How to use i1Profiler software

[gary_young]

I have the X-Rite i1Pro-2 measuring system but have no idea how to use it properly. I have created a display profile without any problems but I have tried for months to create a printer profile for an Epson R3000, without success. The previous i1Pro software was simple and reliable to use but this software is a mystery.

As a test, I have printed and measured the standard test chart of 1200 patches but I don't know how to create the file to save on the computer to start using the profile in Photoshop. There is not a "next" button available to proceed to the next step as there is on every other step in the process to create the file.

Strangely there is a supplied user manual for the measuring device but there is no user manual for the software.
Iv searched online for a user manual or a video, all I have found is short 5 minute videos on Youtube made by X-Rite which are just marketing info, nothing that gives any meaningful guidance on how to use this system.

I have measured the chart, how do I create the ICC file? Thanks for reading.

[rasworth]

Back to Home, change to advanced mode so you can see what's going on, sort of.  After you measured the target, did you save the measurement file?  If so it will be listed on the left hand side, you can load it back into the Measurement stage, then proceed from there.  The intent is to march thru each step, but if you exit at some point you need a saved file to re-enter.

It's not a user friendly program - there are help screens, and videos.  I suggest you check them out.

Richard Southworth

[gary_young]

Thanks rasworth for taking the time to reply.

I have been using both basic and advanced mode but its been like learning to drive a car for the first time; press the brakes and the screen wash turns on.
I'v tried to save at each stage but as I don't have a clue what I'm doing, that has not been successful. I have to start over at the start each time.

I will certainly try the videos if you can post a link if they are on line. All of the X-Rite youtube videos I have seen are either just advertising the product or are just a brief overview, no use as a tutorial." The help screens are meaningless to me, I think they may be written in Klingon.

I would like a step by step tutorial if there was such a thing but Im doubtful.
Thanks again

[rasworth]

Back to basics, what is your system and what version of i1Profiler?  Stay in advanced mode, click on  printer profiling, and make sure you have assets (list of files) showing on the left.  If you saved your measurement file it should show in the assets screen.

Richard Southworth

[rasworth]

Which i1Profiler bundle did you purchase?  The least expensive version doesn't include printer profiles.  If you have one of the versions that include printer profiling, then you must have the i1Pro connected for licensing.

Richard Southworth

[gary_young]

I'v tested on a number of systems to see if there was a hardware issue that prevents saving and being unable to progress through each stage of profiling, the systems Iv tested i1 Profiler on are:

MacBook Pro 2017 Mac OS Catalina 16GB RAM
iMac 2019 Mac OSMojave
Mac Pro 2015 quad core Mac OS Catalina
HP F0021 AMD 16GB RAM Windows 10

all with maxed out RAM and terabytes of storage available

x-rite device is X-Rite i1 Photo Pro-2
x-rite Profiler application is version 3.2.1 - March 2020,  licensed for profiling Display, Projector, RGB printer, scanner
will work in either basic or advanced mode


I don't have any thing saved, I'v tried but nothing saves, Iv navigated to the respective folders and they are empty

As I mentioned previously, if I had a user manual or a proper tutorial, I could at least work through the process with some basic understanding.


There are items in the assets list, Iv no idea what any of them are for

there are 15 different files - some examples are
patch- TC2.pxf
charts default i1pro.txt
measurement data default.mxf
lighting default lxd
saved workflows sample i1pro.pwxf

None of these files were created by me they are default files created on installing, Iv checked on an newly unused application

thanks again, and any suggestions on training, tutorials or video will be most welcome.

[HarveyM43]

I was having a similar problem regenerating an old profile with the i1Studio software. The save profile button was greyed out. My digging brought up this:
https://www.xrite.com/service-support/profilecannotbesavedtosystemlevelonmacosx107xlion

It suggests the Mac permissions are set such that the x-rite software can’t save the profile to the proper (library) folder.
In my particular case the problem was I had to read both patch pages again ( the i1Studio uses a initial and refined patchset for each profile). 

[rasworth]

Which version of i1Pro do you have?  The software will do everything, but you are limited by your licensing, depending on which bundle you bought.  If you have i1Basic then you cannot do printer profiling, even though the instrument and software can.

Richard Southworth

[gary_young]

Hi rasworth
The software and measuring device is working fine.


What Im trying to get hold of is either, a user manual or tutorial or video tutorial to show me how to use i1Profiler software. Do you have suggestions on that?

[digitaldog]

Hi rasworth
The software and measuring device is working fine.


What Im trying to get hold of is either, a user manual or tutorial or video tutorial to show me how to use i1Profiler software. Do you have suggestions on that?

Videos are accessible from the application itself.

[Doug Gray]

After you measure the two printed patch sheets you should see a representation of the sheets with a diagonal line in each patch representing the RGB value and the measured color. Like this 520 patch set. And you will see a green check mark on the "Measurement" tab. This means you can go to the next steps to select an illuminant and various profile settings (defaults are OK) and make a profile by selecting the last checkbox.

The image you posted does not have the measurement box checked which means you need to measure the patches first. No need to save the measured data as it's automatically saved in the profile when you make the profile.

[JRSmit]

A good reason to save measurements is prevent loss thus redo because of a crash of i1Profiler. This did happen too often, the latest windows version not yet I must say.

[digitaldog]

If i1P doesn't crash before saving the profile (never has for me on Mac), the measurement data is also stored in the profile itself. Still, I always save spectral CGATs files in of the measurements instead as well, far more universal in terms of using the data in other applications.

[Doug Gray]

If i1P doesn't crash before saving the profile (never has for me on Mac), the measurement data is also stored in the profile itself. Still, I always save spectral CGATs files in of the measurements instead as well, far more universal in terms of using the data in other applications.

Yeah. Good idea. As JRSmit noted earlier versions of I1PRofiler on occasion crashed before making a profile. Haven't seen this on newer versions.

As an aside, if you ever need the CGATs files, you can drag and drop the ICC profile into the Measurement tab. This loads the measurement files from the profile. You can then save them as CGATs for use in other apps like Argyll.