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HELIOS ImageServer UB User manual


3 Before getting started
3.1 Backward compatibility
ImageServer supports backward compatibility to EPSF and TIFF layout files that have been generated by previous ImageSevrer versions.
EtherShare OPI 1.x will not be able to handle and understand layout files generated by the new ImageServer version, but ImageServer 2.5 will (with the exception of the new features and the new supported file formats, e.g. JPEG2000 and JBIG2).
Please note that if you are using EPSF layout files which were generated by EtherShare OPI version 2.1 or earlier, downsampling, color matching and other new features will not be supported when you print separations. In that case, you have to generate new layouts from the high-resolution original images and thus create layout files that can be subjected to all features available in the new program version. You may use the HELIOS "touch" program for regenerating layouts (detailed instructions are given in 5.6 "Refreshing layouts using the "touch" program"), or the HELIOS "opitouch" UNIX command (see 6.3 "opitouch").
3.2 About images, color modes, file formats, and compression
This section provides an overview of ImageServer supported file formats, color spaces, and compression options for layout file generation. It is equally applicable to image conversion using ImageServer Script Server.
3.2.1 General remarks
An image file is defined by its file format. In addition to that, it contains information about its color mode and the mode of compression. These three characteristics depend on one another and may not be combined arbitrarily. An example is given in the following illustration.
Fig. 2: The characteristics that define a given image file

Fig. 2 for example shows a Photoshop CMYK image in the Scitex CT format, which cannot be compressed (options that are not available are grayed out in the illustration).

Important: Please note that some file formats are already compressed (e.g. JPEG).

In the following, we will-
Additional details can be found in A 5 "Glossary"
3.2.2 64-bit file offset support
ImageServer UB handles file sizes up to 64-bit, which equals 8.3 million TB (Terabyte). The old 32-bit support can only handle files up to 2 GB. This is important because image files today can easily exceed 2 GB.
3.2.3 Supported file formats
ImageServer provides OPI facilities and, in addition, contains built-in color management features. The software accepts different file formats for the generation of (low-resolution) layout files and it supports various file formats for color matching. Please note that some file formats in connection with specific color modes allow the generation of layout files, but do not allow color matching.
Table 1 lists all supported file formats for the generation of layout files (and their possible color modes), whereas Table 2 only lists those file format/color mode combinations that allow color matching. If you want to achieve predictable color results on your printouts, you should select for your image files one of the file formats listed in Table 2. Table 3 gives an overview of the image file formats that are supported by ImageServer UB.
Table 1: High-resolution file formats that are supported by ImageServer UB
File format
Color mode
TIFF
Bilevel, Grayscale, Indexed, RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Multichannel* (e.g. Hexachrome®), YCbCr*
EPSF raster- and object-based images
Bilevel, Grayscale, Indexed, RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Spot, Multitones*
PICT
Bilevel, Grayscale, Indexed, RGB
JPEG
Grayscale, RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, YCbCr*
JPEG2000
Grayscale, RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, YCbCr*
JBIG2*
Bilevel
Scitex CT
Grayscale, CMYK
Photoshop Native
(v. 2.x, -, 7.x)
Bilevel, Grayscale, Indexed, RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Spot, Multichannel*
ICS
CMYK
BMP
Bilevel, Grayscale, Indexed, RGB
PNG
Grayscale, Indexed, RGB
PDF*1
Bilevel, Grayscale, Indexed, RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Spot, Multichannel*
DCS 1, DCS 2
CMYK, Spot, Multichannel*
1
Currently read-only support
** PDF HandShake option

Table 2: File format/color mode combinations that are supported for color matching
File format
Color mode
TIFF
RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Multichannel*
(e.g. Hexachrome®), YCbCr*
EPSF raster-based images
RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab
EPSF object-based images
Are not supported!
PICT
RGB
JPEG
RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, YCbCr*
JPEG2000
RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, YCbCr*
JBIG2*
Bilevel
Scitex CT
CMYK
Photoshop Native
RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Multichannel*
ICS
CMYK
BMP
RGB
PNG
RGB
PDF*1
RGB, CMYK, CIE Lab, Multichannel*
DCS 1, DCS 2
CMYK, Multichannel
1
Currently read-only support
** PDF HandShake option

