🎞️ Caldera Direct-to-Film RIP V2.0 - Changelog

Adobe PDF Print Engine: Integration of the latest generation of this tool (V7).

Automation: This version introduces automatic generation of an XML job ticket, named after the input file, for both successful and failed automated jobs when the configured action moves processed jobs to another folder. 

Color Management: Added the final version of the "TextileRGB_FOGRA58" RGB input profile to the global input preferences. 

After upgrading the software, both the beta and final profiles remain available to avoid potential production issues. On new installations, only the final profile is included.

Destination Module: Added quick access to device, media, and preset settings directly from the Destination Module. Users can open the relevant configuration panel via the    gear icons next to the printer, media, and preset selectors.

Devices and Presets: 

• A new "Printer Calibration" wizard has been introduced to the software, guiding you through each step of the calibration process (droplet, linearization, ink limit, and ICC profile) to ensure that you can print true and accurate colors in your production.
• New "Ink Channel Configuration" tool for assigning, reordering, or removing ink slots, accessible from printer configuration via the "Edit" option on the inkset:
  
  The tool also includes an "Ink Order Check" section that allows printing slot‑identification test charts to verify ink‑to‑slot mapping.

Image Module: Added "Start Opacity" and "Stop Transparency" controls in the Image Adjustments section:

These sliders allow operators to rescale per‑image alpha values by defining thresholds for transparency and opacity. 

Pixels below the Start Opacity threshold become fully transparent, while pixels above the Stop Transparency threshold become fully opaque. Intermediate values are proportionally rescaled, helping correct images with inaccurate alpha channels and reduce visual artifacts such as white halos.

File Manager: 

• Fixed an issue where very large PDF files (over 200 inches) could display an incorrect file size or preview due to limitations in the underlying libraries when parsing extreme page dimensions. 
  Size handling has been improved to the maximum supported limits, and a clearer error message is now shown when the file cannot be opened: “Can not open XXX: it may be corrupted. Use PrimeCenter to fix it automatically or open your preferred designer tool to fix it.” 

    Info

  You can convert the file to PDF/X in PrimeCenter or design the image at a lower scale and upscale it in Caldera Direct-to-Film RIP.

• Fixed an issue where links to file paths failed silently when the file was moved, renamed, missing, or blocked by permissions. The software now displays a clear error message when the selected path cannot be accessed and, when possible, provides the original folder path to help locate or restore the file.

User Experience: 

• Fixed excessive RAM usage when opening certain AI files. In some cases, the backend could retain a large amount of memory after an image was loaded and removed, potentially leading to instability or software crashes. Memory is now properly released after the image is closed.
• Fixed an issue where temporary job configurations created during printing were not deleted, causing them to accumulate over time and potentially leading to performance degradation and stability issues.

Spot Colors Module:  Improved the Spot Colors module behavior to ensure that white and other functional inks (e.g., varnish, primer) from Spot Colors overwrite generated values while blending CMYK process values. 

Automation: Caldera Direct-to-Film RIP now includes an automation module for automatically loading and printing files.

You can set an input folder, configure the printing parameters (including printer, media, and preset), and choose the action to take if a job is successfully printed or stopped due to an error (options include ignoring, deleting, or moving the job).

Devices and presets. A new White Setting has been added. The "White Highlight" feature lets you boost the application of white ink by your chosen percentage.

Destination Module: Improved Layers Preview display during parameter updates to maintain visibility of the previous preview until a new one is available.

Print Tracking:

• Improved the "Print" button functionality by making the last action selected in the dropdown the primary action for direct printing. The dropdown menu has been relocated to the right and still includes options to print directly or to send the print file to a different folder than the one configured for that printer. 
• Also, added the shortcut "Print to..." (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P).

Color Management. A new “Spot Color Preferences” section has been added to the color management options, allowing you to edit the rendering intent (perceptual, relative, saturation, or absolute) and toggle black point compensation (on and off):

Spot Colors Module:

• It is now possible to switch to the "Simulated: Process" mapping strategy by clicking the edit icon next to "Color preview":
  
  This automatically applies the color preview values to the "Simulated: Process" mapping.
• Coat ink settings (amount and maximum, when applicable) for inks such as White undercoat or Primer are now utilized in the "Simulated: Lab" color preview and the suggested values in "Simulated: Process". 
  When these coat ink settings are changed in the preset or during last-minute adjustments, the updated values will also be reflected in the spot color mappings.
• An improvement has been implemented to ensure that spot color gradients remain intact, even in device mode. This maintains blending for device color replacements as well.
• Finally, now the module automatically sets the default mapping method to "Simulated::Lab" when the software detects a spot color from the Pantone TOP50 library.

Color Management. This version introduces new RGB and CMYK input profiles, offering experienced operators additional options for achieving more vibrant color reproduction in prints:

These profiles are designed to optimize color management and can improve the richness of color output based on the specific printing setup.

Spot Colors Module: The module can now provide an estimated "Best Guess" for spot colors unavailable in the library. Instead of defaulting to unprintable values, users will receive a "Simulated" approximation based on the preview color. This improvement simplifies color selection, saving users time and improving accuracy.

Destination Module. In print configuration, media are now organized so that those with an associated preset appear at the top of the list, while those without an associated preset are displayed at the bottom:

Print Tracking: To improve the visibility of jobs that may have encountered an error, the micro spooler included in the software now displays jobs in the following order:

"Failed" jobs (if any) "In process" jobs  "Queued" jobs "Completed" jobs "Aborted" jobs (if any)

User Experience: 

• We improved the spacing of interface icons in the devices, presets, and media lists. This adjustment ensures that buttons, such as those for exporting media and presets, appear properly aligned, improving overall usability.
• To minimize onboarding time, this version includes new preloaded settings:
  • In the Global settings, the File Manager is set to display 100 files per page and 4 files per row.
  • For several generic printer drivers, the default preview format is now BMP.
  • At the Preset level, initial white settings are preloaded for printers that use white ink.
  • Additionally, the Color Management settings include recommended configurations for most production environments.
• For users experiencing the error "API response error: LIC_USED", which could occur in specific scenarios (such as trying to use both Caldera Direct-to-Film and Direct-to-Garment RIP simultaneously), we have added a clearer message to the splash screen. This update informs users about the exact issue with their license and provides guidance on how to resolve it:
  

User Experience: 

• We have resolved a performance issue that could occur for Windows users with AMD processors. The software can now rip jobs significantly faster under various conditions.
• Fixed a behavior error that caused the software to remain open during the installation of a new version on macOS and Ubuntu.
• Fixed an issue that caused macOS to display the "About Caldera Direct-to-Film" modal in a native one instead of the software's custom modal, ensuring consistent behavior across all operating systems.