black 1-5: Light colors for the most common profile channels. Light colors are automatically used together with their corresponding main color to enhance gradients and the gamut of the color. They do not appear as individual colors in the density linearization, as they are always printed together with the respective main color.

Profile Channel 8-12: Defines a channel containing a profile color. This color will be treated as a regular color channel and included in the density linearization and profile. It will be automatically used in printouts according to its spectral value determined during profiling, but keep in mind that it will not be used if no color profile is present, as the RIP has no way to determine what color it is and where it should be used.

Profile channels can also be used if, e.g. your ink set up includes both Blue and Violet; in such cases, you may assign one slot to Blue/Violet and the other to Profile Channel 8. Both settings will behave the same.

Spot Color 1-6: Defines a channel as a spot color. Spot Color channels can be addressed either by specifying the Spot Color name in the channel settings or by using the channel in Named Color Replacement. For more information on Spot Color printing, see the corresponding article.

Spot Color White 1-4: Defines a channel as white color. White color channels can be addressed either by specifying the Spot Color name in the channel settings, by using the automatic white generation in the channel settings, or by using the channel in Named Color Replacement. For applications where print order is relevant, this can usually be found in the Device Option of the Print Environment if the printer supports it. For more information on White color printing, see the corresponding article.

Midlayer: Defines a channel as a Midlayer ink. Midlayer color channels can be addressed either by specifying the Spot Color name in the channel settings, by using the automatic channel generation in the channel settings, or by using the channel in Named Color Replacement. For applications where print order is relevant, this can usually be found in the Device Option of the Print Environment if the printer supports it. For more information on Midlayer color printing, see the article on printing White, as the processes are the same.

Primer 1-2: Defines a channel as a Primer ink. Primer color channels can be addressed either by specifying the Spot Color name in the channel settings, by using the automatic channel generation in the channel settings, or by using the channel in Named Color Replacement. For applications where print order is relevant, this can usually be found in the Device Option of the Print Environment if the printer supports it. For more information on Primer color printing, see the article on printing White, as the processes are the same.

Finish/Varnish 1-4: Defines a channel as a Finish or Varnish ink. Finish/Varnish color channels can be addressed either by specifying the Spot Color name in the channel settings, by using the automatic channel generation in the channel settings, or by using the channel in Named Color Replacement. For applications where print order is relevant, this can usually be found in the Device Option of the Print Environment if the printer supports it. For more information on Finish/Varnish color printing, see the article on printing White, as the processes are the same.

Light Spot Color 1-6: Defines a channel as a Light Spot Color. The assignment should correspond to an already assigned Spot color in the printing ink assignment, e.g. Light Spot Color 1 will automatically be used together with Spot Color 1 to enhance its gradients and gamuts as the ErgoSoft RIP assumes that they are shades of the same color.

Light Profile Channel 8-12: Defines a channel as a Light Profile Color. The assignment should correspond to an already assigned Profile color in the printing ink assignment, e.g. Light Profile Channel 8 will automatically be used together with Profile Channel 8 to enhance its gradients and gamuts as the ErgoSoft RIP assumes that they are shades of the same color.

Determining the correct Slot Order

It’s important to note that the order of inks in the Printing Ink Assignment does not necessarily have to be the same as the left-to-right order of the printer itself. The Printing Ink Assignment always uses the internal slot assignment of the printer, which might not be the same as the order of cartridges visible from the outside.

To determine the correct Ink Assignment order, it is recommended to print the Ink Assignment Chart from Tools > Linearization & Profile Tools > Print Ink Assignment. This chart will print color samples in the available dot sizes from each channel in the internal slot order. Looking at the printed chart, you can then simply assign the colors in the order they appear on the chart. So if the leftmost color is cyan, assign your first slot to Cyan; if the second color from the left is Magenta, assign the second slot to Magenta, and so on.

Allow multiple Inks

Enables assigning the same color to multiple Ink slots, e.g. if you are using two slots of Cyan or white to enhance the density of the color. There are two modes available to control how the duplicate channels will be used:

As Layers: The two color channels are applied separately, one after the other, as layers. If multiple Dot sizes are available for this printer, the dropdown lets you select which dot sizes should be used (All, Medium and Large, Only Large).

Distributed: The two color channels are applied at the same time, with dots evenly distributed among them.

Color Model

Toggles between the regular color model and Monochrome. Monochrome lets you assign inks without requiring the main CMYK colors to be assigned, making monochrome color setups possible.

Ink Control

Configures control stripes that are printed vertically alongside every print job. They can serve as a visual control for the individual color channels, letting you easily detect color inconsistencies or as a way to ensure all color slots are in use to avoid printhead clogging.

