ColorAnt | Quick Start Guide

Quick Start Guide

Get started with ColorAnt

Quick Start Guide

Introduction

Thank you for choosing ColorLogic’s ColorAnt. Reaching higher quality in production environments has never been easier.

ColorAnt, the ultimate color management solution
ColorAnt is the ultimate color management tool to manipulate, analyze and optimize measurement data including RGB, CMYK and Multicolor.

Use ColorAnt to create special measurement charts, measure color patches, and to check measurement data prior to profiling to avoid issues such as mis-measurements or inhomogeneous data. ColorAnt can be used to average several measurements together when required before creating a profile.

The quality of ICC profiles depends strongly on the quality of the measurement data used to create them. By adding analysis and optimization of measurement data, profile quality will improve which also leads to higher production safety.

ColorAnt’s Online Help
The question mark ? (bottom right in all program windows) opens the Online Help. This is context-sensitive, so if you click ? in the Redundancies tool, the Redundancies online help page opens. The online help contains more detailed information about the various functions of this application.

Automatic Updates
ColorAnt can automatically search for new versions of the application at program start. Activate or deactivate the automatic update check under Help > Check for Update.

Enjoy analyzing and optimizing your measurement data!

Your ColorLogic Team

Click here to download a PDF version of the Quick Start Guide.

01 INSTALLATION

System Requirements

macOS®

  • macOS® 10.15 Catalina
  • macOS® or macOS® Server Version 10.9 and higher

Windows®

  • Microsoft® Windows® 10
  • Microsoft® Windows® XP SP3 and higher

Recommended Hardware

  • Minimum Dual Core Processor (Quad Core or more recommended)
  • Minimum 2 GB RAM (4 GB or more recommended)
  • Minimum 1024 × 768 resolution (1280 × 1024 or higher recommended)

Specifics

  • macOS: ColorAnt, Measure Tool, CoPrA and ZePrA are running in 64 Bit mode
  • Windows: ColorAnt, CoPrA and ZePrA are running in 64 Bit mode, the Measure Tool is running in 32 Bit mode
Installation

Installers for the respective platform install the application by default either in the folder Applications  (macOS) or Programs (Windows). Begin installation by double clicking on the installation package.

After accepting the Software License Agreement, select the destination volume and choose between a Standard Installation or a Custom Installation. Standard Installation installs all components (e.g. the Measure Tool in CoPrA or the DLS-Manager as described below).

ColorAnt: The integration of ColorAnt (or ColorAnt’s Measure Tool with CoPrA Basic) allows to measure test charts for profile creation from within CoPrA.

DLS-Manager: Allows installation of DeviceLink Sets. DeviceLink sets are standard DeviceLinks that will perform a variety of standard color management tasks. A complete list of sets and profiles can be found in the online help.

Product Package

What’s included:

  • CoPrA software
  • Additional software: Profile Manager (integrated into CoPrA) and ColorAnt or ColorAnt’s Measure Tool
  • ColorAnt M is included in CoPrA M to XL.
  • CoPrA XXL includes ColorAnt L
  • CoPrA Basic includes ColorAnt’s Measure Tool.
  • USB stick (dongle) or computer based license
  • Editable test charts to use with the DeviceLink tool Editing (in the folder EditTargets after installation)
  • Test charts and reference files including Multicolor charts for creating printer profiles 
(in the folder Testcharts after installation)
  • Printed Quick Start Guide
  • Access to Online Help

Note:

The folder EditTargets can be found under:
Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\CoPrA5\EditTargets
macOS: Applications\CoPrA5\EditTargets

The folders Testcharts can be found under:
Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\CoPrA5\Testcharts
macOS: Applications\CoPrA5\Testcharts

These folders can also be accessed by using the entries Open EditTargets folder and Open Testchart folder in the menu Tools.

The context sensitive Online Help opens up in a web browser after clicking the question mark icon of the respective program window, the F1 key or using the Help menu entry Online Help. An active internet connection is required.

Activation

Installing a Permanent License

A permanent license will be provided by your dealer after purchasing the application. Permanent licenses are available as computer-based or dongle licenses.

Computer-based licenses are always tied to the computer on which the software (CoPrA, ZePrA or ColorAnt) is installed. This is useful for temporary test purposes. Computer-based licenses are also required if the computer lacks an USB port or space for an USB dongle, i.e. a rack server.

USB dongle licenses are serialized to the dongle. The USB dongle communicates with the appropriate software license and enables the software to be used on different computers. To assign the license to the USB dongle, it must be connected to the computer before starting the software.

After purchasing the software, a permanent license file (*.lic) will be sent via email.

Activating a License

Load the license file in the tab License details under Registration to activate the application.

After installing the permanent license file, the licensed modules are displayed under License details.

Using One License File on Multi-User Systems

macOS

Copy the license files of ColorLogic applications into the following folder:

/Users/Shared/ColorLogic/LicenseInstall.

  • Create the folder if it does not exist.
  • Check the folder permissions.
  • When the application is launched, it will check the specified folder by default.

Windows

Copy the license files of ColorLogic applications into the following folder: C:\Users\Public\Documents\ColorLogic\LicenseInstall.

  • Create the folder if it does not exist.
  • Check the folder permission.
  • When the application is launched, it will check the specified folder by default.

License Details

License status: The expiry date for time limited versions of the software (for example, NFR or demo licenses) is shown at the bottom right of the software window. No expiry date is displayed for full versions.

Available Features: Shows the activated modules and add-ons.

Complete instructions on how to download and install ColorLogic applications and how to request and activate a demo license can be found here.

ColorAnt - Available Packages

02 MAIN WINDOW

Sidebar

ColorAnt’s Sidebar allows quick access to all tools from a central, easy-to-use location.

Automatic Correction

Auto
Correct measurement data automatically

Data Import/Export

Custom Chart
Create custom test charts

Export Chart
Export custom charts for printing and measuring

Measure
Measure printed charts or ambient light

Report
Create detailed reports on measurement data

Embed CxF/X-4
Embed CxF/X-4 spectral data in PDF files

Editing

Redundancies
Correct redundant patches in measurement data

Correction
Corrects and detects faulty measurements and inconsistent data

Smoothing
Smooth and correct uneven curves

White/Black Correction
Apply manual corrections to white and black areas

Brightener
Correct data for optical brighteners

Tone Value
Correct measurement data to a specific set of curves

Rescale
Recalculate data to a different color chart

Edit Primaries
Add, remove, or exchange primaries and recalculate measurement data

Color Editor
Edit colors to match a reference file

Averaging
Average several data sets into one data set

Link
Combine multiple charts into one measurement file

ICC Transformation
Use ICC device and DeviceLink profiles to test impact on data

CIE Conversion
Change the standard observer illumination of data sets

Registration
Activate ColorAnt and manage licences

Preferences
Preferences – Customize various ColorAnt settings

Data Sets and History

Data Sets
Displays relevant information about the measurement data: Number of Patches, DCS (color model: Lab, CMYK, RGB, Multicolor) and measurement type CIE (colorimetric = Lab, spectral = Remission).

History
Shows the tools and corrections applied to the measurement data of each editing step and allows switching between different editing states of a file. By clicking on an entry in the History window (either above or below the current status) an individual processing step can be accessed and checked, for example, in the View window.

