[Openicc] Gutenprint, GhostScript, Canned profiles, sRGB workflow

[Jan-Peter Homann]

Hello all,

I want to describe a concept for implementing an ICC based print color 
workflow for office / sRGB community step by step.
Please take in consideration, that we have alreay applications like 
Photoprint, which are offering individual profiling of the printing 
patch for color aware photo community.

Starting with very focused solution for the sRGB office market, allows 
us to reduce the UI and all the configurations needed for implementing a 
first working version. For shure, future versions should have more 
option to support both the needs of sRGB office and more advanced use cases.

1) General description of the concept:
Target user cases are all applications which are generating 
RGB-PostScript or DeviceRGB-PDF. This includes e.g. all kinds off office 
applications

Technically:
- Focused on canned profiles
- Focused on cupsGutenprint as printer driver
- Focused on GhostScript as xxxtoraster
- Using cupsICC
- using a static PPD for describingt he connection between driver 
settings and ICC profiles
- The "no colormanagement printing path" will be installed in a future 
version


The Gutenprint Part:
- Create for a reference printer, driver settings with ICC profiles for 
every setting
- The driver settings and ICC profiles are organized by Mediatype and 
resolution
- Create a PPD, where the driver settings are exposed only through the 
MediaType and Resolution only according cupsICC specification
- Make shure, that every combination of mediatype and Resolution offered 
through the PPD directs to a defined setting with ICC profile
- provide an simple installer for both the driver incl. settings, the 
PPD and the ICC profiles incl. path


The GhostScript Part:
- Define a way, that the profile from cupsICC is used as target profile 
in GhostScript
- Deliver an installer for enabling this possibilty


The enduser experience should be as following;
- Install driver, ICC-profiles and PPD
- Install GhostScript tools, for catching cupsICC profile
- Print with the options offered through the PPD and be happy with the 
result


2) Looking forward to the "No Colormanagement Print Path"
Gutenprint is a real CMYK printer driver and needs CMYK charts to be 
profiles. The standard print spool files are RGB PostScript or RGB PDF.
Offering the "No Colormanagement Option" for the standard printing path 
makes no sense. As the "No Colormanagement Option" is only needed for 
printing profiling charts, it would make sense to offer an utility, 
which can print the profilinfing chart directly with a given setting to 
Gutenprint (without the nned of GhostScript...) and a second utility to 
update the PPD files and install ICC-profiles for the updated PPD file.


Best regards
Jan-Peter








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