Kap5_doc.html

Fig. 12 shows a list of all OPI-related tasks. The preceding chapter described how to set up ImageServer volumes and print queues for use in an OPI workflow. This chapter describes the actual use of OPI (e.g. in a design and print workflow). It gives directions for inducing OPI to automatically generate layout files. Furthermore, it explains how to choose settings for layout images which are placed in layout applications.

For output purposes, please select a printer queue on which OPI (and color matching, if required) is already active (see 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings").

Fig. 12: OPI-related tasks with highlighted tasks described in this chapter

The automatic generation of layout files is volume dependent. If you have retouched your high-resolution original image files using an image processing application, make sure that you save them in a volume on which Create Layouts is enabled (see also 4.3 "Volume settings"). OPI will not generate layouts for files that you save on your local hard disk.

Important: You should always select unique file names for your high-resolution original images, at least if you want to save them in the same folder! Different extensions will not do. For example, if you save "flowers.psd" (Photoshop) and "flowers.tif" in the same folder, they both will produce a "flowers.tif" layout image. The contents of this layout may show either the content of "flowers.psd" or "flowers.tif ".

Important: If you are using clients running Mac OS 8/9, make sure to limit the file name of the images to 31 characters! Mac OS 8/9 shorts file names which exceed this limit to 31 characters. OPI would not work then anymore.

The generation of layouts will take a few moments, it starts after a user-defined time delay. This is - by default - after a delay of 30 seconds (see Layout Delay in 4.2 "ImageServer settings") before the OPI server starts generating them.

Layout files are either generated in a "layouts" subfolder or marked by the ".lay" extension, depending on your server settings (4.2 "ImageServer settings"). In any case, they are kept in the folder that contains the high-resolution original images. ImageServer always generates layouts, even if the resolution of the original image is lower than the default layout resolution. In this case the layout would inherit the resolution of the original.

Layout images are not locked any more. The "layout" command line (see 6.2 "layout") understands the option ProtectLayouts to turn the protection back on.

Since Photoshop 6, layers can be vector-based. So you should consider before saving your high-resolution originals, that not every image format can handle such layers. The file format of the high-resolution image determines whether the vector data (not the vector layer!) in the document is maintained in the layout file, although the preview in the Finder may show it anyway.

It is recommended to stick to the Photoshop native (PSD) format when vector-based data is employed within the document.

Note: You can switch off the Include Vector Data option in the EPS-Options dialog. Then the layout file, generated by ImageServer, will contain the (rasterized) text.

In Photoshop, we recommend to activate the option Maximize PSD File Compatibility in order to provide a better compatibility with ImageServer.

Usually, all OPI settings that define the attributes of layout files are server or volume specific (see Fig. 4 in 4.2 "ImageServer settings" and Fig. 8 in 4.3 "Volume settings"). It is, however, possible to specify alternative settings for individual folders, by simply changing the folder name from a Macintosh or Windows computer.

The "%" character always introduces a new specification. You can add different definitions following that character, including: resolution, file format, and color space.

A 1, 2, or 3 digit dpi value for the resolution of the layout files that are to be generated within this folder. %0 means that no layout is generated at all!

The t flag will produce TIFF layouts even if the high-resolution original image contains a clipping path or spot colors. If you want to use TIFF layout files for multi-path handling, do not use high-res EPSF files with a clipping path (see also MaskToEps and SpotToEps in 8.1.2 "Global OPI preferences"). An EPS image is special since the "opisrv" does only check the raster-based information of the image and does not look for additional object/vector based image parts. ImageServer supports both vector- and raster-based EPSF files.

Note: As a workaround, you may use the "layout" command (see 6.2 "layout") to create TIFF layouts from an EPSF image.

%t TIFF (and enforce rater layout images)
%e EPS
%j JPEG (and enforce rater layout images)
%g PNG (and enforce rater layout images)
%n Neutral

%n causes the folder to use the OPI server settings, ignoring all folder specific OPI settings of any parent folder.

b, r, or c specify the color mode of the printable and screen previews (with b for Grayscale or B&W, r for RGB, and c for CMYK). l is also available for the Lab color mode. If you use l, TIFF layouts and the printable previews of EPSF layouts will be in Lab, the screen previews of EPSF layouts will be in the RGB color space.