Production Strips

Check to enable production stripes. Prints continuous stripes along the side of the material to ensure the specified printheads are in use and don’t clog up.

Sides: Set which side the stripe should be printed on.

Width: Set the width of an individual stripe.

Horiz Distance: Set the horizontal distance between the stripe and the actual printed image.

Strips Count: Sets the number of stripes to be printed. This is limited by the number of ink slots in the print Environment. Assigning several stripes will always print the different ink channels, e.g. setting 4 will print slots 1-4 of your ink assignment.

Coverage: Sets the density of the production stripes.

Visual Control Strips

Check to enable production stripes. Prints colored boxes along the side of the material as a visual check to ensure color consistency during long print jobs.

Sides: Set which side the stripe should be printed on.

Width/Height: Set the width and height of an individual color box.

Horiz Distance/Vert. Distance: Set the horizontal distance between the boxes and the actual printed image, and the vertical distance between individual boxes.

Shades Count: Sets the number of color shades to be printed.

Mode: Different types of printing Visual Control Strips.

Width Required

Automatically calculates how much of the printing width is taken up by the currently configured Strips.

Media Size

Sets Media Size for this Print Environment. The Media Size of the Print Environment determines the width of the Job Area and how much space you have available to place images in the Job. The Media Size set in the Print Environment should usually correspond with the media size that is loaded in the printer. It is not recommended to set a Media Size that is larger than the material currently loaded in the printer, as that could have unforeseen effects and might even damage your printer.

Available Media Size formats are limited to the maximum printing width of the printer. Media Sizes that exceed the printer's maximum size are automatically filtered out and not displayed.

Also keep in mind that when contour cut is active, the maximum printing width is automatically limited to the width of the cutter to ensure that the printed image will fit into the cutting device. Turning off contour cut will return the maximum printing width to the printer's width.

Note that there is a second setting for Media Size in Tools/Application Defaults. However, if active, the setting in the Print Environment will always take priority. To use the setting in Tools/Application Defaults, uncheck Use as default for this Print Environment at the top of the dialog.

Media Size Segment

You can select the appropriate media size from the dropdown menu at the top. Either select from a range of predefined media sizes. Selecting Maximum will automatically use the largest possible size for this printer, while selecting a smaller size will restrict the material to that size. Or set up your own custom size by using the buttons on the right side of the dropdown. Custom media sizes can also be edited at any time, but may not exceed the maximum printing width of the printer.

Width/Height: Displays the width and height of the currently selected Media Size.

Rotated: Switches the width and height of the material, indicating that the material has been rotated. Only Available for Sheet Materials.

Save Paper: Only Available for Sheet Materials.

Get Media Size from Printer: Attempts to contact the printer to retrieve the media size. If successful, it will automatically select the closest media size setting in the RIP (Note that it will not create an exact match media size).

This feature is only available if a Status Monitor is configured in the PrintQueue and a connection is established. If the button is grey, make sure you have configured a status monitor in Output Device, that your PrintQueue is running and set to online, and that the printer is on. Some printers may also not support this feature.

Show Media Sizes: Filters media sizes in the dropdown menu. Currently, Appropriate only displays media sizes equal to or smaller than the printer's maximum width. Roll Media Only will only display Roll media. Sheet Media Only will only show Sheet materials.

Export/Import: Export the currently selected media size to an .msz file or import a media size in .msz format.

Margin

Left/Right/Top/Bottom: Sets a media margin on the respective side; these margins are applied from the material's edge inwards. Some printers might have minimum margins that can not be removed. In such cases, the fields will display preset margins, and it will not be possible to set the margins to 0.

Minimum: Sets the margins to the minimum possible for this printer. In most cases, this will be 0, but some printers might have minimum margins that can not be removed.

Borderless: Activates Borderless mode for printers that support the feature.

After confirming Media Size changes, the RIP will ask to adjust the current Job to the new media dimensions. Confirm to adjust media size and rearrange images accordingly, deny to keep the current Job dimensions.

Cost Factor

Sets cost factors for use in cost calculation. You can enter costs for Inks that are used to calculate ink caused by counting printed dots and applying the ink costs to them. Printer Costs applies a cost per m2 printed to account for the costs of running the printer itself. Note that printing material costs are defined in the general tab of the Print Environment Settings.

Ink Type

Define different Ink types and set cost factors either overall or individually by color. The ErgoSoft RIP will then use the number of printed dots from the rastering process to calculate the ink costs of printed Jobs.

If you already have Ink types set up, simply select one from the drop-down menu. To set up a new Ink type, click the + button on the right side of the drop-down menu. This will open the Ink type dialog.