Save History Log and Averaging Report
Save History Log is available at the bottom right of the main dialog (Fig 2.3).  It saves all modifications applied to all files in a detailed PDF document. When double-clicking a single entry in the History section, a dialog pops up showing the settings applied to the data at a specific step. The single step can be saved with Save Log.

Averaging Features
The averaging log contains detailed reporting with sample colors (similar to the Report feature) comparing the averaged data and providing process control statistics. Standard deviations (sigma) for Density, dE and dH/dL. This allows users to easily recognize colors with large deviations which would not be obvious by visually confirming values.

View and Compare Data
Advanced viewing options for ColorAnt’s tools are located at the bottom of the main window enabling both the inspection of measurement data (View) and the pre- and post-comparison of measurement data (Compare).

To view measurement data, select the data in the Data Sets area and open the View window. Five different options allow for a quick overview of all color patches in the measurement file: the 2D view shows the reference and the corresponding Lab values for each patch, 3D shows a rotating view of the color space, TVI displays the curves for each channel, Spider Web for a top down view, and Curves for various gradations and various curves of gradations.

Color filters: Using the checkboxes, colors can be selectively displayed in 2D and 3D view. All other color patches are then hidden. This allows you to immediately find selected colors in the test chart layout of the 2D view.

The 3D view displays the color body defined by the color filters. This way, the Full Primaries, Limits, Primaries, Secondaries, White or Black can be viewed separately. With Multicolor data, it is easy to recognize in which areas the additional colors extend the color body compared to CMY or CMYK.

There are some dependencies between the color filters, so selecting a certain color filter may automatically activate another color filter (or even several others). For example, if the Secondaries checkbox is activated, the Primaries and White color filters are also automatically activated. They can be deactivated if only two color combinations (Secondaries) are to be highlighted.

Color channels: By selecting color channels, either all color patches or only the color patches of the selected color channels can be displayed. Color channels can be combined with color filters so that, for example, only the Multicolor Primaries or Secondaries can be displayed. Duplex and triplex colors can be displayed by individual selection of suitable color channels (for example, Cyan + Black shows duplex colors and Cyan + Magenta + Black shows triplex colors).

2D View
Color filters highlight selected colors. View full primaries, limits, selected channels, primaries, secondaries, paper white or black. Individual color patches can be edited or deleted by selecting the patch and right-clicking to open a context menu.

3D View
Turn the color patches into the desired direction by clicking and dragging. By dragging the gamut, the color space is rotated in that direction. Increase or decrease the view by using the right side Zoom slider. Enlarge or minimize the color patches by using the Point Size slider.

TVI
Analyze Tone Value Increase curves (TVI). The tone value curve works in conjunction with the curve view or any other correction which will affect the TVI. Choose either Murray-Davies or ISO 20654 (SCTV) methods.

Spider Web
The Spider Web provides a top view of the color space in an a*-b* diagram. The measured or optimized color patches are arranged in a spider web configuration. Verify changes in the View dialog by moving forward or backward in the History list.

Curves
View the linearity curves from white to all 100% primary colors, (including multicolor data). Visualizes data and assists with analyzing non-smooth gradation curves. Choose from ColorLogic Default, ISO 20654 (SCTV) or Tone Value.

03 USING COLORANT

Automatic Correction

The Auto feature optimizes measurement data by applying the following tools in the specified order:

Redundancies: Clean up redundant color patches

Correction: Correcting faulty measurement values

Smoothing:  50% slider setting with no protection of highlights

Each tool that is applied is displayed in the History section. ColorLogic recommends to create a Report for detailed results and further recommendations on your measurement data.

 Procedure

  1. Load measurement data by drag-and-drop onto the Data Sets area or via File > Open.
  2. Click Auto and then Start. The corrections applied to the data are displayed under History.
  3. Save the optimized measurement data as a new file via File > Save as. Use the optimized measurement data in profiling software such as ColorLogic’s CoPrA to create high quality ICC printer profiles.
Measure

Measurement data is acquired with the Measure Tool and transferred to ColorAnt. Measurement data files are stored in the folder Users/Documents/ColorAnt/MeasurementData. The Data Sets section of the main window displays pertinent information about the measurement data including: number of color patches, color model (Lab, CMYK, RGB, Multicolor), measurement value type (colorimetric = Lab – spectral = Remission).

Sidebar tools will be highlighted when applicable to the measurement data, tools which are not applicable are grayed out. Use the tools by first highlighting the data (multiple files can be selected, e.g., by linking or merging several data sets together) and right click. When multiple data sets are present and no set is selected, corrections are applied to all measurement files.

View and Compare Data

View
The View window provides plenty of features that facilitate the evaluation of measurement data. Filters allow the combining of individual channels. Combinations of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 channels, as well as one and two channels in combination with black, can be faded in and out. These filters are available in 2D and 3D view.

The number of displayed color patches is shown on the left, i.e., if one or more filters are selected, the number of affected color patches as well as the total number of patches is shown on the left.

Compare
The Color Comparison window shows measurement data (Fig 3.2) before and after optimization. It can also be used to view the actions taken to optimize the data (e.g., File Name Correction, File Name Smoothing). Filters allow the combination of individual channels which are to be compared. 

The Mark from and Mark to slider displays various levels of DeltaE deviations.

Save or export measurement data
The name of every tool applied to correct or optimize data is appended to the name of the data set (e.g., Data_smoothed_corrected). Save the optimized measurement data with File > Save As. Additional export options allow conversion of spectral data to Lab or Density only. Other Save As options include CGATS compatible TXT file, CGATS XML, Named Color ICC profile, CxF compatible CXF file format, Photoshop ACO, color table, Adobe ASE or as GMG CSC file.

Generate Reports
ColorLogic recommends using the Report tool both on the initial data import and after the measurement data has been optimized.

04 DATA IMPORT & EXPORT

Custom Chart

The Custom Chart tool is designed to create reference files for test chart generation. A custom test chart for profiling requires a reference file containing the device data for the color space.

Note: Creating multicolor charts requires a ColorAnt L license.

Depending on the selection of color space, the Custom Chart dialog provides several options:

Gray, RGB and CMYK: Define the Number of Patches and click OK. Select the desired Color Space from the drop-down menu.

CMYK: Choose the linearization from another measurement data set or from another print run as a starting point. To use the linearization feature, load the appropriate measurement file in ColorAnt before opening the Custom Chart tool and select the file under Color Space.

Multicolor Charts
Modifying settings: Select the desired Color Space. For example, to create a 6 color profiling chart, ColorAnt will display a pre-defined color order, in this example: CMYK+Pantone Red and Green. The Eyedropper function allows reordering the channels. To exchange the 5th channel which is Red with Green (similar to fig 4.1) click on the Red Eyedropper Icon and from the Colors section select Green by clicking on it.

Mode: Select one of the presets based on the purpose of the test chart: Profiling, Flexo Profiling, Profile Updating, Linearization or CxF/X-4 Wedge.

Number of patches: Affects how precisely the device color space will be filled with color patches. Please consider the available space on your output, the required accuracy of the characterization data and the capabilities of your printer. Available choices are Large, Medium and Small test charts and a Custom option which allows entering a specific number of patches (the Custom option is not available for CxF/X-4).

Note: The Custom Chart tool works even with only a few patches. The color space is covered in the best possible way to allow proper profile creation.

