HELIOS EtherShare OPI 2.1 User manual
7 Using EtherShare OPI 2.1
7.1 General remarks
Fig. 18 shows a list of all OPI-related tasks. The current chapter describes the use of OPI. It gives directions for inducing OPI to automatically generate layout files. Furthermore, it explains how to tune or manipulate these layout files for final use in a layout application and how to set up print dialogs.
For output purposes, please select a printer queue on which OPI (and color matching, if required) have already been activated (compare chapter 6.5 "Printer queue settings").
Fig. 18: OPI-related tasks with tasks described in this chapter

7.2 Notes about layout generation
The automatic generation of layout files is volume dependent. If you have retouched your high-resolution original image files using an image processing application, you have to make sure that you save them on a volume on which Create Layouts is enabled (see also chapter 6.4 "Volume settings"). OPI will not generate layouts for files you save on your local hard disk.

Important: You should always select unique file names for your high-resolution original images, at least if you want to save them in the same folder. Different extensions will not do. For example, if you save "flowers.psd" (Photoshop) and "flowers.tif" in the same folder, they both will produce a "flowers.tif" layout image. The contents of this layout will be seriously damaged. Furthermore, if you want to share your volume with PC clients, you should always stick to the 3-character file name extension.

The generation of layouts will take a few moments, it starts after a user-defined time delay. This is - by default - after a delay of 30 seconds (compare Layout Delay: in chapter 6.3 "OPI server settings") before the OPI server starts generating them.
Layout files are either gathered in a "layouts" folder or marked by the ".lay" extension, depending on your server settings (compare chapter 6.3 "OPI server settings"). In any case, they are kept in the folder that contains the high-resolution original images. EtherShare OPI 2.1 always generates layouts, even if the resolution of the original image is smaller than the default layout resolution. The layout then inherits the resolution of the original.
If you move or delete any of your high-resolution originals, the layouts will not automatically be treated alike. You have to move or delete them manually. Please note that with EtherShare OPI 2.1, layout files are locked and can only be deleted from the trash pressing the Option key.
7.3 Defining folder specific OPI settings
Usually, all OPI settings that define the attributes of layout files are server or volume specific (compare Fig. 10 and 12 in chapters 6.3 "OPI server settings" and 6.4 "Volume settings"). It is, however, possible to specify alternative settings for individual folders, by simply changing the folder name on a Macintosh computer or PC.
The "%" sign always introduces a new specification. You can add three different definitions to that sign, namely:
Please observe the special syntax for folder specific definitions: The folder name has to end in "%" followed by none or more digits for the resolution and then none or one character each for type of preview and color mode - in this order of appearance. Upper or lower case does not matter for the parameters. There must not be any other characters or spaces within or after the specification.
Two examples of folder specific OPI settings are shown in Fig. 19:
The string "%0" will prevent the OPI server from creating layout images from the high-resolution originals you might move to that folder.
The folder named "images%36mb" is for high-resolution images you want to substitute by 36 dpi layouts with Macintosh previews and the Grayscale color mode for printable and screen EPSF previews.
Fig. 19: Defining folder specific OPI settings

Important: The chosen parameters in a folder name affect all sub-folders, i.e. they are automatically valid for the complete directory tree.

7.4 Tagging images with ICC profiles
For high-quality color matching the OPI server needs an ICC input profile for each image (image profile) and an ICC output profile (printer profile) for the printer queue.
The "Tagger" program serves to tag high-resolution original images with an ICC image profile and thus allows correct color data transformation. (For details about color data transformation with ICC profiles you may compare Fig. A-3 in appendix A 2: "Colors, color matching, proof printing - basic concepts".)
Please note that for tagging both the images and the profiles have to be available on the server. The volume on which tagging is to be accomplished must have enough disk space available - at least as much space as the largest image would need (e.g. 20 MB if the largest image needs 20 MB), because the "Tagger" might duplicate data temporarily.
To open the "Tagger" program you have to mount the "EtherShare Applications" volume and double-click the program icon as shown in Fig. 20.
Fig. 20: Opening the "Tagger" program

The "Tagger" program lets you create so-called ICC info files that contain tagging instructions for all images in a given folder, or lets you tag single images individually.
Creating an ICC info file
For creating a new ICC info file you have to open the dialog shown in Fig. 21.
Select File and New from the program menu.
Fig. 21: Setting General options for a new ICC info file