Here you can define a cost per unit for the ink (e.g. Euro per ml), either for all inks overall, or for each ink individually (e.g. if you know your Cyan is more expensive than your Magenta). Use the dropdown menu that initially shows «All Inks» to select individual inks to adjust. By default, the dropdown will only show colors that are in the current Printing Ink Assignment of this Print Environment. Check Show all Inks to display all colors instead.

You may also enter a description of the ink into the respective field to more easily identify the type of ink later on.

Once you are done, confirm with Ok and enter a name for your new ink type and make sure it is selected from the dropdown menu in Cost Factors.

Printer Cost

Sets an additional flat cost for running the printer per m2 printed. To use the printer cost, check the box Use Printer Cost calculation based on m2. Enter the cost per m2 you want to use in the respective field.

Units of Measure

You can change the units of measure for currency and volume in Tools > Application Defaults > User Interface Preferences by changing Currency and Unit of Measure.

Device Options

Deals with printer panel-specific settings such as passes, uni-bidirectional printing, dot sizes, paper feed, heater settings, etc. Available Device Options are different from printer to printer, depending on what features the printer supports and whether they can be overridden remotely.

Since these features are printer-specific, the amount of control the ErgoSoft RIP has over the individual settings is determined by the printer and its firmware. As such, we cannot document every possible feature that might be available in device options. For details on the different features and settings available for your printer, please see the printer's manual or contact the manufacturer. ErgoSoft RIP will use the official designations from the manufacturer's documentation wherever possible.

Printer Pools

Printer Pools are a powerful tool to automatically distribute print jobs across multiple print devices of the same type. For example, imagine you have several of the same printers. You can then configure a Printer Pool and assign these printers to it. Now, whenever you send a Job to that Printer Pool, the RIP will automatically check which printers are currently idle and send the Job to that one, ensuring that your printers are being used optimally with minimal downtime and minimal operator interaction.

To configure a Printer Pool, select Printer Pool from the options above the drop-down menu and then click the green + button to add a new Printer Pool. In the Printer Pool Members segment, use the dropdown menu to select from your existing PrintQueues and click Add to assign the PrintQueue to your Printer Pool. You’ll notice that the PrintQueue now appears in the list at the top. Repeat for all the printers that are supposed to share the same pool.

Next, set up a Spool Folder for your Printer Pool in the Folder for Spool Files section by clicking the Browse button and selecting a folder from there. This Spool folder is specific to the Printer Pool and separate from the spool folders already set up for your individual PrintQueues. Make sure to select a path that is stable and has enough free space available to store the temporary files.

Finally, you may enter a description for your printer pool to easily identify it later, such as the involved printers, for example.

When you are satisfied with the settings, confirm with Ok and enter a name for your Printer Pool when the prompt appears to complete the setup.

Ergosoft File Output Print Environments

Starting with 17.3, Ergosoft offers a range of different file output Print Environments. These drivers output image files to a designated folder in a format depending on the driver that is used.

Composite Contone Print Environments output all color channels in a single file using a contone raster.

Composite Halftone Print Environments output all color channels in a single file using a halftone raster.

Separated Halftone Print Environments output separated Color Channels using a halftone raster.

Separated Contone Print Environments output separated Color Channels using a contone raster.

These Print Environments replace the previous Test BMP, Test TIFF, etc. Print Environments.

To add a new Ergosoft file output Print Environment, go to Print Environments > Add and select the manufacturer “Ergosoft”. Then select the type of driver you want to use.

Adept

RGB | Composite Contone | JPG/PNG/BMP | XML configuration capable
The Adept is a Composite Contone RGB driver able to output JPG, PNG and BMP files. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Add New Settings/Load New Settings: Lets you upload an XML configuration file that configures the Print Environment settings such as Ink Set and Resolution list.
Resolution: Select the resolution for the driver. Select “User” to specify a custom resolution below the dropdown menu or choose from one of the predefined resolutions.
Output File Format: Select the file format that the Print Environment should output. The Adept driver supports JPG, PNG and BMP.

Genius

1C/4C/6C/8C/12C/RGB | Composite Contone | TIFF
The Genius is a Composite Contone driver able to output TIFF files. It is available as 1C/4C/6C/8C/12C/RGB and in different “Models” dictating the available printing width. You can set the Model of the driver either when creating the Print Environment or in General > Printer Model. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Compression: Sets the image compression mode for the output TIFF file.
Include Preview: Sets whether a BMP preview file should be created along with the output TIFF.
Add JobID: Adds the Job ID to the filename of the output TIFF.
Use Subfolder: Places the output TIFF in a subfolder of the output folder.
Print full Media width: Creates the output file using the full media width.
Allow BigTIFF file format: Creates the output file in BigTIFF format if necessary due to file size.
Filename mode: Select the desired Color Indicator Suffix for the output file name.

