MQ for Windows
Since MakeQuad does not come with a code-signing certificate, you might have to permit Windows to install
the app from an "unknown publisher". I have provided MD5 checksums which allow to check the integrity of the
downloaded file. A user guide is accessible from the GUI. Several example files are included.
MQ for Macintosh
To bypass the security restrictions for an unofficial app the most common method is to launch the app,
dismiss the error, then navigate to System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to the Security section, and
click the Open Anyway button that appears for MakeQuad.app. Thereafter, the app will start as usual.
MQprint for Windows
MQprint is a print tool for Windows. It has a larger GUI
with a
preview area larger than the Windows GUI of QTR. To
use MQprint QTR must be installed and users must comply
with QTR's shareware license.
In case the QTR binaries are not installed under the default paths, custom paths can be entered.
Changelog MakeQuad |
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Changelog MQprint |
v.3.2
- Reduced the program size (loads faster).
- Added two buttons which allow to read cxf-data (*.cxf) and CGATS data (*.txt), respectively,
and convert these into raw data (*.dat) which MakeQuad expects in order to calibrate a paper-ink-printer
combination.
- Added a movable boundary between both plot areas such that the relative widths of the plots can be changed.
v.3.1.2
- Minor bug fixes.
- Revised the function 'Update b/w Points'. It can can now also be activated after reading the linearization data.
- Under 'Correlation scale' the ink curves are now restricted to 100% ink amount.
v.3.1.1
- Revision of the User Guide.
- General bug fixes.
- Corrected an error which left the toner channel empty in the quad file when 'Autotoner' was used.
- Revised the ink distribution for method 'auto' in 'Digital Negative' mode to better reflect the selected ink load.
v.3.1
- Fixed an error under 'linearize' when the lightness before linearization 'L all (probabilistic)' was not plotted
in the Negative mode.
- A cross-hair cursor is implemented for the ink distribution window, together with a respective toggle button.
- Corrected a mistake where the ink amounts of all channels were not properly initialized when reading a quad file.
The error only showed when a quad file was linearized.
- Revised the User Guide to emphasize that when linearizing a quad file one has to correctly set
the printer, ink typ, calibration file, and ink functions (GRAY, BLACK) and that the linearization
must be immediately carried out after the quad file has been loaded.
- Removed the option under Digital Negative mode to print a negative from a positive image.
- Fixed an error which occurred when reading an external quad file in which a line contains only '#'.
The new version 3.1
comes with new features and improvements.
- Digital negative: Create a quad file in one go.
- Print the QTR ink separation image on a transparency custom gray inks or with OEM color inks.
- Make a noble print (cyanotype, platinum, gum, etc.) from this transparency.
- Measure the lightness of the ink separation patches from the noble print.
- Enter these calibration data in MakeQuad and save a preset.
- Select the method 'auto', the desired contrast curve, and push the button to make the quad file.
- Print the negative of your image using this quad file.
- Done if monochrome inks are used. If OEM color inks are used
a linearization step is typically required.
There is no need anymore to care about the negative itself as long as the process chain is kept constant.
- The pigment concentrations must not be known and need not be entered anymore.
- An new auto-toner function enables the automatic linearization including the toner for OBA-free papers.
- The automatic ink distribution now aims at a constant ink load for medium gray tones.
- The calibration error can be displayed.
v.3.0
- A 'Digital Negative' mode has been added. The user must not care anymore about the negative. All information is
extracted from the contact print on paper of a negative of the ink separation image. The lightness reading is taken with
a spectrophotometer from the positive print on paper (as for the Positive mode). A densitometer is not required.
Among others the Digital Negative mode comprises of
- A dedicated fit procedure and lightness prediction.
- The mode (Positive/Negative) is recognized from the preset file.
- The Digital Negative mode is visually indicated by a gray plot background.
- The ink distributions for the Positive and the Negative mode differ.
- The lightness prediction 'L all (probabilistic)' is not (yet) available in the Digital Negative mode.
- An autotoner function is introduced, depending only on two parameters (slope, cutoff) which allows an
automatic linearization including the toner.
- During linearization the Lab-b data from the *.lin file are now shown as an additional curve under
'L-shift: Lightness'. Moreover, the plot "L-shift: lightness" now also shows the predicted lightness
before linearization.
- The method 'auto' now distributes the inks to achieve a constant ink load for medium gray tones.
- The ink load and ink overlap functions were moved to the Ink tab. Now they are only available when the
method 'auto' is used.
- The previous pigment concentrations CONC are replaced by correlation coefficients CORR. The coefficients are computed
whenever the ink ansatz functions are initialized.
- The button 'Fit Ink Data' was renamed to 'Calibrate'.
- The button 'Pigment amount' was replaced by a button 'Calibration error'. To view the "Calibration error" it is required
to select the directory containing the raw data.
- Corrected a mistake in the lightness prediction where the toner channel was not always correctly identified.
- Minor bug fixes.
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v.1.6
- Reduced the program size to 68MB.
- Aligned the group boxes for Curve Blending and Curves.
- New slider design for better recognition (color).
- Dropped unnecessary decimals from the mm scale.
- Units (mm or inch) are now explicitly shown for the left and top values.
- The position of the image relative to the paper is preserved when switching between mm and inch.
- A central cross line helps image placement.
v.1.5
- Fixed printing in calibration mode. Printing in calibration mode was (accidentally) not possible in v.1.4.
- Added a central cross line to help image placement.
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