%u Ignore spot colors (see page 36)
%v Enable spot colors (see page 36)
%x Ignore masks (see page 32)
%y Enable masks (see page 32)

Important: The chosen parameters in a folder name affect all subfolders, i.e. they are automatically valid for the complete directory tree!

The folder name must end in %, followed by none or more digits for the resolution, and by the other options in the order as listed below. Options are not case-sensitive. Other characters or spaces in the options string are not allowed.

The appended "%0" of the "test-images%0" folder will prevent the OPI server from creating layout images from the high-resolution originals saved to that folder.

The folder named "test-images%36pb" is for high-resolution images you want to substitute with 36 dpi layouts containing PC previews in Grayscale color mode for printable and screen EPSF and TIFF previews.

Fig. 13: Defining folder specific OPI settings

For high-quality color matching, the OPI server needs an ICC source profile for each image (image profile) and an ICC output profile (printer profile) for the printer queue.

The "Tagger" program serves to tag high-resolution original images with an ICC source profile and thus allows correct color data transformation (for details about color data transformation with ICC profiles see Fig. A-3 in A 2 "Colors, color matching, proof printing - basic concepts").

Please note that for tagging, both the images and the profiles have to be available on the server. The volume on which tagging is to be done must have enough disk space available - at least as much space as the largest image would need, because the "opisrv" might temporarily duplicate data.

Mount the "HELIOS Application" volume, open the "MacOS" folder and then "OPI Tools ". Double-click the "Tagger" program icon as shown in Fig. 14.

Fig. 14: Opening the "Tagger" program

The "Tagger" program allows the creation of so-called ICC info files that contain tagging instructions for all images in a given folder, or lets you tag single images individually.

The dialog (Fig. 15) lets you set general tagging options as well as special options for all the different file formats that are supported by ImageServer (e.g. TIFF, EPSF).

Fig. 15: Setting General options for a new ICC info file

You need to decide for each single file format whether you want to tag the profiles by reference or embed them into the image file.

The Overwrite existing profiles checkbox should be used carefully. Whenever you save an image that already contains an image profile in the folder that contains this particular ICC info file (or if you move the image to that folder) the old profile will be overwritten.

By selecting Update Folder Contents, current ICC profile settings are applied immediately to the images in the respective folder (allow "opisrv" some time to apply the changes).

After setting the "General" options (Fig. 15), which allows using the same CMYK (or RGB) profile for different file formats, select individual profiles for the specific file formats or just choose General from the pull-down menu. Fig. 16 shows an example for TIFF file formats.

Fig. 16: Setting TIFF options for a new ICC info file

Note: General is the default setting in the pull-downs for the different file formats unless the file format denies tagging of a particular profile type. E.g., PICT images cannot be tagged with a CMYK profile.

The file format behavior may be different for different file formats. As mentioned above, the PICT format does not allow tagging with a CMYK profile.

The ICC info file can be re-edited at any time. Just double-click the file icon to open the "Tagger" program (Fig. 18).

Fig. 18: Folder with "!iccinfo.oic" file

You may also tag single images one by one with the "Tagger" program. The procedure is similar to that described above.

Select the file format of the image you want to tag and choose the correct profile. Then click the Tag Image button to open the dialog that lets you select the desired image file.

The "Tagger" program internally creates an ICC info file but only uses it for tagging the image and then deletes it immediately.

The "Tagger" program may only be used for tagging high-resolution original images. If you happen to tag a layout image this will be silently ignored because layouts are tagged automatically by the OPI server. The rules for layout tagging are as follows:

There are two methods to find out about profile information that has been tagged to an image file with the "Tagger" program:

Select File > Open Tag Info Window. Then drag and drop the file(s) you want to get profile information about into the window.

The Tagging Information Window lists the file(s) and gives information about possible profile tagging and whether the profiles are referenced or embedded.

You may also use our "oiimginfo" UNIX program to find out whether a specific image is already tagged with a profile. See 6.5 "oiimginfo".

