Harlequin RIP VSD User Guide

User Manual: VSD User Guide

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Harlequin RIP

™

ProofReady Plugin for
Epson Variable Size
Droplet Printers
Version 1.2r1
July 2004

Copyright and Trademarks
ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers
Version 1.2r1
Document issue 103
Part number: HQ-1.2.1-PROOFREADY-EPSONVSD
July 2004
Copyright © 1992–2004 Global Graphics Software Ltd.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of Global Graphics Software Ltd.
The information in this publication is provided for information only and is subject to change without notice.
Global Graphics Software Ltd and its affiliates assume no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage
that may arise from the use of any information in this publication. The software described in this book is furnished under license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of that license.
Harlequin is a registered trademark of Global Graphics Software Ltd.
The Global Graphics Software logo, the Harlequin at Heart Logo, Harlequin RIP, Harlequin ColorPro,
EasyTrap, FireWorks, FlatOut, Harlequin Color Management System, (HCMS), Harlequin Color Production
Solutions (HCPS), Harlequin Color Proofing (HCP), Harlequin Error Diffusion Screening Plugin 1-bit
(HEDS1), Harlequin Error Diffusion Screening Plugin 2-bit (HEDS2), Harlequin Full Color System (HFCS),
Harlequin ICC Profile Processor (HIPP), Harlequin Standard Color System (HSCS), Harlequin Chain
Screening (HCS), Harlequin Display List Technology (HDLT), Harlequin Dispersed Screening (HDS),
Harlequin Micro Screening (HMS), Harlequin Precision Screening (HPS), HQcrypt, Harlequin Screening
Library (HSL), ProofReady, Scalable Open Architecture (SOAR), SetGold, SetGoldPro, TrapMaster,
TrapWorks, TrapPro, TrapProLite and Harlequin Eclipse Release are all trademarks of Global Graphics
Software Ltd.
Protected by U.S. Patents 5,579,457; 5,808,622; 5,784,049; 5,862,253; 6,343,145; 6,330,072; 6,483,524; 6,380,951.
Other U.S. Patents Pending
Protected by European Patents 0 803 160; 0 772 934; 0 896 771.
Portions licensed under U.S. Patent No. 5,212,546; 4,941,038.
LZW licensed under U.S. Patent No.4,558,302 and foreign counterparts.
TrueType is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
Some bundled ICC profiles Copyright European Color Initiative, 2003. www.eci.org.
The two QUIZ profiles included with this Harlequin RIP are shipped with the kind permission of Ifra and
GretagMacbeth.
International Cooperation for Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress, CIP4, Job Definition
Format, JDF and the CIP4 logo are trademarks of CIP4.
Adobe, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Type Manager, Acrobat, Display PostScript, Adobe Illustrator, PostScript,
Distiller and PostScript 3 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in
the United States and/or other countries which may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

Global Graphics Software Ltd is a licensee of Pantone, Inc. PANTONE ® Colors generated by ScriptWorks are
four-color process simulations and may not match PANTONE-identified solid color standards. Consult current PANTONE Color Publications for accurate color. PANTONE ®, Hexachrome ®, and PANTONE
CALIBRATED™ are trademarks of Pantone, Inc. © Pantone, Inc., 1991.
Other brand or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.
US Government Use
Epson VSD ProofReady Plugin software is a computer software program developed at private expense and is subject to the following
Restricted Rights Legend: “Use, duplication, or disclosure by the United States Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in (i) FAR
52.227-14 Alt III or (ii) FAR 52.227-19, as applicable. Use by agencies of the Department of Defense (DOD) is subject to Global Graphics Software’s customary commercial license as contained in the accompanying license agreement, in accordance with DFAR 227.7202-1(a). For purposes of the FAR, the Software shall be deemed to be ‘unpublished’ and licensed with disclosure prohibitions, rights reserved under the
copyright laws of the United States.” Global Graphics Software Incorporated, 5875 Trinity Parkway, Suite 110, Centreville, VA 2012.

iii

Contents

1.1 Introduction 1
Plugin features 2
Biplane device type vs. 2-bit device type
1-bit device types 3

1.2 Installation procedure

2

4

System requirements 4
Using the Product Installer application 4
Enabling the Epson VSD plugin in the RIP 7
Allocating additional memory to the RIP 8
Printer connection 10
Notes on connections 11

1.3 Epson printer device types 11
Creating device types

1.4 Plugin Limitations

12

13

1.5 Creating page setups in the RIP

13

Creating a page setup in Eclipse Release RIPs 13
Creating a page setup in pre Eclipse Release RIPs 17

1.6 ProofReady profiles
Notes on the profiles

19
24

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iv

1.7 Profiles and ink types

25

Halftone screen selection

27

1.8 Device configuration 28
Output file naming 37
Content generating tags 38
Checking tags 39
Examples of tag usage 40
Post processing 45

1.9 Routine plugin use 48
Page Setup settings 48
Roaming page buffers 53

1.10 Color management
Calibrating the printer

54
54

1.11 Creating and installing ICC profiles

58

1.12 Creating a HIPP or ColorPro color setup 60
1.13 Using Harlequin Full Color System (HFCS)
1.14 Troubleshooting and tips

61

62

Printer-specific messages and symptoms 62
Messages for file name templates 73
Messages for post processing 75
Miscellaneous messages 76
Parallel port performance and reliability 78
Problems with passwords 78
Using Chain screening 79
Notes on the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 80
Notes on the Epson Stylus 4000 81
Patterning when not using color management 82
Sending files to a printer using Windows printer drivers 82
Calculating memory requirements for the Epson VSD plugin

83

1.15 Related documentation 88
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ProofReady Plugin for Epson
Variable Size Droplet Printers
1

Note to OEMs: This document is presented for inclusion in end-user
documentation, such as a manual based upon the
Harlequin RIP OEM Manual, or for use as a supplement
to that manual. You may wish to change the introduction to this document to suit the presentation you
choose. (Notes like this one are not meant for onward
publication to end-users. They give information of
interest only to staff at Global Graphics and its OEMs.)

1.1 Introduction
This document describes the Epson VSD printer plugin and is suitable for the
following Epson printers:
•

Stylus Pro 4000

•

Stylus Pro 5500

•

Stylus Pro 7600

•

Stylus Pro 9600

•

Stylus Pro 10000

•

Stylus Pro 10600

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

•

Stylus Photo 2200
™

Using Micro Piezo print head technology these printers deliver extremely
precise ink droplets to produce ultra-sharp resolution prints at high speeds.
Please refer to the Release Notes for the list of platforms on which the plugin
is supported.

1.1.1 Plugin features
The Epson VSD plugin has the following built in features:
•

Instant color management using color profiles

•

Delivers a wide range of print resolutions and output quality

•

Support for PhotoInk (CMYKcm) 6-color output and 7-color
(CMYKcmk) output (some models only)

•

Support for HEDS1 and HEDS2, Global Graphics’ advanced screening
technology

•

Preview of the screened output

The Epson VSD plugin is provided with pre-configured color setups and calibration profiles that enable instant color management—hence the name
ProofReady.

