• CreateTiffPar (CrTIFF) is a part of much larger tiff placement and queuing package, which transfers over the network a set of *.tif files and associated parameter file. If image is replicated regardless of scale and rotation, only one copy is transferred over the network.

• The basic concept of parameter printing, is to keep the printers as busy as possible and minimize the network traffic. Images may be queued over night and printed during the day, hopefully without an operator intervention.
• The Queue package runs under Linux and the IO sections currently supports only printers manufactured by CSI, but would be easily modified to support any printer.

• This Queuing package receives tiff files with an associated parameter file over the network, LAN or Internet, queues them locally and subsequently scales, rotates and prints them, depending on assigned priority. No sheet background is transferred which saves considerable network time.

• The modified Parameter generation utility CrTIFF, is described bellow.

• See the CreateTiffPar.ini file about changing the base directory.

CROP MARKS:

• You can generate a set of crop *.tif crop marks, and place them in the ..\Queue\crop directory. If the crop mark is both X and Y symmetrical, only one is needed, otherwise up to four crop marks are necessary. The crop mark background is not transparent, hence it should match the color of the background.

DELETING FILES:

• It is recommended to delete all the *.sub files in the ..\Queue directory, these are the sub sampled files of the original tiff files, and will be regenerated if needed.

THE CreateTiffPar.ini FILE:

• !!!!** Do not change the TEST to 0 parameter. The results will be unpredictable and a host of error messages will appear :-) **!!!!

Exit

Cancel

• Cancel and Exit perform the same function without the Queue package.

Files

• Pressing the files button will display the Generate Parameters window.

• Preview on Load
  • When checked and image in the list is double clicked, the image is displayed in the image preview window. Select Load Image to place the image into the layout window.
  • The maximum size of the image in [mm] as well as the maximum scaling factor is shown in the window title bar.
• Cancel dismisses the preview window with no modifications to the list.
• Image Preview
  • Pressing the Image Preview button will display, all the images in the list as thumbnails. Click the LHB anywhere outside of the image window to scroll down, the RHB to scroll up or use the scroll bar. The mouse wheel seems to work
  • Double click on any of selected image windows to remove all the selected files (red frame) from the list and place them onto the layout window.
  • Pressing the Image Preview button for the first time make take some time to complete as the new thumbnails are generated.
  • LHB on image will select the image (Red frame)
  • RHB will de-select the image (Blue frame)
• Tiff Files Show / Hide
  • Displays/Hides the list of available .tif files in the base directory.
• '>'
  • Places a selected file from the file list to the selected list
• '<'
• Replicate
  • Replicates the selected image from the selected list
• Rotate
  • Rotates the selected image by 90 degrees
• Preview (check button):
  • If checked the full image is displayed in the display window.
  • If unchecked only a blue rectangle is displayed ( much faster).
• Color
  • Color curve modification, works but the file is not modified only via the Queue package.
• Remove All
  • Clears the selected list and dismisses the display window.
• Snap to Grid
  • If center button is checked and image is selected in the selected list box. The center of the image is placed on a grid point.
  • If Center is unchecked and image is selected in the selected list box. The top left corner of the image is placed on a grid point.
  • If there is no image selected all images are placed on the grid (global placement)
  • The global placement (corner or center ) depends on the Center check button.
• Preview
  • If Preview check button is checked there is no effect.
  • If the button is unchecked and the images are displayed as rectangles only.
  • Selected image is displayed in full detail.
• Display
  • Activates the Display Window. Clicking the LHB anywhere on the background of the "Generate Parameters" window will hide the display window.
  • The scale text field in the Display Window may be used to set a new scaling factor for replication. The replicated image is scaled to the scaling factor specified.
  • The Show Grid check button controls the display of the grid on the Display window.
  • The grid parameters are taken from the Grid Points [X][Y] edit box.
• Crop Image No action if no file is selected.
  • If a multiple files are selected the first one from the top of the list is passed to the Crop Dialog
• Cancel
  • Dismisses the Generate Parameters window.
• Send Files
  • If the Generate Tiff check button is not checked, No Action !!
  • This button Generates a parameter file as a Host_User_xxxx.par.
  • The xxxx is replaced by the name of the first file in the selected list.
  • Subsequently an output .tif file is generated in the base directory.

• NOTE:
  • Too many preview buttons, will be changed.

   

   

  NOTE:

  The output.tif may be very large if high Res is used with 100% scaling.

  Try to use at least 200% global scaling factor. The global scaling is assumed to take place on the printer. The Image scaling and interpolation uses a bi-cubic algorithm, and it may take a considerable time on a slower machines, hence patience is a necessity. The output.tif file may be optionally LZW compressed, see the CreateTiffPar.ini file.

  What you do with the output.tif is entirely in your hands.

   

  • Show Grid (check button )
    • Displays a grid on the Display Window, the grid parameters are taken from the Grid Points [x][y] text field.

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  Text fields

  • Gap Color
    • The background color is set by this Text field. If the check button to the left is checked, clicking on this text field will show the Color Selection dialog. After selecting the appropriate color choose OK in the Color Selection dialog. The numbers representing the background color will be changed.