Changing or defining the channel names
To change channel names, click the Pencil icon, e.g., click the Green channel and type in the new name.

Define the channel name of each channel, (including or excluding CMYK) enter the name in the text field or click on the Eyedropper icon and select a color from the pop up dialog that matches closest.

Linearization
ColorAnt provides intelligent settings that provide a starting point for typical use cases to create Linearization test charts, Profiling test charts, special profiling test charts for Flexo printing and Profile Updating. The Number of Patches feature chooses the optimal number of patches for specific profiling situations.

Note: This option is useful for difficult print processes that are challenging to profile. ColorAnt uses a very smooth linearization to avoid inconsistencies in the curves.

Once the color space, channel names and the Number of Patches are defined, click OK and calculate the reference file. The reference file will appear in the Data Sets section. Save the file if necessary for other chart generation tools. To create a test chart within ColorAnt, select the reference file and click Export Chart.

Export Chart

Export Chart creates test charts based on device color values (e.g., RGB, CMYK, 7 Color etc.), which can be stored as PDF, TIFF or PSD files.

At the top a Preset covering all settings can be selected and manual presets can be created, saved or deleted. The largest section covers options for Chart Dimensions, Patch Sizes and additional Options. The section on the bottom provides information on the number of files to be created with the chosen Preset, settings and buttons to Cancel or create (Start) the test charts. The tool is optimized to work with most of the instruments supported in the Measure Tool. The Custom Chart tool fills the full chart width with patches minus margins for the numbering. Instruments that do not have width limitation (no ruler required) can benefit from this feature.

Ink Limit takes into account printing processes that can’t handle 400% ink on paper/substrate. Typically each of ColorLogic’s CMYK and multicolor test charts have patches with a maximum of 400% ink. If a 400% ink limit is too high for the press, or the user would like to define another ink limit, the user can enter the desired Ink Limit. The resulting chart will have ink limit integrated. Use the exported reference file for measuring and profiling.

Procedure

Step one: Select the reference file with the required device color values.

Step two: Use either one of the presets, or define a custom size and patch width.

Step three: Define the number of patches to be produced.

Measure

ColorAnt’s Measure Tool is used to measure test charts for profile creation.

Measuring test charts

  1. Select Measure from the sidebar.
  2. Select the measurement device under Selection and the measuring mode (M0, M1, M2 or M3).
  3. Connect your device and open the test chart. Charts can be opened via the File menu via the Recently used files and Predefined Charts entries. Your own charts can be added to the list by placing them in the ColorAnt Wedges folder (User\Documents\ColorAnt\Wedges). Alternatively, simply load a reference file or drag-and-drop it onto the window.
  4. Select the Direction of scanning: Patches – Line by line, Patches – Column by column, Scan Rows or Scan Columns.
  5. Begin measuring: Follow the instructions of your measurement device. For the virtual device, double click the first patch to start the measurement.
  6. Transmit Data: When measuring is completed, click the Transmit icon to transfer the data into ColorAnt’s Data Sets section.
Report

A Report offers detailed information for measurement data analysis and provides recommendations for measurement data corrections. It can be used to verify and graphically display the data, and is therefore a powerful feature to document which types of corrections are necessary for the measurement data.

The various report pages provide an insight into the Tonal Value Increase Curves, the gamut representation (Spider Web) as well as the results of the test on the matching of redundant color patches (Quality Evaluation section), measurement or printing errors and the smoothness of the measurement file.

Embed CxF/X-4

Allows to embed spectral measurement data of spot colors (compliant with CxF/X-4) in a PDF file so that other CxF/X-4 compatible tools (e.g., ZePrA) are able to extract or use this data.

Procedure

Open the PDF/X file. The tool lists all spot colors of the PDF file, checks for spot color names that fit those of the CxF/X-4 measurement data and warns in case of conflicts. The data will only be embedded if the spot color names of the PDF file fit those of the CxF/X-4 file (Fig 4.5). When the spot colors match up, click on Start.

05 EDITING

Editing

Redundancies
Corrects color patches by averaging the redundant patches and replacing with the same value.

Correction
Detects faulty measurements or inconsistent measured values and replaces the data with expected measurement values. Use the Protect Lights feature to exempt Flexo data bumps. 

Smoothing
Corrects inhomogeneous measurement data and non-smooth curves by interpolating existing smoothed data. The Auto correction uses the maximum slider setting. Use the Protect Lights feature to exempt Flexo data bumps for being unintentionally smoothed.

White/Black Correction
Apply manual corrections to the most white and darkest color patches, typically the paper or other substrates. The White/Black Correction tool is designed to be used only on a single measurement file.

Brightener
Step one: Analysis
Brightener corrects and analyzes the remission curve of the paper white to determine whether the paper contains optical brighteners or is merely a blue-colored paper.
Step two: Correction
Correction will be applied when optical brightener has been detected. The correction can be adjusted via a slider control and at 100% setting, a similar result will be achieved as if the paper were measured with a UV cut filter.

Tone Value
Corrects measurement data to a specific set of curves. Data is corrected according to specific conditions (e.g., G7, ISO 20654 SCTV). The Protect Lights slider can be adjusted to protect the highlights of flexo data. Correction curves can be exported as Photoshop gradation curves (ACV) and as XML according to ISO 18620 to be used in either Adobe Photoshop or any external RIP software that supports the ISO 18620 standard.

Three options are available:

Correction according to a given profile:
Specify a profile and the measured values are adjusted to achieve the same tone value increase curves as those of the selected profile.

Correction according to:
Tone value curves are calculated to match the requirements of G7 Gray Balance, ISO 20654 (SCTV), G7 + ISO 20654 (SCTV) or ISO 20654 (MultiColor).

Correction according to TVI targets:
Manual editing of each channel (Fig 5.1) allows predefining the increases in tone value to be incorporated in the measurement data

Rescale
ColorAnt can calculate a large test chart based on several measurement files from small test charts. In some printing processes, (e.g., flexo printing on uneven materials) it can be challenging to achieve artifact-free printing of a large test chart. An effective approach to measuring large charts is to place several small test strips on a single page, measure, average and scale up the test strips to a large ECI2002 test chart using the Rescale tool.

 Averaging
Average several measurement files (e.g., press runs) of the same test chart and combine them to form a data set.

 Link
Combine multiple data sets into a single large data set. We recommend to verify the obtained data using the View tool and to optimize the data with either the Auto function or the Redundancies tool.

ICC Transformation
Use both ICC device and DeviceLink profiles on reference data (device data such as CMYK or RGB) to test the impact of an ICC color conversion with up to three profiles.

CIE Conversion
Convert spectral measurement data into another viewing condition. The spectral data are converted to Lab during CIE conversion with the set illumination and the selected observer.

Edit Primaries
Add, remove, and exchange primaries or the paper/substrate in existing measurement data (Fig 5.2).

In typical print production, adding or swapping ink(s) requires the expense of printing a complete, full size test chart. The Edit Primaries tool simply requires the spectral data of the new ink(s) to be added or exchanged. It also recalculates all overprints based on intelligent spectral color models. One of the major features is its ability to dynamically choose the best patches from the data provided. The more complete the provided data, the more accurate the results. This improves the exchange of gradations of the primary color and overprint information, e.g., the primary combined with black. If the selected data contains overprints, such as secondary colors, the Adapt Secondaries feature will take the additional data into account. 

