Software

Enfocus has introduced Switch 09 Update 2, an upgrade of its popular Switch automation software suite. This release includes a new tool for routing Enfocus Certified PDF files depending on their preflight status. It also adds compatibility with the newest features in PitStop Server 10, which was released in October. PitStop Server 10 users can now create workflows to not only preflight files but also to automate transparency flattening with or without preflighting. Furthermore, Switch 09 Update 2 adds four completely new configurators as well as updating some existing ones.

Configurators directly control and automate third party applications that integrate with FullSwitch and PowerSwitch. Enfocus has a growing network of partnerships with other leading software vendors and has regularly added new configurators since Switch was first introduced in 2006. Enfocus also set up the Enfocus Crossroads community of partners, users and integrators, which co-operate to enhance and extend the use of Switch and its configurators.

“In the light of the ‘Enfocus, You First’ campaign we are closely following up on the needs of our users,” explains Elli Cloots, Director of Product Management at Enfocus “For that reason we have introduced four new configurators in this new Switch update. These new configurators are responding to the needs of our customers. A wide range of configurators also reinforces our Crossroads strategy, where we aim to offer a lot of diverse solutions to automate processes.”

New configurators

The four new configurators include one from Dynagram, which is new to the Enfocus Crossroads community, while the other three are additional configurators from existing partners Elpical, ColorLogic and Axaio.

• Dynagram inpO2: a powerful, modular PDF imposition software solution. By combining the Switch configurator and the inpO2 Automation Module, users can now fully automate their PDF impositions for digital and offset workflows.
• Elpical Claro Premedia Server: offers a complete image processing workflow for fast processing of high volumes of images. While Claro Premedia analyzes and enhances the images for highest-quality results, Switch automates the management of these images.
• ColorLogic DocBees Profile Tagger: a special kind of color management preflighting tool that automatically identifies the profile that suits a CMYK separation best. The tool analyzes both TIFF and JPEG image data, as well as CMYK images in PDF files, assigns them the most suitable profiles and, if required, embeds these profiles in the files. The Switch plug-in allows the combination of traditional and advanced color management preflighting.
• Axaio Made To Print InDesign® Server: a solution for high-speed, high-volume output from InDesign® Server. Axaio Made To Print Server takes care of printing and exporting InDesign documents and seamlessly integrates with Switch which manages those documents and the different exported files.

The updated configurators are for Ultimate Impostrip Scalable Server Edition, callas pdfToolbox 4.5, ProofMaster, Axaio Made To Print InDesign®, Axaio Made To Print Quark Xpress and Enfocus PitStop Server 10. These updates guarantee compatibility with the latest software versions.

Certified PDF tool

Enfocus also added a tool that can route Enfocus Certified PDF files according to their preflight state (error, success, warning and sign-off). This is available for all Switch users (even in LightSwitch), without the need to install third party software.

Certified PDF files coming from Enfocus PitStop Pro, PitStop Server and Instant PDF can be sorted automatically, but Switch users will get the most out of this tool when processing files coming from Enfocus PitStop Connect, a new tool launched earlier in 2010. PitStop Connect allows printers and publishers to ‘connect’ with their customers, supplying them a Connector, a tool to preflight and deliver their PDF according to the required specifications.

PitStop Connect seamlessly integrates with Enfocus Switch. Once files are delivered to Switch through one of the Connectors made in PitStop Connect, they can be sorted depending on the result of the preflight process performed in the Connector. A Connector is a droplet that is created in PitStop Connect and used by a creative to preflight and deliver his PDF file.

"Users of PowerSwitch, which supports metadata and scripting, will benefit even more from this update because handling script expression and picking up metadata has been improved too," points out Elli Cloots.

Availability

Switch 09 Update 2 is available now. Existing users of LightSwitch 09, FullSwitch 09 and PowerSwitch 09 can upgrade by downloading a free update from the Enfocus website. Users of earlier versions should contact their local dealers for upgrade offers.

A fully functional (time-limited) trial version can be downloaded from the Enfocus website www.enfocus.com as well as trial versions of all other Enfocus products.

 

 

 

3M Commercial Graphics Division Europe just updated its profile database and has now more than 1000 ICC media profiles available.

Whether you are using printer from Agfa, EFI VUTEk, Epson, HP, Mimaki, Mutoh, Oce, Roland, or Seiko, 3M has media profiles available for you.