Table 3: File formats, image types and suffixes
File format
Type
Suffix
Tagged Image File Format
TIFF
.tif, .tiff
JPEG or JFIF
JPEG
.jpg, .jpeg
JPEG2000
JP2
.jp2, .jpx
JBIG2
JB2
.jb2, .jbig2
Encapsulated PostScript File
EPSF
.eps, .epsf
DCS 1
EPSF/DCS 1
.eps, .epsf
DCS 2
EPSF/DCS 2
.eps, .epsf
Binary Encapsulated PostScript File
EPSF/BIN
.eps, .epsf
Binary DCS 1
EPSF/DCS 1BIN
.eps, .epsf
Binary DCS 2
EPSF/DCS 2BIN
.eps, .epsf
Scitex CT Handshake Format
..CT
.sct
Adobe Photoshop Format
8BPS
.psd
Adobe Photoshop Version 2.0 Format
8BPS
.psd
Adobe Photoshop Version 2.5 Format
8BPS
.psd
Adobe Photoshop Version 3.0 Format
8BPS
.psd
Adobe Photoshop Version 2.0 Format
8BIM
.psd
Macintosh Picture Format
PICT
.pic
Macintosh Picture format Version 1
PICT/1
.pic
Macintosh Picture format Version 2
PICT/2
.pic
Macintosh Custom Icon Family Format
MacIcon
Adobe Path Resource Format
AdobePath
BMP
BMP
.bmp
Portable Network Graphics File Format
PNGf
.png
HELIOS Document Preview (XPPV)
XPPV
xpv
Portable Document Format
PDF
.pdf
Portable Document Format Version 1.1
PDF/1.1
.pdf
Portable Document Format Version 1.2
PDF/1.2
.pdf
Unknown
UNKN

3.2.4 File format characteristics
Before you save an image in an image processing application (or scan system), you should make a decision on the file format you want to choose. The advantages and disadvantages of the different file formats are described below.

Important: Again, the file formats have to be judged from different points of view. Some characteristics of a given file format may be advantageous in general, and for OPI processes, but - at the same time - disadvantageous with regard to color matching!

The format you choose for an original high-resolution image file determines the format of the automatically generated layout file. Please refer to 3.2.6 "File formats of OPI-generated layout files" for explanations on the different layout file formats.
TIFF
EPSF
(raster-based)
EPSF
(object-based)
PICT
JPEG
JPEG2000
JBIG2
Scitex CT
Photoshop
Native
ICS
BMP
PNG
DCS 1
DCS 2
PDF files
3.2.5 Supported modes of compression
ImageServer supports several file formats for the generation of layout files, even if the data contained in these files has been subjected to compression. The original high-resolution files remain compressed, but usually do not pass on the compression to the layout files. If you want the layout files to be compressed as well, you may use HELIOS Admin, or the respective UNIX parameters (see 4.2 "ImageServer settings" and 6.2 "layout" for details). Table 4 lists various modes of compression supported by ImageServer UB and indicates whether or not they can be applied to the different file formats.
Table 4: Modes of compression and their relation to different file formats
 Compress
 CCITT RLE
 CCITT G3 Fax
 CCITT G4 Fax
 JPEG
 JPEG2000
 JBIG2
 PackBits RLE
 ZIP
TIFF
EPSF
a
a
a
a
PICT
JPEG
JPEG2000
JBIG2*
Scitex CT
Photoshop Native
ICS
a
a
a
a
BMP
PNG
PDF*1
DCS 1, DCS 2
a
a
a
a
1
Currently read-only support
** PDF HandShake option
a This mode of compression is allowed but will cause
restrictions: raster-based data is no longer recognized by
ImageServer.


3.2.6 File formats of OPI-generated layout files
The layout files that are generated by the OPI software are either EPSF or TIFF, depending on the color mode and file format of the high-resolution original image.
EPSF layout files
The OPI server generates EPSF layout files if
TIFF layout files
TIFF layout files are generated of every high-resolution original image that
EPSF versus TIFF
layout files
In the following, we briefly discuss the differences between EPSF and TIFF layout files. Knowing these differences can help you decide which layout file format you want to use. (You may then select the color mode and file format for your high-resolution original images and thereby indirectly determine the desired layout file format.)
There are mainly two aspects that make up the difference between EPSF and TIFF layout files:

Note: EPSF files are not identical for Macintosh and Windows computers. In fact, PC-EPSF layout files may cause problems if the high-resolution original images include a clipping path (see also 3.3.3 "Image paths and clipping paths").