1.1.2 Biplane device type vs. 2-bit device type
The device type you select determines if the plugin implements two color
planes (a biplane device type) or expects 2-bit screening information from the
RIP (a 2-bit device type). When selecting a device in a Page Setup dialog box,
biplane devices include VSDbi in their name, for example, SP10000 VSDbi
Roll. Whereas 2-bit device types include VSD, for example, SP10000 VSD Roll.
Note also that the HEDS2 plugin must be installed and enabled to output
using the 2-bit device types, see “Installation procedure” on page 4 for details.
In particular HEDS2 must be available when sending output to the
Epson Stylus Pro 4000, 7600, 9600 and 10600, because there are currently no
biplane device types available for these printers.

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.1

Introduction

Note: If you try to use a 2-bit device type without installing and enabling the
HEDS2 plugin, the RIP may unexpectedly quit or freeze. We therefore recommend that you use the supplied installer and a password file, to ensure that
the plugin is correctly installed and enabled.

1.1.3 1-bit device types
A separate device type also exists for the Epson Stylus Pro 5500 and the Epson
Stylus Pro 4000 when outputting at a resolution of 360 x 360 dpi. This 1-bit
device type outputs using a fixed dot size, which is more suitable for these
printers at such a resolution. You can also use a 1-bit device type to output to
the Epson Stylus Pro 5500 at 2880 x 720 dpi. This 1-bit device type produces
faster prints, but we recommend that you use the equivalent 2-bit device type
as it produces higher quality output.
For the same reason, a separate device type exists for the Epson Stylus Pro
7600/9600 and the Epson Stylus Pro 4000 when outputting at a resolution of
2880 x 1440 dpi. This 1-bit device type outputs using a fixed dot size, which is
more suitable for these printers at such a resolution.
You can also use 1-bit device types to output to the Epson Stylus Pro
7600/9600 at 360 x 360 dpi. Similarly, these 1-bit device types produce faster
prints, but we recommend that you use the equivalent 2-bit devices types as
they produce higher quality output.
The names for such 1-bit device types refer to the output device and do not
include VSD or VSDbi in their label, for example SP7600 Sheet.
Note that must install and enable the HEDS1 (Harlequin 1-bit Error Diffusion
Screening) plugin or enable the use of HDS/HDS Light to output using the
1-bit device types. “Installation procedure” on page 4 describes how to install
the HEDS1 plugin, in case it is not automatically installed as part of the RIP.
See Section 1.2.3 for details on enabling the use of HEDS1 and HDS screening.
Note to OEMs: See Technical Note Hqn 046 for further details on how
to enable Harlequin 2-bit and 1-bit EDS (HEDS2 and
HEDS1) screening in version 5.5r1c or later of the RIP.

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.2 Installation procedure
Before installing the plugin, you should check that you meet the system
requirements listed in Section 1.2.1.

1.2.1 System requirements
Before installing the Epson VSD plugin, ensure your system has the following
requirements:
Harlequin RIP

Harlequin RIP 5.5r1c or later installed.

System memory

128 MB RAM.

Minimum disk space 1 GB (more if producing large format or high-resolution output).
Additional plugins

Enable ColorPro or HIPP to use the color profiles
supplied with the plugin. See, “ProofReady profiles” on page 19. Enable HEDS1 and/or HEDS2 to
use Global Graphics’ advanced screening
technology. Enable HDS or HDS Light to use
Harlequin Dispersed Screening technology.

•

For large format or high-resolution jobs, in the Configure RIP dialog
box, increase the Printer buffer setting to at least 20000 KB and Disk
space left for system to 20 MB.

•

On Mac OS 9.x, increase the setting for Minimum memory left for system
in Configure RIP to at least 30000 KB.

1.2.2 Using the Product Installer application
This procedure describes how to install the Epson VSD plugin with the
Product Installer application.
1. To start the installation procedure close the Harlequin RIP, if it is loaded.

4

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1.2

Installation procedure

2. Double-click the installer file (install-macos9, install-macosx,
install-linux or install.exe), to start the Product Installer application (Figure 1.1).

Figure 1.1 The Product Installer application

3. Check the destination folder matches the location of your RIP. If necessary click the Change Folder button to select the correct folder.
4. To install the Epson VSD plugin select the following options:
Package:

Optional Plugins, EpsonVSD121_HEDS211

Product:

Epson VSD Plugin, 1.2r1

5. Click Add to add the plugin to the list of products to install.

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

6. Many of the ProofReady profiles supplied with the Epson VSD plugin
require HEDS1 and HEDS2 screening to be available in the RIP. If your
RIP does not have these features installed, add them by selecting the following packages and products in the Product Installer:
Package:

Optional Plugins, EpsonVSD121_HEDS211

Product:

HEDS1, 2.1r1
HEDS2, 2.1r1

7. Click Add to add these items to the list of products to install.
8. When you are ready, click Install to copy the selected products from the
CD to the destination folder. Then click OK to close the Product Installer
application and restart the RIP.
Notice that as the RIP loads the following messages appear in the RIP monitor
window:
ProofReady - Epson VSD
Plugin Version 1.2r1 - Copyright (c) 2001-2004 Global
Graphics Software Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Harlequin Error Diffusion Screening 1-bit Plugin Version 2.1r1
- Copyright (c) 1998-2003 Global Graphics Software Limited. All
Rights Reserved.
Harlequin Error Diffusion Screening 2-bit Plugin Version 2.1r1
- Copyright (c) 1998-2003 Global Graphics Software Limited. All
Rights Reserved.

If you do not see these messages try reinstalling the plugin and check carefully
that the installation folder matches your RIP installation folder.
Before the printer can be used in a page setup you must enable the Epson
printer(s) in the RIP options, as described in “Enabling the Epson VSD plugin
in the RIP” on page 7.

6

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.2

Installation procedure

1.2.3 Enabling the Epson VSD plugin in the RIP
The newly installed Epson VSD plugin and screening options must be enabled
with a password before they become available in the RIP. Often your supplier
will provide you with a password file that contains all the passwords for the
relevant options. To use the password file, place it in
\HarlequinRIP\SW\Passwords\ and restart the RIP. If individual passwords
have been supplied you must enter them in the Configure RIP Extras dialog
box, as described next.
1. Start the Harlequin RIP and open the Configure RIP dialog box
(CTRL+R).
2. In the Configure RIP dialog box, click the Extras button to open the
Configure RIP Extras dialog box.
3. From the list of RIP extras, enable the following options by double-clicking the feature you wish to enable and entering the correct password:
Epson, Stylus Pro
 VSD

Enables the Epson printer for
use in page setups.

Harlequin ColorPro

Enables Harlequin ColorPro
color management, as used by
the ProofReady profiles supplied with the plugin. This
option is only available to the
Eclipse Release RIP.

HIPP

Enables HIPP color
management. This option is
only available for pre Eclipse
Release RIPs.

HEDS1

1-bit screening technology
used by the some of the supplied ProofReady profiles.

HEDS2

2-bit screening technology
used by the some of the supplied ProofReady profiles.

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

HDS or HDS Light

Enable HDS or HDS Light to
use VSDbi (biplane) device
types.

