New Features and Enhancements

Version number upgrade

The ColorFlow version number is now aligned with Prinergy version numbering.

Harmony replacement

Multiple output versions

In the previous version of ColorFlow, you could create only one conversion for an SCO. If you wanted to have multiple output conversions for an SCO, you had to create multiple color setups. You can now create multiple versions of the conversion for an SCO and use the same device condition as the PCO. You can give each output version a name and select one version as the default for Prinergy output. You can also add, delete, redefine, and adjust output versions. In Prinergy, you can choose the desired version from a dropdown list in the Prinergy Output Process Template.

Multiple input versions

In the previous version of ColorFlow, you could only create one conversion definition for a color input except for optional separate image and graphic conversions. If you wanted to have multiple color input conversions for a color setup, you had to create multiple color setups. You can now create multiple versions of the conversion for a color input. You can give each input version a name and select one version as the default for Prinergy Refine. In Prinergy, you can choose the desired version from a dropdown list in Prinergy Refine Process Template.

Measurements

Measurement import
In the Measurements tab, the Import button now uses the native Finder or Explorer browser, but no longer supports multiple file import. You can now import multiple measurement files by clicking the newly added Import Multiple button.

Measure Tint Ramp chart
You can now launch Tint Ramp chart measurement directly from the Charts tab of the Measurements dialog.

Estimate response from current device condition 
You can now  estimate color response from the currently active response of a device. This allows you to modify the white point or the gain of the active measurement.

Colorimetric Response Estimation for spot inks 
When you estimate the response of a device condition with a white point change, spot inks measured in the original device condition are included in the estimated response.

Measurement condition is checked for tint ramp measurements
To ensure consistency, measurement condition (M0, M1 or M2) is now checked when you re-measure a Tint Ramp chart to add another ink ramp or average measurements.

Measurement condition is checked for estimate substrate measurements
To ensure consistency, measurement condition is now checked when you measure the substrate for a response estimate with a substrate change. 

iSis Measurement Condition control  
You can now measure with iSis models using M0 and M2 illumination conditions.

New built-in charts 
The following new charts have been added in the Charts panel:

• One-page CMYK chart for i1iO
• P2P25 for measurement by i1Pro, i1iO and iSis (no chart export)

i1 Pro2 UV-controlled measurement
ColorFlow now supports measurement condition M1 and M2 selections for i1 Pro2 for hand-scan, and patch measurements.

Characterization Print Curve  
When you launch chart measurements, you can now specify the print curve used in Prinergy to print the test job in the Characterization Print Curve dialog box.

Measurement wizard improvements
Some text and button layouts have been changed to reduce confusion in the measurement wizard:

• Identify Next Sheet dialog title has been changed to "Measure More Sheets?" and buttons are renamed for clarity
• Sequence of buttons in wizard dialogs for MacOS has been corrected

Changes in the Device Measurements panel 
Some changes have been made to the Measurements tab for device characterization:

• The Title now includes the name of the device
• The Chart ID is now combined into response origin
• Characterized spot inks and their response type are now listed
• The Icon for Estimated is added to response origin
• Command buttons for inactive measurements are not available until you select a table row

CMYK References

Integrate ISO 12647-2:2013 ISO TVI Curves
The following new ISO specifications have been added as built-in CMYK Reference device conditions:

• ISO Curve A (2013)
• ISO Curve B (2013)
• ISO Curve C (2013)
• ISO Curve D (2013)
• ISO Curve E (2013)
• ISO Curve A+B (2013)
• ISO Curve B+C (2013)
• ISO Curve C+D (2013)
• ISO Curve D+E (2013)

To distinguish the newly added specifications from the existing ISO specifications, the names of the existing ISO specifications have been modified with the suffix "(2004)".

Include FOGRA 48, 49 and 50 CMYK Reference device conditions
The following recently published FOGRA print specifications have been added as built-in CMYK Reference device conditions:

• FOGRA 48 - Heatset Web Newsprint, Improved
• FOGRA 49 - Matte laminated FOGRA 39
• FOGRA 50 - Gloss laminated FOGRA 39

Plate curves

New Plate Curves tab

A new Plate Curves tab has been added to the main dashboard for managing plate curves. This replaces the View > Plate Setups menu item in the previous version of ColorFlow. 

Print curves

New Print Curves tab
A new Print Curves tab has been added to the main dashboard for managing print calibration and transfer curves.

Create print transfer curves 

You can now create a transfer curve with CMYK and spot curve channels. These may be selected as device curve presets or selected in Prinergy for print calibration.

Create print calibration curves 
You can now create a  print calibration curve directly by selecting a measured device condition response and a calibration target. This is an alternative to defining a reference PCO and curve-controlled SCO in a color setup.

Report

Changes in Print Comparison reports
Some changes have been made to the Print Comparison reports:

• Previously, the Section 3.2 'Tonal Value Increase, curve removed' appeared only in the Print Characterization reports. This section has been added to the Print Comparison reports.
• Max dE patch has been included into table 2.2.1.

