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Author Topic: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling  (Read 14771 times)

S Kale

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #20 on: March 03, 2012, 02:44:12 pm »

I think there are some issues to be consider here if this is to be used with QTR. First, Colorport does not output a value for K. What this means is that, unless the user wants to go through some manipulation of the data exported by Colorport, the test chart patches MUST be in order AND there must be no anomalies in the L* output. QTR Create ICC uses the GRAY value from MeasureTool's output to sort the patch data and check for anomalies. Without it, the data is simply sorted and any anomaly gets translated into a number of the patches being shuffled. So this isn't "plug 'n play".

If you are chatting with the developer, the fact that Colorport requires scans from right to left is really annoying. One can hop around it by creating a chart with patch values one way and then an xml file with the patches done so as to be read the other way but this is a PITA. But you still have the issue of the initial 100% border patches. I noticed you'd dropped these off.  I had read errors if these weren't there so not sure how you get it to work without them.


UPDATE: checking Device Values (as well as Lab) provides a column for sorting by QTR Create ICC.  This seems to work well and QTR does its order cross-check appropriately. So it's "plug and play" if this is done. I don't think checking XYZ is necessary.

Thanks Scott!

I've made a target and related .xml file for the previous QTR-51-random target. Roy recommends, however, using the 21x4 random step target. I've made a target and .xml file for this as well. If people are interested I can make these available.  
« Last Edit: March 04, 2012, 05:00:36 pm by S Kale »
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smilem

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #21 on: March 04, 2012, 06:31:44 pm »

Perhaps you can help me understand how can only targets built with PM5 for A4 paper fit perfectly and all other targets like from i1Profiler, Colorport, bassiccolor and others do not?

I prefer my customers not need the "fit to page" checkbox to tinker with target dimensions and aspect rations (especially for isis). With PM5 that is easy, with colorport you can't even resize the target to correct dpi, and resolution because it goes crazy (yes I tried the nearest neighbor resize).
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S Kale

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #22 on: March 05, 2012, 03:29:37 am »

Im not sure what your issue is. In Colorport, you select what measurement device you are going to use - this defines the minimum patch size in mm - color space, then the patches you want (either your own or one of the presets) and then the paper dimensions, orientation and margins. If minimum patch size is defined, and presumably for good reason, then apart from adjusting margins on A4 paper the only variable is how many rows/sheets you need. Is that a big deal?
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S Kale

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #23 on: March 05, 2012, 04:00:02 am »

BTW I received a reply from X-Rite re the latest version for Mac's installer.

"Thank you for your message. You are right. There is an issue with the installer itself. There is a workaround to install the software: Please download the installer and open the context menu on the file (right click or ctrl+click). Then select “show content”. Then go to “Contents > Packages” and start the installation by using the file “colorport20setup”. Installation should now work as expected."
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smilem

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #24 on: March 05, 2012, 11:19:45 am »

Im not sure what your issue is. In Colorport, you select what measurement device you are going to use - this defines the minimum patch size in mm - color space, then the patches you want (either your own or one of the presets) and then the paper dimensions, orientation and margins. If minimum patch size is defined, and presumably for good reason, then apart from adjusting margins on A4 paper the only variable is how many rows/sheets you need. Is that a big deal?

My problem is that for isis for example with default settings the only target that fits in A4 sheet without borderless mode is PM5 generated targets. All other software can't squeeze the same amount of patches without forcing you to use borderless mode for printing for target to fit into A4 sheet.

No software provides means of measuring the exact printed target dimensions, and that is PITA.

I looked at various targets in PS:
For example PM5 targets are 822px x 1190px at 101.6dpi
basiccolor targets are 2480px x 3508px at 300dpi
colorport targets are 1680px x 2344px at 80dpi

Now if you know anything about image resizing you know it's near impossible to make a target like colorport to be exact dimensions of PM5 target, that is 822x1190px at 101.6dpi (one of the problems being photoshop has a linked document size and pixel dimensions, the other being that from size of 2x larger even with nearest neighbor resize I get distorted patches.)