Other layout file formats?
In most cases, it is convenient and sensible to accept the default EPSF or TIFF layout file format. Nevertheless, you may as well choose any other format for your layout files. 5.3 "Defining folder specific OPI settings" explains how to set custom settings on a "per volume" or "per folder" basis.
Color modes for
layout images
The color modes of the high-resolution originals are not passed on to the layouts. By default, layout images are Euroscale- or SWOP-CMYK, to allow the layout applications to print separations. In special situations, you may also select the RGB or Lab color mode for layout images (see Layout Color in 4.2 "ImageServer settings").
3.3 About applications, OPI comments, and modifications
3.3.1 OPI-compatible applications
The ImageServer software requires two types of OPI-compatible applications, namely:
Image
processing
applications
Most scan systems and image processing applications are OPI-compatible as far as the "input" side is concerned. They all offer the possibility of creating at least one or two file formats that are supported by ImageServer for the generation of layout files and for color matching (e.g. TIFF-RGB or raster-based EPSF-CIE-Lab). One of the most frequently used image processing applications is Adobe Photoshop - ImageServer supports the Photoshop Native format.
Layout
applications
Strictly speaking, OPI-compatible layout applications have to meet two different demands: they have to be able to import/place layout images and they have to be able to generate OPI comments according to the Adobe OPI standard and place these comments into the PostScript that is generated for each print job.
There is, however, one exception from this rule: layout applications that are able to import EPSF layout files are quasi-OPI-compatible, even if they do not generate OPI comments. This is due to the characteristics of EPSF layout files which simply do not allow applications to modify their contents. If an EPSF layout file already contains OPI comments - e.g. a reference to the location of the original high-resolution image file - these comments are preserved and passed on to the PostScript file.

Note: Some layout applications that are fully OPI-compatible also offer OPI options in their print dialogs, namely "Omit TIFF" and "Omit TIFF & EPS" , and thus provide additional means of speeding up print jobs when working with OPI. Details about the "Omit -" options are given in 5.7 "OPI print options - include or omit images".

The most frequently used layout applications that are - in principle - fully OPI-compatible are listed in Table 5.
Table 5: OPI-compatible layout applications
Application
Macintosh
Windows PC
QuarkXPress
v. 3.1 - 6.5
v. 3.1 - 6.5
InDesign
v.1.0 - 3.0
v.1.0 - 3.0

Other applications like TrapWise, PressWise, CorelDraw, Illustrator, FrameMaker, Word and Ventura Publisher may also be involved in the process of creating documents that include text and images. Strictly speaking, they were not designed for layout purposes in prepress environments. These applications are - if at all - only quasi-OPI-compatible,when they use EPSF layout files.
The mentioned restrictions are also applicable to layout applications for UNIX systems. Most of these applications (e.g. FrameMaker for UNIX) are able to import EPSF layout files, and thus can be used with ImageServer.
3.3.2 Supported image modifications and
OPI comments
Image
modifications
Different layout applications provide different features for image modifications. Depending on your application, you can e.g. place, move, scale, rotate, skew, reflect, tint, or crop your images, and apply a clipping path, or overprinting. All these modifications are supported by ImageServer and are automatically applied to the high-resolution original images during printing.

Important: Transparency definitions for grayscale and color images are the only modifications that are not supported by ImageServer, due to limitations in the OPI specifications. You may overcome this limitation with the "pdfresolve" tool, which is described in the PDF HandShake manual.