Show multiple ISO gray measurement points 
The Print Characterization reports now show the cast of each measured ISO gray balance patch. The Print Comparison reports now show the average value.

Axes of grey balance graph in reports are scaled
Axes of grey balance graphs in the Comparison and Characterization reports are now automatically scaled for measurements with small cast errors. This makes the graphs easier to read when the cast magnitudes are small.

Show ISO CMY Neutral Tint values in Comparison report
ISO publishes CMY Neutral Tints at nominal cyan values of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 15%, 20%, …, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 100%. In the previous version of ColorFlow, the Print Comparison report only showed 5% increments of cyan. The Print Comparison report now shows all the nominal cyan values.

Flexographic Mindot in 3-color gray balance plots of Comparison Reports
For flexographic device conditions with a Mindot, the minimum ISO CMY neutral tint value has been added to the Print Comparison reports.

Print comparison report shows target response for spot inks
The Print Comparison report definition now allows selection of a spot ink target device condition if spot inks have been measured. 

Other changes in reports 
Some other changes in reports include the following:

• "User Comments" has been changed to "Subtitle" in reports
• The measured device is now identified in reports
• You can now hide the explanatory text to produce a compact report
• Reports are now generated in the background, releasing the ColorFlow user interface for other tasks
• Spider plots are now included in the Print Characterization and Comparison reports for spot inks whose colorimetric response is measured

Device curves

Verify pooled device response
You are now prompted with a warning message if the response of a device indicates it may not be compatible for pooling.

Changes in Device Curve Definition and Measurement workflow
Some extensions have been made to the Device Curve Definition and Measurement workflow. You can now launch measurement before defining device curves. When the measurement is activated, the selected characterization curve becomes the device curve definition. You can also use the current workflow.

Other changes are:

• The Default Device Curves button and associated Definition dialog boxes have been removed from curved device conditions.
• When you define properties for a new curved device condition, the Device Curves and Measurements icons of all devices both become orange, indicating you can click either button next.
• When you define device curves for one device, the definition becomes the default for other pooled devices.
• The Use Current State for Approved Snapshot option has been removed from the device condition level. It's now an independent option for each device, and appears in both the Edit (Adjustments) and Definition dialogs for device curves.

Device conditions

New Device Conditions tab

A new Device Conditions tab has been added to the main dashboard for managing device conditions. This replaces the View > Device Conditions menu item in the previous version of ColorFlow. You can create, view, and modify device conditions in the Device Conditions tab. You can also create, select, and modify device conditions in the Color Setups and Print Curves tabs where the device conditions are being used.

Promoted device appears at the top of device pool
In the previous version of ColorFlow, curve-controlled devices appeared in the device condition pool in the order they were added. Now, the promoted device always appears at the top of the pool.

Verification

You can now check if the response of a print calibration curve, an SCO, or a PCO matches the target in a Verification report. 

Profile Adjustment

A new Show curve changes only option has been added to the Profile Input Curves and Profile Output Curves view/edit dialog box. If this option is selected, the curve graphs and the curve values of the selected color channel only show adjustments made to the curves.

Support PDF/X Output Intent

ColorFlow now supports a new device type called PDF/X Output Intent. It is similar to CMYK Reference, but is always characterized by an ICC device profile. ColorFlow provides built-in PDF/X Output Intent device conditions containing device profiles registered at http://www.color.org. You can also create custom PDF/X Output Intent device conditions using imported profiles.

New DeviceLink Method

You can now generate DeviceLinks by using the new Profile Pair Linking method. The DeviceLink is generated by direct evaluation of source and destination profile tags, providing the same black generation as the destination profile. The method applies to RGB and CMYK color inputs, and non-curved SCOs.

New P2P chart for gray balance curve generation

You can now use a P2P chart to generate gray balance curves and obtain G7 certification in both the Workflow Edition and the Pro Workflow Edition.

Limitations: although you can use a P2P chart to generate ICC profiles in the Pro Workflow Edition, the generated profiles are not accurate and are not acceptable for color management. ColorFlow will block the use of the P2P chart for profile generation in a future release. It's recommended that you only use P2P charts to generate gray balance curves.

Problems Fixed

Known Issues and Limitations 

Color matching (especially Ink Optimizing) certain files containing transparent objects can result in significant changes in appearance

This problem is file specific and is dependent on the transparency blending modes applied, the object's color, and the DeviceLink or ICC profile used to color convert the objects. The problem occurs because each graphic and image object used in the transparency group is color converted separately. Blending of the objects in the destination color space after color converting changes their appearance.

Recommendation: Flatten PDF files before color matching. If your PDF files contain RGB data, it is highly recommended to color convert this data prior to flattening.

Note: Contone proofing cannot be used to predict this issue when color matching is performed on final output.