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PatchTool Revision History

 
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PatchTool icon  PatchTool Revision History

Version 2.8.0 b182 (2010-01-28)

New feature:

  • Display Check tool: Added a chromaticity diagram to show the measured primaries locations relative to the ones of standard RGB spaces. This diagram is generated when performing a Quick-Test with a Neutral ramp plus R, G, and B ramps.

Improvements:

  • A dialog is now presented to the user when a Version-1 CxF file is not Standalone. The user can select between letting the program try to parse it, or cancel the import (cancelling import was imposed in prior versions).
  • Display Check tool: The sections of the Help manual describing the tool options were rewritten and examples were added.
  • Revised the Appendix on Color Management in the Help manual.

Bug fixes:

  • Now properly retrieves the black level when generating a report in the Compare window 'Display data' tab; the problem occurred when doing a Quick-Test with just a Neutral ramp.
  • Now properly resets the Minimum and Maximum 'L' values when clicking on the 'Default' 'Grid options', button of the OSA UCS tool.

Other:

  • The default choice is now to discard the measured RAW data after a Display Check, and NOT to save it.

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Version 2.7.0 b173 (2009-09-23)

New features:

  • Added support for the Optical Society of America Uniform Color Scales (OSA UCS):
    • Import UCS color lists defined as Ljg coordinates into a PatchTool file.
    • Generate UCS color lists for any of the nine standard UCS data planes.
    • Export any opened file (with spectral data or 10 degree Observer data) as UCS coordinates.

Improvements:

  • Added “D93” and “E” in the illuminant list.
  • Added an alternate contextual menu to the “Patch view” tab. This new menu can be used to reassign the color of a single patch (single files and Compare files) or of a range of patches (Compare files only).
  • Minor interface changes in the Gamut tools window and in the Export dialog.

Bug fixes:

  • (Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard) Fixed a compatibility problem which made the program crash on startup.
  • Disabled Munsell export for files defined only with the 10 degree Observer.

Go to the Tutorials page for an Application Note on the OSA UCS (Look for the AN-7 App Note).

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Version 2.6.0 b154 (2009-04-06)

New features:

  • Open CxF Version-2 files, such as the ones generated by the X-Rite ColorMunki:
    • Import a Color Collection, or a Color Set within a Palette, into a PatchTool file.
    • Import Quality Control standard or measurement data into individual files, or import both the standard and one measurement set into a PatchTool Compare window.
    • Support for the following reflectance color spaces: L*a*b*, L*C*h*, XYZ, xyY, AdobeRGB, sRGB, RGB, CMYK, plus spectral data.

Improvements:

  • Added menu shortcuts to folders containing sample files and IDEAlliance reference files.
  • Added a “Recent Open” menu where the last 10 files that were opened can be accessed directly.
  • Added keyboard shortcuts to all tools, for window organization functions, and for the Help file.
  • Added the 2009 versions of the ISO 12647-7 reference files in the IDEAlliance files folder and restructured the IDEAlliance help documentation.

Bug fixes:

  • Fixed the contextual copy-data menu in the Compare window “Patch view” tab, where only the Reference data was copied.
  • Fixed the problem in the Average tool where the average of spectral data was sometimes scaled incorrectly.
  • Fixed issues with the previous keyboard shortcuts.
  • Now correctly computes the size of the vertical markers, used to separate patches in a target image, when a change is made in the resolution field of the Image tab in the Export window.
  • (Windows XP) Fixed the problem where some popup menus would not work properly in the Traditional Chinese version of the OS.

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Version 2.5.0 b142 (2009-01-26)

New features:

  • Gamut Tools:
    • Convert RGB or CMYK data assigned to a Source profile to a Destination profile.
    • Convert RGB or CMYK data assigned to a profile to the Profile Connection Space (i.e. L*a*b*/XYZ).
    • Convert L*a*b* or XYZ file data to RGB or CMYK through a profile.
    • Check if RGB or CMYK data assigned to a Source profile is clipped by a Destination profile.
    • Check if L*a*b* or XYZ file data is clipped by a Destination profile.
    • Generate device dependent RGB or CMYK color lists.
    • Generate device independent color lists (L*a*b*/L*C*h*/XYZ) with a gamut limited by a profile.
    • Determine the gamut volume of a profile.
  • L*a*b* data contained in CxF files (CxF 1.0) can now be imported (in addition to spectral data).
  • The patches width and height can now be separately assigned when exporting patches as images. In previous versions, the width and height were always the same.
  • Contrasted markers can be added between patches when exporting an image; these markers enable scanning of the printed image one line at the time instead of patch by patch (this feature is designed specifically for i1-Pro instruments).

Improvements:

  • Export image dialog: The interface used to specify the patch and image sizes was redone. Also added “cm” units to the patch and image sizes.
  • Will now open CxF files (CxF 1.0) which do not contain a description of the CxF file structure, also called the Document Type Definition (DTD), since the DTD is not inserted in the file by all applications.

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Version 2.3.1 b110 (Mac only) (2008-10-10)

Bug fix:

  • Fixed a bug that made the program crash on start-up. The problem was seen on Macs running OS X 10.5.5.

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Version 2.3.0 b109 (2008-06-16)

New features:

  • Added support for X-Rite DTP94 (MonacoOPTIX) colorimeter.
  • PatchTool Compare files can be re-opened within PatchTool for further analysis.
  • Now records the measuring instrument Serial Number in exported files and reports.

Other:

  • There is no more a requirement to be a system administrator in Windows XP; this change also makes the program better compliant to Windows Vista security requirements.
  • Windows 98 is no longer supported; the last compatible version for this OS is 2.2.0.