The dialog shown in Fig. 21 lets you set general tagging options as well as special options for all the different file formats that are supported by EtherShare OPI 2.1 (e.g. TIFF, EPSF,...).
You may decide for every single file format whether you want to tag the profiles by reference or embed them into the image file.
Then, you can select a RGB and a CMYK profile for the specific file format.
The Overwrite existing profiles check box should be used carefully. Whenever you save an image that already contains an image profile in the folder that contains this particular ICC info file (or if you move the image to that folder) the old profile will be overwritten.
By checking Update Folder Contents, you bring the contents of the respective folder up-to-date, i.e. current ICC-profile settings are applied immediately to the respective images (though "immediately" means that the "opisrv" needs some time to apply the changes).
First of all, you should set the "General" options as shown in Fig. 21. This is sensible, e.g., if you want to use the same CMYK (or RGB) profile for different file formats. You can then select individual profiles for the specific file formats or just choose General from the pop-up menu. Fig. 22 shows an example for that.
Fig. 22: Setting TIFF options for a new ICC info file

Note: General is the default setting in the pop-ups for the different file formats unless the file format denies tagging of a particular profile type. PICT images e.g. cannot be tagged with a CMYK profile.

The file format behavior may be different for different file formats. As mentioned above, the PICT format e.g. does not allow tagging with a CMYK profile. Fig. 23 shows another example, namely the fact that profiles cannot be embedded in JPEG image files. In general, options that are not available are displayed gray in the dialog.
Fig. 23: Setting JPEG options for a new ICC info file

Saving an ICC info file
If you have set up tagging for all file formats you can save your new ICC info file.
Press the Save button to open the dialog that lets you select the destination folder (see Fig. 24).
Please note that there are a few important things you should know about saving:
The ICC info file can be re-edited at any time. You just have to double-click the file icon to open the "Tagger" program (compare Fig. 25).
Fig. 25: Folder with "!iccinfo.oic" file

Tagging
single images
You may also tag single images one by one with the
"Tagger" program. The procedure is similar to that described above.
Select File and New from the program menu to open the ICC info file dialog.
Select the file format of the image you want to tag and choose the correct profile.
Press the Tag Image button to open the dialog that lets you select the desired image file.
The "Tagger" program internally creates an ICC info file but does only use it for tagging the image and then deletes it immediately.
About tagging layout images
The "Tagger" program may only be used for tagging high-resolution original images. If you happen to tag a layout image this will be silently ignored because layouts are tagged automatically by the OPI server. The rules for layout tagging are as follows:

Note: For details about color spaces of layout images please refer to chapter 5.5 "About how OPI 2.1 modifies color modes".

Information about tagged profiles
You may use our "oiimginfo" UNIX program to find out whether or not a specific image is already tagged with a profile. The program is described in chapter 8.7.2 "The "oiimginfo" program".

Note: Image tagging may also be performed using the HELIOS ColorSync 2 XTension for QuarkXPress. For details see appendix A 3: "Using EtherShare OPI 2.1 with ColorSync 2 XT 2.0".

7.5 Refreshing layouts using the "touch" program
The "touch" program is a Macintosh tool that has automatically been added to your "EtherShare Applications" volume during installation ("opitouch", the UNIX version of this program, is explained in chapter 8.4 "The "opitouch" program").
The program is meant to help you generate new layouts. This might be necessary either
Usually, a layout file is generated the moment you save a high-resolution original image on the server. The layout file will then bear the attributes that are currently defined in the "EtherShare Admin" dialogs. If you change the settings in these dialogs, the existing layouts will not be updated automatically.
In case you decide to update an old layout, you can open your high-resolution original image file and save it once again. Alternatively, you can use the "touch" program for that purpose. This is much more convenient, because the program simulates the saving procedure without opening any image processing application.
Mount and open your "EtherShare Applications" volume.
Drag the "touch" program icon on your local desktop.
Just drag the image files you want to re-layout onto the "touch" icon as shown in Fig. 26.
Fig. 26: "Touching" an image

The "touch" program will - after a delay of 30 seconds (default) - automatically start to generate new layout files.

Important: You may select several images at a time and drag them onto the "touch" icon. Do not drag and drop complete folders.

Please note that the time the server needs for the generation of new layouts, depends on the number of layout jobs and processes.

Note: The "touch" program can also be used for tagging high-resolution images (compare paragraph Saving an ICC info file in chapter 7.4 "Tagging images with ICC profiles").