4. Click OK until all open dialog boxes are closed to finish enabling the new
RIP extras.

Figure 1.2 Epson printer and HEDS1 and HEDS2 enabled

1.2.4 Allocating additional memory to the RIP
For correct operation of the plugin you may need to allocate additional
memory to the RIP. If insufficient memory is available, the RIP will not be able
to process a job and may stop working altogether, requiring a restart.
The precise amount of memory required by the RIP to process a particular job
depends on the printer model, page size, output quality and the screening
method employed. For a detailed analysis of how much memory to allocate,
see “Calculating memory requirements for the Epson VSD plugin” on
page 83. Alternatively, enter, using the figures below as a guide, enter settings
for printer buffer, Some initial experimentation may therefore be necessary

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.2

Installation procedure

before the optimum memory settings for the RIP are found. However, as a
general guide we recommend setting the following options in the Configure
RIP Options dialog box (Figure 1.3).

Figure 1.3 The Configure RIP Options dialog box

Standard size pages or low/medium resolution jobs
•

Printer buffer: 20000 KB

•

Disk space left for system: 20 MB

•

Minimum memory left for system: 30000 KB

Large size pages or high resolution jobs
•

Printer buffer: 40000 KB

•

Disk space left for system: 20 MB

•

Minimum memory left for system: 30000 KB

HEDS1 and HEDS2 screening allocate extra memory as follows
•

Printer buffer: 50000 KB

•

Disk space left for system: 20 MB

•

Minimum memory left for system: 30000 KB

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

If cost is not an issue, we recommend adding extra memory to your RIP box
and increasing the memory allocation options accordingly. In general, the
more memory you can allocate to the RIP, the quicker your jobs will be processed and the more stable the RIP will be.

1.2.5 Printer connection
The following figure and table show the supported methods for connecting
Epson VSD printers to various platforms and interfaces. (Some printer interfaces are optional upgrades or available on a restricted range of Epson
models.)
Printer:

Ethernet

USB

Parallel

Firewire

JD

Computer:

Ethernet
(LPR protocol)

USB

Ethernet

Parallel

A

B

C

D

FireWire

E

Key:
JD JetDirect Unit

Figure 1.4 Printer connection methods

10000/10600

10

5500

7600/9600

2200

4000

Windows ME

A, B, (C), D, E

(A), B, (C), D, (E)

(A), B, (C), D, (E)

B, D, E

A, B, E

Windows NT

A, (C), D, E

(A), (C), D, (E)

(A), (C), D, (E)

B, D, E

A, E

Windows 2000

A, B, (C), D, E

(A), B, (C), D, (E)

(A), B, (C), D, (E)

B, D, E

A, B, E

Windows XP

A, B, (C), D, E

(A), B, (C), D, (E)

(A), B, (C), D, (E)

B, D, E

A, B, E

Mac 9.x

A, B, (C)

(A), B, (C)

(A), B, (C)

B

A, B

Mac OS X

A, B, (C)

(A), B, (C)

(A), B, (C)

B,

A, B

Linux

A

(A)

(A)

A

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.3

Epson printer device types

Letters in brackets indicate the printer interface is optional or the connection
requires additional software to be installed. For example, an internal 10/100
Base-T type B Ethernet card is optional on the Epson Stylus Pro 7600.

1.2.6 Notes on connections
When connecting the Epson printer to your computer, the following notes
may prove useful:
•

When connecting via a parallel printer port on a PC, ensure the parallel
port is set to “Bidirectional” in the system BIOS. Consult your PC
manual for details about accessing and setting the BIOS. If you have any
problems using the parallel port, refer to page 72 and page 78 of the
“Troubleshooting and tips” section.

•

When connecting to Mac OS X via USB, ensure the printer has cycled
through its initialization routine before starting the RIP. LCD-equipped
printers should show “Ready”, and non-LCD printers should have their
“Operate” or “Ready” light on steady (not flashing).

•

USB to parallel is also supported on Mac OS X, although so far this has
currently only been tested using Epson’s own cable (Epson USB
Adapter ISO USB Smart Cable ISD-103).

•

When using a USB connection on the Macintosh it has been found that a
conflict can occur with the 'Internal V90 Modem' Extension. This can
cause communications errors and system lockups during printing.
Disabling this extension can resolve these problems.

1.3 Epson printer device types
Each Epson printer is supplied with a selection of device types. For example,
the Epson 4000 VSD printer has four devices: SP4000 Roll, SP4000 Sheet,
SP4000 VSD Roll and SP4000 VSD Sheet. The device you select establishes
which ProofReady profiles are available to the RIP, which in turn determines
the media type and resolution the output is optimized for.

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

The first time you enable an Epson VSD printer all supported device types for
that printer are made available in the Device Manager and in the Device menu
in the Page Setup dialog box. However, if you enable another Epson VSD
printer you must manually create the device types, as described next.

1.3.1 Creating device types
Roll-fed devices and sheet-fed devices are distinguished by the inclusion of a
suffix; either Roll or Sheet . The VSDbi suffix indicates that the device type
uses two colorant planes to achieve the variable size dot effect (a biplane device
type), and the VSD suffix indicates that the device type expects 2-bit screening
information from the RIP (a 2-bit device type), as described in the “Introduction” on page 1.
Device types that do not include either a VSD or VSDbi suffix are 1-bit device
types that use a fixed dot size to produce more suitable output for some of the
printers at particular resolutions. For example, a 1-bit device type is used
when printing to the Epson Stylus Pro 7600/9600 devices at a resolution of
2880 x 1440 dpi to help prevent overinking.
If the Device menu in the Page Setup dialog box does not contain the device
that you require, you must use the Device Manager to create such a device:
1. Use the menu option Harlequin RIP > Device Manager to open the Device
Manager. Alternatively, click the Device Manager icon next to the Device
menu in the Page Setup dialog box.
2. Depending on your platform, choose either epsonvsd.i32 or epsonvsd
from the Plugin menu and click New.
Choose the device type you require from the Type menu in the Device
Manager Edit dialog box and enter a name for the device in the Name
text box. If you use the same name as the device type, it must match the
use of uppercase and lowercase letters. Otherwise an error will appear
when using a page setup with this device type, as described on page 76.
3. Click OK. The device will be listed in the Device Manager and become
available for selection in the Page Setup dialog box.
You can now create a page setup using the device, as described on page 13.

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.4

Plugin Limitations

1.4 Plugin Limitations
The ProofReady plugin generates an output color format that the printer can
accept. This format is either 6-color or 7-color PhotoInk composite and is
screened using one of several screening options.
The 6-color and 7-color PhotoInk formats impose the following restrictions:
•

No use of trapping using EasyTrap and no use of trapping in Eclipse
Release RIPs when using PhotoInk formats. You must use TrapWorks
5.5r0 to trap PhotoInk formats. Note that TrapWorks and TrapPro treat
light inks as separate colors rather than creating a single trap for all inks
of the same color. For example, Cyan and Cyan light are trapped
separately.

•

EDS, Error Diffusing Screening is currently not supported on Mac OS X.
However, HEDS1 (1-bit Harlequin Error Diffusing Screening) and
HEDS2 (2-bit Harlequin Error Diffusing Screening) are both supported.

1.5 Creating page setups in the RIP
The procedure for creating a page setup that includes color management differs according to the RIP version you are using. “Creating a page setup in pre
Eclipse Release RIPs” on page 17 describes the procedure for supported pre
Eclipse Release RIPs. The following instructions are for Eclipse Release RIPs
and later.