  1] Global Scale [%]

  Represents the percentage of global scaling ( 200% ~ x2 ). This scaling is assumed to be performed by the output printer. ( If in doubt set to 100% )

  2] Image Scale [%]

  Represents the individual image scaling in percent.

  3] Image Gap [mm [x][ y] ]

  Image gap in mm used for auto placement .

  4] Res [Lines/mm]

  The res of the output images. This field should be change with empty selected list only!!

  5] Material Size AS [mm]

  Size of the imaging media in the Along Scan direction (x).

  !!!!** This field should be changed with empty selected list only **!!!!

  6] Material Size XS [mm]

  Size of the imaging media in the Cross Scan direction (y).

  !!!!** This field should be changed with empty selected list only **!!!!

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  The Display Window

  The display window has a fixed size, and there is a menu bar at the top.
  Below the menu bar is an information text field, containing various file information

  Display window Menu:

  • Replicate
    • Replicates selected image.
  • Remove
    • Removes selected images from the list and display window
  • Rotate
    • Rotate selected image +/- 90 degrees
  • Crop
    • Initiates the Crop Dialog with selected image
  • Grid
    • Display/Hide the grid
  • Snap
    • Set the top left corner of selected image or all images to the nearest grid point
  • Snap Center
    • Set the center of selected image or all images to the nearest grid point
  • Cancel
    • Clears the selected list and hides the Display window
  • Send Files
    • Same as the Send FILES button in the Generate Parameters window
  • Preview
    • Same as the Preview button in the Generate Parameters window

  Note:

  1. Clicking the LHB anywhere outside of an image rectangles will deselect all from the selected list.
  2. Clicking the RHB anywhere in the Display window will refresh the window.
  3. You can drag the images anywhere within the media rectangle, by holding the LHB down.
  4. If multiple images are selected, the last one clicked on will be replicated or rotated.
  5. To replicate an image with different scale, highlight the image type the desired scale in the Scale [%] text field, and press the Replicate menu item in the display window.
  6. If the image does not place, try to set Image Gap [mm [x][ y] ] text field to a smaller value.
  7. Images may be overlaid on top of each other, they will be shown in the final output.tif as seen in the display window. There are no transparent images
  8. Cropped images may be replicated with different scale but the rotation status may not be changed!!
  9. Cropped images may not be sub cropped.
  10. Double click on the image rectangle to display the crop dialog.

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  The Crop Dialog

  Buttons

  • Display Unit Selection pixels - mm - inches
    • Selects the units displayed in the information window as well as the in the Display Crop window title bar.
  • Show Cropped
    • Displays the cropped image, if crop rectangle is selected.
  • Show Image
    • Displays the entire image and a position of the selected crop rectangle
  • Done
    • Performs all the necessary changes to the file description fled in the selected List box, dismisses the Crop dialog as well as the Crop Display window.
  • Cancel
    • Just dismisses the Crop Dialog and the Crop Display window, No changes are performed.

  Image Information Text Field:

  Crop Position Group:

  Unit Text field:

  Contain a number representing the amount of shift.
  • Top:
    • If unit text field is positive will shift the top of the crop rectangle up, by amount specified in the Unit text field
    • Only one of the Top or Bottom check buttons may be selected.
  • Bottom:
    • If unit text field is positive will shift the bottom of the crop rectangle down, by amount specified in the Unit text field
    • Only one of the Top or Bottom check buttons may be selected.
  • Left:
    • If unit text field is positive will shift the left of the crop rectangle to the left, by amount specified in the Unit text field
    • Only one of the Left or Right check buttons may be selected.
  • Right:
    • If unit text field is positive will shift the right of the crop rectangle to the right, by amount specified in the Unit text field
    • Only one of the Left or Right check buttons may be selected.
  • +/-
    • Changes the sign of the unit Text field
  • Shift
    • Actually performs the Crop Rectangle shift and displays the Crop Display Window

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  The Crop Display Window

  • To select a crop rectangle click the LHB and drag the pointer to another position. Once the LHB is released a color rectangle will appear within the image.
  • See the Crop position group for finer manipulation of the selected crop rectangle.
  • Double click of the LHB will scale the image up.
  • Double click of the RHB will scale the image down.
  • The title bar contains the following information:
    • Original image size X and Y crop rectangle origin within the image x and y and crop width and length.

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  The Crop Display Window Menu

  Most of the menu functions are equivalent to the similarly named buttons in the Crop Dialog

  • Scale Up
  • Scale Dwn
    • Take the Image scale from the Crop Dialog Img Size % text field and scales the image up or down by 1.25.
  • Show Cropped
    • Displays the cropped image, if crop rectangle is selected.
  • Show Image
    • Displays the entire image and a position of the selected crop rectangle
  • Cancel
    • Just dismisses the Crop Dialog and the Crop Display window, No changes are performed. Displays the cropped rectangle
  • Save and Exit
    • Performs all the necessary changes to the file description fled in the selected List box, dismisses the Crop dialog as well as the Crop Display window.
   

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  Place a few tiffs in the ../TIFFS directory and have fun.

  Hopefully this is all for the time being, any questions ??

   

  Contact (Wenny Macura) at wmacu@bc.sympatico.ca