Select Page

Quick Start Guide

Activating Your License | Setting up New Printers | Creating New Printer Profiles | Making VISU ICC Device Link Profiles
Creating Spot Color Libraries | Making a ProofMaster Queue

Activating your license

This couldn’t be easier:

  1. In ProofMaster, open ‘License Info’
  2. Click the ‘Activate’ button
  3. Enter your Registration Code
  4. Follow the wizard – and that’s it.

You’re ready to go.

Next, we’ll walk you through setting up new printers >>

Setting up New Printers

Setting up new printers

Setting up new printers takes a few seconds. For best results, we recommend you have three printers maximum per RIP.

Step 1.

Step 2.

Step 1.

Start the ProofMaster RIP and, on the File menu, point to Printer and select New [see image]
The Properties dialog box will appear.

Step 2.

Type a memorable name for the printer. This helps you identify which printer you’re using later on, which is useful if you have two or more printers that are the same model.

Choose the printer manufacturer and model from the drop-down list, like this, and define the Connection settings [see image]:

    • For USB connections, select a printer Port.
    • For TCP/IP connections, enter the IP address of the printer.
Step 3.

Click OK, the new printer’s name will appear in the main window – and that’s it. You’re ready to go.

Next, we’ll walk you through creating new printer profiles >>

Creating New Printer Profiles

Creating new printer profiles

To control the output of inkjet printers, ProofMaster uses two device link profiles inside one, single Printer Media Mode file (PMM). Each PMM bundles a complex mix of driver settings together, to handle the unique combination of your printer and your media.

These include:

  • Printer model-specific driver settings
  • Compensation data for ink limits and linearization
  • A custom-generated ICC Device Link profile

The media profile is used for device calibration and re-calibration, while the device link is used for proofing to a specific color standard. Here, we’ll look at creating the media profile (but if you just need a Device Link profile, that’s here).

Making a new media profile

Go to the Calibrator Application. In the top left hand corner, there’s a dropdown.

Click on it, and choose the printer you’re making a media profile for.

Then, in the Icon bar at the top of the window, select the VISU icon with a + sign

Click the purple arrow to the right to advance through the steps.

Step 2.

In the next popup window, choose the printer again – but don’t select a queue – and press ‘New’

Step 3.

If you’re proofing, type in these values – you’ll need to change the Media Type to suit the media you’re using – and then click ‘Next’

Step 4.

Give your profile an appropriate name. It helps if it’s something other people will recognise too. Then, put a tick in the ‘Override printer internal linearization’ box, like in the image.

Step 5.

Making sure you’ve got the right spectrophotometer settings, and the right media size loaded, you can now print the charts to create a fresh, new printer linearization. [See this image, and next image] 

Step 5.

[second image]

Step 6.

When you’re ready press the ‘Print’ Icon.

The chart will be sent to print, and you’ll get this system message.

Step 7.

If you’re using the ILS20 or ILS30, then the printer will print and measure the chart automatically. If you’re not using the ILS20 or ILS 30, you’ll need to press the ‘Measure’ Icon after the printer has finished printing, and click ‘Next’.

Step 8.

As soon as the values have been received, the patches will all be populated with color.

Step 9.

 — and now you can check the printer / media combination’s available gamut.

Step 10.

Ink Splitting is automatically decided in CMYK mode. There’s no need to change anything at this stage (unless you want to, of course). Just click ‘Next’.

Step 11.

For high quality ProofMaster proofing medias, there’s also no need to make manual adjustments to the Total Ink Limit. As long as you’ve chosen the right media pre-set, this will all be done for you. 

Click ‘Next’

Step 12.

— and you’re ready to make the PMM for the printer and your media.

Select ProofMaster Calibrator Module. Double check you’ve got the right spectro and media settings before printing the ECI chart.

Step 13.

You can measure the chart with your spectro, just as you would normally.

