FastARTIST 1.5/FastRIP 9.0 New Features Quick Reference Guide

Transcription

1 FastARTIST 1.5/FastRIP 9.0 New Features Quick Reference Guide November 1, 2006 Ver 1.9 As of October 2006, all FastARTIST users are eligible for the free 1.5 upgrade. This upgrade also includes FastRIP 9.0 upgrade as well. If you are installing FastARTIST 1.0 at this time stop and contact U.S. Screen Print tech support to receive your free upgrade, as this Quick Reference Guide contains the new 1.5 updates listed below. U.S. Screen Print tech support: Support Department Hours (480) :00am - 8:00pm MST M - F 9:00am 3:00pm Saturday This Quick Reference Guide covers new features for the following applications: FastARTIST 1.5 FastRIP 9.0 If you need further operational information please consult the FastARTIST or FastRIP manual.

2 2

3 Table of Contents FastARTIST FastARTIST Design Features 5 New bitmap features.. 5 Using Bitmap Features with Vector Images... 5 Underbase Attribute Palette...5 Importing from PhotoShop.6 Creating a Transparent Background with Photoshop... 6 Transparent Images.7 Setting Transparent Images in FastARTIST.. 8 Effect on print modes.. 8 Clipping Changes.8 Underbase Wizard - New Icons.9 Underbase/Highlight Wizard...10 Getting a Preview in FastARTIST.11 FastRIP FastRIP Preview 13 Substrate Color.14 Auto Head Cleaning.14 Printing from Graphic Applications.17 Setting up the Image.. 17 FastRIP Setup.17 Printing from Adobe Photoshop - Design Setup 18 Printing from Corel Draw Design Setup...20 Printing from Adobe Illustrator Design Setup.. 22 Print Modes 25 Print Resolutions and Speed.25 CMYK Cartoon and Photo Print Modes.. 25 Underbase Print Modes.26 Windows Underbase.. 26 Multiple Queues Option.29 Printer Pooling vs. Printer Echoing.30 Configuring a Queue for Printer Pooling.30 Configuring a Queue for Printer Echoing 31 3

4 4

5 FastARTIST 1.5 FastARTIST Design Features There are numerous small enhancements that have been made to FastARTIST 1.5 such as working with transparent image backgrounds, new Underbase/Highlight Wizard options, and a vastly improved PDF import filter. The following is a quick reference that will help guide you through the new upgraded 1.5 features. New bitmap features Under the Bitmap menu, there is a new menu called Easy Color Adjustments. These are all 1 click wonders that simplify editing bitmap images for printing. Easy Color Adjustments Clean up White This will make pixels that are very close to white go to white. Clean up Black This will make pixels that are very close to black go to black. Make lighter Will make an image lighter. Make darker Will make an image darker. Increase saturation Will brighten up the image making it more colorful. Blur Image This will blur the image. Sharpen Image This will sharpen the image. You can use an option repeatedly to give a stronger efect if it doesn t give you what you want on the first click. Please note that the full interactive versions of these controls are still available under the Image menu. Using Bitmap Features with Vector Images Vectored images can now use the same adjustments as the bitmap images located under the Bitmap menu. Tools such as Hue and Saturation will now transform the vectored image just the same as a bitmap. However, some of the bitmap tools/filters must first convert the vector object to a bitmap with a clipping path in order to perform the adjustment. In this case you will be asked to enter a resolution used to create the bitmap at. User Note: Applying a blur can create a much more realistic gradient without any sharpness normally associated with vector gradients. Underbase Attribute Palette Currently FastARTIST 1.0 would not recognize bitmap or vector images that have transparent backgrounds. When importing an image with transparencies, FastARTIST would create a solid white background in place of the transparencies. FastARTIST 1.5 is now able to import transparent background images maintaining the transparent state. This means that if you apply the solid underbase feature to a bitmap that has a transparent background, the transparent background will no longer get an underbase. The underbase will only apply to the graphic portion of the image and the transparent background will remain transparent. Underbase Attribute Palette applies to images that are imported for other graphic programs. 5