1.5.1 Creating a page setup in Eclipse Release RIPs
To create a ProofReady page setup in the Eclipse Release or later of the
Harlequin RIP, you simply need to select a ProofReady profile, as described in
the procedure below.

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

For each numbered step of the procedure the corresponding numbers in
Figure 1.5 highlight where choices are made in the New Page Setup dialog
box.
1
2
3
4
6
5

7

8
9

Figure 1.5 Creating a page setup in Eclipse Release or later RIPs

➀
➁

Open the Page Setup Manager and click New.
Choose the device required from the Device menu.
Note: If the device you require is not in the Device menu, see “Creating
device types” on page 12.

➂

14

Click Configure device to modify configuration settings as desired. See
“Device configuration” on page 28 for details.

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

1.5

Creating page setups in the RIP

If using a supplied profile choose the Enhanced Microweave option from
the Quality menu, because the supplied profiles were created using this
setting.

➃

Choose a profile from the ProofReady menu that matches the currently
selected ink/paper type. The correct resolution for the profile is automatically selected and should not be changed.
For example, (Ucm Enhanced Matte 720) is a profile for Epson
Enhanced Matte Paper based on a resolution of 720 x 720 dpi using
UltraChrome inks. See “ProofReady profiles” on page 19 for a full list of
supplied profiles.
™

Note: When you select a ProofReady profile, a default (ProofReady)
color setup is automatically selected in the Color menu. Choose (None)
from the ProofReady menu if you wish to use a ColorPro color setup that
you have created, as described in “Creating a HIPP or ColorPro color
setup” on page 60.

➄

Choose a Separations, Screening and Color option from the Style menu.
There is usually just one option available, which suits the style required
by your output device.

➅

If using a biplane device type, check in the Edit Style dialog box that
screening is set to its default value of HDS Super Fine.
Otherwise skip to step➆.
To open the Edit Style
dialog box, click the
Separations Manager
icon. Click Edit in the
Separations Manager and
check the screening
option in the Dot shape
menu. Click OK twice to
return to the Page Setup
dialog box.

➆

Choose (None) from the Calibration menu.
Note: Selecting a ProofReady profile includes a default calibration
profile. For optimum results you can choose a calibration set that has

ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

been generated for the actual printer rather than for a reference printer.
See “Calibrating the printer” on page 54 for details.

➇

Click Page Layout to specify the positioning of the page, using the
margin and centering controls.
Note: If you are using a sheet-fed device, you must refer to details on
how to control top and bottom margins provided in the Page Layout section on page 51.

➈

Click Save As and enter a page setup name in the Save As text box. Click
Save in the Save Setup dialog box and then OK in the Page Setup
Manager.

You can now use this page setup when printing to produce color managed
output.
Note: When printing on a sheet or roll-fed device the paper source must
match the paper source setting on the front of the printer. Otherwise, if a
printer is loaded with a roll of paper but the paper source is set to sheet the
printer may treat the roll as if it were a single sheet. When printing, the printer
then attempts to feed to the end of the roll.

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1.5

Creating page setups in the RIP

1.5.2 Creating a page setup in pre Eclipse Release RIPs
This section describes how to create a page setup that includes color management in supported pre Eclipse Release RIPs.
For each numbered step of the procedure the corresponding numbers in
Figure 1.6 highlight where choices are made in the New Page Setup dialog
box.
1
2

4

3
6
5
7

8

9

10

Figure 1.6 Creating a page setup in pre Eclipse Release RIPs

➀
➁

Open the Page Setup Manager and click New.
Choose the device required from the Device menu.
Note: If the device you require is not in the Device menu, see “Creating
device types” on page 12.

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➂

Click Configure device to modify configuration settings as desired. See
“Device configuration” on page 28 for details.
If using a supplied calibration profile choose the Enhanced Microweave
option from the Quality menu, because the profiles were created using
this setting.

➃

Choose the desired resolution from the Vertical menu. This sets the
Horizontal resolution to be the same. For example, if you choose
1440 x 1440, this is set to 1440 x 720 when your file is processed. See
page 50 for details.

➄

Choose a Separations, Screening and Color option from the Style menu.
There is usually just one option available, which suits the style required
by your output device.

➅

If using a biplane device type, check in the Edit Style dialog box that
screening is set to its default value of HDS Super Fine.
Otherwise skip to step ➆.
To open the Edit Style
dialog box, click the
Separations Manager
icon. Click Edit in the
Separations Manager and
check the screening
option in the Dot shape
menu. Click OK twice to
return to the Page Setup
dialog box.

➆

Choose (None) from the Color menu.
Note: Selecting a calibration profile or calibration set includes a default
color setup. You can choose an option from the Color menu if you wish
to use a color setup that you have previously created. See “Creating a
HIPP or ColorPro color setup” on page 60 for details.

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➇

ProofReady profiles

Choose a profile from the Calibration menu that matches the currently
selected ink/paper type and resolution (as specified in step ➃).
For example, (Ucm Enhanced Matte 720) is a profile for Epson
Enhanced Matte Paper based on a resolution of 720 x 720 dpi using
UltraChrome inks. See “ProofReady profiles” on page 19 for a full list of
supplied profiles.
™

For optimum results you can choose a calibration set that has been generated for the actual printer rather than for a reference printer. See
“Calibrating the printer” on page 54 for details.

➈

Click Page Layout to specify the positioning of the page, using the
margin and centering controls.
Note: If you are using a sheet-fed device, you must refer to details on
how to control top and bottom margins provided in the Page Layout section on page 51.

➉

Click Save As and enter a page setup name in the Save As text box. Click
Save in the Save Setup dialog box and then OK in the Page Setup
Manager.

You can use this page setup when printing to produce color managed output.
Note: When printing on a sheet or roll-fed device the paper source must
match the paper source setting on the front of the printer. Otherwise, if a
printer is loaded with a roll of paper but the paper source is set to sheet the
printer may treat the roll as if it were a single sheet. When printing, the printer
then attempts to feed to the end of the roll.

1.6 ProofReady profiles
Instant output color management is provided in the Eclipse Release RIP with
the inclusion of ProofReady profiles. Each ProofReady profile has been developed by Harlequin RIP color specialists to produce the most natural and vivid
colors possible when used with a particular paper type.

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To use a profile, open the Page Setup window and choose an appropriate
device from the Device list and profile from the ProofReady list, as shown in
Figure 1.7.
Device list

ProofReady
profiles

Figure 1.7 Availability of ProofReady profiles in Eclipse Release RIPs

Table 1.1 lists the ProofReady profiles supplied with the Epson VSD plugin
and shows the screening method used to create each profile. OEMs wishing to
use screens other than HDS SuperFine, HEDS1 or HEDS2, as appropriate,
must make their own profiles.
Table 1.1 Epson VSD ProofReady profiles
ProofReady Profile
(Device name)

Paper (part no.)