An image file can contain XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform), meta data or clipping path information. ImageServer enables users to export this information to a file, and likewise, to import such information in an image file.

Specify "oiimginfo" for an image file with the -f option and an export file name (See also -E <ExportType> in 6.5 "oiimginfo").

ImageServer will create a file in the specified directory (in the example above in "/demovol "), which contains the extracted XMP information.

The "touch" program is a Macintosh and Windows tool that is automatically added to your "HELIOS Applications" ("HELIOS_APPS ") volume during the HELIOS software installation ("opitouch ", the UNIX version of this program, is described in 6.3 "opitouch").

Usually, a layout file is generated shortly after you have saved a high-resolution original image on the server. The layout file will then bear the attributes that are currently defined in HELIOS Admin. If you change settings in the Admin, the existing layouts will not be updated automatically.

In case you decide to update an old layout, you could open your high-resolution original image file and save it once again. Alternatively, you can use the "touch" program for that purpose. This is much more convenient, because the program simulates the saving procedure without opening any image processing application.

Mount and open your "HELIOS Applications" volume (PCShare: "HELIOS_APPS "), open the "MacOS" folder (PCShare: "Windows") and then "OPI Tools ".

Just drag the image file(s) you want to re-layout onto the "touch" icon (Fig. 19).

Fig. 19: "touching" an image

The "touch" program will - after a delay of 30 seconds (default) - automatically lead to the generation of new layout files.

Important: Though you may select several images at a time and drag them onto the "touch" icon, do NOT drag and drop complete folders!

Please note that the time the server needs for the generation of new layouts, depends on the number of layout jobs and processes.

The "touch" program may also be used for tagging ICC profiles to high-resolution images. This is done by "touching" a complete directory which contains high-resolution images and an "!iccinfo.oic" file. Due to the fact that the "Touch.exe" program enforces a new layout process in the directory, existing source profiles are read out anew according to the information stored in the "!iccinfo.oic" file.

Under Windows, only a certain amount of files can be dragged onto the "Touch.exe" icon at a time, otherwise Windows will issue an error message.

Start "Touch.exe" and drag all selected files into the program window. You may also copy the selected files in the Explorer and paste them into the program window.

OPI options in the print dialog are application specific. In the following, we explain how to specify OPI settings in the QuarkXPress and InDesign applications, and the effects on the printing results.

For example, QuarkXPress offers the Include Images option (Fig. 20), as long as OPI Active is checked.

Fig. 20: OPI print options (QuarkXPress 6)

With this option selected, the PostScript job which is sent from the workstation to the OPI server will include the image data and all OPI comments that describe these images. Once the job has arrived on the server, ImageServer will replace the image data with the high-resolution originals - or print the layouts that have been placed (see Print Layout Images in 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings").

If Include Images is not selected, the amount of data that is sent from the client to the server will be reduced. The PostScript file will no longer contain the image data of the layout files. However, the OPI comments are still included. In this case the OPI server does not replace images, but fills blanks. The printouts will be complete and correct.

It may be sensible to deactivate this Include- option whenever documents contain a lot of TIFF or EPS images and thus become rather large (even with layout files).

Important: Only deactivate the Include - options if all your images are stored on the OPI server. This works properly if you are using layout files only. In case you place high-resolution originals in your layout document, this might cause problems, because the OPI server, by default, does not replace high-resolution images nor fills blanks either. If you deactivate one of the Include - options for high-resolution images, these images will be missing on the printout. (You can solve this problem by switching the Replace Images option to All on ImageServer - see 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings".)

You may additionally select Low Resolution to downscale high-res TIFF images in the document when printing out.

When printing a document from InDesign, the OPI options in the "Advanced" section let you selectively omit different imported graphics types when sending image data to a printer or file, leaving only the OPI links (comments) for later handling by an OPI server. This behavior is almost the same as that described in 5.7.1 "QuarkXPress".

If the checkbox OPI Image Replacement (Fig. 30) is active, InDesign replaces low-resolution EPS images with high-resolution graphics at output time. You should unselect this option to have ImageServer perform server-based OPI image replacement.

