Remapping LLK to support MK on 7880 with Proinks?

1

Hi Walker,

Can I remap LLK to support HD MK for making piezography positive prints on matte paper with ProInks?

I’ve reviewed the video (thank you) and the documentation in Pro tools so understand the workflow.

Here is the background for this question.

I have Pro inks installed in my 7880. As I primarily use this printer for digital negatives slot 5, the K channel, is installed with HD PK ink. Slot 1, the LLK channel, has GCO installed.

When I want to print a piezography positive print I only use matte papers. I have built profiles using HD PK ink to print on matte papers (knowing the limitations PK on these papers). And so GCO is never used. I have been doing this for proofing purposes. But it would be nice to be able to print piezography positive prints without having to change PK to MK and back.

It seems to me that since digital negatives (and associated quad) does not use the LLK channel it doesn’t matter what ink is in that slow. And so when I remap quads from LLK to HD MK (as found in the 4880-7880-9880-Pro folder) for using the piezography pro inks for positive prints and use these for printing it will ignore the K channel and use the LLK remapped channel instead (now filled with HD MK). Correct or am I missing something?

thank you!
Michael

p.s. – assuming this will work here is a followup question. I have HD MK ink in a cartridge. Instead of syringing this ink out into a new LLK cartridge is there any reason I cannot simply swap the LLK chip onto the K cart?

2

Hi Michael,

I have my 9880 with PK in LLK and left MK in the MK slot. Its been like this for years, works flawlessly. I go to the trouble of making all my curves that are mapped with mpd, even those that don’t need it just so I have only one workflow when choosing curves. As for changing chips, that too will work but before you bother make certain you can get the cart you are moving into the LLK slot. If not then remove the slot identifying nub on the cart. Depending on your cats, this is easy to both remove and replace.

Best,
Don

3

Even easier to do with carts, cats are always loathe to cooperate!

4

Hi Don,

My cats are too large to fit into the slots , ;-)1

Thanks for the reply. Also for the suggestion in checking cart fit size before removing the chip. I already shim a few slots with cardboard to keep the carts secure (I suspect that the looseness is caused by manufacturing tolerances).

I have primarily been using my 7880 for digital negatives for awhile now. The only positive prints I’ve been making, rarely, have been for proofing (and only for compositionally issues since I can’t accurately evaluate contrast). I don’t know why I didn’t think of removing the GCO earlier. I’ll plead my brain being overloaded with other, more important, things, ;-)!

While waiting for an answer I went into the tools to remap a curve. I have to hand it to Walker, et. al., as how easy it was (and it was also easy to check to see if the remapping worked correctly by examining the .quad in SublimeText).

The only thing I don’t understand is your statement regarding “one workflow”. I think partly because there may be a typo in your explanation, “mapped with mpd”?

Thanks again!

best.
M.

5

Okay, I was too cryptic. All of my curve names end in mpd.quad, so I can tell curves for Pro inks belong together. With my 9900 mapping out VM none of the Cool curves are actually mapped, they don’t use VM. I still mark Cool as mpd.quad so that I have a consistent workflow and don’t screw up when picking my Cool Pro ink curves.

6

Thanks Don!

I’ve removed all the non-mapped .quads from the printer.

Do you know how to modify a printer install command to give it a custom name? So for example I could have a Quad printer that only has remapped .quads?

Thanks again!

Be healthy!
Michael

7

You can rename your mapped Quad printer in SysPrefs by right button clicking it. Once it is renamed I would restart your computer and then you should be able to install the printer again to have all of the Cone curves loaded and usable. But that last part may be the tricky part QTR/MAc is using the printer’s MAC number. This could be a Walker question if there are hidden scripts to be mangled, I mean corrected.

8

I meant to say QTR/Apple OS may be using the printer’s MAC #.

9

Thanks Don! I’ll give that a try!

10

I vaguely remember doing this before but the OS would have been a previous release. good luck.