In other words what I'm trying to say that gretagmacbeth was clever enough to make PM5 generate targets that match the

1. target dimensions in pixels
2. document size
3. resolution
« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 11:22:36 am by smilem »
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Ethan_Hansen

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #25 on: March 06, 2012, 04:37:41 pm »

My problem is that for isis for example with default settings the only target that fits in A4 sheet without borderless mode is PM5 generated targets. All other software can't squeeze the same amount of patches without forcing you to use borderless mode for printing for target to fit into A4 sheet.
[snip]
In other words what I'm trying to say that gretagmacbeth was clever enough to make PM5 generate targets that match the

1. target dimensions in pixels
2. document size
3. resolution

Those are the same problems we have with ColorPort. Usually impossible to reuse an older target, create one with the necessary dimensions, or optimize the patch layout. Making matters worse is ColorPort's refusal to use reference files either from legacy X-Rite applications or i1Profiler. Instead, it locks you into yet another test chart file format.
If you fiddle about enough with the settings, i1Profiler can usually be coerced into making reasonably sized and optimized targets. The best chart creation tool remains GMB's old ColorLab utility.

Scott Martin

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #26 on: March 06, 2012, 10:29:17 pm »

My problem is that for isis for example with default settings the only target that fits in A4 sheet without borderless mode is PM5 generated targets.

I don't understand. I can get a whole bunch of patches on an A4 target. Your using i1Profiler to generate your profiles right? If so, you can import i1P's patches into ColorPort and make your target. You're not restricted to the patch set preset in the list.

No software provides means of measuring the exact printed target dimensions, and that is PITA.

So instead of making a new target you're wanting another application to measure an existing target? CP isn't designed for that. Expect another solution for this soon.

Now if you know anything about image resizing you know it's near impossible to make a target like colorport to be exact dimensions of PM5 target,...

Why does your CP target need to be the same resolution as a PM5 target?

In other words what I'm trying to say that gretagmacbeth was clever enough to make PM5 generate targets that match the
1. target dimensions in pixels
2. document size
3. resolution

Right, CP and i1P both force the resolution and deliver final dimensions that are slightly smaller than what you requested. This just recently came up in an XRite discussion. While it's a little annoying at first, IMO it's not a deal breaker. I personally open up every target I make in Photoshop and extend the canvas size, add my own text, change the resolution if need be, etc.
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Scott Martin
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Scott Martin

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #27 on: March 06, 2012, 10:30:22 pm »

Perhaps you can help me understand how can only targets built with PM5 for A4 paper fit perfectly and all other targets like from i1Profiler, Colorport, bassiccolor and others do not? I prefer my customers not need the "fit to page" checkbox to tinker with target dimensions and aspect rations (especially for isis).

Yep, just extend the canvas size in Photoshop afterwards...
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Scott Martin
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Scott Martin

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #28 on: March 06, 2012, 10:44:45 pm »

Those are the same problems we have with ColorPort. Usually impossible to reuse an older target, or optimize the patch layout. Making matters worse is ColorPort's refusal to use reference files either from legacy X-Rite applications or i1Profiler. Instead, it locks you into yet another test chart file format.
CP isn't designed for these things. Hold your breath on these concepts. CP is really great for loading and measuring the QTR gray targets as per the OP :-]

The best chart creation tool remains GMB's old ColorLab utility.
Patch set modification and target generation are two different things, IMO. ColorLab was pretty decent for patch set modification and ColorPort is quite nice for target generation. As we move forward, I think i1P's patch set generator is paramount and CP is a pretty decent free utility for geeks that want to customize targets. Patch set modification and reordering will likely be left to spreadsheets and cut and paste text editing I suspect, and only for said geeks.

 
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Scott Martin
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Scott Martin

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Re: Using ColorPort for QTR grayscale and alt-process profiling
« Reply #29 on: April 30, 2012, 11:45:18 am »

FWIW, XRite has upgraded ColorPort to 2.0.5 to address some of the issues previously discussed and to support the new i1Pro2 device. One can get it here:

http://www.xrite.com/product_overview.aspx?ID=719&Action=support&SoftwareID=1168
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Scott Martin
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