Configurations
The settings made under Configurations determine how the file is converted and processed. In ZePrA, files are processed via Queues, i.e. a job corresponds to the processing of a file via a queue. Each queue must have a configuration assigned to it. The assignment can be done in the Queues tool.
Queues and their configurations are managed separately and configurations can be reassigned to queues at any time.
Under Configurations, you can define all settings related to color handling and PDF processing. This includes color conversion via ICC output profiles or DeviceLink profiles, handling of mixed PDF files (documents with data in CMYK, RGB, Grayscale and spot colors) and customized assignment of gradation curves as well as processing of spot colors.
Create, Rename, and Delete Configurations
Existing configurations can be selected from the drop-down menu. The sorting order of the menu items can be changed with the icon next to the menu:
- Sort Order: Default – sorts the list of configurations by its IDs from lowest to highest number in the same order as in the Queues section of the Overview A manually changed order of Queues in the Overview is reflected in the configurations sort order. Therefore, the Default sorting is not necessarily only sorting by creation date.
- Sort Order: Name (A-Z) – sorts the list of configurations alphanumerically with numbers on top followed by the alphabets.
- Sort Order: Modification Date – the last modified or created configurations are on top of the list.
Creating new Configurations
New configurations can quickly be created in Auto Setup from scratch.
New configurations can also be created under Configurations by modifying existing configurations and saving them under a new name.
Create a new configuration by modifying an existing one:
- Select an existing configuration from the drop-down menu
- Click New. In the pop-up dialog, the name of the selected configuration is supplemented with “Copy”
- Enter a new name and confirm with OK
- Make the necessary settings
- Click Save
Rename a configuration:
- Select a configuration from the drop-down menu
- Click on Rename
- Change the name
- Confirm the change with a click on OK
Delete: Deletes the selected configuration.
Save: Saves the selected configuration.
Importing and Exporting Configurations
The import and export of configurations allows all settings to be transferred to another system (e.g. in case of a technical malfunction on the current system). In addition, configurations can be exchanged and transferred between different locations. Detailed information are available under Importing and Exporting Configurations.
Temporary change of the Job-specific configuration settings
Configuration settings can be changed temporarily on a job-by-job basis. Add File(s) to Queue and hold allows you to load and hold a job and temporarily edit the configuration settings without permanently changing the configuration.
Example: You are printing various jobs on a digital printer and most of the jobs are to be printed on cardboard, with your configuration in ZePrA defined for this purpose, but one job is to be printed on a different substrate. In both cases, the same configuration is used, but with different target ICC profiles. Instead of creating a copy of the existing configuration for this one job, you can use this feature to temporarily edit the configuration settings without permanently changing the configuration.
Note: Several files can be selected at once.
Procedure
Right-click on the queue and select Add File(s) to Queue and hold from the context menu and select your file(s).
Processing of the selected file is paused in the Pending Jobs section. Right-click on the job and select an option from the context menu:
- Hold Job pauses this one job without stopping the queue
- Release Job starts processing the job with the given configuration, including a temporarily modified configuration or a Job Control File that has been attached to the job.
- Modify Configuration for this Job opens the Edit Job Configuration window. Here, the configuration to be used can be selected and modified. All modifications apply for this job only.
- Attach Job Control File allows to associate an XML or JSON file with the processing parameters for the selected job. In contrast to the typical behavior of the Job Control File, a possible job listed in the file is not taken into account and the file is directly applied to the job, which makes this option especially interesting for manual work.
Modify Configuration for this Job: Allows changing the base configuration to be used for the processing the selected job. By default, the configuration associated with the selected Queue is preselected. Select the checkbox Modify Configuration for this Job if additional changes in the configuration are required and click OK.
Modify Configuration for this Job: Opens a temporary copy of the selected Configuration in a separate dialog. Name shows the currently used configuration. The text in brackets indicates that this configuration is temporarily modified for the selected job.
Change the desired settings and optionally change the name of this customized job-specific configuration to make it easier to recognize later on.
Once you are done with your edits click Apply to confirm or Back to return to the original settings. In both cases the dialog will close and ZePrA will revert back to the
Overview dialog.
Release Job: Starts processing the job with the modified settings. Keep in mind that the edits will be applied to this one job only.
Settings in the Configurations Tool
The settings that can be made under Configurations include color conversion with ICC device or DeviceLink profiles, processing PDF files, and customized application of gradations and spot colors. Various presettings and optimization options are available for all areas allowing precise control of conversions. These setting options are grouped thematically in the following tabs:
Document/Target
Settings for conversion from document to target color space
Images/Vectors
Settings for converting images and vectors
Spot Colors
Customize spot color conversions
Options
Customize file processing options
PDF
Settings for PDF processing
Gradations
Tailored gradation settings
Job Warnings
Customize error messages