6 Importing from PhotoShop For an image to import correctly into FastARTIST from Photoshop, it must be saved as a single layer PSD file without a background layer. By removing the background layer your image will then have a grey and white checker board background signifying transparency. As there are many ways to convert the background of an image to transparent pixels in Photoshop; the following is a simple example. Note: There are plenty of books available that teach more advanced methods of the following process. Creating a Transparent Background with Photoshop To change the Red background of the following image to transparent, complete the following steps: 1. Go to the Select menu Click on Color Range 2. With the Eye Dropper shown in the Color Range window below, click on the red background and adjust the fuzziness to get the right selection. Click OK 6

7 3. Go to the Select menu Click on Inverse (shift + control + I) to invert the selection. 4. Select Layer New Layer via copy (Control+J) and this will create a new layer with just the selected pixels (no red background). 5. Now you can simply delete the background layer and save as a PSD ready to import in to FastARTIST. Note: Transparent images saved as TIF and PNG will import into FastARTIST 1.5. Transparent Images A new feature in FastARTIST 1.5 is to use transparent background as a mask for the underbase wizard instead of having to have two images - one with a black background and one with white (necessary with FastARTIST 1.0). When using the underbase wizard with an image that contains transparent pixels, any areas that are set as transparent will not get any underbase or highlight white. These transparent images can be imported from Photoshop or the background color can be masked in FastARTIST to a transparent color within the bitmap edit state. 7

8 Setting Transparent Images in FastARTIST To set transparent backgrounds in FastARTIST double click on the image to enter the bitmap edit state. Use the Eyedropper tool and click on the red background and then click on the Add Color button in the Color Selection dialog and this will make the Red the current color. Note: The background color can be any color. Not just red. For example it can be white, black, yellow, green, etc. To make the red transparent click on the Eye icon next to the selected color (this acts as a toggle switch so selecting it again will de active any transparent color). Note: It is only possible to have one color set as transparent. Effect on print modes By using the transparent background approach, the Black-T print modes are no longer required. You can produce the same desired effect by simply making black the transparent background in FastARTIST 1.5 and then running the Underbase Wizard. It is the intention to discontinue the Black-T print modes. User Note: The transparent background approach not only makes it simpler for black t-shirts it provides a common work flow for any color shirt/garment. Clipping Changes The Underbase Wizard Clip Path option that allowed you to create a clipping path based on white or black areas of an image in the underbase wizard has been removed. This feature was intended for images with well defined hard edges and when applied to images with soft edges, took too long to process and users would think the program had hung so it has been removed. 8

9 Using images that previously had a clipping path applied still work, but you need to apply the clipping path before running the wizard. 1. Go to the Transform menu Select Contour Object to create the clipping path for an image in FastARTIST (Contour Object does exactly the same with bitmaps as the dialog in the underbase wizard used to do). 2. Select clip bitmap, 3. Select Invert bitmap for black and leave unchecked for white 4. Click on Cut inside bitmaps (located underneath apply) a) The two buttons on the smart bar just left of the Corner Styles selections provide the clipping options. Either the outside or both inside and outside can be selected by engaging or disengaging the buttons. 5. Select Apply Note: When you import PSD, TIF, and Jpeg images with paths from Photoshop, you can choose to save and use settings automatically for clipping. Underbase Wizard - New Icons Due to FastARTIST 1.5 s ability to import images with transparency, the dialog options have changed when using the Underbase/Highlight Wizard (this first option on the left below). You will notice that new options have been added in order to streamline the underbasing process. Creating the ideal underbase is a key component to the quality of the print and as such we have added three new options. The When selecting the Underbase Wizard you will now see a fly out with 4 options. From left to right: 1. Underbase/Highlight Wizard 2. Heavy Underbase. 3. Normal Underbase. 4. Last Setting 9