7.6 Brief notes about printer drivers
If you print from a layout application, the appearance of the print dialog may differ, depending on the LaserWriter driver that is installed on your Macintosh.
Figures 27 and 28 show the LaserWriter driver 7.2 and the LaserWriter driver 8.4.2 user interface (when printing from QuarkXPress). The 8.4.x driver versions include a pop-up menu that lets you open different windows containing various print options.
Fig. 27: QuarkXPress print dialog (LaserWriter driver 7.2)

Fig. 28: QuarkXPress print dialog (LaserWriter driver 8.4.2)

LaserWriter drivers 7.x only support PostScript Level 1 features, whereas LaserWriter drivers 8.x support Level 1 + 2 features.
If you are working with EtherShare OPI, it does not matter which LaserWriter driver you use. The results should be identical. (For exceptions, see paragraph Are PostScript levels relevant to EtherShare OPI ? in chapter 5.4 "About output devices".)
With LaserWriter drivers 7.x printing is faster than with drivers 8.0 to 8.3.x. This is due to the fact that the print job is sent directly to the server, whereas with LaserWriter drivers 8.0 to 8.3.x, the data are saved temporarily on the hard disk before they are sent away. This is different with driver versions 8.4 or newer.
7.7 OPI print options - include or omit images
OPI print options in the print dialog are application specific. QuarkXPress, e.g., offers three different options, namely Include Images, Omit TIFF, Omit TIFF & EPS (compare Fig. 29).
Fig. 29: OPI print options (QuarkXPress)

Include
Images
If you select this option, the PostScript job that is sent from your Macintosh to the server, will include the image data and all OPI comments that describe these images. Once the job has arrived on the server, OPI will replace the image data by the high-resolution originals - or by the low-resolution images in case you print layouts (compare paragraph Print Layout Images in chapter 6.5 "Printer queue settings").
Omit TIFF
Activating this option will reduce the data that are sent from your Macintosh to the server. The PostScript file will no longer contain the image data of the TIFF files. The OPI comments, however, are still included. The OPI server now does not replace images (that are coming from the layout application), but fills blanks. The resulting printouts will be complete and correct.
It may be sensible to activate this option whenever documents contain a lot of TIFF images and thus become rather large (even with layout files).
Omit TIFF & EPS
(See also Omit TIFF) With this option, you remove the image data of TIFF and EPSF files from your PostScript file. Thus, the job that is sent to the server becomes even smaller.

Important: The Omit ... options can only be used if all your images are stored on the OPI server. The options always work properly if you are using layout files only. In case you place high-resolution originals in your layout document, this might cause problems, because the OPI server - by default - does not replace high-resolution images and will not fill blanks either. If you select one of the Omit ... options for high-resolution images, these images will be missing on the printout. (You can solve this problem by switching the Replace Images option to All on your OPI server - compare chapter 6.5 "Printer queue settings").

7.8 Using QuarkXPress with EtherShare OPI 2.1
EtherShare OPI 2.1 now supports bilevel and grayscale image background tinting of raster-based images used by QuarkXPress. Therefore, a "HELIOS OPI TuneUp XT" is available in the "EtherShare Applications" volume.
Mount the "EtherShare Applications" volume and copy the "HELIOS OPI TuneUp XT" into the "XTension" folder of your QuarkXPress application to enable this EtherShare OPI feature.

Note: The description of QuarkXPress printer dialogs refers to the 3.3.2 version. Differences in the 4.x version are mentioned in the text unless they are negligible.

Once you have designed your QuarkXPress document, you can prompt information about the images you have placed in it. For that purpose, select Utilities and Picture Usage... (Quark 4.x: Usage...) from the QuarkXPress menu. The "Picture Usage" window will give you details you might need for setting up the print dialog for OPI. It tells you e.g. whether you have imported layout files only (this is indicated by the path and file name) and what kind of file formats you are dealing with. Fig. 30 shows an example document with the Picture Usage window being displayed.
Fig. 30: Prompting information about included images

You can now print your document.
First of all, select File and Page Setup... from the menu, proceed to the "QuarkXPress" window and select your current printer type. Generic Color may be selected if your printer type is not stated in the list and you plan to print colored images; do not select Generic B&W (see Fig. 31).
Fig. 31: "Page Setup" dialog in QuarkXPress