Screening

Premium Gloss (S041286)

HEDS2

Premium Semi-Gloss
(S041331)

HEDS2

(SP2200 VSD)

MkLk Enhanced Matte 720/1440

Enhanced Matte (S041341)

HEDS2

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (SO41725)

HDS Super Fine

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper 250g
(SO41315)

HDS Super Fine

(SP4000)

Enhanced Matte 720/1440

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (SO41725)

HEDS2

Epson 2200
Premium Glossy 720/1440
(SP2200 VSD)

Premium SemiGloss 720/1440

(SP2200 VSD)

Epson 4000
Enhanced Matte 360
(SP4000)

Premium Glossy 250g 2880

(SP4000 VSD)

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ProofReady profiles

Table 1.1 Epson VSD ProofReady profiles (continued)
ProofReady Profile
(Device name)

Paper (part no.)

Screening

Mitsu PRN Newsprint 720

Mitsubishi Newsprint

HEDS2

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper 250g
(SO41315)

HEDS2

Epson Premium Luster
Photo Paper 250g
(S041737)

HEDS2

(SP4000 VSD)

SemiMatte Proof 720/1440

Epson Proofing Paper SemiMatte (SO41724)

HEDS2

Epson Proofing Paper SemiMatte (SO41724)

HEDS2

Epson Archival Matte Paper
(SO41339)

HDS Super Fine

Epson Premium Semigloss
Photo Paper (SO41327)

HDS Super Fine

Epson Professional Glossy
Paper (SO41430)

HDS Super Fine

Epson Archival Matte Paper
(SO41340)

HEDS2

Epson Premium SemiGloss
Photo Paper (S041328)

HEDS2

Epson Professional Glossy
Paper (SO41457)

HEDS2

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS1

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper (250)
(S041638)

HDS Super Fine

(SP7600)

Ucm Glossy Photo Wt 2880

Epson Glossy Paper Photo
Weight (S041388)

HEDS1

(SP4000 VSD)

Premium Glossy 250g 720/1440
(SP4000 VSD)

Premium Luster 250g 720

(SP4000 VSD)

SWOP-cert SemiMatte Proof
(SP4000 VSD) See “Notes on the profiles” below.

Epson 5500
Archival Matte 720
(SP5500 VSDbi)

Premium SemiGloss 720
(SP5500 VSDbi)

Pro Glossy 720
(SP5500 VSDbi)

Archival Matte 720/1440
(SP5500 VSD)

Premium SemiGloss 720/1440
(SP5500 VSD)

Pro Glossy 720/1440
(SP5500 VSD)

Epson 7600
Ucm Enhanced Matte 2880
(SP7600)

Ucm Premium Glossy 250g 2880

(SP7600)

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Table 1.1 Epson VSD ProofReady profiles (continued)
ProofReady Profile
(Device name)

Paper (part no.)

Screening

Ucm SemiMatte Proof 2880

Epson SemiMatte Proofing
Paper (S041658)

HEDS1

Epson Glossy Hvy Wt
(S041291)

HEDS2

Epson Presentation Matte
(S041295)

HEDS2

Epson Semi-Gloss Hy Wt
(S041292)

HEDS2

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS2

Epson Glossy Paper Photo
Weight (SO41388)

HEDS2

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper (250)
(S041638)

HEDS2

Epson SemiMatte Proofing
Paper (S041658)

HEDS2

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS1

Epson Glossy Paper Photo
Weight S041388

HEDS1

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper (250)
(S041638)

HDS Super Fine

(SP9600)

Ucm SemiMatte Proof 2880

Epson SemiMatte Proofing
Paper S041658

HEDS1

Epson Glossy Hvy Wt
(S041291)

HEDS2

Epson Presentation Matte
(S041295)

HEDS2

Epson Semi-Gloss Hy Wt
(S041292)

HEDS2

(SP7600)

Dye Glossy Paper Hvy 720
(SP7600 VSD)

Dye Pres Matte 720
(SP7600 VSD)

Dye SemiGloss Hvy 720
(SP7600 VSD)

Ucm Enhanced Matte 720/1440
(SP7600 VSD)

Ucm Glossy Photo Wt 720
(SP7600 VSD)

Ucm Premium Glossy 250g
720/1440
(SP7600 VSD)

Ucm SemiMatte Proof 720/1440
(SP7600 VSD)

Epson 9600
Ucm Enhanced Matte 2880
(SP9600)

Ucm Glossy Photo Wt 2880
(SP9600)

Ucm Premium Glossy 250g 2880

(SP9600)

Dye Glossy Paper Hvy 720
(SP9600 VSD)

Dye Pres Matte 720
(SP9600 VSD)

Dye SemiGloss Hvy 720
(SP9600 VSD)

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ProofReady profiles

Table 1.1 Epson VSD ProofReady profiles (continued)
ProofReady Profile
(Device name)

Paper (part no.)

Screening

Ucm Enhanced Matte 720/1440

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS2

Epson Glossy Paper Photo
Weight (S041388)

HEDS2

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper (250)
(S041638)

HEDS2

Epson SemiMatte Proofing
Paper (S041658)

HEDS2

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS2

Epson Premium SemiGloss
Photo Paper (S041393)

HEDS2

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper (S041390)

HEDS2

Epson Glossy Paper Heavy
Weight (S041291)

HEDS2

Epson Presentation Matte
Paper (SO41295)

HEDS2

Epson SemiGloss Paper
Heavy Weight (S041292)

HEDS2

(SP10000 VSD)

Dye Glossy Photo 360/720/1440

Epson Glossy Photo Paper

HDS Super Fine

Epson Presentation Matte

HDS Super Fine

Epson Semigloss Photo
Paper

HDS Super Fine

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS2

(SP9600 VSD)

Ucm Glossy Photo Wt 720
(SP9600 VSD)

Ucm Premium Glossy 250g
720/1440
(SP9600 VSD)

Ucm SemiMatte Proof 720/1440
(SP9600 VSD)

Epson 10000
Arc Enhanced Matte 720/1440
(SP10000 VSD)

Arc Prem SemiGloss 720/1440
(SP10000 VSD)

Arc Premium Glossy 720/1440
(SP10000 VSD)

Dye Glossy Paper Hvy 720/1440
(SP10000 VSD)

Dye Pres Matte 720/1440
(SP10000 VSD)

Dye SemiGloss Hvy 720/1440

(SP10000 VSDbi)

Dye Pres Matte 720
(SP10000 VSDbi)

Dye Semigloss 720
(SP10000 VSDbi)

Epson 10600
Arc Enhanced Matte 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

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Table 1.1 Epson VSD ProofReady profiles (continued)
ProofReady Profile
(Device name)

Paper (part no.)

Screening

Arc Prem SemiGloss 720/1440

Epson Premium SemiGloss
Photo Paper (S041393)

HEDS2

Epson Premium Glossy
Photo Paper (S041390)

HEDS2

Epson Glossy Paper Heavy
Weight (S041291)

HEDS2

Epson Presentation Matte
Paper (SO41295)

HEDS2

Epson SemiGloss Paper
Heavy Weight (S041292)

HEDS2

Epson Enhanced Matte
Paper (S041595)

HEDS2

Epson Glossy Paper Photo
Weight (S041388)

HEDS2

Epson SemiMatte Proofing
Paper (S041658)

HEDS2

(SP10600 VSD)

Arc Premium Glossy 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

Dye Glossy Paper Hvy 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

Dye Pres Matte 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

Dye SemiGloss Hvy 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

Ucm Enhanced Matte 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

Ucm Glossy Photo Wt 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

Ucm SemiMatte Proof 720/1440
(SP10600 VSD)

See “Halftone screen selection” on page 27 for details on screen sets. If you
need to use the printer in another configuration, you must obtain your own
calibration and color profiles.