Scenarios for potential efficiency gain with the Edit Primaries tool in production:

Modify channel names: Reorder channel names without modifying data

Variance in press condition: The characterization press run is slightly deficient in solid ink density or hue on one or more colors.

Exchange of paper/substrate: The inks are the same but a slightly different paper shall be used.

Exchanging inks in a print packaging production environment: Create a new profile that swaps colors, e.g., Blue for Cyan or Rhodamine Red for Magenta.

Adjusting the print sequence: Allows improved overprint calculations.

Flexibility for the packaging manufacturer: Create different color variants from a full size 7 color press characterization data set by deleting channels to building new characterization data sets without printing a new test chart. For example, from an original 7C data set (e.g., CMYK+Orange+Green+Violet) build variants for CMYK only, CMY+Violet, CMYK+Orange+Green or other combinations. The production facility would need to ensure the press is stable, and depending on the color needs of the job(s), print select the profile with the least amount of channels.

Increasing CMYK gamut: Adding a 5th, 6th or 7th color to the CMYK printing process.

Using Edit Primaries
We suggest loading another data set with the measured new primaries, gradations of the primaries and overprint information. Select the measurement data of a test chart measurement file for editing and click Edit Primary.

Exchanging a primary: Click on the Eyedropper icon of the color to be exchanged. Select the new primary from another data set loaded in ColorAnt. Click on the channel to be imported to the primary. Fig 5.2 shows a new Cyan ink that is slightly different. Selecting ink from other channels is also possible. Click OK and the data set will be modified.

Important: Using Lab values will not produce the highest quality results. ColorLogic recommends using spectral data. When a data set is present, enter a new Lab value for the selected color or select another channel from the same measurement data set to change the printing order.

Verify the exchange of primaries with the Compare tool.

Exchange paper/substrate
Load the test chart measurement data and load the secondary file containing information of the measured paper white into ColorAnt.

Select the measurement data of a test chart for editing and click Edit Primaries.

Click on the Eyedropper icon of the Substrate/Paper white and select the new paper white from another data set loaded in ColorAnt (Fig 5.3). Click on the name of the data set to import the data. The second option is to manually enter the new Lab values in the text field.

Click OK and the data set will be modified. For large differences in substrates, use the White/Black correction tool.

 Adding channels

  1. Load the test chart measurement data and load the secondary information with the measured primaries, gradation and overprint information into ColorAnt.
  2. Select the measurement data you would like to edit and click Edit Primaries.
  3. Click on Add Channel. A new channel with default gray Lab values and the channel name Auto is added.
  4. Click on the Eyedropper icon of the new channel and select the new primary from another data set loaded in ColorAnt. Click on the channel to import the data. Fig 5.4 shows an example where a 5th Orange color has been added to an original CMYK data set. To rename the channel click on the Pencil icon and enter the new channel name. The new channel can be linearized according to the ISO 20654 (SCTV) standard by selecting the checkbox.
  5. Click OK to generate the new data set. To view the new data set, use the View tool and select the tabs 2D, 3D, Spider Web and TVI to verify all colors including overprints have been added. Additional edits can be made to the curves using the Tone Value tool.

Removing channels
Load the measurement data of a test chart and click Edit Primary. Disable the check boxes in front of the channels that need to be deleted and click OK.The new data set will be reduced to the selected channels.

Color Editor
Edit color patches and process color conversions of spot colors. 

Procedure
The Color Editor allows the user to edit patch names (Fig 5.5), Lab values or device color values (DCS).

Convert and optimize a complete spot color library to a target profile for RGB, CMYK or Multicolor.

To convert spot colors to a desired target profile, first load the spot colors into the ColorAnt Data Sets section, e.g., a Pantone spot color library (or any supported file format such as CxF), then click on Color Editor.

The window contains a table on the left showing all spot colors of the file and editing options on the right.

Select an ICC Profile from the drop-down list and a calculation Mode.

Six modes are available:

  1. Precise Match – Proofing
  2. Visual Match – Utilize More Channels
  3. Use the Least Amount of Channels
  4. Use one Output Channel only
  5. Use a Maximum of two Channels
  6. Use a Maximum of three Channels

The preset dE Limit highlights colors that exceed the defined threshold.

If a color is selected from the table, the device color values for each channel of the selected profile are shown under Optimize Destination Values.

As a default, the device values calculated via the ICC profile are shown without any optimization. By clicking on dE76 or dE00 the deltaE can be minimized (Fig 5.6) for each color.

Clicking on Automatic applies the selected calculation Mode which typically results in a reduced amount of channels for better printability.

Users can optimize each individual color and can even enter device values manually. By clicking on Start, the entire list of colors is generated in the Data Sets section including the calculated and possibly optimized device color values.

The values can be saved for further usage in other applications in any format supported by ColorAnt (CGATS TXT and XML, CXF3, Photoshop ASE and ACO, named color ICC profile or GMG CSC).

ColorAnt | Edit Primaries

Edit Primaries

Customize options for file processing

Edit Primaries

The Edit Primaries tool allows users to add, remove, and exchange primaries or the paper/substrate in existing measurement data.

In typical print production, adding or swapping ink(s) requires the expense of printing a complete, full size test chart. The Edit Primaries tool simply requires the spectral data of the new ink(s) to be added or exchanged. It also recalculates all overprints based on intelligent spectral color models.

One of the major features of the Edit Primaries tool is the ability to dynamically select the best patches from the data provided. The more complete the data (spectral data is preferred) the more accurate the results.

More complete data improves:

  • Exchange of gradations of the primary color
  • Overprint information, e.g the primary combined with black and secondary colors
  • Spectral data in general, providing the printing sequence information.

This allows creating of new ICC profiles for new color combinations quickly.

Examples for efficiency gains when using the Edit Primaries tool in production:

  • Variance in press condition: The characterization press run is slightly deficient in solid ink density or hue on one or more colors.
    This video demonstrates the procedure with ColorAnt
  • Exchange of paper/substrate: The inks are the same but a slightly different paper is used in production or a specific job.
  • Exchange inks in packaging print production:
  • Create a new set of characterization data that swaps in e.g. Blue for a Cyan or a Rhodamine Red for Magenta.
  • Adjust Printing Sequence: Allows improved overprint calculations. Watch an example here.
  • Flexibility for packaging customers: Create different color variants from a full blown 7 color press characterization data set by deleting channels to create new characterization data sets without printing a new test chart. For example, from an 7C data set (e.g. CMYK+Orange+Green+Violet) build variants for CMYK only, CMY+Violet, CMYK+Orange+Green or other combinations. Ensure that the printing process is stable and use the color combinations you need to fulfill the respective customer orders.
  • Increase CMYK gamut: Adding a 5th, 6th or 7th color to a CMYK printing process.
  • Modify channel names: Reorder channel names without data modification.

Restore last edits: Use Restore to exit the tool without losing any of the changes already made. Click Cancel. ColorAnt will remember the edits made up to this point, and leave the Edit primaries tool. Restore these edits after you return by clicking the Restore button. You can now continue your work where you left off. For example, if after a few edits you notice that you forgot to load a required file into ColorAnt, you can exit the tool, load the file and return without having to make these edits again.

Restore last edits: Use this function to exit the tool without losing any of the changes already made.