OPI comments
If you print from a layout application, the OPI server requires different information about the images that are included in the document. There are several OPI PostScript comments that contribute to a complete image description. Some comments only serve to clearly identify the high-resolution image; others are used to describe the modifications that have been applied to the layout.
For example, the comments "%ALDImage Dimensions" and "%ALDImagePosition" define the dimensions and the position of an image, and thus may also include information about whether you have moved or scaled the layout image.
3.3.3 Image paths and clipping paths
In Photoshop, the outline of a selected area can be saved as a vector outline, or path. Multiple paths can be created and saved with the file. One of the paths can also be selected as a clipping path. A clipping path can be activated to mask part of an image, so that only the desired portion is seen in the printout. Some page layout programs can recognize and utilize these paths. However, the behavior varies depending upon the program and file format. For example, some applications have poor support for TIFF files containing paths, while others have excellent support. ImageServer can be set to produce layout files with the desired path properties for your specific page layout programs and objectives.
Multiple Photoshop clipping paths
ImageServer now supports multiple clipping paths, any one of which may also be designated as the active clipping path. Multiple paths are migrated into layout and converted files. Photoshop clipping paths can be exported/imported into existing files, so customers can re-use the images and use different clipping paths for different jobs (see ImportMask in 6.2.8 "Options for image conversion" and 6.2.11 "Options for tagging"). In layout applications such as QuarkXPress or InDesign, it is possible to select a defined path and make it the active clipping path.
TIFF files with clipping paths
Clipping paths can be saved within TIFF images in an image processing application. Even though the image will print correctly and the clipping path will be applied, some applications cannot display a TIFF clipping path, and hence are unable to properly use features such as text "Runaround". Therefore, by default, ImageServer generates EPSF layout images of TIFF hi-res files that contain a clipping path. Layout applications can then properly display and use the clipping path (unless your system creates PC-EPSF layouts).
If your layout application, e.g. QuarkXPress 4.1-6 or InDesign 2/CS, does support the TIFF clipping path feature then you can use either EPSF or TIFF layout images. Some applications also have the capability to add or modify the image clipping path in TIFF files. If you wish to take advantage of this feature, layout images should be generated in TIFF format (see 5.3 "Defining folder specific OPI settings"). TIFF layout images will always inherit all paths from the high-resolution image.
PC-EPSF files with clipping paths
Unlike Macintosh-EPSF files, PC-EPSF files contain a TIFF screen preview of the respective image (instead of a PICT screen preview).
The layout application uses the PC-EPSF included TIFF screen preview for the monitor display. ImageServer defines the value white to the area of the rectangle that has been clipped away, so that applications can apply the "Runaround" feature after placing the layout image. Thus, if you generate PC-EPSF layout files, even if the screen preview image has a clipping path with a shape other than a rectangle, it will be printed correctly.

Note: For the generation of PC-EPSF layouts see
4.3 "Volume settings".

EPS layout files and clipping paths
Some layout applications lack full support for TIFF images containing a clipping path. For these applications, EPS layout images should be used (the server default). In this case, you need to specify whether the server image replacement should use the clipping path applied by the image processing application, or the path applied by the page layout application. See 3.3.4 "Application clipping paths" for details.
3.3.4 Application clipping paths
A bitmap image file that already contains clipping path information and then has path changes applied in a layout program, may cause interferences and lead to unwanted results. HELIOS Admin offers an option (see checkbox Ignore Mask for Bitmap Images During Output in Fig. 3 below) that makes the server ignore existing masks for bitmap images so a new clipping path can be defined from within the layout application (QuarkXPress, InDesign, etc.). This option can also be set for individual folders via folder naming syntax (see 5.3 "Defining folder specific OPI settings").
Fig. 3: HELIOS Admin OPI Server Settings dialog

Note: Multiple Photoshop clipping paths are migrated into layout and converted files. Photoshop clipping paths can be exported/imported into existing files, so customers can re-use the images and use different clipping paths for different jobs.

Table 6 gives an overview on the compatibility of layout software programs and the used layout file formats which have application paths included.
Table 6: Application path compatibility
TIFF
Layout
JPEG
Layout
EPS
Layout
EPS Layout
with default
application path
InDesign CS1
InDesign CS2
XPress 4.x
-
XPress 5.x
-
XPress 6.x
-

