This is a screen printers question,.... can anyone tell me how to adjust the dot gain in corel X4? 

are you working in Photopaint or DRAW? There is no way that I know of in DRAW. I adjust manually with manual separations. In Photopain I am not totally sure either. I do not think there is an option similar to photoshop yet I could be mistaken. I dont use photopaint just DRAW. One way is to adjust the curves visually on each channel separation in PP. In DRAW the majority of my seps are done manually thus I can compensate for dot gain by my shops specs

Why you need it at all?

Dot gain is estimated on precise print profile making. So, when you will make RGB-CMYK separation later, dot gane will be estimated already. I am not sure, how you will see precise colors onscreen under some profile, If you manully change dot gane curve. And how to know, what will be in result when dot gane was changed?

Other - if you print something on noncoated stock and get too dark images, simply lower screen freaquency. Sometimes peoples trying to correct this issue with dot gane regulation, but this is not good way.

Valdas

In textile screen printing there are too many variables to use ICC profiles. ICC profiles are based on specific / precise information / variables that are not present in our industry. Screen tensions, mesh counts, garmet surface all come into play and there is no way to get exact paremiters to correctly set up and use a proflle. This was discussed in length during the beta and advisory council discussions. Another reason I separate manually in DRAW.

 I'm working in Draw

 Draw, I was reading an article in a tech Magizine, on setting up seps for 4cp using Adobe Illistrator and one of the adjustment were for the dot gain, I've always known about dot gain, but never tried working with it, I was wondering if I was missing something that might improve my 4cp prints.

It sounds like Draw eliminated the need for any adjustment on dot gain, but maybe AI hasn't.

But thank you for the response.

From memory dot gain has been part of the Adobe system printer adjustments for eons. And never a part of CD.

And in theory you should not be using dot gain but the right profile. Or better yet be dealing with it on the RIP when making 1/2 tones.

The issue needs to be considered in a full work flow context.

At one level you DO NOT want users adjusting dot gain as an adhock method of fixing a file. It leads to 'it prints right here with 20% dot gain, why can't you print my PDF'.

So how can the problem be resolved???

Profiles for screen printers.

There should be say 10 profiles for screen printers added to the system profiles. Then it's just a matter of selecting the correct profile. And it's fairly simple to supply extra profiles while it's complex to add new features to the printer driver.

Now anyone can make a profile with the correct software. The issue is that profiling software to do that costs way too much.

This is a cheap solution that works... http://www.antelligent.com/pages/ps_plugins.html

But from memory it fails as a plug-in with PP.

What I'm saying here is that Corel need to add profiling to the software. Not some mega thing but a fairly simple tool like the above plug-in.

Yani

 That was a great response to my inquiry, and I will check out the plugin, I kinda realized the need to try and adjust the dot gain was unnesscary, but thanks for letting me know it may lead to trouble, especially when everything is working fine.

Mike

Mike,

You are not the first to ask this question. And it does need to be addressed.

There is a feature in Color Manager where you can download profiles. But years have passed since a profile was ever added. Perhaps now that Gérard, Tony and others are more active in the forum and more web centric that can be addressed.

We should be able to get some profiles mounted on the sever for screen printers. And really it's a great feature that has never been set up with new profiles.

And I know your reading this Gérard get GCS free trial download on this page... http://screenprinters.net/downloads.php
Adobe is there.

There is a 1/2 test file for screen printing there too.

You get what you want here Mike you just have to make requests that can be acheived and be willing to follow up.

This is worth a read... http://www.impressionsmag.com/impressions/content_display/decorated-apparel-business/high-volume/e3if343d641bd18edf75eef15b4f88796ae

I'm not sure why but there is a real lack of profiles on the net for screen printing.

Yani