MakeQuad v2.6

[Hendrik]

Hello,

I have made a free program called "MakeQuad" running under Windows. It creates profiles for QuadToneRIP.

MakeQuad is intended to make your life easier. MQ has the following features.

• Create linear ink distributions automatically in one go.
• Target linear, gamma or custom lightness curves in one go.
• Create custom ink distributions.
• Predict the lightness of ink distributions.
• Linearize ink distributions.
• Neutralize carbon ink distributions through a toner channel.
• Create quad files for QTR.
• Create quad files for one- and two-pass gloss overcoats.
• View existing quad files and linearize them.

Perhaps the program is of some interest. It comes with a user guide. You can download the installer file from my webpage at www.kuhlmann.at.

Hendrik

 

[W. Fisher]

I've been playing with this and ran into a problem where the .quad file it makes is compressed somehow and Peazip will not uncompress it and instead throws up an "Error" message. As such, I cannot place it into QTR either for it to be recognized.

Got a bit lost in the math in the Appendix A part too on the dilution/relative concentration percentages to add into the program. My LLK is a 6% percent (6ml in 100ml clear base) and the LK is 14% (14ml in 100ml clear base.). The LM is 34% and the LC is also 34%.

Given I cannot uncompress the .quad extension it made for QTR using Peazip, the screenshot below is what I've entered so far.

 

[Hendrik]

Sorry you got stuck. Some observations:

1. MakeQuad will produce uncompressed ASCII files. They are never compressed by MQ. So the compression issue cannot be due to MQ and must be a local problem (perhaps related to the *.quad ending of the file name.
2. It seems you have pressed the button "Make GO quad". So you will have created a global gloss overcoat quad file. I assume this is not what you intended to do. For a normal quad file you have to push "Make Quad".
3. What ink do you have in the channels C, M, and Y? You are telling MQ that all the channels K, C, M, and Y are loaded with 100% PK black ink. Probably this is not what you want. Inks which are not defined as BLACK (currently only your K channel - that's fine) must have a concentration less than 1. This means the maximum value under REL CONC for the channels C, M and Y is 0.99 (or less). If these channels are not used at all, you may untick the GRAY boxes.
4. You are using the paper-ink calibration file "GCVT_PRP.cal". This is from the default setting for the GCVT ink together with Hahnemühle Photo Rag Pearl.
5. From the name of your preset it seems you are using dye ink, is this correct? If so, I do not know if MQ would work for you. I have not tested dye ink. MQ is implicitly assuming the printer is loaded with pigment ink. But it would be interesting to know if MQ will also work with dye inks.
6. Have you made an ink separation print with QTR? This would be required to create a proper calibration file.

I hope these remarks are helpful.

Hendrik