Click Cancel. ColorAnt will remember the edits made up to this point, and leave the Edit primaries tool. Restore these edits after you return by clicking the Restore button. You can now continue your work where you left off.

For example, if after a few edits you notice that you forgot to load a required file into ColorAnt, you can exit the tool, load the file and return without having to make these edits again.

Define Primary Information

Linearize new channels using ISO 20654 (SCTV): The checkbox becomes available when a new channel is added, or if reference data without measurement data are loaded. When checked the gradients of the newly added channels are linearized according to the ISO 20654 (SCTV) standard. If channels of another data set are selected and the checkbox is selected, all channels are linearized according to ISO 20654 (SCTV). Otherwise, the original gradations of the loaded colors will be used.

Search: Allows searching for specific colors in large color libraries such as Pantone®. It is available in the context menu by clicking the eyedropper when replacing a color.

Exchange a Primary Color

One of the main features of Edit Primaries is the exchange of primary colors creating a new set of characterization data.

Procedure:

  1. Load the measurement data of the test chart to be edited in ColorAnt, then load the data set containing the measured new primaries, including gradations of the primaries and overprint information.
    A sample of a reference file for CMYK plus one spot color is included with ColorAnt. The wedge Spotcolor-CMYK+X-v1.txt (shown as Red spot color in the screenshot) is located under File/Open Predefined. Use the tool Export Chart to generate a printable wedge.
  2. Click on the measurement data to be edited (to select it) and click on Edit Primaries.
  3. Exchanging a primary: Click on the eyedropper icon of the color to be exchanged (see screenshot demonstrating an exchange of Yellow).

  4. Select the new primary from the second data set loaded in ColorAnt. To do so, click on the channel containing the new primary. Selecting a color from another channel of the same data set is also possible. In Edit Primaries the Lab value of the new primary will be shown allowing you to check immediately if the changes have taken place. If the imported measurement data are spectral data the star will be highlighted.

  5. If two or more primaries are added from a single data set containing overprints of these primaries, then these measurements can be used by ColorAnt and the checkbox Adopt Secondaries will be enabled.
    Note: Adopt Secondaries is only enabled if secondary colors are available in the selected data set. When moving the mouse over the text a tooltip will show the selected color combinations and the associated data sets.
  6. If no measurement data of the new primary is available, Lab values can be entered in the numbers box (however, calculations will not be as exact as with spectral measurement data). This will be visualized by a gray star icon.
  7. When complete click Start and the data will be modified and shown in the Data Sets section of ColorAnt. Save the new data with File/Save as to be used for other tasks, for example, creation of ICC profiles with ColorLogic CoPrA.
  8. To check the exchange of primaries, use the Compare tool to verify the data.

Specifics

  • If a solid color is used to replace a primary color but does not contain any gradation values, ColorAnt uses the gradation behavior of the original primary color.
  • Edit Primaries dynamically selects the best patches from the data provided. The more complete the data (spectral data is preferred) the more accurate the results. The exchange of primaries will improve when providing gradations of the primary color and  overprint information, such as the primary with black overprints or secondaries.
Adding Channels

Note:  To add channels a ColorAnt L license is required.

Procedure:

  1. Load the test chart measurement data and load the secondary file with the measured primaries, gradation and overprint information into ColorAnt.
  2. Select the measurement data you would like to edit and click Edit Primaries.
  3. Click on Add Channel. A new channel with default gray Lab values and the channel name Auto is added.
    Note: The Auto entry will take the channel name from the second data set.
  4. Click on the eyedropper icon of the new channel and select the new primary from the second data set. Click on the channel to import the data.

    Example of a 5th color (Red) being added to an original CMYK data set.

  5. To rename the channel click on the pencil icon and enter the desired name in the appearing window Edit Primary Name.

    Important:     Define the Original Printing Sequence and the Edited Sequence. This is especially important when a new ink is added as it can be added as the last ink or placed in between other primaries.
  6. If two or more primaries are added from a single data set containing overprints of these primaries, then these measurements can be used by ColorAnt and the checkbox Adopt Secondaries will be enabled.
    Note: Adopt Secondaries is only enabled if secondary colors are available in the selected data set. When moving the mouse over the text a tooltip will show the selected color combinations and the associated data sets.
  7. Click Start and the new 5 inks data set will be generated. ColorAnt will calculate modified measurement data which can be found under Data Sets. Save this file under File/Save as for further usage, e.g. creation of ICC printer profiles in CoPrA.
  8. To examine the new data set, use the View tool and select the tabs 2D, 3D, SpiderWeb and TVI  to check that all colors including overprints have been added correctly. The TVI curves of the 5th channel can be edited further by using the Tone value tool and/or other tools like Smoothing. Finally, CoPrA can be used to build a 5 channel printer profile.

Adopt Secondaries: Allows secondary color values to be used additionally. The option is only enabled if secondary colors are available in the picked data set and at least two colors are exchanged. A tool tip indicates the selected overprints and the associated data sets. The option can be disabled if the measurement overprints are not suitable for the given data, in which case Edit Primaries will calculate the overprints itself.
Using color overprints can improve the accuracy of the rendering and calculation of the spectral color model.

Linearize new channels using ISO 20654 (SCTV): This function allows the gradients of newly added channels to be linearized according to the ISO 20654 (SCTV) standard. The checkbox is available when a new channel is added, or when reference data are loaded without measurement data. If channels of another data set are selected and the checkbox is activated, all new channels are linearized according to ISO 20654 (SCTV). Otherwise the original gradations of the loaded colors will be used.

Removing Channels

Note: A ColorAnt L license is required to remove channels.

  1. Load and select the measurement data of a test chart and click Edit Primaries.
  2. Disable the checkboxes in front of the channels that need to be deleted and click Start. The information area of the Edit Primaries tool displays the channels of the resulting data set.
  3. The new data set will be reduced to the channels that have been enabled. Please be aware that this is a Multicolor file and may only be used in ColorLogic CoPrA if a Multicolor license is loaded.

Note: Edit Primaries can be used to extract individual channels from complete test chart measurement data by removing all other channels. Just leave the checkbox of the desired channel activated and deactivate the checkboxes of all other channels.

Reordering Channels

The channel order can be changed within a file without changing the measurement data itself. For example, if you have added the additional channels Orange and Green to a CMYK data set you can change the order to CMYK+Green+Orange afterwards.

Simply click on the eyedropper icon and select Orange for Green and Green for Orange from the same measurement data file. This will change the channel order without changing the measurement data. If only the channel order has been changed, this is indicated by the name ChannelOrder in the file name.

Note: The channel reordering feature in Edit Primaries and the Link tool Merge by Channel Name can be used to prepare Multicolor measurement data from different origins. For example it allows to combine the four separate 4 color Esko Equinox files to a 7 color Multicolor data set to be used for profiling in CoPrA.

Creating new characterization data on existing wedges

The Edit Primaries tool allows the assignment of new color values to device values (DCS values) which do not already contain color values. Thus, new characterization data can be created based on CxF/X-4 data, existing wedges of primaries, the input of Lab values or other characterization data sets without the need to reprint test charts.

