How to print color swatches from PS

[texshooter]

I created a new color palette using the Colormunki ColorPicker program and saved it as a .cxf file (only option available). I loaded this palette as a new swatch into PS. Now I want to convert this swatch file to a color table then resave it as a .tiff or .jpg. Is this doable. Unfortunately the Colormunki user manual offers no solution for creating .tiff/.jpg files from their .cxf files. I'm trying to refine my printer ICC profile. Before I can do this I need to upload an image into the Colormunki software, which only accepts .tiff/.jpg.

[digitaldog]

I'm not really sure what you're after but I don't think it's going to work <g>

The cxf is a file format that contains measured data (spectral data), Photoshop isn't going to understand that file or that data. You need to feed Photoshop Lab which you should in theory be able convert from cxf assuming X-rite has some tool for this (sounds like ColorPicker did some something you could load). And from there, getting a TIFF or JPEG? Again, the cxf file just has data that says what the color of the object you measured is spectrally and it sounds like the ColorPicker provide a conversion to Lab such you could load that into Photoshop and produce a palette? From there you're about done unless you can explain what you want from a TIFF. If you have access to the Lab values now, you could load that into the foreground color and paste that into a PS doc, save as TIFF. Now if you print that, it's not necessarily going to produce a match!

[Rhossydd]

I'm trying to refine my printer ICC profile. Before I can do this I need to upload an image into the Colormunki software, which only accepts .tiff/.jpg.

I haven't used the Colormunki software, but what I assume you're trying to do is use a function where you use a representative photo of your type of work to refine the profile, yes ?
Why bother with trying to build the image from a synthetic patch set ? Why not just paint the colours you think are important onto a blank canvas in PS, save as a tiff and you're done?

[darlingm]

Like others, curious about exactly what you're trying to do - and if this is a helpful way to go.

Putting that aside, there's a program called PatchTool made by BabelColor that can import a CXF file and export it to a TIFF image.

If you'd like to send me the CXF file, I can send you back a TIFF.  To transfer spectral measurements in CXF to a TIFF image, I'd need to know: the RGB profile and rendering intent you'd like to be used in the rendering spectral measurements to RGB values process (ProPhoto RGB and absolute colorimetric perhaps?  Maybe LAB?); the illumination light you'd like to simulate (D50 perhaps?); the pixel width, height, and resolution of *each* patch, and if a 16-bit depth is OK or if you preferred 8-bit depth.

[texshooter]

I was trying to follow along Keith Cooper's instructions on how to use the Colormunki to build a B&W ICC profile for ABW printing. He made his own 21 chevron-shaped patch test strip custom for the Colormunki. Because The Colormunki only can print test strips directly from the Colormunki software, and not from photoshop, I was trying to figure out how to get the Colormunki software to print out Cooper's 21 patch test strip. After struggling, I now believe Cooper's instructions call for printing his strip from PS, not by uploading a .tiff/.jpg image of the 21 patch strip into Colormunki. I believe the Colormunki prints its own test strip so that it can generate a second test strip based on the paper scan of its first test strip. I thought Cooper's BW strip worked the same way. My bad. His article here:

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/bw_printing/bw_print_colormunki.html