1.6.1 Notes on the profiles
The following notes are applicable for the Epson VSD profiles:
•

24

The SWOP-cert SemiMatte Proof profile for the Epson 4000 is based
upon the SWOP (CGATS TR001) data set, and was made by measuring
the IT8 color target over a black background, since this is how the
CGATS TR001 data set was prepared. For this reason, proofs printed
using this profile should be measured or viewed with the print placed
on a black background. (When calibrating the printer for this profile,
however, the calibration target should still be measured over white.)

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1.7

•

Profiles and ink types

Some paper types are named differently in different markets. The UK:
and US: prefixes in the Paper Type column show where these differences
are known.

1.7 Profiles and ink types
Epson VSD printers use a variety of ink types, with some models supporting
more than one type. The major types are Photographic Dye, Archival
(ColorFast) and UltraChrome. Some UltraChrome printers also support the
use of different types or combination of Black inks.
If your printer is one that provides a choice of ink type, the type or combination your printer is using should be selected in the Ink Type menu from one of:
Dye ink

Photographic Dye

Archival (pigment) ink

Archival/ColorFast

UltraChrome ink

UltraChrome, using the default or only
variation. The default, unless otherwise stated,
is Photo Black for single-black devices, Photo
Black with Light Black for dual-black devices.

UltraChrome
(PhotoK+LightK)

UltraChrome using Photo Black with Light
Black

UltraChrome
(MatteK+LightK)

UltraChrome using Matte Black with Light
Black

UltraChrome (MatteK*2)

UltraChrome using 2 Matte Blacks

UltraChrome (PhotoK)

UltraChrome using Photo Black on its own

UltraChrome (MatteK)

UltraChrome using Matte Black on its own.

The exact list of options is device dependent, see “Device configuration” on
page 28 for more information.
ProofReady profiles supplied by Global Graphics use a prefix to the profile
name to differentiate, for printers supporting more than one type of ink, the
ink type selection which must be used for the profile.
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The prefixes for devices supporting more than one major ink type are:
Arc

Archival (pigment) ink

Dye

Dye ink

Ucm

UltraChrome (PhotoK) or UltraChrome
(PhotoK+LightK)

UcmMkLK

UltraChrome (MatteK+LightK)

UcmMk

UltraChrome (MatteK) or UltraChrome
(MatteK*2) for dual-black printers.

For example:
Arc Enhanced Matte 720
Dye Pres Matte 720
Ucm Prem SemiGloss 720

The prefixes for devices only supporting UltraChrome ink (such as the Stylus
Photo 2200) are:
MkLk

UltraChrome (MatteK+LightK)

Mk

UltraChrome (MatteK) or UltraChrome
(MatteK*2) for dual-black printers

For example:
Premium Glossy 720
MkLk Enhanced Matte 720

Most professional series printers will reject a job (see "Command error..."
error message, as documented in “Printer-specific messages and symptoms”
on page 62) if the ink type used when the job was processed by the RIP does
not match the inks loaded in the printer. The plugin also tries to query the ink
type where possible, in order to avoid sending a job of the wrong type to the
printer (see “The selected ink type is incorrect...” “Printer-specific
messages and symptoms” on page 62).

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1.7

Profiles and ink types

Warning: The Stylus Photo 2200 however does not inform the plugin of the
ink combination in use and does not reject jobs with the wrong ink type.

1.7.1 Halftone screen selection
The Epson 5500 and 10000/10600 print using six inks, for which the RIP supplies density values by conversion from CMYK. As well as the conventional
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks, there are Light Cyan and Light
Magenta inks. Similarly, the Epson Stylus Pro 7600/9600 and the Epson Stylus
Pro 4000 print using 7 inks, which include Light Cyan, Light Magenta and
Light Black. The light inks produce improved highlight rendition.
The RIP supplies a set of screens specially designed for use with six or seven
inks. Each of these halftone screens ensures that the total ink coverage is limited to a maximum of 400%. These halftone screens are:
HEDS2

This is one of the in-RIP EDS screens used to produce
the supplied profiles for 2-bit device types. It produces
the highest quality output for inkjet printers. To use this
screen, the HEDS2 screening plugin must be installed
and enabled, as described in “Installation procedure”
on page 4.

HEDS1

This is one of the in-RIP EDS screens used to produce
the supplied profiles for 1-bit device types. It produces
the highest quality output for inkjet printers. To use this
screen, the HEDS1 screening plugin must be installed
and enabled, as described in “Installation procedure”
on page 4.

HDS Super Fine
This is one of the screens used to produce the supplied
profiles for biplane device types. If using a supplied
profile based on this screen, ensure that this option is
selected from the Edit Style dialog box accessed from
the Separations Manager. This screen is only available
for use with biplane or 1-bit device types.

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HDS Fine

This is an alternative to HDS Super Fine, producing a
coarser screen than HDS Super Fine. This screen is only
available for use with biplane or 1-bit device types.

HDS Medium
HDS Coarse
HDS Super Coarse
The Medium, Coarse, and Super Coarse variants of
HDS are only recommended as special effects screens.
These screens are only available for use with biplane or
1-bit device types.
Chain

See “Using Chain screening” on page 79 for details of
recommended settings when using Chain screening.
This screen is only available for use with biplane or 1bit device types.

Refer to the Harlequin RIP OEM Manual for further details of screens supplied
with the RIP.

1.8 Device configuration
Device options are accessible from the Configuration Device dialog box,
shown in Figure 1.8. To access this window, click Configure device in a page
setup screen.

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1.8

Device configuration

Figure 1.8 Epson VSD Configuration dialog box

The options in Configure Device are as follows:
Output method

This option should be set to match your connection interface, or to File
if outputting to disk. The options that appear in the list depend upon the
operating system you are using and the port types it supports.
If you choose Network, specify the IP address and port number in the
Network Output settings. If you choose File, in the File Output settings
specify an output location and a file naming template.
For Windows platforms the standard options are: Network, File, and
LPT1.
Any local Epson printers containing the word Epson (not case-sensitive)
as part of their name, will also appear in this menu, with the SPL: prefix.
Choosing this option will use the Windows printer spooler and the
Epson printer driver to send the plugin data to the printer. This output
method can be used to drive the printer via mechanisms not supported
directly by the plugin.
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Note that on Windows ME/98, the names of network printers may also
appear. This is because Windows ME/98 drive network printers via the
local print provider. We recommend that you disable print spooling,
otherwise the Epson driver will copy the output to file first, which is
unnecessary and can require gigabytes of disk space. The mechanism for
disabling is dependent on the Windows driver. If necessary, refer to your
systems administrator for further assistance.
On Mac OS 9.x the standard options are: Network, File, Port: Printer
and Port: Modem, and on Mac OS X they are: Network and File.
On all platforms you will see an extra entry, prefixed with USB: if you
are driving an output device with a USB port. When using a USB port on
Mac 9.x, the USB option may not appear in this list if you connect to the
device after starting the RIP. If this happens, re-start the RIP. The USB
option should become available. If you have two or more Epson printers
connected to a Mac OS X machine via USB, the plugin differentiates
between them in the Output Method list by adding a numbered prefix to
the printer description, for example USB: #2 Epson Stylus Pro 1000.
File Output: Change

The text box alongside this button shows the location where the plugin
will produce the output file.
Note to OEMs: The file produced is not directly usable on Mac OS 9.x
computers. If you transfer the file to a Windows
platform, you can then use Windows printer services.
The initial folder is the SW folder, which is a subfolder of the RIP application folder. Click the Change button to display the Select Folder dialog
box where you can navigate to and select any folder visible to the computer running the RIP. Alternatively, on Windows only, you can edit the
text if you know the exact location of an existing folder.
Note: You can send files to a printer using Windows print spooling by
installing Windows printer drivers on a PC print server, and by entering
the name of the print server in this text box. See “Sending files to a printer
using Windows printer drivers” on page 82 for full details.