Important: In order to have ImageServer perform server-based OPI image replacement instead of InDesign, make sure that the option OPI Image Replacement is not selected!

These options allow you to selectively omit different imported graphics types (EPS, PDF, and Bitmap Images) when sending image data to a printer or file, leaving only the OPI comments for later handling by ImageServer OPI. The comments contain the information needed to locate a high-resolution image in a HELIOS OPI volume. InDesign only includes the comments in the print job. Please note that the Omit for OPI option does not apply to embedded graphics.

Note: If you select EPS in the Omit for OPI section, OPI Image Replacement will automatically be inactive (grayed out).

ImageServer supports background tinting of bilevel and grayscale raster-based images that are used by QuarkXPress. To benefit from this functionality you must first copy the "HELIOS OPI TuneUp XT" module to the "XTension" folder:

Mount and open the "HELIOS Applications" volume (PCShare: "HELIOS-APPS" ), open the "MacOS" folder (PCShare: "Windows"), "OPI Tools" and then "HELIOS OPI TuneUp ".

Then copy the "HELIOS OPI TuneUp XT" file from the appropriate folder ( "XPress 3-4" - "XPress 6") into the "XTension" folder of your QuarkXPress application.

Once you have designed your QuarkXPress document, you can view information about the images you have placed in it.

The Usage window will prompt details you might need for setting up the print dialog for OPI. It tells you e.g. whether you have imported layout files only (this is indicated by the path and file name) and what kind of file formats you are dealing with. Fig. 21 shows an example document with the Usage window.

Fig. 21: Prompting information about included images

In the "Layout" tab of the print dialog you can specify whether to print composite or separations (Fig. 22). If you switch on Separations, please note that - in case you have selected a particular ICC printer profile for your printer queue - only CMYK and Multichannel (e.g. Hexachrome®) output profiles co-operate with this option. Other profiles do not allow printing separations and will cause error messages. In case you get such messages, please check the printer queue settings in the respective HELIOS Admin dialog (4.4 "OPI printer queue settings").

Printing separations may fail if you have placed RGB high-resolution images in your document, or if you have selected EBU RGB as default color space for layouts (4.2 "ImageServer settings"). This restriction is caused by QuarkXPress, because the software does not separate RGB images (even if the high-resolution originals are CMYK).

Fig. 22: "Layout" tab in QuarkXPress Print dialog

Select the printer type in the Printer Description pull-down menu (Fig. 23). Generic Color may be selected if your printer type is not stated in the list and you plan to print colored images, but do not select Generic B&W.

Fig. 23: "Setup" tab in QuarkXPress print dialog

In the "Output" tab you may select OPI-specific settings for your print job (Fig. 24).

Fig. 24: "Options" tab in QuarkXPress Print dialog

The "OPI" tab lets you specify whether to include the images of the document in the print job or not. This can be set for TIFF and EPS images separately (Fig. 25). Details about these settings are described in 5.7 "OPI print options - include or omit images".

Fig. 25: "OPI" tab in QuarkXPress Print dialog

You can use ImageServer to overcome some QuarkXPress limitations. QuarkXPress 3 through 5 cannot produce DeviceN output, and QuarkXPress 3 through 6 cannot produce in-RIP separations. But if you use QuarkXPress in connection with ImageServer, you can produce in-RIP separations with DeviceN output. Here is how you can do it:

Print your jobs composite from QuarkXPress to a "Create PDF" printer queue to create PDF documents, using the ImageServer OPI image replacement functionality. Make sure that DeviceN printing is enabled on this queue (see Fig. 10 and PostScript 3/DeviceN in 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings").

These PDF documents will include full composite DeviceN spot color information, generated from the high-resolution DCS-2, TIFF and Photoshop images with spot colors, as well as from colorized grayscale images. You can print these PDF documents via PDF HandShake with its variety of options including host-based and in-RIP separation to your PostScript 3 compatible imagesetter (or similar) output device.