Paragon

16C | Composite Contone | TIFF | XML configuration capable
The Paragon is a Composite Contone driver able to output TIFF files. It allows up to 16C and 500cm printing width. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Add New Settings/Load New Settings: Lets you upload an XML configuration file that configures the Print Environment settings such as Ink Set and Resolution list.
Inkset: Sets the ink setup for the driver. The user uses the inkset defined in Printing Ink Assignment, while CMYK forces CMYK.
Resolution: Select the resolution for the driver. Select “User” to specify a custom resolution below the dropdown menu or choose from one of the predefined resolutions.
Compression: Sets the image compression mode for the output TIFF file.
Print full Media width: Creates the output file using the full media width.
Allow BigTIFF file format: Creates the output file in BigTIFF format if necessary due to file size.
Multiple files if data is larger than 4GB: Creates multiple output TIFF files if the size of a single file would exceed 4GB.

Prodigy

1C to 16C | Separated Halftone | TIFF | XML configuration capable
The Prodigy is a Separated Halftone driver able to output color-separated TIFF. It allows up to 16C and 500cm printing width. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Add New Settings/Load New Settings: Lets you upload an XML configuration file that configures the Print Environment settings such as Ink Set and Resolution list.
Inkset: Sets the ink setup for the driver. The user uses the inkset defined in Printing Ink Assignment, while CMYK forces CMYK.
Resolution: Select the resolution for the driver. Select “User” to specify a custom resolution below the dropdown menu or choose from one of the predefined resolutions.
Dot Sizes: Sets the number of dot sizes available in the halftone raster.
Compression: Sets the image compression mode for the output TIFF file.
Allow BigTIFF file format: Creates the output file in BigTIFF format if necessary due to file size.
Print full Media width: Creates the output file using the full media width.
Filename mode: Select the desired Color Indicator Suffix for the output file name.
Multiple files if data is larger than 4GB: Creates multiple output TIFF files if the size of a single file would exceed 4GB.

Savant

16C | Composite halftone | TIFF | XML configuration capable
The Savant is a Composite halftone driver able to output TIFF files. It allows up to 16C and 500cm printing width. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Add New Settings/Load New Settings: Lets you upload an XML configuration file that configures the Print Environment settings such as Ink Set and Resolution list.
Inkset: Sets the ink setup for the driver. The user uses the inkset defined in Printing Ink Assignment, while CMYK forces CMYK.
Resolution: Select the resolution for the driver. Select “User” to specify a custom resolution below the dropdown menu or choose from one of the predefined resolutions.
Dot Sizes: Sets the number of dot sizes available in the halftone raster.

Scholar

1C to 16C | Separated Contone | TIFF | XML configuration capable
The Scholar is a Separated Contone driver able to output color separated TIFF files. It allows up to 16C and 500cm printing width. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Add New Settings/Load New Settings: Lets you upload an XML configuration file that configures the Print Environment settings such as Ink Set and Resolution list.
Inkset: Sets the ink setup for the driver. The user uses the inkset defined in Printing Ink Assignment, while CMYK forces CMYK.
Resolution: Select the resolution for the driver. Select “User” to specify a custom resolution below the dropdown menu or choose from one of the predefined resolutions.
Bits per Pixel: Sets the number of bits per pixel in the contone raster.
Compression: Sets the image compression mode for the output TIFF file.
Allow BigTIFF file format: Creates the output file in BigTIFF format if necessary due to file size.
Print full Media width: Creates the output file using the full media width.
Filename mode: Select the desired Color Indicator Suffix for the output file name.
Multiple files if data is larger than 4GB: Creates multiple output TIFF files if the size of a single file would exceed 4GB.

Luminary

1C to 16C | Separated Contone | TIFF | XML configuration capable
The Scholar is a Separated Contone driver able to output color separated TIFF files. It allows up to 16C and 500cm printing width. To configure the file output, access the Device Options of the Print Environment:
Add New Settings/Load New Settings: Lets you upload an XML configuration file that configures the Print Environment settings such as Ink Set and Resolution list.
Inkset: Sets the ink setup for the driver. The user uses the inkset defined in Printing Ink Assignment while CMYK forces CMYK.
Resolution: Select the resolution for the driver. Select “User” to specify a custom resolution below the dropdown menu or choose from one of the predefined resolutions.
Ink Levels: Sets the number of ink levels/dot sizes that are used for the raster
Filename mode: Select the desired Color Indicator Suffix for the output file name.
Remove HotFolder Time Stamp: Removes the time stamp suffix added when processing image files using this driver in the HotFolder.