 

X-Rite, Incorporated, the world leader in colour management, measurement and communication technologies, today announced that it will be showcasing its latest colour management solutions at the upcoming PIA Color Management Conference (taking place December 4-7, at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix, Arizona).

Conference attendees will get a preview of the highly-anticipated and soon-to-be released i1Publish software at a special after hours sneak-peak event hosted by X-Rite’s Global OEM Technical Manager and Color Integration Specialist, Ray Cheydleur, on Sunday, December 5th at 7:45PM, in the Computer Lab (no advance registration required).  i1Publish is X-Rite’s next-generation colour profiling and management package that replaces its legacy i1Match, MonocoPROFILER and ProfileMaker solutions. The i1Publish suite of colour management tools includes X-Rite’s all-new i1Profiler software, PANTONE Color Manager software, ColorChecker Proof and ColorChecker Passport camera calibration software. Participants will learn how i1Publish can put unprecedented colour control into the hands of graphic arts professionals that need to organise and manage their complete RGB, CMYK and CMYK+N (CMYK plus any 4) prepress and digital pressroom workflows.

X-Rite will also offer a 20-minute special breakout session on Sunday Dec 5th at 3PM during which the company will showcase the recently announced PrintCheck and PressOptimizer line of automated print quality control and standardisation solutions. PrintCheck and PressOptimizer allow printers to calibrate their presses, verify if a press is still running within specification, and then create easy-to-read reports on the six critical areas that affect color on-press. This provides great value to pressroom operators who can now validate quality consistency and ISO standards compliance using the process control methodology of their choice, whether they print to G7, PSO or Japan Color, or to their own set of custom tolerances.

The latest version of Mimaki’s powerful plugin cutting software is now available and is compatible with both Adobe Illustrator CS5 (on Mac and PC) and CorelDRAW! X5 on PC. The software adds sign-making functionality to popular industry standard software applications and fits seamlessly into standard workflows.

With significant performance upgrades over the previous version, it comes bundled free of charge with the full range of Mimaki’s cutters and integrated printer/cutters. For existing users of previous versions of Mimaki FineCut, a free upgrade is available via UK & Irish Mimaki distributor, Hybrid Services Ltd’s website and for those wishing to try it out, a 60 day licensed version can also be downloaded free of charge.

Mimaki FineCut enables contour cut paths to be created from both bitmap and vector images, automates the print and cut process when used in combination with the Mimaki RasterLink Pro RIP software and provides powerful cutting tools for both coloured vinyl cutting and print and cut workflows.

Hybrid’s marketing manager, Duncan Jefferies describes the update as “…a valuable revision to the software.”

“Mimaki FineCut is a powerful application,” he says, “and the latest version ensures cross platform and package compatibility alongside some feature rich development.”

To access the download or to try the software out for free, visit www.hybridservices.co.uk and click ‘News’ from where there are links to the appropriate pages.

Design professionals in the architecture, engineering and construction industries will be able to save time, improve collaboration and reduce review cycles using the industry’s first web-ready large-format printing solution – available today.

The new HP ePrint & Share and HP Designjet T2300 eMultifunction Printer (eMFP) solution allows design teams to easily access, share and print large-format project files online anytime, anywhere.(1) HP also introduced new HP Graphics Solutions Partner Program offerings that come bundled with the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP to help simplify and improve the technical design process.

“In September, HP announced a breakthrough in the way design professionals can collaborate and share information through its ePrint & Share platform and the new HP Designjet T2300 eMFP,” said Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager, HP Designjet Large-Format Solutions, HP. “Today, HP is making this innovative solution available to allow technical design professionals to reduce review cycles and unleash their creativity.”

The world’s most collaborative printing solution

The HP ePrint & Share platform revolutionises the way design professionals manage project workflows. Available for download at www.hp.com/go/eprintandshare, HP ePrint & Share allows architects, engineers and construction professionals to directly scan project files to the cloud, quickly print and access plans from the road, share designs with remote project teams(1) and seamlessly collaborate with design partners around the world.

HP ePrint & Share is available for all HP Designjet customers and will be accessible from the touchscreen of the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP(2) – the industry’s first web-ready large-format printer with scan, print and copy functionality.(1) Designed to match today’s collaborative and mobile work styles, the new printer allows technical design professionals to easily scan and upload documents to the web and to print drawings wherever needed.(1)

Autodesk solutions for end-to-end workflows

HP and Autodesk, a leader in 3-D design software, are providing a completely integrated workflow solution that helps design professionals improve efficiency, collaboration and productivity on every project, from start to finish.