10 Underbase/Highlight Wizard The Underbase/Highlight Wizard, when selected, takes you through a series of dialog boxes the same as FastARTIST 1.0 but with a few minor changes. The Clipping Path dialog box has been removed and a Save/Load Settings option has been added. The option of Saving/Loading previous wizard settings is a new option allowing you to save or recall Underbase/Highlight settings for future use. This will come in handy if you are working with similar images or if you need to use the Underbase/Highlight Wizard for the same image more than once. Underbase/Highlight Wizard Cont. Please note the Save Settings button now located at the bottom left-hand corner of the dialog box. All Underbase/Highlight Wizard settings will now be saved with an ubs extension. 10

11 The next three icons are presets that can be run automatically and without having to go through all the dialog boxes are all 1 click wonders. The order from left to right is as follows. Heavy Underbase Wizard The second (darker wizard) will give you a preset heavy underbase and highlight. Normal Underbase Wizard The third will give you a Normal underbase and highlight. Last Setting Underbase Wizard The forth Icon will automatically run the last setting you used when you run the full interactive wizard (first icon). Note: The three Wizard options listed above will not display any dialog boxes as with the Underbase/Highlight Wizard unless two bitmaps are selected (black and white mask versions of an image). In which case you will see a single dialog asking you to identify which is the image with the black background and which is the one with the white. Getting a Preview in FastARTIST After Setting Transparent Images but before you run the underbase wizard, you can get a good preview in FastARTIST of what the final image will look like by setting the Page / Substrate color. To do so, ensure you have Show Page Size on in the View menu and simply drag any color from your color palette on to the page area and it will change it to that color. 11

12 12

13 FastRIP 9.0 FastRIP 9.0 is included as a free upgrade with FastARTIST 1.5. This new 9.0 upgrade features some new exciting options such as the FastRIP Preview, a new Auto Head Cleaning Function, printing from other Windows graphic applications, and Queue/Echo modes for a multiple printer environment (Sold Separately). FastRIP Preview There are two types of previews now available within FastRIP, Thumbnail and a Full Image. To enable previews, go to Tools - Options Preview Options and click on the Generate Thumbnail Views, you can disable this feature by un-checking this box. Within the Preview Options dialog box below you can specify the resolution (quality) of your preview, pixel depth of the preview, and a gamma adjustment for the overall brightness for your screen (increase to make lighter and decrease to make darker). We found a 1-bit 180dpi with a gamma of 0.7 to give a good rough preview. Note: Previews are generated as the job arrives in the queue, so this has to be enabled before you send a job to FastRIP in order to have a preview. In the General tab you can specify the size of thumbnail icon displayed along side the job. 13

14 As well as displaying a thumbnail along side the job name, you can display a bigger preview which you can zoom in and scroll around if you switch on Thumbnail View in the View menu (shown above). Substrate Color The substrate column in a queue displays the color that this job is to be printed on, it gets this color from the Page/Substrate color in FastARTIST (See Getting a preview in FastARTIST).You can therefore sort jobs using shirt colors by clicking on the substrate column. This color will also be used as the default background color in the Raw data viewer. The top right is a Zoom menu and a panel below will give you the details on the job being displayed. Auto Head Cleaning Another one of the new features FastRIP 9.0 offers is the new Auto Head Cleaning function. One of the most common problems with printing white ink is that it has a tendency of clogging the print heads. The ink also needs to be stirred on a regular basis to keep from settling with in the ink bottle. The new Auto Head Cleaning function now allows the T-Jet to perform head cleaning throughout the night which keeps the white ink from settling and or clogging the print heads. The advantage is that the T-Jet will be ready to print first thing in the morning requiring less maintenance. 14