Procedure:

  1. Open a reference file (for example IT8/7-4) and, if available, measurement wedges or existing characterization data of test charts containing the desired colors.
  2. Select the reference file, click on Edit Primaries and use the eyedropper tool to choose colors from the pool of measurement values.
  3. Alternatively, fill in the Lab value if there isn’t other data available. The best results are achieved using spectral values, wedges or information on overprints.
  4. If two or more primaries are added from a single data set containing overprints of these primaries, then these measurements can be used by ColorAnt and the checkbox Adopt Secondaries will be enabled.
    Note: Adopt Secondaries is only enabled if secondary colors are available in the selected data set. When moving the mouse over the text a tooltip will show the selected color combinations and the associated data sets.
  5. If measurement values are assigned to all primaries and the paper white, click Start.

Note:

  1. The integrated progress bar shows the status of the calculations. With complex mathematical calculations, especially with large test charts and many channels, you are always informed how long these can still last.
  2. When extracting measurement data containing overprint information with black from CxF/X-4 files (so-called full characterisation), you should note that no black gradient is stored in CxF/X-4 files. If you want to edit a black channel with gradient in Edit Primaries, you should use the black gradient from another measurement file and not from the CxF/X-4 file.

Define Substrate/Paper White

Define Substrate/Paper White

Minor changes in paper color do not affect the full tone of the primary colors. In this case, the paper color can be replaced with a similar paper color of an existing dataset.

However, significant changes in paper white affect the entire color space. Major changes in paper white also have a strong effect on the primary colors.

If the white point changes significantly, it can be (re-)measured directly from within the Edit Primaries tool. This measurement data can then be used to correct the white point of the selected dataset. The corrected white point is then applied to the entire measurement data keeping the print characteristic intact. (see instructions below).

Note: If you just want to change the white point use our dedicated White/Black Correction tool.

Replacing the paper color with data from an existing dataset

  1. Load the test chart measurement data and load the secondary file containing information of the measured paper white into ColorAnt.
  2. Select the measurement data of the data to be edited and click Edit Primary.
  3. Click on the eyedropper icon of the Substrate/Paper white and select the new paper white from the second data set. Click on the name of the data set to import the data.

  4. Alternatively, if no measurement file of the new paper white is available, the new values can be entered in the number field as Lab values. However, this is not as precise as working with spectral data.
  5. Click Start and the data set will be modified. The modified measurement data can be found under Data Sets. Save this file under File/Save as for further usage, e.g., creation of ICC printer profiles with CoPrA.

Direct measurement of the white point

Proceed as follows to measure and adjust the white point:

  1. Load the measurement data to be corrected and open the Edit Primaries tool.
  2. Click on the eyedropper icon and select the option Measure.
  3. The Measure Tool opens with the preselected chart for measuring the paper white with a single patch.
  4. After the measurement, the new white point data is transmitted back to the Edit Primaries tool and is applied to the entire measurement data keeping the print characteristic intact.

Note: The white point measurement is also listed under Data Sets.

Define the Printing Sequence

Define the Printing Sequence

The Printing Sequence defines the order in which the colors are printed on top of each other and can be set independently of the channel sequence. When primary colors are exchanged or added, overprinting colors can be correctly calculated by specifying the correct printing order. By changing the print sequence, you can also check whether a changed sequence increases or decreases the gamut.

The printing sequence can be changed by dragging and dropping color symbols

Example: There is a difference in color when a red is printed on a yellow or vice versa. Users can set the print order independently of the channel order so that the channel order is maintained, for example as CMYK, even if the print order is KCMY.

Procedure:

  1. Load a measurement file under Data sets, preferably with spectral data, and open Edit Primaries.
  2. The initial print order, represented as the Original Sequence, of a loaded data set corresponds to the channel order. Change the Original Sequence by clicking on a colored icon and moving it to the desired position.
    Example flexo printing: The colours are usually printed from dark to light, whereas the channel sequence implies a different arrangement.
    Note: When an edited data set is reopened, the Original Sequence reflects what has been done and saved the last time.
  3. Edited Sequence specifies the order of the colors in which they are to be printed.
    Note: If you do not need to change the print order, make sure that the edited order is the same as the original order.
  4. After you are done click Start and the data set will be modified. The modified measurement data can be found under Data Sets.
  5. Save this file under File/ Save as for further usage, e.g. creation of ICC printer profiles with CoPrA.

ColorAnt | Rescale

Rescale

Recalculate data to a different color chart

Rescale

Overview

ColorAnt offers the option of calculating large test charts that can be used for profiling from small test chart measurement files. In some printing processes, (e.g. flexo printing on uneven materials) it can be challenging to achieve artifact-free printing of a large test chart. The procedure of placing several small test charts, e.g. ColorLogic Reprofiler strips on one page, measuring these, averaging them in ColorAnt and then scaling up to a large test chart with the Rescale tool is an effective approach to measuring large size charts.

Procedure:

  1. Select the measurement file that you want to scale up and click on the Rescale button.
  2. Select the desired test chart layout from the drop down menu to which the measurement file should be scaled up.
  3. When you have an ICC printer profile (reference profile), which approximately describes the standard to be printed, select the printer profile by checking the option Use characteristics of a reference profile. 
If the profile is not available, do not activate the checkbox.
  4. Click on Start and ColorAnt will calculate and interpolate the missing color patches from your small chart and create the desired chart layout.
  5. Save the scaled up measurement value file as a new file with File/Save as.

Note: Missing color patches are automatically supplemented when scaling to other charts. Missing color patches (e.g. from overprinting colors that are missing in small charts) can be assessed better with the help of a reference profile.

In reverse, you can also use the Rescale tool to extract the color patches required for the Fogra/Ugra-Media Wedge V3 from a measured large ECI2002 or IT8.7-4 test chart. ColorAnt uses the color patches from the available measurement file 1:1 in the new chart layout. This enables you to produce your own media wedge reference files for verifying printed proofs very easily.

Note: The chooser shows only those test charts that fit the color space of the selected file. E.g. in case a CMYK measurement file has been selected only the CMYK test charts are shown including those delivered with the software and those manually added (marked as Custom). If you wish to add and use your own custom reference files in the Rescale tool or  when opening via File/Open Predefined save them in the Documents/ColorAnt/Wedges folder.

Using the Automatic

A specific sequence in the working method is recommended when preparing measurement data. First clean up redundant color patches in the measurement file, then correct faulty measurement values and finally smooth the measurement data. This sequence is automatically executed by using the Automatic function.

Procedure:

  1. Load measurement file by dragging it onto the Data Sets area or using File/Open.
  2. Click on the Automatic button and on the Start button in the dialog which then appears.
  3. You can follow each step in History and view it individually there (if you have the View dialog open) or undo it.
  4. Save the optimized measurement file as a new file via File/Save as. Use the optimized measurement file e.g. in profiling software like CoPrA to create high-quality ICC printer profiles.

Note: Measurement data is saved in some ICC printer profiles (e.g. CoPrA always saves the measurement data in the calculated ICC profile). Extract the data from the corresponding ICC printer profile simply by dragging the ICC profile onto the Data Set area in ColorAnt.

The Automatic function calculates from the loaded data if either an averaging of multiple files is needed (in case multiple files with the same amount of patches have been loaded) or if redundancies, correction and smoothing shall be applied. This is how the Automatic feature works: It checks for Redundancies in the measurement data first, corrects bad measurements and applies Smoothing to a lesser extend (50% slider setting with no protection of highlights). This leads to optimized measurement data leaving the characteristics of the print closest to the original and thus to better profiles in the end. The screenshot below shows the settings the Automatic feature uses.