Autodesk software solutions bundled with every HP Designjet T2300 eMFP purchase include:

• new HP ePrint & Share plug-in, which allows customers to simplify their printing directly from AutoCAD, industry-leading software that offers powerful tools for exploring design concepts and accelerating documentation
• AutoCAD® Raster Design,(3) which enables the full scanning and vectorisation of sketches, printed plans or blueprints, is one of the leading raster applications for design professionals who need to use or reuse scanned paper drawings to manage, convert, analyse and edit those images in AutoCAD software and applications based on AutoCAD.

“With the new HP Designjet T2300 eMFP, architects and designers can scan existing drawings and blueprints, and then rasterise and vectorise them through AutoCAD Raster Design, and then bring them into AutoCAD for editing,” said Amy Buszel, senior director, AutoCAD Products, Autodesk. “Beginning a project with a CAD file instead of manually creating a design in AutoCAD based on paper files is a much more efficient process.”

Trial version of Scan2CAD software from Softcover

Also bundled with each HP Designjet T2300 eMFP is a 30-day trial version of Softcover International’s Scan2CAD software. Customers who have purchased an HP Designjet T2300 eMFP also will be entitled to a significant discount on Scan2CAD software, version 8.

With Scan2CAD, users can quickly scan drawings and printouts into Drawing eXchange Format (DXF) files suitable for editing in any PC computer-aided design (CAD) program using Softcover’s automatic raster-to-vector and PDF-to-CAD conversion technologies. The program can extract CAD-editable data from a variety of formats, including single- or multipage vector PDFs, single- or multipage raster PDFs, single- or multipage hybrid PDFs (raster and vector), and scanned (raster) images created with desktop/large-format scanners and saved in many standard image file formats, including BMP, CAL, CIT, JPEG, TIFF and PNG.

 

(1)   Internet connection required.

(2)   Upgradeable functionality planned to be available in 2011. May require an internet connection to the printer. Feature works with any internet- and email- capable device.

(3) Software delivered as a free 30-day trial and requires the 2011 release of AutoCAD software or an AutoCAD-based product.

X-Rite, Incorporated, the world leader in colour management, measurement and communication technologies, today announced its new portfolio of i1 Professional Color Management Solutions.  Designed to accommodate all levels of proficiency and expertise, these high performance solutions are specifically targeted to meet the unique needs of photo, pre-press, and publishing professionals, providing exceptional value at very attractive price points.

The portfolio is comprised of i1Basic Pro, i1Photo Pro, i1 Publish and i1Publish Pro.  All four feature groundbreaking new technology and applications: i1Profiler, X-Rite's entirely new next generation colour profiling software; new PANTONE Color Manager colour swatch bridging software; and ColorChecker Proof, a new colour checker chart for direct viewing analysis against a printed target.

"With the availability of our easy-to-use, next generation colour profiling solutions, X-Rite puts unprecedented colour control and robust features into the hands of a broad array of imaging professionals – people who require precise colour in a variety of projects," commented Dr. Sonia Megert, X-Rite's Vice President of Inbound Marketing. "The integration of the industry-standard i1Pro spectrophotometer and today's most powerful colour profiling software ensures tremendous value for our customers. Our new i1 Professional Color Management Solutions are more-than-ever within reach, with features that are designed to accommodate all skill levels, and provide the power and control needed to create the highest quality colour profiles in one, convenient solution."

About X-Rite i1 Professional Color Management Solutions

i1Basic Pro is a fundamental solution for high-end monitor profiling, monitor and printing quality verification, and spot colour measurement. Designed for an imaging professional's unique needs, i1Basic Pro is ideal for an effective workflow in a colour-managed ecosystem. i1Basic Pro includes i1Profiler software, PANTONE Color Manager software and an i1Pro spectrophotometer.

i1Photo Pro is specifically designed for discerning photo professionals to manage their RGB workflow from camera to display and projector to print. Thanks to the iterative profiling capability of the i1Profiler software, professional photo users will enjoy the highest quality colour results that especially target highlight and shadow details and delivers greater colour accuracy for more neutral grays and natural skin tones.