15 To setup the Auto Head Cleaning Open FastRIP and go to the Queue Menu - select Properties then select Printer Status. The following window will now be shown. Check the box to the left of head cleaning to activate. Next select the amount of time until FastRIP is to perform the head cleaning (hour and minute). Example: If you activate the Head Cleaning at 5pm (by checking the Head Cleaning box), FastRIP will perform a head cleaning at 12am (midnight). Unless the box is checked off, deactivating the Auto Head Cleaning, FastRIP will perform another head cleaning at 7am. Please note that the head cleanings will continue every 7 hours until Head Cleaning is deactivated. Now that you have selected the time you either have the option of performing a head cleaning immediately or just click on the OK button to confirm your settings. Important Note: The printer and computer must REMAIN ON (DO NOT SHUT OFF) for FastRIP to perform the Auto Head Cleaning. The computer monitor can be turned off however. Waste Bottle Valve must remain in the OPEN Position, when using Auto Head Cleaning function. Waste Bottle Valve Your new external Waste Bottle comes with a valve to protect against the possibility of siphoning. This valve must remain in an OPEN position whenever the machine is POWERED ON. This also includes when the T-Jet is in a standby mode awaiting a new print job or if you have activated the Auto Head Cleaning function. When the T-Jet is POWERED OFF (using the POWER button located on the control panel), the waste bottle valve must be CLOSED. As the T-Jet is powering down the print head will dock on the capping station and run a partial head cleaning to remove excess ink before completing the power down sequence. Wait until the T-Jet has turned itself off completely before closing the valve. 15

16 The following pictures identify the valves open and closed position. Do not forget to open the valve before T-Jet operation. Failure to OPEN Waste Bottle Valve during T-Jet operation may cause serious damage to your T-Jet. If Waste Bottle Valve remains closed during a head cleaning, pressure in the capping station will force the waste ink line tube to disconnect sending ink throughout the inside of your machine. U.S. Screen Print is not liable for any property damage caused by ink and or ink siphoning. Please be sure to read and understand operating/maintenance procedures before T-Jet use. 16

17 Printing from Graphic Applications Often times it is much easier to work for a graphic application that you are familiar with rather than having to take the time to learn a new program. That is why the new FastRIP 9.0 upgrade now offers the ability to print directly from graphic applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Graphics Suite, etc. Please note that Windows is the only platform to support this process. Currently FastARTIST has been the only application allowing you to setup your image for printing an underbase, but now it is possible to do the same with your preferred graphic application. In just a few mouse clicks you will be able to setup your graphic and print to FastRIP regardless if you are printing to a white or dark color shirt. Setting up the Image When using a graphic application other than FastARTIST, images need to be setup before sending to print through FastRIP. In general, to create the underbase or to print areas of white in the image you will need to set the white as a tint or slightly off 100% white. White areas that do not need an underbase or to print white ink will be set as 255, 255, 255 for RGB (100% white). For example: If you wanted the white in a bitmap image to print, the white areas must be set to a slight tint of white as 254 Red, 254 Green, 254 Blue (for RGB) and Cyan 1, Magenta 1, Yellow 1, and Black 1 (for CMYK). FastRIP will process 100% white ink as transparent. FastARTIST Advantage Tip: When using your own graphic application instead of FastARTIST, there are a few features FastARTIST offers that standard graphic applications do not. This is primarily because FastARTIST was designed to print images on garments whereas the others were not. The first FastARTIST feature is the ability to print a second pass of highlight white. When other graphic applications send a bitmap image to FastRIP, the only white that is applied is during the underbase pass only. Where as an extra pass of highlight white can be setup using the Highlight/Underbase Wizard in FastARTIST. The FastARTIST Highlight/ Underbase Wizard also has three new 1 click Wizard options that completes the entire Highlight/Underbase function in just 1 click. FastRIP Setup The Fast T-Jet 2 printers will need to be added to Windows Printers. Open FastRIP. Go to Printers> Manage Printers. Put a check mark under the Control Panel for the Fast T-Jet 2 driver. Click Close. 17

18 Printing from Adobe Photoshop - Design Setup When designing in PhotoShop, pure white areas will not print an underbase (RGB 255,255,255 or CMYK 0,0,0,0). To print white, set areas to a slight tint off white (RGB 254,254,254 or CMYK 1,1,1,1). If you want to knock a color out to the shirt then color the areas as pure white (RGB 255,255,255 or CMYK 1,1,1,1). The arows in the folowing picture identifies that the N in California has been set to RGB 254,254,254, meaning that it will print white. The arrows in the following example identifies that the background is set to RGB 255,255,255, making the background transparent when printing to FastRIP. 18

