Calibration Targets

This page applies to Harlequin v13.1r0 and later; and to Harlequin MultiRIP but not Harlequin Core

Target files are used to create calibration test strips when the user selects Print Calibration, and to present information about the test strips to the user in the Calibration Manager dialogs. It is possible to provide custom targets by altering the contents of target files.

Important note: The structure of targets is liable to change in future RIP versions, and in ways that are not upwardly compatible. Should you choose to create your own target files you may need to make significant changes to them in the future.

Target files are files containing text written in a subset of the PostScript language. In particular, no operators are permitted other than << , >> , [ , and ] , which, among other consequences, means that all numbers must be given absolutely, and not calculated. While the file is sometimes executed by the PostScript language interpreter, it is also read directly by a simple lexical analyzer, for example in determining the contents of the Edit Calibration dialog. At present, comments are only allowed at the beginning of the file.

The Print Calibration dialog interprets the target file using a ProcSet, so the graphical rendering of a target is done using normal PostScript language operations.

In PostScript language terms, the file should leave two objects on the stack when run: the name /Target and a dictionary whose contents describe the target. The keys and required values in this dictionary are described below.

A target consists of four main groups of entries:

• Header information applying to the whole target.
• A set of patches which are colored areas printed on the page and additional information about the patches.
• A set of text strings and their properties, also to be printed.
• A set of EPS files, the contents of which are also printed. Note that all printing is done with overprinting enabled.