With this extension installed, a preview file with the same name than the document and the suffix ".xpv" will be generated each time you save a QuarkXPress document. The following steps describe how to install the extension and how it is used:

Mount and open the "HELIOS Applications" volume, open the "MacOS" folder (PCShare: "Windows"), "OPI Tools" and then "HELIOS Preview".

Then copy the "HELIOS Preview XT.xnt" file from the appropriate QuarkXPress version folder into the "XTension" folder of the QuarkXPress application.

Note: For QuarkXPress 6, you need to mount the "HELIOS Preview XT.dmg" disk image before getting access to the "HELIOS Preview XT.xnt" extension.

The checkbox Create preview on saving in the General tab allows you to specify whether previews should be generated each time a QuarkXPress document is saved (Fig. 26).

Fig. 26: HELIOS Preview XT: General settings

The Picture settings tab allows the specification of the preview image file format, PNG or JPEG and their respective settings (Fig. 27).

Fig. 27: HELIOS Preview XT: Picture settings

In the Hotkey tab you may specify a shortcut which enforces the preview generation without saving the document (Fig. 28).

Fig. 28: HELIOS Preview XT: Hotkey settings

In this section we focus on the InDesign print output settings (Fig. 29), which allow you to specify if printing composite or separations, and the advanced settings (Fig. 30), in which OPI related settings are provided.

In the Color pull-down menu you can select whether to print composite, separations, or to a PostScript RIP. In order to have ImageServer perform composite color matching, thus keep image data unchanged, you should select Composite Leave Unchanged. If you wish to print documents from InDesign to an already defined color space, select Composite Gray, Composite RGB, Composite CMYK.

Fig. 29: "Output" tab in InDesign print dialog

Here you can omit EPS, PDF or bitmap layout images for OPI. If one or more of these options are checked, InDesign does not include the placed layout images in the document, but will include all OPI references. This reduces the document size significantly while preserving all the essential information which is needed to have ImageServer perform proper OPI image replacement.

Furthermore we recommend to leave the option OPI Image Replacement unchecked. This ensures that ImageServer performs server-based image replacement.

Fig. 30: "Advanced" tab in InDesign print dialog

When selecting an EPS layout image from the Place- dialog box which is subject to being placed in an InDesign document, select the option Show Import Options.

The option Read Embedded OPI Image Links tells InDesign to read links from OPI comments for images which are included (or nested) in the graphic (Fig. 31).

This option must be deselected if you are using layout images and plan to have the ImageServer OPI functionality perform the image replacement. When this option is deselected, InDesign preserves the OPI links, but does not read them. When you print or export, the proxy and the links are passed on to the output file.

Fig. 31: in InDesign import options

With this plug-in installed, a preview file with the same name and the suffix ".xpv" will be generated each time you save an InDesign document. The following steps describe how to install the plug-in and how it is used:

Mount and open the "HELIOS Applications" volume, open the "MacOS" folder (PCShare: "Windows"), "OPI Tools" and then "HELIOS Preview".

Then copy the "HELIOS Preview.pln" file from the appropriate InDesign version folder into the "Plug-Ins" folder of the InDesign CS application.

The HELIOS Preview window appears (Fig. 32). It allows you to specify the preview image file format, which can be PNG or JPEG, and their respective settings. In addition, you may specify with the Preview on Saving option whether previews should be generated each time an InDesign document is saved.

Fig. 32: HELIOS Preview: Settings

ImageServer provides a native PDF-based OPI image replacement solution that replaces, within in a PDF file, the low-resolution bitmap images with the high-resolution originals. This preserves transparency and meta data, and allows server-based PDF workflows utilizing OPI low-resolution images.

Modern pre-press applications, e.g. Adobe InDesign, are moving to a direct PDF output workflow allowing advanced features like PDF transparency, drop shadows, and embedded XMP meta data. These features are incompatible with today's PostScript output, but will be fully supported by this solution.

Remote users using WebShare can download low-resolution images and return PDF print jobs containing low-resolution images, which are then replaced on the server for final output.

Note: InDesign fully supports transparencies, as long as no objects with transparency overlap layout images.


HELIOS ImageServer UB User manual

HELIOS ImageServer UB User manual