The chart is measured automatically with ILS20 and ILS 30. Just click the ‘Measure’ icon when the printer’s finished, and the patches will be populated as the process completes.

Click ‘Next’

Step 14.

When the data’s been received, all of the patches will be filled.

Click ‘Next’, and your profile will be calculated

Step 15.

Now you’ll be shown the validity of the PMM versus the ISO Coated standard. Click anywhere on the window; you’ll be able to rotate and manipulate the tool.

Step 16.

Select the variant you want to use – in this case, it’s Proofing.

Step 17.

Click ‘Next’, and you’ll be shown the profile’s details – and that’s it.

Click Finish to exit the profile wizard.

Next, we’ll walk you through creating new device link profiles >>

Creating New Device Link Profiles

Making a New Device Link Profile

Proofing is an absolute conversion. It’s based on the maximum color gamut of your machine, and it’s the only variant you should be using for contract proofing.

Right click the Variant Proofing and select ‘Add Device’

Click the purple arrow to the right to advance through the steps.

Step 2.

Choose your reference from the drop down list. Select ‘Commit’, and ProofMaster will build your device link for you.

Step 3.

Now, click Finish – and that’s it. Your device link profile is ready to use.

Step 4.

If you want to, you can start proofing with this profile straight away. Or, if you prefer, you can tune it (which is what we recommend for contract proofing). Here’s how:

Select the profile variant proofing – and select the Tuning icon in the icon bar, as shown in the image.

Step 5.

Repeat the printing and measuring of the profiling chart until you’re happy with the device-link Delta-e values.

Next, we’ll walk you through creating spot color libraries >>

Creating Spot Color Libraries

Creating Spot Color libraries

This couldn’t be easier. In the Calibrator, open the Mode to reveal your print settings and spot colors:

From here, it’s a simple three-step process:

  1. Highlight the Spot Colors icon and click’ Import Spot Color Library’
  2. Navigate to the library you want to use. The default location for this is in the Color Library, in the PrintFactory software folder.
  3. Select the Library you’d like to use, and click ‘Open’.

That’s it. The Library will now be available for that profile, using it as the reference for any matching named colors.

Now, we’ll take you through making a queue >>

Making a ProofMaster Queue

Making a ProofMaster Queue

Once you’ve defined your printer, and built your profile, you can create one or more ProofMaster queues for the printer.

Check to make sure you’re seeing the name of the printer you’d like to work with, in the active printer window. (If you’ve got more than one printer defined, you’ll need to choose ‘View’ in the menu and select the printer you’d like to work with.) 

Now, you can either choose File > Queue > New – or simply click the ‘Add Queue’ button.

The Queue Options dialog box will appear.

Next, we’ll configure the ProofMaster Queue. This means working through the tabs, selecting the appropriate options – like this.

Step 1.

For Proofing, select Standardized Printing

Click the purple arrow to the right to advance through the steps.

Step 2.

Give the new Queue an appropriate name

Step 3.

You can use the default settings here, for ease.

Step 4.

Select the media wedge. If you’ve chosen ILS, then the queue will be set to auto certify your proofs and print a label next to the media wedge.

Step 5.

For proofing, we recommend you don’t change these RGB settings (but we’ve included them here as a useful referenc

Step 6.

On the next tab, we’re defining the target reference profile, selecting the correct device-link from the PMM. (If there’s no matching device link in the PMM, then the software will create a new one – but it won’t tune it automatically.)

Important: Unless you have a full PDF/X workflow, don’t select ‘Use PDF/X Output Intent’ – and don’t select Solid Black

Step 7.

On the Calibrator tab, you’ll see all PMMs that are available. Choose the relevant one for your proofing media and printer.

Step 8.

— and on the last tab, you’ll find these settings already pre-defined. There’s no need to change them. They’re set up to give you the best results, automatically.

Step 9.

— and on the last tab, you’ll find these settings already pre-defined. There’s no need to change them. They’re set up to give you the best results, automatically.