(v13) Output methods

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

A number of raster backends supporting different output methods are provided in \lib\skintest  A list of included backends can be obtained using the -l (that is, lower case ‘L') command-line option to clrip.exe . For more information see, (v13) Override pagebuffer type and (v13) Memory allowance:

clrip -l

The raster backend to be used can be selected by defining the PageBufferType key with setpagedevice using one of the raster backend names as a PostScript name object as its value, usually in a TestConfig. See example files supplied in the SW/TestConfig directory with Harlequin; note that names are case-sensitive.

The selection in a TestConfig may be overridden using the -o option on the command line to clrip.exe, although this usage is discouraged in production systems; see (v13) Override pagebuffer type.

Typically the available raster backends include the following:

• LIBTIFF for writing the output raster from the RIP to a TIFF file; by default files have the extension .tif.
• TIFF is a synonym for LIBTIFF ; a value of /LE in a configuration file uses the default backend, which is currently set to LIBTIFF. Thus, values of #BCEC#, TIFF, and LIBTIFF amount to the same thing; they all use the LIBTIFF backend.

Two additional synonyms for LIBTIFF are provided for backward compatibility: LIBTIFFPS and DEMOTIFF ; before Harlequin v13 they were separate raster backends, but as from Harlequin v13 their functionality is selected by using RasterParams; see (v13) Parameters for the LIBTIFF and FRAMETIFF raster backends.

• A value of FRAMETIFF selects the framebuffer backend, and the generated output files have the extension of .framebuffer.tif. Note that FRAMETIFF does not support band-interleaved output (InterleavingStyle 3) or frame-interleaved separations (InterleavingStyle 4).
• The JPEG backend writes JPEG files with the file extension .jpg .
• A value of None causes all raster data to be discarded.
• The HVDNONE and HVDRAW options are used with Harlequin VariData External mode. For more information see (v13) External mode.
• RAW outputs the raster as-is with no additional formatting. Output formats like RAW and PCL outputs the data to one file, so are suitable for STREAM and SOCKET output.
• The WINPRINT output device allows page rasters to be sent to a GDI-based printer. Because this workflow requires GDI functionality it is only available on the PC. More detail is included in (v13) Selecting a printer for WINPRINT.