Color Trapping

[inphoenix]

Ziggy,
You are so wonderful to spend so much time helping me and I feel like such a blob...
I understand the difference between lpi and dpi now but do not understand how this is affecting what I'm trying to accomplish. I was taking a 'shot' at adjusting the 'dot' lpi in the postscript options of a fill and it didn't work at all for me.
My main problem is I'm trying to print a hard copy of a color separation that requires overprinting the black outline. The t-shirt screenprinter has a very old time shop and does not use computers, only hard copy to burn his screens for actual printing. They are complaing that the resolution is too fine for shaded areas (anything less than 100% black) and could I make larger 'dots' for them. Now I know their 'dots' are not what you were talking about in the halftones. I guess I'll not be able to accomplish the required output for them. This is so frustrating. My mythical Ferrari is NO GOOD for me. What a bummer.

if the 'cells' of lpi is less then why don't I see a difference on the printed output? Or have I lost it again? LOL

Marie

[Not Ziggy]

Please perform the following test:

1) Draw a rectangle on a new document and give it a fill of 50% CMYK black, no outline. (It's important that you use CMYK black so that there will be only one place to set the line screen.) Do NOT use Pantone Process Black.

2) Go to File/ Print and select the PostScript tab. (If there is no such tab, then you do not have a PostScript printer and you will need to have your file output by someone who does.)

3) Double-click on the Screen Frequency box and enter the number 5

4) Click "Print." Do you get huge halftone cells, about 1/8" across?

If you do, we will move on to test #2.

[Larry Elliott]

Ziggy,
Appreciate the offer to help me in trying to change my screen frequency output, I'm usually able to research and conquer problems on my own but this has me puzzled especially after contacting Epson and getting their reply that I could not make these changes. With the Epson 3000 CPS you have to 'print to file' and then send the file to the StylusRip software to spool it to the printer.
Here's the menus and options I have for this printer that are related to screen frequency and angle,
Main print menu I can choose the type printer (printers) I have installed, Epson 3000 (non P.S.), Epson 3000 CPS and a 'device independent P.S. file'. The Epson 3000 CPS is a 'print to file' driver, when this is my default printer I have options for Properties. Under properties I have Paper, Graphics, Device Options, Post Script and Watermarks. Under Graphics I have options to use 'Printer Settings' or 'Use settings Below' (where I can change Screen Frequency and Angle) I make changes to frequency and 'Apply'. Under Post Script menu I can choose PostScript, ADSC, EPS or Archive Format, should I choose other than PostScript?
Now under Main Print Menu I have options for General, Layout, Separations, PrePress, PostScript, Misc. and Issues (conflicts). I choose Seps and have opts for 'Advanced' under this I can choose screening technology for Standard Default, Balanced, RT Screening and HQS Screening. I can highlite a plate color to output and can change the frequency and the angle (I match this to the settings in the 'Graphics' menu I used in the 'Properties' menu). Now under this PostScript menu I can choose either Level 1, 2 or 3. and can choose frequency and angle again, this is set to the same as in the other menus. Hopefully there is an easy answer to this as it is beyond my ability, after changing every setting I still either get default screening or I crash the rip.

Thanks for taking time to look at my problem.

Larry Elliott,,,,,

[Not Ziggy]

The Epson "ESR-Stylus RIP," as you probably know, simply converts your entire page to a big bitmap which a non-PS printer can then print, but it purports to do so while reading PostScript instructions. If it works, I would have to classify it as a small miracle. If you want to get discouraged, you can read about how poorly it works for other users at

http://www.driverguide.com/forums/printer/epso/

Do a search on the two words Stylus RIP with the Boolean thingy set to AND, and read some of the dozens of frantic posts.

Other than that, your post doesn't indicate whether you've tried setting the frequency on the object level (using only Pantone colors and the "Options" button at the bottom of the Uniform Fill dialog box). Then, leave every other setting at "default." You can also afix linescreening within Draw as follows: 1) Select an item, 2) Convert to bitmap as grayscale, 3) Change mode to B&W, specifying "halftone," "dot," and "60" per "inch" and the object will become permanently "screened." This latter may impart moray patterns, which are mitigated by varying the screen angle.

[inphoenix]

Failed... did not get huge thingies,,, but do have a postscript printer.

