I have some free time now, and am going back and reading older posts. I used to use Rampage 9.4, but have since moved on to 10. We also upgraded our Preps in the process. Stiv is correct in that you need to  rename the .cfg file to "Default" or you have to load the working profile each time.

When we make our run list, we do the "Mixed Files -> Postscript" option also. We use Preps to output to several devices (a Canon IR 110 and a Xerox DocuColor 2060) so we have multiple .cfg profiles. For press purposes, we have a 26" Komori and I have attached screenshots of our setup.

When we "print," the file, we choose the "PS File" option. While it says, ".ps" the Rampage .ppd used for the Komori .cfg creates a Rampage-ready .eps file. It usually has a name like "10120.jobSg001SdA.eps" That file can be dropped in to Rampage and used to make proofs/plates. If you have any other questions regarding the configuration, I can send more screenshots.

Quote from: Tracy on May 12, 2009, 12:13:57 PMworked perfectly!

kewl

Quote from: Tracy on April 15, 2009, 12:05:48 PMIm adding creep to a book and I dont want to add it to the inside spread, do i have to do this in the template instead of the job?

When I do this, I apply creep to the job as a whole. On pages with crossovers or on the double truck, I have a separate signature within my template. The pages I don't want to move, I select in Preps on the signature, go to "additional settings" and set the creep to "custom" with a setting of "0." I attached a photo.

You could image a plate from Rampage with no calibration by setting your media linearization, press a(ctual) and press d(esired) to "none." If you wanted a purely linear plate, then just set your media linearization to your curve, and leave a and d to "none."

Quote from: born2print on April 13, 2009, 03:41:47 PMThe ones that aren't so easy are the custom "ghost catchers" that need to align with elements within the refined page(s)
Get out the calculator!

Those "ghost catchers" as you call them are the ones I am mostly concerned with. I was just curious if there were a "smart mark" or new technology that would do it automatically.

The problem I see with CIP3 after the take off bars are on is that the take off bars would need to be reflective of the screen on that particular plate. If you have a ghost area of 10%C for example, but you place a 100%C take off bar to counter it, now while your keys reflect ink flow, the sheet itself is unbalanced. We try to balance the sheet so the keys are as close to even across the board as they can be. After careful reflection I do agree that the CIP3 file should be rendered with the take off bars in place, but perhaps the bars themselves need to be screened accordingly to reflect even distribution. We don't use CIP3 here... yet. It's something we're looking in to. I've used it before, many years ago, on a Scitex  Thank God we have Rampage now.

The bottom line is the bars need to be placed manually, and there's no quick fix to it.

Well, I would think that you run it through once, make the CIP3 file and get your measurements for the manual take-off bars, then run it through again with the correct take-off bars and plate.

Well, we broke down and called Epson to have the tech come out. $1180 for a new print head, plus $175 an hour and a $275 destination charge. Plus, they want to do about $1000 of other "suggested" maintenance. The proofer has 9100 impressions on it, so I guess $2500+ is cheaper than buying a new one, especially since we seem to use it pretty well and all. He hasn't fixed it yet, so right now we're limping along with our 24" 7880. I hope we don't get a big poster order anytime soon!

I think I posted this here before, but I thought I'd get into it again. How does everyone here handle take-off bars? I don't mean the 4-color squares for reading with the densitometer for density; I mean the individual bars for keeping ink keys open at roughly the same settings across the board? 1-up/quarter sheet shops don't really have room to do this, but half sheet and up usually need to, so how do you handle it? Right now I have to preview my layout in Preps, lay guides over the top, and manually hand place the bars by my guide measurements. There has got to be an easier way! We don't use CIP3 yet, so I'm curious how other shops tackle this issue. Thanks in advance!

Just curious why you are switching to Prinergy? I am a Rampage user for 5+ years (came from Scitex environment previously  ) and can't imagine what would be better than Rampage. We have two Komori Lithone 26s and are just now exploring the ink key setting file output (our pressman always sets his keys manually). Our Komoris are older and don't have a disk drive, but they do have a magnetic strip reader. Komori was just here and they are going to set up a Windows box that can write magnetic strips as long as I can provide CIP3 data, which Rampage does. If your press is newer and has a disk drive (usually 3.5"),  have you explored this option to avoid dropping tens of thousands of $$$ on a new front end and employee retraining?

We have an Epson 10600 which recently began having issues with tearing paper when imaging. I don't know if the vacuum isn't pulling the paper taught or if the blade isn't disengaging properly after a cut. Regardless, the print head hits the sheet while imaging and the paper tears or jams during the proofing process, rendering the proof, and essentially the printer, useless. Has anyone else had this problem and how did you fix it? It tears on both 44" and 24" rolls, regardless of the paper weight. When it does image without tearing, it mars the sheet with excess ink lines; we have thoroughly cleaned the unit, but it still leaves lines of ink sporadically.

  It's not the cutting blade.

Quote from: jezza on January 30, 2009, 10:44:12 AMIt looks like the G4 counts you out

Thanks, man... we're pricing a new G5 as we speak

I'm lazy and I don't like to read lots of posts - someone bottom line this for me. I have a silver door Mac running Power PC chip 10.4.11 Machine Name:   Power Mac G4
  Machine Model:   PowerMac3,6
  CPU Type:   PowerPC G4  (2.1)
  Number Of CPUs:   2
  CPU Speed:   867 MHz
  L2 Cache (per CPU):   256 KB
  L3 Cache (per CPU):   1 MB
  Memory:   2 GB
  Bus Speed:   133 MHz
  Boot ROM Version:   4.4.8f2
Can I run CS4 without issue? And for that matter Preps 5.3.1?

No idea what SPLASH is, nor do I care. I just need Rampage to work. I gave up and called it in. $250 later I found out that the most recent Windows update overwrote all of my hasp drivers. A simple reinstall of the drivers and return of my preferences solved the issue. Thanks for all the help anyway!

My Rampage was working fine this morning, and then suddenly out of the blue I
get this error message: "The purchaseable SPLASH Rip Option is not available on
this system." It stops for both .pdf and .eps files, 4 color, grayscale and spot
color. It errors in the trap engine, but turning trapping off causes it to error
in the RIP engine. Rebooting Rampage does not help. Anyone have any ideas?

and how's that working out for ya?