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Version 2.2.0 b102 (2008-04-14)

New features:

  • Added support for Datacolor's Spyder3 colorimeter. PatchTool uses an exclusive adaptive algorithm to speed-up data-acquisition while minimizing noise. The measurement time is based on the patch display luminance, and there are two user-selectable modes which place emphasis on either SPEED or PRECISION.

Improvements:

  • Display Check measurements with the Spyder2 are now done with an adaptive measurement algorithm similar to the one used for the Spyder3. In SPEED mode, measuring the 1617 patches of an IT8.7/4 target can now be done 2.4X times faster than with previous PatchTool versions, with negligible effect on the measurements statistics.
  • The decimal separator for exported data can now be forced to a period (0.0) even when the program runs in an international environment where the decimal separator is a comma (0,0). This option facilitates data exchange with applications that are not international-savvy.

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Version 2.1.0 b098 (2008-03-25)

New features:

  • PatchTool has a new feature which helps to fulfill the requirements set forth by IDEAlliance for printer (SWOP and GRACoL approved papers) and monitor proofing certification. In particular, when IDEAlliance proofing reference data of an IT8.7/4 target is compared to measured data, a report can automatically be generated. This report covers the statistical analysis of all IT8.7/4 patches as well as the comparison of specific patches of the chart. More information can be found in application notes AN-3 and AN-4.
  • An IT8.7/4 chart layout can now be changed between “Measured”, Random” and “Visual”. You can also assign the official IT8.7/4 patch IDs if they were not in the opened file.
  • For ECI2002 charts, you can now assign the official ECI2002 patch IDs if they were not in the opened file.

Bug fixes:

  • (Mac) New drivers are provided for the Datacolor Spyder2 colorimeter. The old drivers freeze the application when a Spyder3, a more recent model, is connected. There is no problem when a Spyder2 is connected.
  • Fixed the issue where display measurements made with the Eye-One Display, the Eye-One Display 2, or the Spyder2, were corrupted. The Eye-One Pro was not affected by the problem.
  • The program will now react properly if the previous default display profile is missing at program start.

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Version 2.0.0 b091 (2007-12-06)

New features:

  • PatchTool display output is color-managed and can be set to use the system default display color profile, a built-in color profile, or any user-assigned ICC profile.
  • Display Check tool:
    • Measure your display characteristic within PatchTool using the Datacolor Spyder2 or the X-Rite Eye-One line of instruments (Eye-One Pro or Eye-One Display).
    • Export the RAW display measurements for independent analysis.
    • Check your display performance using built-in Quick-Test patches. The reference patches and their measured values are shown in a Compare window. For these patches, you also get a dedicated “Display data” tab with additional comparative data.
    • Check your display performance using any color list opened in PatchTool and compare the reference list with the measured values.
  • Compare tool statistical tab (“Stats”):
    • Extract statistical data from compared files using any color-difference parameter.
    • Select between “Absolute”, combined Neg./Pos., or separate Neg./Pos. statistics.
    • Obtain graph and data of the Cumulative Relative Frequency (CRF), which is helpful in establishing SWOP / GRACoL IDEAlliance certification.
  • Export color lists in Munsell “Hue Value/Chroma” notation. Select the color-difference formula used for conversion. Select from three output formats (number of columns).

Bug fix:

  • (Windows Vista) Windows Vista incorporates a Data Execution Prevention (DEP) feature which monitors how applications access memory. In most Vista Home systems, the DEP setting is set, by default, to check only the system programs and services; in this case, even before the fix, PatchTool started correctly. However, the DEP setting can be changed by the user, either globally or on a program by program basis, and its default setting may also vary for other OS configurations. PatchTool did not start when the DEP was assigned to all applications, or to PatchTool only; this has been fixed.

Improvements:

  • (Mac) The program is now offered in Universal binaries and Intel packages.

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Version 1.1.1 b057 (2007-05-21)

Bug fixes:

  • Fixed the crash that happened when exporting the XYZ data of Compare files that do not have spectral data.
  • Fixed a data corruption problem which affected XYZ data when sorting the data table.
  • Fixed a display rendering problem caused by a combination of the Lightbox setting with other commands which affect the patches order.

Improvements:

  • More robust parser for CGATS and plain text files.

Other:

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Version 1.1.0 b052 (2007-03-26)

New features:

  • Compare tool:
    • Compare two files (with the same number of patches) in the same window.
    • Sort patches according to the difference in any of the following parameters: C, M, Yellow, K, R, G, B, x, y, X, Y, Z, E*, L*, a*, b*, C*, h*, or H*.
  • Import RGB data encoded in 8 bit, 15 bit, 16 bit, or scaled to 100%.
  • Recognizes ECI2002 color lists and can display their data in the Measured, Random, or Visual layouts.
  • Export RGB data encoded in 8 bit, 15 bit+ (i.e. Photoshop "16 bit'), "true" 16 bit, or scaled to 100%.
  • Export spectral data in either 0-1 or 0-100% ranges.
  • Export spectral data with either a 380 to 730 nm range or a 400 to 700 nm range.

Bug fixes:

  • (Mac) Corrected 16 bit export for TIFF image.
  • (Mac) Fixed crashes which happened when clicking on the top window action buttons while the program was busy.
  • Corrected the cases, for non-spectral color lists, where data was corrupted when exported to the BabelColor CT&A database.

Improvements:

  • Better handling of files which were saved with numbering formats (i.e. decimal and thousands separators) which do not correspond to the computer’s Regional settings.
  • More internal precision that enables handling of 16 bit RGB and higher accuracy in obtaining RGB values close to zero.
  • Faster and higher quality JPEG export. QuickTime not required anymore on Windows for JPEG export.
  • Many other improvements.

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Version 1.0.0 b026 (2007-01-03)

New features:

  • First released version for Windows and Mac.

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Last modification : 28 January 2010