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1.8

Device configuration

File Output: File template

The text box alongside this button shows the file name template used to
name an output file. (This file is suitable for sending directly to the
printer.)
The default file name template is out<5unique>epf . This
template produces a file name that is cross platform (8.3 file name) and
suitable for multi-page jobs. It produces file names of the format
out00001.epf, out00002.epf and so on. See “Output file naming” on
page 37 for details on creating a file name template.
Note: You can send files to a printer using Windows print spooling by
installing Windows printer drivers on a PC print server, and by entering
the name of the printer in this text box. See “Sending files to a printer
using Windows printer drivers” on page 82 for full details.
Network Output: IP address

This text box shows the network address of the print server. This address
is a configurable property of a JetDirect unit or similar device. Enter the
network address of the print server that you are using. If your network
supports the use of names, you can enter a name and this will be
resolved to the IP address.
Network Output: Port Number

The text box alongside this button shows the number of the port you
wish to use. If you have installed a 10/100 Base-T type B Ethernet card
the Port Number should be set to 515, unless you are using an Epson
10/100 Base TX Internal Print Server 2 interface card (C12C823914), or
later, in which case you can set it to 9100, for bidirectional
communication.
If sending output to a single printer using a JetDirect unit the Port
Number must be set to 9100.

Some print servers can drive several printers simultaneously and the
different physical connections or ports have their own numbers (which
may vary with the type of server). For example, on a JetDirect unit with
three output ports, the physical ports named 1, 2, and 3 have port
numbers 9100, 9101, and 9102 respectively.
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The RIP supports the use of another printer connected to the same print
server. For example, two computers running the RIP and driving the
same print server can address any compatible printer connected to that
server.
Inks and Media: Media Type

Choose the media type that matches the media installed in your printer.
Media for use with Archival inks appears with a (Arc) prefix. Media
for use with Photographic Dye inks appears with a (Dye) prefix. Media
for use with UltraChrome inks appears with a (Ucm) prefix.
™

™

™

You must choose the correct media type because this determines which
inking regimes and media optimizations are used. For example,
choosing the correct media type ensures the correct adjustment for
media movement. Although, when using the
Epson Stylus Pro 10600/9600/7600/4000, you can “fine tune” the
adjustment for media movement using the Paper Feed Adjustment Offset
option, described below.
Note: The Media Type and Ink Type settings required by supplied profiles
are known to the plugin and these settings override any settings you
may have changed. This is to ensure correct color management.
Note to OEMs: For each of the supplied profiles located in the relevant
device folder within SW\Devices\epsonvsd\Profiles ,
an extra file of exactly the same name has been added to
the ProfileHooks folder (also within the epsonvsd
folder), which ensures that the ink and media types are
forced to be those required by the profile. We encourage
you to do the same when you create your own profiles.
This means for example, that if a user selects a
Photographic Dye ink profile when outputting to an
UltraChrome device, the job will fail. In this case, either
the plugin detects that the wrong ink is in the printer, or
™

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1.8

Device configuration

the printer generates the "Command error..." error
message, as documented in “Printer-specific messages
and symptoms” on page 62.
In the absence of a hook for a profile, if the ink or media
type are not those required by the profile, the results
will be less color accurate.
Inks and Media: Ink Type

Choose the ink type installed in your device. You must choose the correct ink type, otherwise an error message will be generated and you will
not be able to print (except on the Stylus Photo 2200, which is unable to
recognize when an incorrect ink type is selected). When using the Epson
Stylus Pro 5500, the Archival (pigment) ink option is automatically
selected and cannot be changed because this printer only supports pigment-based ink sets.
The options for the Epson Stylus Pro 10600 include
UltraChrome (PhotoK) and UltraChrome (MatteK), which correspond
to the two black ink modes available when using an UltraChrome ink
set with this device: Photo Black mode (optimized for photographic and
ink jet coated media types) and Matte Black mode (optimized for matte or
plain media).
™

The options for the Epson Stylus Pro 7600/9600 include
UltraChrome (PhotoK+LightK), UltraChrome (MatteK+LightK), and
UltraChrome (MatteK*2) , which correspond to the three black ink
modes available when using an UltraChrome ink set with this device:
Photo Black mode (optimized for photographic and ink jet coated media
types); Matte Black mode (optimized for matte or plain media, where
quality is favored over print speed); and Dual Matte Black mode
(optimized for matte or plain media, where print speed is favored over
quality).
™

The Media Type and Ink Type settings required by supplied profiles are
known to the plugin and these settings override any settings you may
have changed. This is to ensure correct color management.
For example, if you change the Ink Type from UltraChrome to Dye, and
use a supplied profile for an UltraChrome device, the Ink Type will be
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changed back to UltraChrome by the plugin. To check which settings are
used when outputting a job, you can open the Configure Device dialog
box from within the Output Controller.
Paper Feed Adjustment Offset

This option is currently only available when using the
Stylus Pro 10600/9600/7600/4000 (firmware feature).
Enter a value in the range between -70 and +70 to control the rate of feed
of the paper for your particular printer. The default value is 0. Positive
values increase the rate of feed to reduce dark banding. Negative values
decrease the rate of feed to reduce white banding.
Quality

The options that appear in this menu are methods of driving the printer,
which offer combinations of speed and image quality which may
depend on the printer’s capabilities.
If using supplied calibration sets and profiles it is recommended that
you use the Enhanced Microweave option, otherwise choose according to
the following criteria:
Choose Enhanced Microweave when you need optimum quality and are
prepared to wait longer for the printed image.
Choose Faster Microweave if you want fast output and color quality is
not a high priority. For example, you should use this mode when producing positioning proofs.
Choose Standard Microweave if you wish to compromise between
speed and quality of output.
Choose Printer Microweave if you wish to send raw data to the printer
and use the printer’s own internal microweaving. This requires potentially less data to be sent to the printer, which may reduce print times,
but may also result in more banding than the Standard Microweave or
Enhanced Microweave options.
Compression mode

The options that appear in this menu are methods of coding the data
sent to the printer.
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Device configuration

None sends the data uncompressed, so the data size is always a predict-

able value though sometimes larger than it need be.
Run Length performs a lossless compression that enables the exact data

to be recreated. For many images, using Run Length will reduce the size
of the data and the time taken to transmit it. For some very complex
pages containing large areas of fine detail, it may take longer to send a
page coded with Run Length than to send the same page coded with
None.
Paper Size