Then, open the print dialog (File > Print...) to set up your print job. (In the following, we will discuss all settings that might influence your printouts if you are using EtherShare OPI; the illustrations show the print dialog of LaserWriter driver 8.4.2.)
Including/
omitting
images
In the "QuarkXPress" window of the print dialog, you may select OPI-specific settings for your print job (compare Fig. 32 and 33 for QuarkXPress 4.x, respectively). Details about these settings are described in chapter 7.7 "OPI print options - include or omit images".
Printing
separations
Furthermore, you can decide in the "QuarkXPress" window whether or not you want to print separations (see Fig. 32). If you switch on Separation, please note that - in case you have selected a particular printer profile for your printer queue - only CMYK and Multichannel (e.g. HexaChrome) output profiles co-operate with this option. Other profiles do not allow to print separations and will cause error messages. In case you get such messages, please check the printer queue settings in the respective EtherShare Admin dialog (refer to chapter 6.5 "Printer queue settings").
Printing separations may also fail if you have placed RGB high-resolution images in your document or if you have selected EBU RGB as default color space for layouts (compare chapter 6.3 "OPI server settings"). This restriction is caused by QuarkXPress, because the software does not separate RGB images (even if the high-resolution originals are CMYK). The restriction can be overcome by using the HELIOS ColorSync 2 XTension for QuarkXPress.
Fig. 32: Setting up options in the "QuarkXPress 3.3.2" window

Fig. 33: Setting up options in the "QuarkXPress 4.x" window

Setting up
color
matching
LaserWriter 8.x printer drivers contain two additional print options for color matching (select Color Matching from the printer driver's pull-down menu), namely ColorSync Color Matching and PostScript Color Matching (see Fig. 34). They invoke either the Apple ColorSync system software or a PostScript Level II printer to perform color matching. The results, however, will be rather poor in comparison to color matching with EtherShare OPI 2.1. So, to avoid unpredictable color results, you should always select the standard Color/Grayscale setting in the "Color Matching" window as shown in Fig. 34. EtherShare OPI will take care about all color matching tasks, provided that you have activated color matching on your current printer queue (see also chapter 6.5 "Printer queue settings").
Fig. 34: Setting up options in the "Color Matching" window

Note: For further advice on the print dialog, please refer to your LaserWriter driver documentation or to your QuarkXPress manual.

7.9 Using PageMaker (6.0) with EtherShare OPI 2.1
If you are using PageMaker as layout application you can check - before printing - e.g. the location and file format (Kind) of every single image you have placed in your document. For that purpose you have to click on the respective image and then open the "Link info" window from the PageMaker Element menu. Fig. 35 shows one example.
Fig. 35: Prompting image information in PageMaker 6.0

When sending your document to an EtherShare OPI printer queue you should check a few settings that may influence your printout if OPI is active.
Open the print dialog from the PageMaker File menu and set up the "Print Options" and "Print Color" window as described below.
Fig. 36: Setting up the PageMaker "Print Options" window

Image
replacement
In the "Print Options" window (which is shown in Fig. 36) the option Omit images acts like Omit TIFF (compare chapter 7.7 "OPI print options - include or omit images"). All other options that can be selected from the Send image data pop-up menu include your images one way or the other. They only affect your output result if your document contains images that are not replaced and processed by OPI. EPSF images cannot be omitted in a PageMaker print job.
Please note that PageMaker 6.0 does not generate OPI comments for EPSF images. Imported EPSF high-resolution originals are therefore not replaced and processed by OPI even if you have set the Replace Images option to All on your printer queue. Imported EPSF low-resolution images are replaced and processed because they contain built-in OPI comments which have been created by EtherShare OPI during layout generation.
Printing
colors and separations
In the "Print Color" window you decide whether you want to print Composite or Separations. For composite printing you should select the Color option as shown in Fig. 37. When printing separations, please make sure that you do not choose All to process. OPI will not recognize this setting when replacing images. So, if the images that are included in the final print job contain additional color channels, e.g. spot colors, these colors will not be separated into process inks and will be missing on the printouts.
Fig. 37: Setting up the PageMaker "Print Color" window

With EtherShare OPI 2.1 you do not have to set up a color matching module using the CMS Setup... button in the "Print Color" window. In case you have already defined a CMS in PageMaker, these settings will be ignored by EtherShare OPI.

Note: For further advice on the print dialog, please refer to your PageMaker manual.

7.10 Using FreeHand (5.0) with EtherShare OPI 2.1
You may as well place your images in a FreeHand document and then print to an OPI printer queue. In the following, we explain some important print options and describe how to set them up when using LaserWriter driver 8.4.2.
First of all, you should check your software preferences (select File and Preferences... from the FreeHand menu) and make sure that Embed TIFF/EPS upon import rather than link is switched off (compare Fig. 38). This option "cuts" links and prevents image replacement. Thus, you cannot make use of OPI features such as e.g. color matching or downsampling.
Fig. 38: Import/Output preferences in FreeHand 5.0

Fig. 39 shows the FreeHand "Output Options" dialog that can be opened using the Output... button in the "FreeHand 5.0" window of the print dialog. There, you may select either ASCII encoding, Binary data, or None (OPI comments only) for image data output.
Fig. 39: Setting output options when printing a FreeHand document

