User`s guide

16
Windows PostScript Driver
In the case of PowerRIP ImageSet the first part of the
cycle is the same as a hardware RIP architecture. The application
prints its page and the Windows PostScript driver generates the
PostScript code. The PostScript driver loaded by the PowerRIP
Installer is version 5 which is the latest available from Microsoft/
Adobe. The proper PPDs are also loaded in the system. From
here on thigs are different. Instead of sending the PostScript out
through a physical port to the RIP/Printer hardware, the
PostScript code is stored in a file. The file is placed in a “Hot
Folder”.
Hot Folders
A hot folder is a folder that isscanned by PowerRIP every
few seconds looking for PostScript or PDF files to print. If it
finds a completed file in the hot folder it opens it and processes
it. The jobs will be processed (rasterized) according to the print
options the user chose when the file was printed (these can be
overriden at the RIP, more on that later).
Output Queues
The PostScript job is interpreted and one by one the pages
of the job are rasterized and wrapped in commands that the
destination printer can understand. What is sent to the printer is
actually a “picture of a page”. The printer itself does not have to
use any resources such as fonts, etc.
As the pages are rasterized they are placed in an output
queue which is nothing more than a Windows Printer entity
which happens to be pointed at the hardware port that the
destination printer is plugged into. There can be multiple output
queues connected to multiple ports which are in turn connected
to multiple printers.
Multiple Inputs / Multiple Outputs
PowerRIP ImageSet can support any number of “Hot
Folders”. Each hot folder can have it’s own destination output
queue and, therefore, its own destination printer. When you
install PowerRIP ImageSet, a hot folder and an output queue is
created for every output device you selected. This allows for
separate, independent job paths and thus multiple-printer
support. For example, if you install support for the Epson 1290
and the Epson 9600 the installer will create Windows printers
called “PowerRIP Stylus Photo 1290” and “PowerRIP Stylus Pro
9600”. When a user prints to the “PowerRIP Stylus Photo 1290”
printer entity, the resulting PostScript file is automatically
written to the EPSON1290 hot folder. Because of the configura-
tion information saved during the install (it asked you what port
the printer was connected to) it will know to send the rasterized
pages to the proper output queue (the one pointed at that output
port). This is all set up for you at install time and you don’t have
to mess with it if you don’t want to. It does, however open up all
kinds of creative configuration possibilities.
Job Control
PowerRIP ImageSet allows control over jobs and indi-
vidual pages within a job wich are not available in any hardware
based RIP (nor in most software based RIPs).
The software features a job queue which is broken up into
3 sections.
The first section contains jobs which have been received
(found in a hot folder) and are either in the process of being
rasterized, waiting to be rasterized or on “hold”.
The second section contatins jobs which have been
rasterized and some or all of its pages are being printed or
waiting to print. It also contains jobs who’s pages all printed, but
the job has not “expired” (expiration time can be set by the user).
The third section contains the actual pages that are being
printed or are waiting to be printed.
See the Queue Control section for more details on how to
change priority/settings/delete/reprint queued jobs.