[chris v]

I'm a few pages into a book project in Quark which includes color photos in the page layout, and want to proof it on my Epson Stylus 777, but no workee.

I presume I need some kind of software RIP to make Quark output Post Script to an inkjet, but I find nothing on Epson's website, or Quarks for this printer in specific.

Any ideas about how to get full resolution color output on this printer?

CV

[rjenkinson]

have you tried saving the files as PDFs? try PrintToPDF... it just might do the trick.

-r.

[chris v]

Sounds like a fine idea...
But where is that? It's not in the File menu, that I can see. Does it require some kind of Xtension that I don't have, or am just ignorant, blind or both? (Iknow, I know, read the book... well.. it's at work, and I'm at home)

Thanks


CV

[rjenkinson]

you can find PrintToPDF by searching for it at http://www.versiontracker.com/ or clicking the link in my previous post. download the file, extract it, and install the extension into your system folder. one reboot and you're in business...

-r.

[chris v]

Duh. Talk about dense.. don't know what's up with my brain today.-- I didn't even notice the link the first time. Thought you were talking about a feature in Quark, and not a standalone program.

Have downloaded it, and will give it a shot, then report my findings back here tomorrow.

Thanks,

CV

[chris v]

Unfortunately, I get the lo-res quark preview in the PDF file, as well. That's a handy little extension that may be useful in other programs, and I'm going to play around with it a little more in Illustrator, and Photoshop-- I wonder if it'll work for previewing web page design in GoLive?

Here's the pertinient paragraph from PrintToPDF's manual:

Some desktop publishing applications, such as Quark XPress, are intended primarily
for use with PostScript printers. PrintToPDF functions as a QuickDraw printer,
therefore such applications may not produce high-quality output with PrintToPDF.

Looks like a software RIP, if there is one that works with this printer, is still the way to go.

Anybody know if there is such a beast?

CV

[bluedog]

There are a wide variety of software RIPs for Epson printers. I just bought a CanonS600 and can't find a supported software RIP for it.

You can distill PS files and create hires PDFs by using a Postscript printer driver like Laserwriter 8 driver, then distill it in Acrobat (be sure and use the hires options for creating the PDF. Then print it via Acrobat.

Your software options are from companies like ONYX, PowerRIP2000.

Check out this older article on ink-jet printers. http://www.macworld.com/1998/01/news/4096.html

There are a few other alternatives, but they don't come to mind. If anyone has some other suggestions including a RIP for a Canon ink-jet printer that would be wonderful.

[chris v]

The PowerRIP looks to be the thing... They make a "professional" version, for $285.00 and a basic one for $149.00 They really don't want you to buy the cheap one, and spend quite a bit of web space telling you what it WON'T do, compared to the more expensive one.

Until i can afford either, I've got a laborious work-around, that's sufficing for now. If you save your Quark page as an EPS, you can open the file in Illustrator, and still have editable text, and it formats and prints okay. Just a bother.

CV

[chris v]

Okay, I've found a pretty good work-around that costs about 80 bucks, instead of 250. A company called Kagi software I think, makes a Quark Xtension called Enhance Preview XT. It gives you good full jpeg resolution of all your images in Quark. It slows Quark down a bit, and creates a seperate cache folder with some kind of proprietary preview image in it (you can set a MB limit) that could get out of hand with a huge project.

If you make a PDF file thru PrintToPDF, with the preview enhancement on, you get a PDF file that prints on an inkjet rather nicely.

This all trakes a little time, but the results are good, and it doesn't cost much. Quark has a link to Kagi on their wesbite.

CV