19 Note: Color management needs to be turned off before sending the image to print. Color Management is found in the Print with Preview window. Go to the File menu then to Print with Preview. Printing - Adobe Photoshop Go to the File menu - Print with Preview. Click Page Setup. Click Printer. In the Page Setup menu select the Fast T-Jet 2 printer. Click Properties. Click Advanced. Set the Page Size. Go the Printer Features section. Bring the Print Mode menu down to select the Color Print Mode. Bring the Underbase Mode menu down to select the Underbase Print Mode. Set the number of ink passes for underbase and color. Click OK in Advanced Options. In Document Properties set to Landscape or Portrait for Orientation. Click OK. Click Print. The Underbase Print Mode to select will be Image Heavy or Normal Underbase. Refer to the Print Mode section for more details on the different Print Modes. 19

20 Printing from Corel Draw Design Setup When designing in Corel Draw, create areas not to print underbase with pure white (RGB 255,255,255 or CMYK 0,0,0,0). To print white, set the white areas to a slight tint of off white (RGB 254,254,254 or CMYK 1,1,1,1). If you want to knock a color out to the shirt then set the color areas as pure white (RGB 255,255,255 or CMYK 0,0,0,0). In the following example, the selected area is set to CMYK 1,1,1,1, which is recognized as white areas to print in FastRIP. Note: When working with vectors solid spot colors, if you use named spot colors and use the spot color white. FastRIP will create a highlight white when it prints the color pass. This means that not only will an underbase be applied but on the second pass (the color pass), white will be printed along with the color. In the example below the arrow is identifying the use of spot white. 20

21 Solid Spot Colors - No Gradients Go to File - Print. On the General tab select the Fast T-Jet 2 printer. Click Properties. Click Advanced. Set the Page Size. Go the Printer Features section. Bring the Print Mode menu down to select the Color Print Mode. Bring the Underbase Mode menu down to select the Underbase Print Mode. Set the number of ink passes for underbase and color. Click OK in Advanced Options. In Document Properties set to Landscape or Portrait for Orientation. Click OK. Click Print. Note: Use the Underbase Print Mode to select how the underbase will be printed - Vector Heavy or Normal Underbase. Refer to the Print Mode section for more details on the different Print Modes. Gradients, Gradients with Solid Spot Colors, Bitmap with Vectors Objects Go to File - Print. On the General tab select the Fast T-Jet 2 printer. Click Properties. Click Advanced. Set the Page Size. Go the Printer Features section. Bring the Print Mode menu down to select the Color Print Mode. Bring the Underbase Mode menu down to select the Underbase Print Mode. Set the number of ink passes for underbase and color. Click OK in Advanced Options. In Document Properties set to Landscape or Portrait for Orientation. Click OK. Click Print. Note: Use the Underbase Print Mode to select how the underbase will be printed - Image Heavy or Normal Underbase. Refer to the Print Mode section for more details on the different Print Modes. 21

22 Printing from Adobe Illustrator Design Setup When designing in Adobe Illustrator, create the areas that are not to print underbase with pure white (RGB 255,255,255 or CMYK 0,0,0,0). To print white, set the white areas to a slight tint of off white (RGB 254,254,254 or CMYK 1,1,1,1). If you want to knock a color out to the shirt then color the areas as pure white (RGB 255,255,255 or CMYK 1,1,1,1). The example below is identifying that the selected home plate is not a pure white (RGB 254,254,254), meaning that the image will print white. Note: When working with vectors solid spot colors, if you use named spot colors and use the spot color white. FastRIP will create a highlight white when it prints the color pass. This means that not only will an underbase be applied but on the second pass (the color pass), white will be printed along with the color. In the example below the arrow is identifying the use of spot white. 22