This menu appears in versions of the RIP prior to the Eclipse Release. To
specify your paper size in the Eclipse Release or later of the Harlequin
RIP, you must use the controls in the Page Layout dialog box, as
described on page 51.
The options that appear in this menu are the sizes of paper supported by
the plugin and the printer, as well as the option to create a custom paper
size. There is a small unimageable margin around the edge of all media,
which varies according to the printer model and media size. Refer to
your printer documentation for details.
The standard paper sizes are also available as transverse paper sizes, for
example A4 Transverse. The dimensions of these paper sizes are
reversed, which means that you must choose a transverse paper size if
you have installed the paper in your printer in a landscape orientation.
Landscape is the long edge of the paper leading into the printer and portrait is the short edge of the paper leading into the printer.
You can create a custom paper size by selecting the Page Layout media
size option from this menu and specifying the dimensions of the paper
size in the Page Layout dialog box. To open this dialog box, click
Page layout in the Cassette & Page section of the Page Setup dialog box.
Enter dimensions for the paper in the Media Width (MW) and
Media Length (ML) text boxes. If using a roll device, the Media Length (ML)
text box is grayed out. Note that clipping may occur if you change the
paper size in a page setup that used a custom paper size. See page 65 for
full details.

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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

You can control the positioning of the imaged job on the media by using
the controls in the Page Layout dialog box. See page 51 for details.
Note: You must also select the same paper size using the switches on the
paper tray of the printer. If you fail to make consistent settings, the
output may appear in an unexpected position on the page and be
clipped.
Paper bin

The options in the Paper bin selection menu specify the paper source and
are only available when using the Epson Stylus Pro 5500 and the Epson
Stylus Pro 4000.
•

Automatic automatically selects the paper bin which contains the paper
size and type specified in the Device Configuration dialog box. If the
paper bins do not contain the specified paper size then an appropriate
alternative is selected.

Note: You must also ensure that the switches on the front of the printer
for the paper size and type are set correctly, when choosing the
Automatic option.
•

Default paper bin selects the default paper bin, regardless of the size

of paper installed in it.
•

Paper bin 1/Paper bin 2 specifies which paper bin the printer should

use.
•

Manual Feed sets the printer to expect paper to be manually fed.

Cut paper at end of each page

If using a roll-fed device you can select this check box to set the printer
to cut paper at the end of each page. You must also ensure that the Roll
Auto Cut option is selected from the Printer Setting menu on the control
panel of your printer. If you select Roll Cutter Off in the control panel of
your printer, this plugin option is overridden.
Bidirectional printing

Select this check box to use bidirectional printing, which will decrease
the time taken to print each page but may also reduce the quality.

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Device configuration

Post Processing: Enable

Select this check box to enable a post-processing command, as entered in
the Command text field. Leave it unselected to disable post-processing.
Post Processing: Create window

Select this check box (selected by default) to display a command prompt
window: for example, to display any messages produced by the postprocessing command. The command window closes at the end of the
command so, to read any messages, you may need a timed delay before
the command finishes. (A wait for a key-press may be useful for testing
but becomes unworkable with many output files.)
On Mac OS X platforms, the window may not automatically close when
the post-processing command has finished. To change this behavior,
choose Terminal > Window Settings > shell and then select an option.
Post Processing: Command

You can enter commands in this field to perform actions once the page
buffer has been sent to the printer or once the output file has been
created. For example, you may wish to change the format of the output
file or generate a report. For full details, see “Post processing” on
page 45.
Note: The plugin does not support post processing on Mac OS 9.x
computers.

1.8.1 Output file naming
Using text and tags you can automatically generate an output file name from
the job name, job details such as colorant information and resolution, or date
and time information. The tags are entered in the File Template field in the
Epson Configuration dialog box, and a complete list of supported tabs can be
found in Table 1.2, page 38.
Most tags are content tags, representing variables such as the date and time a
job is processed; the other tags allow you to reject names that would be illegal
in a specified operating system. The maximum length of variables can be
specified by preceding the tag name with an integer. For example, <5jobname>
truncates the job name to a maximum of five characters. Tags that produce
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ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers

numeric values are truncated from left to right, whereas tags that produce
alphanumeric strings (strings containing the characters a-z, A-Z, and 0-9) are
truncated from right to left. See “Examples of tag usage” on page 40 for further details.
Fixed text can be part of the file name stem or extension. For example,
stem_<3unique>epf would generate a file name of the form:
stem_000Cyan.epf, in which stem_ can be any identifying text.
Try to use a file name extension that does not clash with any established
convention. The extension epf is a suggestion only and is formed from the initial letters of Epson Printer File.
Note: This file naming scheme does not provide useful file names derived
from job names that contain double-byte characters.

1.8.2 Content generating tags
The following tags are available and can be used in any order:
Tag

Description



This limits the character set of the file name (from the point of the tag
onwards) to ascii characters in the range 32 (0x20) to 126 (0x7E). Charactors outside this range are discarded. If the user wishes to substitute
invalid characters rather than discarding them, prefix the ascii tag with
the substitution character value in decimal.



The color space of the device, such as PhotoInkBiplane



The name of the separation, such as Cyan.



The date when the job is processed, in the format YYYYMMDD, unless a
truncated form is specified.



Separates the stem of the file name from the file extension, and appears
as a period character ( . ) in the file name. For example,
stemext appears as stem.ext. The use of the  tag
enables the verification of the stem and extension lengths.



The job number allocated by the RIP. Automatic numbering means that
successive jobs have incremented job numbers: 000, 001, 002, 003, and
so on.

Table 1.2 Output file name tags

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1.8

Tag

Device configuration

Description



The page buffer name without the page number prefix and without characters illegal to the operating system. White space characters are used, if
present in the job name.



The page buffer name without the page number prefix, and using only
alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9). White space characters are not
used.



This gives the job name without the separation name in brackets, For
example, where  would give myjob(PANTONE Reflex
Blue CVC),  will give myjob.



The page number (allocated by the RIP), within the current job. For
example: 002.



The page number prefix from the page buffer name, such as 1., 2. , and
so on.



You can use this tag to include the characters from the prefix before the
full stop in the job name (that is, the prefix, not including the dot and
space characters).
Source Exif Data: 
File Type                       : PDF
File Type Extension             : pdf
MIME Type                       : application/pdf
PDF Version                     : 1.4
Linearized                      : No
Create Date                     : 2004:07:29 10:14:03Z
Subject                         : ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers
Keywords                        : Epson, plugin
Modify Date                     : 2004:07:29 10:36:54+01:00
Page Mode                       : UseOutlines
Page Count                      : 93
Has XFA                         : No
Creation Date                   : 2004:07:29 10:14:03Z
Producer                        : Jaws PDF Creator v3.42.2037
Author                          : Global Graphics Software
Mod Date                        : 2004:07:29 10:36:54+01:00
Metadata Date                   : 2004:07:29 10:36:54+01:00
Description                     : ProofReady Plugin for Epson Variable Size Droplet Printers
Creator                         : Global Graphics Software
Title                           : Harlequin RIP
EXIF Metadata provided by EXIF.tools

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