Image
replacement
The options ASCII encoding and Binary data include all images in a print job. The option None (OPI comments only) acts like Omit TIFF (compare chapter 7.7 "OPI print options - include or omit images"). EPSF images cannot be omitted.
Please note that FreeHand 5.0 does not generate OPI comments for EPSF images. Imported EPSF high-resolution originals are therefore not replaced and processed by OPI even if you have set the Replace Images option to All on your printer queue. Imported EPSF low-resolution images are replaced and processed because they contain built-in OPI comments which have been created by EtherShare OPI during layout generation.
Choosing a PPD file
The Print... button in the "FreeHand 5.0" window of the print dialog (see Fig. 39) lets you access the "Print Options" dialog. There, you can set further print parameters, and select a PPD file for your output device. Please choose the same PPD file that has been activated on your spooler. A wrong PPD file setting may stop the print job.
Setting up
color
matching
For explanations on the "Color Matching" window of the print dialog, you may read paragraph Setting up color matching in chapter 7.8 "Using QuarkXPress with EtherShare OPI 2.1".

Note: For further advice on the print dialog, please refer to your LaserWriter driver documentation or to your FreeHand manual.

7.11 Automatic PDF generation from OPI print jobs
For easy data exchange you might be interested in generating PDF files from your layout documents. EtherShare OPI 2.1 can help you create high-quality PDF files as far as resolution and colors are concerned.
All jobs that can be printed to an OPI printer queue can also easily be converted into a PDF document. The following examples show how to set up your OPI printer queue and the Acrobat Distiller in order to obtain the best results possible for monitor display (Example 1) and for printing (Example 2). (Please note that the Acrobat Distiller software is not available on the HELIOS CD-ROM).
Example 1
This first example describes how to create PDF files for your web site or CD-ROM to display your documents on a monitor using Acrobat Distiller version 3.
Define - with the EtherShare Admin program - an OPI printer queue for which the Print To Disk option is set (compare Fig. 40).
Printing to this printer queue from a layout application will create a PostScript file that is saved in the selected directory, e.g. "Helios:Dokumentation:PDF:brochure" with
"/hmac" being the UNIX directory of the "Helios" volume (compare Fig. 12 in chapter 6.4 "Volume settings").

Note: It might be sensible to use the Notify Program option and build a program that only moves the PostScript file to the destination folder after printing is finished. More details about the Notify Program option are given in the EtherShare 2.6 documentation.
Fig. 40: Setting up a Print To Disk printer queue

Define for your printer queue the following OPI settings (compare Fig. 41):
These settings ensure that the PostScript file will contain images that are all re-calculated to a resolution of 72 dpi (which is the standard monitor resolution) and are color matched according to the standard ICC RGB profile
(EBU RGB). Thus, the future PDF file will appear sharp on every standard monitor and display colors correctly.
Fig. 41: OPI setting for the "for_pdf" printer queue

Now, open your Acrobat Distiller application and re-define the job options. Select Distiller and Job Options... from the software menu.
First of all, you have to open the Compression window and make sure that downsampling and compression are switched off for color and grayscale images. The correct settings are shown in Fig. 42 below.
Fig. 42: Setting up Compression options for the Acrobat Distiller

Then proceed to the Advanced window and enter the settings shown in Fig. 43.
Fig. 43: Setting up Advanced options for the Acrobat Distiller

Here, it is of vital importance to switch off Convert CMYK Images to RGB and to set Color Conversion to Unchanged.
Finally, you may set up the automatic generation of PDF files. For that purpose, you have to select Distiller and Watched Folders... from the software menu to open the dialog shown in Fig. 44.
With this dialog you can induce the Distiller application to observe the destination folder of your "for_pdf" printer queue and automatically start to generate a PDF file whenever a new PostScript file has arrived in that folder.
Fig. 44: Setting up Watched Folders for the Acrobat Distiller

Example 2
This paragraph describes how to create PDF files for high-quality printouts from Acrobat.
Of course you may print the PDF files you have created according to the description given in Example 1 above. The quality of the printouts, however, would be rather poor because of the output profile (RGB) and the small dpi value (72 dpi). Therefore, we recommend to create a second set of PDF files for printing with Acrobat.
Set up a second Print To Disk printer queue (e.g. "for_pdf_print") as shown in Example 1 and define the following OPI settings for this new printer queue:
The Distiller options may be kept as they are (compared to Example 1).

Important: For both workflows described above you have to print composite to the OPI ("for_pdf", "for_pdf_print") printer queue. Make sure that "Separations" is turned off in the print dialog of your layout application.

© 2002 HELIOS Software GmbH