Note: For Flexographic measurement data we suggest to manually optimize and smooth the data as the Automatic feature would smooth out any bump curves, too.

ColorAnt | Tone Value

Tone Value

Correct measurement data to a specific set of curves

Tone Value

The Tone Value tool allows the correction of measurement data as well as the calculation of RIP compensation curves based on specific targets (e.g., G7®, ISO 20654 SCTV).

There are three different ways to ensure tone value correction is incorporated properly into measurement data. The curves created in this way are the final cut-back, compensation, calibration curves.
Note: It is not recommended to bend measurement data to a preferred standard without having printed so or without applying an appropriate RIP compensation curve.

Correction according to a tone value curve of an ICC profile:
Specify a profile and the measured values or the RIP compensation curves are adjusted to achieve the same tone value increase curves as those of the selected profile.

Correction according to a profile

Note: Depending on the loaded measurement data only ICC profiles fitting the color space are shown (e.g., CMYK or multicolor. In this example a 7 inks multicolor profile is selected).

Correction according to:
Tone value curves are calculated to match the requirements of G7® Gray Balance or ISO 20654.

Correct Measurement data and RIP curves to given standards

G7® Gray Balance: The tone value curves are calculated to correspond to the gray balance conditions of the G7® method. The aim of the G7® method is to adjust the CMY curves in such a way that they result in as neutral a gray hue as possible with defined lightness over the entire gray balance.

ISO 20654: This method is based on colorimetric linearities and can be used instead of density calculations for spot colors. It can also be applied to CMYK and ensures that the gradations of all primary colors are colorimetrically linear. This can be checked in the View window under TVI or Curves.
Note: Density-based methods like Murray Davis do not work well with non-CMYK colors. The IS0 20654 method (also known as SCTV, Spot Color Tone Value) is an alternative method for handling the tone values of spot colors.

G7® + ISO 20654: G7 is defined to work with CMYK only. However, it is possible to apply the G7® method to the CMYK parts of a Multicolor measurement file and the additional (Multicolor) channels will be corrected according to ISO 20654. The G7® calibration method ensures that the CMY curves reach a neutral gray of defined lightness values throughout the entire gray balance curve.

ISO 20654 (Multicolor): Adjusts the Multicolor channels according to ISO 20654 and leaves the CMYK channels untouched. This is useful when the CMYK parts have been calibrated according to other standards, like PSO density curves or G7® and only the additional Multicolor channels need to match ISO 20654 (SCTV) requirements.

Correction according to TVI targets:

Manual editing of each channel allows predefining the increases in tone value to be incorporated in the measurement data.

This feature works for CMYK and multicolor color spaces. Depending on the data that was loaded into ColorAnt, additional or fewer channels are displayed.

Protect Lights (%): Leaves the highlights untouched when applying any of the three correction modes.
Specify the percentage up to which the highlights are to be protected. Review the measurement data to ensure a clean transition between the protected and unprotected area. This feature is especially helpful for Flexo printing as it avoids overcompensation of dot gain in the highlights.

Save Compensation Curves as: TVI correction curves can be saved as Text, ACV or XML files. Select None, if the curves are not to be saved.

Important: These curves have to be used in the RIP to implement the corrections. Further information can be found below in the chapter Combining Print Characterization and Compensation Curve Calculation.

Text: CGATS-compliant ASCII text. Used for direct import into RIP software or prepress workflows, e.g., HYBRID CLOUDFLOW.
ACV: Saves curves in the Photoshop ACV format.
XML: Saves curves as XML files according to ISO 18620.
Note: These curves are automatically saved in the folder /Users/USERNAME/Documents/ColorAnt/Linearity on macOS systems or C:/Users/USERNAME/Documents/ColorAnt/Linearity on Windows PCs. They can then be used in either Adobe Photoshop or any external RIP software that supports the ISO 18620 standard. ZePrA also supports the exported ACV or XML curve formats in the Gradations dialog.

Correction of Tone Value Increase Curves through Presetting

With the method Correction according to TVI targets, you can edit and smooth tone value increase curves, add or remove individual control points, and transfer curves from one channel to another. You can also compare the original and modified curves. You can save curves and apply them to other data and channels. The tone value curves are displayed according to the calculation method selected in the Settings.

Apply curves to other data or channels

Procedure:

  1. Open the measurement and click on Tone Value. The channel names correspond to the names of the measurement file or are determined automatically by ColorAnt if the channel names are undefined.
     
  2. To transfer a curve shape from one channel to another, simply select the desired curve from the drop-down list of the channel to be changed, for example Cyan, to apply the Cyan curve to the Magenta (original) channel. You can also apply a previously saved (and possibly optimized) curve from another data set to the Magenta (original) channel, here for example the Magenta Tonwertvorgabe curve.
  3. After curve transfer, you will see the curve shape of the new Magenta curve (colored) and the original Magenta curve (grayed out).

  4. To make further (manual) corrections to a channel, such as Smoothing, or to remove control points, or to change individual values, click on the pencil icon or select Edited from the drop-down menu. The Custom Tone Values – Edited window opens. For information on how to make manual corrections, see Custom Tone Value – Edited below.
  5. To undo changes, select (in this example) the entry Magenta (Original) from the drop-down list.

When you have finalized your edits, apply them to the measurement data by clicking Start.

Custom Tone Value – Edited

ColorAnt’s Custom Tone Value feature is specifically designed for manual corrections such as smoothing, adding or deleting points or changing individual TVI values. In addition, save custom curves and apply them on other channels and data.

Procedure:

  1. Click on the Smooth button to smooth the curve. Only a few fulcrums are displayed after smoothing; ColorAnt does not delete​ any original fulcrums but helps to better optimize the data by reducing the number of values. Apply the corrections on the measurement data and all fulcrums will be adjusted to fit the smoothed curve.
  2. In order to add any number of additional ink values, click on the Add button. Navigate to the new empty entry that will appear in the table and type in the desired Ink Value and the Increase value in dot percentage required. Apply the changes by hitting the tabulator or the enter key on the keyboard. The curve will be immediately updated.


    Note: The original curve will be displayed in gray as a reference.

  3. Change any of the existing Increase values in the table by simply selecting an entry and changing the numbers.
  4. To delete an Ink Value, select the desired entry in the table and click Delete.
  5. Save the curve for later use. Click on Save as and enter a name for the curve in the appearing dialog.

  6. To apply the manual editing, click on OK and return to the Tone Value dialog. The edited curve will be marked as Edited.

Combining Print Characterization and Compensation Curve Calculation

  1. The ColorAnt TVI correction can be used to combine RIP compensation curves and print characterization in a single print run.
  2. Print a test chart for characterization/linearization with the RIP in linear mode
  3. Measure the test chart (These measurement data represent the linear print process)
  4. Smooth the measurement data (with the Smoothing tool)
  5. Open the Tone Value TVI correction tool
  6. Choose Correction according to a tone value curve of an ICC profile and select the target curve for the printing process
  7. Export the compensation curve in the format the RIP can read (e.g., Text for HYBRID Cloudflow)
  8. Apply the TVI correction to the measurement data (the measurement data represent the compensated print)
  9. Load the compensation curve into the RIP

The corrected measurement data can be used, for example, to create a proofing profile that represents the compensated printing process instead of the linear printing process.

