(v13) Raster interleaving

This page applies to Harlequin v13.1r0 and later; both Harlequin Core and Harlequin MultiRIP

In the same way that the Harlequin band size is fixed during page-device setup, so is the arrangement of the color channel within the band.

Band-interleaved

This method is where all the pixels of the first color channels (for as many consecutive scanlines as are present in the band) are followed by all the pixels of the second channel (for the same number of consecutive scanlines), followed by the third channel and so on.

The number of color channels present is the same for all bands in a page. There is no theoretical limit on the number of color channels.

The order of the color channels within the band is also the same for all bands in a page.

That order depends on the raster format , as determined by the preferences of the output device or plugin, the presence of spot colors, whether channels are omitted, suppressed and so on.

Some Raster formats may require mandatory channels in fixed positions with relation to the other channels. Other raster formats may permit any number of channels to appear in any order, including unknown spot colors in between known process colors.

The RIP’s Screening mechanisms supports, wherever possible, any channel order required by the output device or plugin.

Frame-interleaved

This method is where each band contains only a single-color channel.

All the bands of the first Channels are processed and output first, followed by all the bands of the second channel, followed by all the bands of the third and so on.

Pixel-interleaved

This method is limited to one, three or four Channels in Harlequin RIP Rasters, and is available solely for output of 8-bits per pixel per channel (contone).

Pixel interleaving is not available for Screening interfaces.

The three or four-color channels making up a pixel are stored in consecutive bytes followed by the three or four channels of the next pixel and so on. When there is only one channel, of course, the bytes are simply consecutive.