i1Publish (a standalone software package) and i1Publish Pro are the ultimate, fully-featured ICC profiling solutions for graphic arts professionals that need to organise and manage their complete RGB, CMYK and CMYK+N (CMYK plus any 4) prepress workflows, complete with new assurance validation and verification functions using digital standards. This includes a display QA function to check soft proofing for ISO (G7, SWOP, PSO, Japan Color) and a printer QA function to check print quality using ISO media wedges (IDEAlliance ISO Control Wedge or Fogra Media Wedge).

i1Photo Pro and i1Publish Pro include i1Profiler software, an i1Pro spectrophotometer, PANTONE Color Manager software, ColorChecker Proof target, mini ColorChecker Classic target, and ColorChecker Passport camera calibration software. i1Publish includes all of the above except for the spectrophotometer.

About i1Profiler Software

With the new i1Profiler software, X-Rite has developed a next generation toolset that combines the best features of its i1Match, ProfileMaker and MonacoPROFILER solutions. i1Profiler software offers an unprecedented level of flexibility to address the needs of digital imaging workflows. It features a number of unique colour management capabilities, adding to users' power and control in creating professional quality profiles. Users can chose between a 'basic', wizard-driven interface; or an 'advanced', user-driven interface to create high quality, precise, custom color profiles for monitors, projectors, printers, and presses.

At the core of i1Profiler is X-Rite's i1Prism engine, whose unique profiling technology lets users build printer profiles for up to 8-colour workflows (RGB, CMYK and CMYK plus any 4). This reliable, iterative technology is extremely robust, allowing for further profile optimisation based on any combination of images, spot colours or captured colours. Users can select from any of the included PANTONE colour libraries, including the new PANTONE PLUS SERIES and PANTONE Fashion + Home. This results in the best possible image quality and colour accuracy.

Using just one software tool, users can optimise their profiles, build profiles with ambient light measurements, compensate for optical brighteners in their papers, and utilise simple yet advanced controls for black separation. i1Profiler lets users save and reuse assets or preferred settings with drag-and-drop functionality - meaning profile generation workflows can be created or shared with others quickly, easily, and efficiently. This exchange functionality also allows users to communicate palette information and other colour data across the office or around the world using X-Rite's Color Exchange Format (CxF) for the most comprehensive digital colour data exchange.

About PANTONE Color Manager

PANTONE Color Manager will dynamically keep all digital PANTONE libraries up to date, accurate and ready to use in Adobe and Quark creative applications.  The tight integration of i1Profiler with PANTONE Color Manager swatch bridging software gives users seamless access to all PANTONE colours for precise spot colour matching, and unparalleled accuracy of spot colour reproduction. It also makes multiple colour space selections simple for easy colour translation to multiple applications and is ideal for photographers that need to shoot corporate ID images.

PANTONE Color Manager includes a unique new feature, which simplifies the creation and distribution of corporate brand style guides.  Designers can include palette information, digital colour data, and output profiles to ensure that their brand colour is faithfully reproduced in any print production process around the corner or across the globe.

About ColorChecker Proof

To help users perform a visual colour evaluation of their results using physical standards, i1Photo Pro and i1Publish Pro solutions include the new ColorChecker Proof, a 24-patch ColorChecker Classic target precut for direct viewing against a printed target. When used in proper lighting conditions, this offers a much more precise visual verification of output quality, so that the user can quickly determine if any adjustment is needed.

About ColorChecker Passport Software and Classic Target

With the ColorChecker Passport Camera Calibration Application and Lightroom Plug-In, users can quickly and easily build DNG profiles for Adobe Imaging solutions including Lightroom, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Camera Raw (ACR) and Adobe Bridge. This advanced profiling technology, which has become widely adopted in RAW workflows since its launch in September 2009, provides excellent results with just the small 24-patch ColorChecker Classic target included in both i1Photo Pro and i1Publish Pro. It produces DNG profiles that work exceptionally well, even in unusual or artificial light sources. Plus, software auto-detection will locate the target automatically.  Whether shooting with just one camera or multiple cameras, photographers can easily establish an accurate colour foundation and maintain control of their colours.

Pricing, upgrades and availability

The new i1 Professional Color Management Solutions will be available in October 2010 from X-Rite's online store (North America and Europe), and also from the company's worldwide network of resellers. i1Publish will also be offered with two upgrade options based on original solution purchased.