23 Solid Spot Colors - No Gradients Go to File - Print. Select the Fast T-Jet 2 printer under Printer menu. Click Setup. Click and highlight the Fast T-Jet 2 printer. Click Preferences. Click Advanced. Set the Page Size. Go the Printer Features section. Bring the Print Mode menu down to select the Color Print Mode. Bring the Underbase Mode menu down to select the Underbase Print Mode. Set the number of ink passes for underbase and color. Click OK in Advanced Options. Set to Landscape or Portrait for Orientation. Click Print in the Print window. Click Print in Illustrator Print window. Note: Use the Underbase Print Mode to select how the underbase will be printed - Vector Heavy or Normal Underbase. Refer to the Print Mode section for more details on the different Print Modes. Gradients, Gradients with Solid Spot Colors, Bitmap with Vectors Objects Go to File - Print. Select the Fast T-Jet 2 printer under Printer menu. Click Setup. Click and highlight the Fast T-Jet 2 printer. Click Preferences. Click Advanced. Set the Page Size. Go the Printer Features section. Bring the Print Mode menu down to select the Color Print Mode. Bring the Underbase Mode menu down to select the Underbase Print Mode. Set the number of ink passes for underbase and color. Click OK in Advanced Options. Set to Landscape or Portrait for Orientation. Click Print in the Print window. Click Print in Illustrator Print window. Note: Use the Underbase Print Mode to select how the underbase will be printed - Image Heavy or Normal Underbase. Refer to the Print Mode section for more details on the different Print Modes. 23

24 24

25 Print Modes Print Resolutions and Speed You will notice that each Print Mode has various resolutions. The resolution that you choose will not only determine the print quality but the print speed as well. If you are going to use a low print resolution such as 360dpi you will achieve a much faster print speed. This is due the fact that lower resolutions apply less ink dots per inch (dpi) which allows the print head to move much faster, but may not offer the quality needed for printing photo images. The print heads must also be perfectly aligned at this resolution or you will start to see banding in your print. Banding is small horizontal lines that run across the entire image. For most images 306dpi will be fine but depending on the graphic image you may want to increase the resolution. If you intend to use higher print resolutions such as 720 or 1440, you will notice a decrease in speed but an improvement in print quality. Print quality and the amount of ink dispensed directly relates to the dpi (dots per inch). A higher dpi will increase print quality and amount of ink but at the same time slow down the print speed. We suggest a lower resolution for cartoon images and a higher resolution for photo images. Print modes that contain HS (CMYK Cartoon pass Standard HS) at the end are bi-directional print modes. This means that the print head will now print in both directions as compared to the standard unidirectional print mode that just prints in a single direction. Bi-directional print modes are twice as fast as unidirectional and will increase your print speed especially if using a higher resolution. You must be careful nevertheless, to watch for banding/shadowing when using any bi-directional print mode as it absolutely necessary that the print heads are perfectly aligned. Important note: As FastRIP 9.0 now offers the ability to print from other Windows graphic applications, new print modes have been developed to compliment version 9.0. In the previous FastRIP version 8.5, the print modes available were designed specifically for FastARTIST, due to the fact that FastARTIST was the only application that would print to FastRIP. FastRIP 9.0 offers new enhance print modes while achieving better color accuracy for both FastRIP and Windows applications. Customers have recently noticed that prints using the new enhanced print modes are coming out slightly darker than the previous 8.5 print modes. In certain circumstances this may not be acceptable as we understand the need for print consistency. By downloading the Original FastARTIST Print Modes package (located on the FastARTIST Main Support Page you will not only have access to the new enhanced print modes but all the 8.5 print modes you have become accustom to. Please note that the Original Print Modes will only be available for use through FastARTIST. CMYK Cartoon and Photo Print Modes The Cartoon and Photo Print Modes will print the image in color when printing from FastARTIST or any other graphic program. Two print mode options have been created to adjust the print characteristics based on the image to be printed. If you are printing vectored graphics with spot color then use the Cartoon Print Modes, but if you are printing photo type bitmap images, use the Photo Print Modes. The difference is, Cartoon Print Modes are design to lay down more ink with good color saturation, whereas Photo Print Modes are design to lay down less ink with accurate colors. Cartoon Modes should be used for noncritical images and as such a lower dpi can be selected. Photographs, because of the image detail, need to be treated differently. When using Photo Print Modes, select a higher dpi to insure a good print quality. CMYK Print modes Cartoon CMYK Cartoon pass Standard CMYK Cartoon pass Standard HS CMYK Cartoon 360 Standard CMYK Cartoon 360 Standard HS CMYK Cartoon pass Standard CMYK Cartoon pass Standard HS CMYK Cartoon 720 Standard CMYK Cartoon 720 Standard HS CMYK Cartoon 1440 Standard CMYK Cartoon 1440 Standard HS (Bi-directional) 25