Use always the folder specific option "%x" (see 5.3 "Defining folder specific OPI settings"), or check the Ignore Mask for Bitmap Images During Output option.
3.3.5 Additional channels in bitmap images
ImageServer recognizes and supports additional channels (e.g. Hexachrome®, spot colors, or alpha channels). At present, ImageServer will use all additional channels as spot color channels.
It is often required to ignore additional channels and use the default printing channels, e.g. CMYK, RGB, CIE-Lab. Many layout applications ignore additional channels in order to be compatible with the printout. Printing from these applications, ImageServer can ignore additional channels (see Ignore Additional Channels for Bitmap Images in Fig. 3) server-wide or enable/disable this setting on a folder tree (see 5.3 "Defining folder specific OPI settings").
3.4 About output devices
PostScript
Level 1&2, PostScript 3
ImageServer requires PostScript output devices for printing. There are three types of PostScript RIPs: Level 1, Level 2, and PostScript 3 compatible devices.
The Level 2 and PostScript 3 specifications are follow-ups to the Level 1 specification and provide many more features, as e.g. support for different color spaces such as CMYK, RGB and CIE-based color spaces, and provisions for color matching and transformations into CMYK.
PPD files
Different printers may behave differently and provide different features. PPD files contain comprehensive printer descriptions - with the supported PostScript level being only one aspect. ImageServer (just like any application) refers to the PPD file to get information about the features of the output device. So, for high-quality printouts, always make sure that you have activated a PPD file that properly corresponds to your current output device. For details, see the EtherShare documentation.
Are PostScript levels relevant to ImageServer?
Usually, if you are printing with ImageServer, our software takes care about the separation into CMYK. The separation modules of the RIP are not required. Thus, print jobs do not depend on the final output device. It does not make any difference whether you are using a Level 1, Level 2, or PostScript 3 printer.
It is, however, possible to leave the separation to the PostScript RIP. In that case, you have to select the Lab D65 color space as output color space (see Default Printer Profile in 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings") and you must use a Level 2 (or PostScript 3) output device. The RIP will then be initialized with a specific CRD (Color Rendering Dictionary) and, using this dictionary, will perform the separation into CMYK. This workflow may be sensible if you are sending your documents (e.g. a magazine) to different production sites. Your print job is not yet separated for a given output device and the Lab D65 color space is device independent. The different RIPs transform the color data into the gamut of the respective printer or press and the output results should all be identical. Please note that this workflow does not allow proof printing (see A 2 "Colors, color matching, proof printing - basic concepts" for details about proofs).
3.5 How ImageServer modifies color modes
If you retouch an image using an image processing application, you also define a color mode for this specific image. This color mode will be preserved as far as the high-resolution original image file is concerned - but it will not be passed on to the layout file and may be changed for printing purposes, i.e. transformed into the color space of the output device.
In the following, we briefly describe how ImageServer handles or modifies color modes and thus relieves you of taking care about it.
Color modes for printing
The color mode OPI selects for printing depends on whether you print composite or separations and whether or not you have activated color matching. The color mode of the high-resolution original image does not matter, unless it is Bilevel or Grayscale - these two color modes are preserved for printing.
Note that only images which are replaced by the OPI server, and which are raster images, may be subject to color space conversion. All other images remain as they are. Whenever a color space conversion is performed, the source ICC profile associated with each image is used. In the absence of a source profile, the server defaults are used (see 4.2 "ImageServer settings" and 8.1 "ImageServer preference keys").
Color modes for
layout images
You may select a color mode for the layout files. You can choose between CMYK, RGB, and Lab (see Layout Color in 4.2 "ImageServer settings"). By default, OPI sets the Euroscale CMYK color space for layouts, to allow layout applications to print separations.
3.6 How ImageServer applies color matching
The settings for color matching may be different for every printer queue you have defined on your server. The ImageServer CMM (Color Matching Module) is activated by selecting an ICC printer profile for the respective printer queue (see also 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings").
However, in some specific situations ImageServer performs color matching "behind the scenes", even though it has not been activated explicitly. These situations are described below (please remember that you must not delete the "ICC-Profiles" volume, because this would disable indirect color matching, which would entirely disable OPI).
The color matching module is active
ImageServer needs an ICC profile on the output side (printer profile) and an ICC profile on the input side (image source profile) for proper color matching . This means that you need to tag an image profile to every high-resolution image you wish to print with predictable colors, and you have to make sure that your layouts are tagged in case you want to print layouts (see also 5.4 "Tagging images with ICC profiles").
For a general overview of how ICC based color matching works, as well as examples for specific objectives, see A 2 "Colors, color matching, proof printing - basic concepts" and A 3 "ImageServer and color space".
3.7 How ImageServer finds and replaces image files
Whenever you print a document from a layout application, the OPI software has to locate and find the images that are to replace the low-resolution images you have used for layout purposes. These images, which are required for replacement, may be either high-resolution originals, or the layout files again (in case you print your documents with layouts).
If you do not use the layouts at all, but import high-resolution images into your document, there will be no image replacement for printing unless you set the Replace Images option to All for your current printer queue (see also 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings").

Important: If you want to use OPI from a Windows system, you should always maintain the 3-character file name extension. The extension may be any extension that is supported by Photoshop for Windows!

The finding strategies
ImageServer offers complex finding strategies for image replacement. The software is able to locate images even after you have moved or renamed them - as long as they remain in the same server volumes.
Please note that the finding procedures are started automatically during printing. If you want OPI to report missing image files, you must activate the Check Images option when setting up the print preferences (see Fig. 9 in 4.4 "OPI printer queue settings"). Missing images will then stop the print job. With Check Images switched off, the documents will be printed, but the printouts will show blanks where images could not be found.

Note: You may use the HELIOS "Error Queue" feature to save and restart print jobs that have produced an error message..


© 2005 HELIOS Software GmbH