Overview
This section is used to define the Name and style of characteristics of the printer (simplex, mono etc).
When an existing .sdc file is loaded, some fields on the General tab become read-only because they define the structure of the printer configuration. The editable fields are Device Name, Manufacturer, Model, and PIN.
General
The General tab defines the main device information and high-level configuration options.
Device Name
Use this field to enter a user-friendly name for the device.
The device name is required. It is also used as the default filename when the configuration is saved.
Manufacturer (Optional)
Use this field to record the printer manufacturer.
This value is optional, but it may be used by other applications for display or identification.
Model (Optional)
Use this field to record the printer model.
This value is optional, but it may be used by other applications for display or identification.
Simplex/Duplex Option
Use this option to define whether the target device supports simplex or duplex printing.
Select Simplex for a device that prints on one side only.
Select Duplex for a device that can print on both sides. A duplex device must have print bars configured for both side A and side B.
Color Support Option
Use this option to define whether the target device is mono or color.
Select Mono for a black-only device.
Select Color for a CMYK device. When Color is selected, Smart Device Configurator automatically creates the standard CMYK print bars:
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Black
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Cyan
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Magenta
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Yellow
Each print bar is assigned a unique plane number automatically.
If the current print bar setup has been manually changed, changing the color support option may overwrite the existing print bar settings. Smart Device Configurator will show a warning before applying the change.
SmartQI Option
Use this option to define whether the target device supports SmartQI mode.
For most device configurations, leave this set to Unsupported unless SmartQI support is specifically required.
Printer Type
Use this option to define the printing technology used by the target device.
Available options are:
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Inkjet
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Toner
This setting affects the configuration options available for each print bar. Inkjet devices use drop volume settings. Toner devices use toner weight settings.
Print Bars Horizontal To Image
Enable this option when the print bars are mounted horizontally relative to the image being printed.
For devices that output to Meteor electronics, this option should normally be disabled.
Disabled Ink Mode
Use this option to define how Smart Device Configurator handles inks that are not present in the active media.
No Separations means no separation is produced for inks that are not present in the media.
No Content means a blank separation is produced for inks that are not present in the media.
PIN
Use this field to define the PIN required to access the Engineer Pane in Smart Print Controller.
The default PIN is:
1234
The PIN must contain exactly four numeric characters.
Supported Media Width (mm)
Use this list to define the media widths supported by the target device.
Click + to add a media width.
Click - to remove the selected media width.
Applications that display media width options may use the order shown in this list. Drag and drop entries to change the order.
Media Type
Use this option to define how media is supplied to the target device.
Available options are:
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Web
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Sheet
Select Web for devices that print on continuous media, such as a roll-fed or web-fed press.
Select Sheet for devices that print on individual sheets.
This setting should match the physical media handling of the target device, as other applications may use it when presenting or processing media options.
Line Speed (m/min)
Use this field to enter the target device's maximum line speed in metres per minute.
File Menu Options
New
Creates a new Smart Device Configuration using the default files supplied with the application.
Open...
Opens an existing Smart Device Configuration or template.
Supported file types include:
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.sdc device configuration files
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.sdt device template files
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older .spc files, which are converted when opened
Opening a file replaces the current settings.
When an existing .sdc file is opened, some fields on the setup tabs become read-only.
When an .sdt template file is opened, the setup fields remain editable and can be saved as a new configuration or template.
Save
Saves the current device configuration.
If the configuration has not been saved before, Smart Device Configurator prompts for a filename.
Save As...
Saves the current device configuration to a new .sdc file.
Save Template...
Saves the current setup as a .sdt device template.
Template Files
Template files can be used as the starting point for multiple device configurations with similar settings.
The main difference between .sdt and .sdc files is that .sdt template files do not contain media definitions.
Use a template when you want to reuse the same device setup across several configurations, while defining the final media content separately.