Marie

[Larry Elliott]

Thanks Ziggy for the confirmation on what I had become to take for granted that the Epson 3000 CPS IS NOT a true post script machine. The 'tech' at Epson argued with me that it was but I was just trying to doing something with it that a 'desk top' printer was uncapable of. I've been well pleased with the output of the printer in all other ways, the high res color on good paper rivals that of offset. According to Epson, 'the use of non-Epson inks WILL CAUSE CLOGGING of the heads' and the heads will have to be replaced or sent to factory for repair, B.S., I fell for that while the printer was still under warranty and paid around $60 a cart for their proprietary inks. I've since used 'compatible' inks and have not had a problem and have saved several dollars! Lots of diff when you compare $240 for a set of Epson inks to $80 for the same stuff in a 'plain wrapper'. Makes me wonder if I'll ever buy another Epson product, their tech support is not technical, their ad hype is more like lying and their consumables are WAY over priced.

Larry Elliott...

[Not Ziggy]

(As a moderator in this forum I'm becoming an expert in the strangest things.)

Marie, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but the HP 4500 is NOT a PostScript printer. (I feel like I'm breaking the news to people that there is no Santa Claus.) Instead it is the same thing that Elliott is wrestling with, which is a non-PostScript printer which comes with "PostScript emulation software" which is imperfect, at best. To quote from hp.com:

"The HP Color LaserJet 4500 Family printer will not recognize or accept custom LPI settings. The firmware does not allow for custom LPI/halftone commands. This constraint allows customers to get the best possible print quality in as many different printing scenarios as possible."

In other words, this is a printer that is dedicated to giving you the highest possible quality photographs and it will NOT let you interfere with its divine destiny by lowering the lpi. Obviously, it's rather EVIL on their part to give you places to change these settings and then disregard them, isn't it?

I'm afraid this boils down to the following: If people clammor for a six-legged dog, someone will find a way to manufacture and sell them one, no matter how lousy a pet it turns out to be.

And in this respect, I would answer Elliott's disparagement of Epson by suggesting that HP is swindling people in the exact same way, but doing a rather classier job of helping people feel good about it.

(Did anyone say, Macintosh?)

[inphoenix]

Ziggy, I know I can always depend on you for the TRUTH! What a shame. I'm so disappointed I could just spit! Well, I'm glad I don't have to bang my head against this printer wall anymore. Thank you so much. Now here's a tricky question:
Can you recommend a printer, not necessarily color but laser that would produce what I am trying to accomplish?

As always most faithfilled in your responses/help
Marie

[Not Ziggy]

Marie, until about a month ago, I was happily using the same printer for ten years at home, until my little brother accidently killed it. It was an HP 4MP, which was only 600 dpi but which came with "true Adobe PostScript." So far, I haven't been able to find another HP that makes the same claim (and since my needs have changed, I bought an Epson Stylus for use at home).

I do know that the 4MP was replaced by the 5MP and then the 6MP, but I don't know what replaced the 6MP. The "M" stands for Macintosh because most PostScript printing is done from Macs. To find a true replacement for the 6MP, you may need to be careful and find a Mac-compatible printer.

If you go to hp.com and go to the bottom of their search lists, you will find a designation, "Discontinued Models." If you then look for the 6MP, it says that the 2100se is its replacement. However, the 2100se has the dreaded "PostScript emulation," which, as we all know by now, probably only means partial emulation. You won't know for sure until you get it home, and if you complain about it, they'll tell you that the only way to get true PostScript is with a $50,000 imagesetter, which is (hopefully) nonsense. However, the 2100se is only $700 list and I suspect that true PostScript is going to be at least $1000. My 4MP was $1500 ten years ago.

Incidentally, at work I use the excellent, true-PS 1200 dpi tabloid Xante 8300 (discontinued), as well as an AGFA imagesetter, a Xerox DocuColor and a Xerox Docutech.

Every November, PC Magazine does a printer issue. Since PC Magazine comes out twice a month, it may not be the first issue in November. If you can wait until mid-November to purchase a new printer, you may want to do so. I found the info at pcmag.com kind of unfulfilling, just now, since they don't really cater to people who need PostScript and tend to test printers with MS Word.

I will research this further and let you know what I find. It may be that the recent release of PostScript 3 (which you don't need) has made "true PostScript" no longer available to the masses. If so, you may be able to find a refurbished 6MP somewhere.

[inphoenix]

Ziggy I'll wait for your research and should I keep checking back to this post?

Marie