ColorAnt | CIE Conversions

CIE Conversion

Change the standard observer and illumination of data sets

CIE Conversion

Overview

The CIE Conversion tool converts measurement data into another viewing condition.

Possible tasks can include the presentation of photos in a gallery under incandescent light (corresponds approximately to illuminant A) or displays under exhibition lighting, where the lighting consists of fluorescent light. Another task is to change the illumination and observer angle for the textile industry, where D65 and a 10-degree observer are used as standard.

The CIE Conversion can be applied to spectral or colorimetric data (XYZ or Lab). For colorimetric data it uses a Chromatic Adaption Transform (CAT) based on CIECAM02.

The Illumination/Source illumination/Target illumination drop-down menus contain the following options:

  • A selection of a standard illuminant: D50, D65, illuminant A or the Equal Energy Spectrum. Typically, printer profiles are created for D50 viewing conditions.
  • Manual input of Kelvin or XYZ values.
  • Emission (Open File): Selection of spectral emission readings (as CxF or text file) of a specific light source. The data can be loaded or dragged and dropped onto the selection. ColorAnt can also extract data (the white point) from a measurement file and display these values.
  • Emission (Measure): Opens the Measure Tool in Ambient Light Measurement mode. The ambient light can be measured directly from within the CIE Conversion tool using supported devices (e.g., X-Rite i1Pro, Konica-Minolta FD-7 and Myiro 1). For more information, see the Measure Tool help.

Observer: For spectral measurement data, the Observer can be changed from 2 degrees to 10 degrees. For colorimetric measurement data, the Observer cannot be changed.

CIE Conversion with spectral measurement data

  1. Select a spectral measurement file of a test chart and open the CIE conversion.
  2. Under Illumination, select one of the predefined illuminants, or manually enter the measured illuminant as Kelvin value or XYZ value. You can also simply drag a measurement file (TXT and CxF3 file) of the measured light onto the value field. Alternatively, to select a spectral light measurement, select Emission (Open File) from the drop-down menu and select your measurement file in the subsequent dialog.

    Note: If you choose to enter your own illumination, it is recommended to work with one of the two emission options, since spectral data is used throughout.
    Multiple measurements of the same light source: If there are multiple measurements in a measurement file, it is best to use the Redundancy tool for averaging, to save the file and then use it as an Emission (Open File) in the CIE Conversion.
  3. Under Observer, select the desired observer angle, 2 or 10 degrees.
  4. Click Start and the spectral measurement data are converted into colorimetric data for a specific viewing condition.

Resulting file: Spectral data are converted to Lab during CIE Conversion with the set Illumination and the selected Observer. The resulting measurement file contains only Lab values. You can then use this file to create profiles.
Note: Use the CIE Conversion as the last step due to the conversion of spectral data to Lab.

CIE Conversion with colorimetric data

  1. Select a colorimetric data file and open the CIE conversion.
  2. Set the illuminant of the measurement in the upper drop-down menu Source illumination and the desired viewing condition in the lower drop-down menu Target illumination.
  3. The observer cannot be changed with colorimetric data.
  4. Click Start and the colorimetric data are converted into a different illumination using a color appearance model (Chromatic Adaption Transform (CAT) based on CIECAM02).

Note: Spectral measurement data achieve a better quality of the conversion, and, in addition, the observer can be changed.

ColorAnt | Registration

Registration

Activate your license or request a demo license

Registration

Activation

Installing a Permanent License

A permanent license will be provided by your dealer after purchasing the application. Permanent licenses are available as computer-based or dongle licenses.

Computer-based licenses are always tied to the computer on which the software (CoPrA, ZePrA or ColorAnt) is installed. This is useful for temporary test purposes. Computer-based licenses are also required if the computer lacks an USB port or space for an USB dongle, i.e. a rack server.

USB dongle licenses are serialized to the dongle. The USB dongle communicates with the appropriate software license and enables the software to be used on different computers. To assign the license to the USB dongle, it must be connected to the computer before starting the software.

After purchasing the software, a permanent license file (*.lic) will be sent via email.

Activating a License

Load the license file in the tab License details under Registration to activate the application.

After installing the permanent license file, the licensed modules are displayed under License details.

Using One License File on Multi-User Systems

macOS

Copy the license files of ColorLogic applications into the following folder:

/Users/Shared/ColorLogic/LicenseInstall.

  • Create the folder if it does not exist.
  • Check the folder permissions.
  • When the application is launched, it will check the specified folder by default.

Windows

Copy the license files of ColorLogic applications into the following folder: C:\Users\Public\Documents\ColorLogic\LicenseInstall.

  • Create the folder if it does not exist.
  • Check the folder permission.
  • When the application is launched, it will check the specified folder by default.

License Details

License status: The expiry date for time limited versions of the software (for example, NFR or demo licenses) is shown at the bottom right of the software window. No expiry date is displayed for full versions.

Available Features: Shows the activated modules and add-ons.

Complete instructions on how to download and install ColorLogic applications and how to request and activate a demo license can be found here.

Demo Licenses

ColorLogic offers 14-day trial licenses for the applications CoPrA, ZePrA and ColorAnt allowing the user to evaluate the software features and performance.

Restrictions with Demo Licenses

All profiles created with a demo license in CoPrA can only be used correctly in ColorLogic applications.

A ZePrA demo license gives users a 14-day evaluation period to try all the functions of ZePrA within the application. All files converted with a demo license in ZePrA are watermark protected. If it becomes necessary to test ZePrA within a workflow without the watermark during the test period, contact your dealer for instructions.

Requesting a Demo License

  1. Click on Registration in the lower left corner of the sidebar.
  2. Click on the tab Demo license request.
  3. Enter all required information.
  4. After selecting the country, the software shows a list of available dealers in that region. Select a dealer and click on Send direct request. The relevant demo license will be send to the specified email address within a few minutes.
  5. Save the license file (*.lic) contained in the email on the computer being used.
  6. Load the license file in the tab License details under Registration to activate the respective application.

The expiration date of demo licenses is shown under License details right after activation.

FAQ

Does the license file have to be saved on the USB dongle for USB dongle-based licenses?
No, the license file does not have to be saved on the USB dongle. However, it is recommended if the application is to be used on several computers, as the required license file is then always available.

Why does my software not work anymore?
Please make sure that the USB dongle is plugged in and that the serial number of the license file matches the serial number under Registration.

What is the correct order to start the application with USB dongle based licenses?
First plug the USB dongle into your computer, then start the software and load the license under Registration.

What if the application with a computer-based license is to be used on another computer (e.g. if the old computer is broken)?
In this case, please contact the dealer from whom you purchased the software. He will provide you with a document (License Transfer Agreement) for you to sign, in which you agree to delete the old license file and not to use the software on the old computer anymore. You will then receive a new license file for the new computer.

Important: If a computer-based license is to be used, the application must be installed on exactly the computer on which you want to work permanently. You should also make sure that no USB sticks etc. are present before you start the software and open the Registration dialog.

Tip: If you send the serial number to the dealer, it is best to copy and paste the serial number from the Registration dialog (this is easier than writing it down or sending a screenshot). The permanent license file runs only and exclusively on this computer. If you have a computer-based license, you cannot use the software on another computer.

Registering and Downloading ColorLogic Software