26 Photo CMYK Photo pass Standard CMYK Photo pass Standard HS (Bi-directional) CMYK Photo 360 Standard CMYK Photo 360 Standard HS (Bi-directional) CMYK Photo pass Standard CMYK Photo pass Standard HS (Bi-directional) CMYK Photo 720 Standard CMYK Photo 720 Standard HS (Bi-directional) CMYK Photo 1440 Standard CMYK Photo 1440 Standard HS (Bi-directional) Underbase Print Modes Underbase Print Modes are selected when printing from the FastARTIST program only. With Cartoon and Photo Print Modes in three different resolutions, you have the ability to select the proper print mode to match your graphic image. For dark shirts try using the 1440dpi print mode to achieve a stronger more consistent underbase. This is due to the fact that the 1440 dpi resolution will dispense more ink at a slower speed creating an extremely even coverage. If you are printing lighter colored shirts it may not be necessary to print such a strong underbase so the 720dpi or 360dpi mode may work better. Underbase Underbase Cartoon 360 Underbase Cartoon 360 HS (Bi-directional) Underbase Cartoon 720 Underbase Cartoon 720 HS (Bi-directional) Underbase Cartoon 1440 Underbase Cartoon 1440 HS (Bi-directional) Underbase Photo 360 Underbase Photo 360 HS (Bi-directional) Underbase Photo 720 Underbase Photo 720 HS (Bi-directional) Underbase Photo 1440 Underbase Photo 1440 HS (Bi-directional) Windows Underbase The following Windows Underbase print modes are selected when printing from graphic programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, or Adobe Illustrator. There are four print mode options: Image Heavy, Image Normal, Vector Heavy, and Vector Normal each with different resolutions. Bi-directional is also offered for each print mode as well. Select the Image mode when printing a bitmap/raster or gradient images. This also applies when printing a gradient image in a Vector program. Anytime you have some sort of a gradient in any image regardless if the image is mainly spot color, the Image mode must be used. The Vector mode is to be selected when printing solid vector images. With the Vector mode you will be able to print the white areas as a Highlight white on the color pass. This only happens if you use named spot colors and apply the named color white. The spot color white image area with a print white and is only available with vectors solid spot colors only. Heavy and Normal Underbase change the intensity of the underbase. The Heavy Underbase modes use a preset heavy underbase applying more ink in dark and light areas then the Normal Underbase that applies less ink. Because underbasing is such a curtail part of the image quality, we recommend trying out the different print modes to get a general understanding of the difference between each one. 26

27 Windows Underbase 360dpi Image Heavy underbase 360dpi Image Heavy underbase HS (Bi-directional) 360dpi Image Normal underbase 360dpi Image Normal underbase HS (Bi-directional) 360dpi Vector Heavy underbase 360dpi Vector Heavy underbase HS (Bi-directional) 360dpi Vector Normal underbase 360dpi Vector Normal underbase HS (Bi-directional) 720dpi Image Heavy underbase 720dpi Image Heavy underbase HS (Bi-directional) 720dpi Image Normal underbase 720dpi Image Normal underbase HS (Bi-directional) 720dpi Vector Heavy underbase 720dpi Vector Heavy underbase HS (Bi-directional) 720dpi Vector Normal underbase 720dpi Vector Normal underbase HS 1440dpi Image Heavy underbase 1440dpi Image Heavy underbase HS 1440dpi Image Normal underbase 1440dpi Image Normal underbase HS 1440dpi Vector Heavy underbase 1440dpi Vector Heavy underbase HS 1440dpi Vector Normal underbase 1440dpi Vector Normal underbase HS 27

