Customizing the img2afp transform

The img2afp transform can be used to transform color (FS45) images into monochrome bilevel (FS10) images for printing. This transform is valuable for transforming color images so that they print well in black-and-white. You can customize the img2afp transform only by specifying options on the command line. Unlike other transforms shipped with the InfoPrint Manager, this transform is not invoked automatically. Instead, you must specify it at the command line to preprocess the data before printing. For specific information about the syntax and use of this command, see RICOH InfoPrint Manager: Reference.

While you can create an img2afp.cfg file, InfoPrint Manager supplies a series of img2afp.cfg configuration files that are based on the printer model. For example, the img2afp.4000–708cfg file on an InfoPrint Manager for AIX server contains these settings:

#img2afp Infoprint 4000-708 configuration file

a=fs10
respath=.:/usr/lpp/psf/config
thresh=4000-708.ibm106lpi.ta.ps
gcorr=4000-708.ibm106lpi.tf.dt.ps
pagetype=page
v=yes
r=600

img2afp.cfg files observe these basic rules:

#sample img2afp configuration file

v = yes  #equivalent to -v flag
a = fs10 #bilevel output

To invoke the transform from the command line, you must specify at least:

• -a fs10 to indicate bilevel output .
• -thresh {name} to specify the PostScript level 3 halftone dictionary that you are using.

  When you install some printers with InfoPrint Manager, the product makes PostScript level 3 halftone dictionaries available on your server. For example, an InfoPrint HD1-HD2, HD3-HD4, HD5-HD6, HS1, HS3, MD1-MD2, MS1, PS-1, or PD1-PD2 4100 printer models provides these:

  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm71lpi.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm85lpi.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm106lpi.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm141lpi.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm71lpiRot90.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm85lpiRot90.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm106lpiRot90.ta.ps
  • /usr/lpp/psf/config/4100-model.ibm141lpiRot90.ta.ps

• -gcorrfilename to specify grayscale mapping tables to halftone the grayscale and color images to bilevel for output.

  When you install particular printers with InfoPrint Manager, you also install the following grayscale mapping tables for each type of PostScript level 3 halftone dictionary option.

and -gcorr and -thresh must be used to select an appropriate halftone.