28 28

29 Multiple Queues Option There is now an option in FastRIP to support multiple Queue/Echo modes available for users with one or more printer connected to FastRIP. As this feature in not a part of the standard upgrade, multiple Queue/Echo is sold separately and can be purchased through your local dealer or directly from U.S. Screen Print & Inkjet Technology. Multiple queues can be configured and used for a variety of different uses as you are not limit to the number of queues that can be configured, but there are restrictions on the number of printers that can be driven at one time. With the multiple Queue feature, you will have a new option at the top of the Queue menu Manage Queues. In the Queue Manager you can create (add) new Queues, delete existing queues and change the properties on queues. When you add (click on the +) a new queue, there is a simple wizard that will take you through the process of selecting the printer, Queue name, and port the printer is connected too. For example above we have two queues, both for the Fast T-Jet 2 (connected to a dummy port, NULL) and they are called White Shirts and Black Shirts. Now you can print all the White T-Shirt jobs to the White Shirts queue and all the Black T- Shirt jobs to your Black Shirt queue. Note: With multiple queues you need a queue for each printer driver as you can not support a T-Jet1 and a T- Jet2 from a single queue (each must have there own queue). Each Queue has its own set of properties just as the single Queue in the original FastRIP did. If you click on the control panel check box, the Queue will be added to your Windows control panel and you will be able to access it from any application. It will install using the Queue name in the control panel. If printing from FastARTIST the printer and it queue is listed in FastRIP setup. 29

30 When you have multiple queues, they can be accessed by clicking on there individual tabs and each queue on an individual basis can be started and stopped (just as before) and have its scheduling setup for processing. For example you might leave the Black Shirt queue on stop, leave the White Shirt queue running and output all the White shirt jobs and then change over. Jobs can be easily moved between queues by right clicking on the job and you will see the menu options to move or copy the job to another queue. You can setup different queues not just for different color shirts, but based on print modes being used such as 360 vs 720 or Cartoon vs Photo. If you use the Queue properties feature you can then ensure the correct print mode is always used, regardless of what print mode is selected by the designer. Different queues for Printer Pooling and Echoing can also be setup, so if you had two T-Jets, one queue could manage them using the pooling system and another queue the echoing system (see below for an explanation of these functions). Printer Pooling vs. Printer Echoing If you have multiple of the same printer (say 2 or more T-Jet 2 s), you can make use of the Printer Pooling and Echoing features. In both cases a single queue will be connected up to multiple printers (but they have to be the same printer driver). As each new job comes in, Printer Pooling will queue the job allocating it to the next available printer. Example: Job A arrives, is processed, and starts printing to T-Jet 1. Then Job B arives and gets procesed. Job A is still printing on T-Jet 1 so Job B starts printing on T-Jet 2. With Printer Echoing the job will be output to both devices at the same time and the T-Jets don t have to stay in step. So if you had two T-Jets and wanted to get 10 shirts done in a hurry, print 5 copies of your image with printer echoing and you would get 5 copies on each T-Jet. Configuring a Queue for Printer Pooling To configure multiple printers in a queue for printer pooling, go to the queue properties and select the Enable printer pooling port for the queue. 30

31 You can then configure a port for each printer that is connected (the first port is remembered from the initial setting), using the remove button to remove a port (printer connection). When you have configured all the printers, click on the close button and close the queue manager and you are now ready to use printer pooling from this queue. All jobs in this queue will show the port for each job as Pooled Port until it starts to print. Then the port will change to indicate which printer the job is being output on and this works in a simple first available system. Configuring a Queue for Printer Echoing You configure a queue for Printer Echoing by following the same procedure as for Printer Pooling. The only difference is that you select the Enable Printer Echoing check box in the bottom left of the port selection dialog. When jobs are printing using printer echoing the job in the queue will expand and show an entry for each port selected. As all the printers may not print at the same speed, the progress for each copy on each device is displayed in the copies column. You can switch off printer pooling and echoing on a queue by simply going to the queue properties selecting a single port for the printer. There can also be as many queues as you like, so you can setup one queue for pooling and another separate queue for echoing depending upon the job requirements you are processing. 31