FotoControl Configuration

for Fujifilm Frontier Minilab

User Guide Supplement
Version 3

2 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

Contents
Introduction

Introduction...................................................................................................................... 5
About FotoControl............................................................................................................ 5
Software requirements.................................................................................................... 6

FotoControl installation

Installing FotoControl ...................................................................................................... 7

Starting FotoControl ........................................................................................................ 8

FotoControl configuration

Starting the FotoControl configuration utility ................................................................. 9

Configuring the Fujifilm Frontier minilab........................................................................ 9
Setup tab ............................................................................................................ 10
Options tab ......................................................................................................... 14
Colour tab ........................................................................................................... 16

Frontend operation

19

Hints on Frontier output ................................................................................................ 20

Contents 3

4 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

Introduction
Introduction
This document describes specific installation requirements and the configuration of
the RIP for Minilabs service tab in FotoControl for output to Fujifilm Frontier
minilabs. Please see the FotoControl User Guide for further information on the use
and configuration of FotoControl.

About FotoControl
FotoControl is an image output program designed to be used in conjunction with
other Axiom imaging software. It processes 'LACE' files (.LAC), which are job files in
an Axiom proprietary format that contains all the information required to process an
order. FotoControl is capable of processing jobs to a wide variety of output types:
CD writing, report writing (index prints, CD Labels etc), ripping to a range of digital
photographic quality printers and minilabs, ripping to Windows printers (eg inkjet
printers), as well as Internet upload in FTP and HTTP formats.
Each output type is set up as a separate service and FotoControl can process one or
multiple services; each service runs in a separate area of the display and operates
independently of the others. Each service is also configured separately.
Jobs that are submitted appear in the Input queue (Queue). They are processed by
each service in turn depending upon the requirements specified by the LACE file.
After processing is complete they are transferred to either the Error or Done queue.

Introduction 5

Software requirements
In order to output digital images to the Frontier, Axiom requires two software
components:

Frontend software - this is supplied by Fujifilm with the Frontier Minilab; the
software is commonly known as C4. In some countries it has been upgraded to
C4/C5. The C5 element refers to the ability of the Frontier to save its scanned
output to disk on the Frontend PC. The purpose of this application is to provide a
simple interface to image pixel files like tiff, jpeg and bitmap files.

ODBC - when running on the same PC as the Frontend software, the supporting
environment is already present but when running on a separate PC, then ODBC
support must be present to communicate with the Frontend Access or SQL
database. The F-DIA within the C4 software manages the Microsoft Access or
SQL database (ie c:\fdia \db\fdia.mde in the case of Access - as a precaution it
is a good idea to backup this file). This file contains all the settings from C4 that
includes the page sizes and names that have been created by the user on the
Frontier.
If FotoControl is being run on a separate PC (NT/W2000 only) to the Frontend
software:

Open the Control Panel, select Administrative Tools and then access the
Data Sources (ODBC) section.

Ensure that either the Microsoft Access Driver, or for version 4 and above,
that the SQL Server driver is present.

6 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

FotoControl installation
Installing FotoControl
The installation is described in the FotoControl User Guide. This section describes
the specific variations required to install a Fuji Frontier minilab.
1. Load the CD-ROM into the CD drive. The CD is set to autorun; when the Welcome
screen is displayed, click on the graphic to display the install screen.
2. Start the FotoControl installation process. Read the program and copyright
information and then click Next to continue.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts until the Minilab Configuration Options screen is
displayed.

4. Select the Fujifilm Frontier option and then click Next to continue. You are then
prompted for the output path location.

FotoControl installation 7

5. If the default is appropriate, click Next to continue, otherwise type in the path to
your preferred location and then click Next to continue.
The installation continues to completion, as described in the FotoControl User
Guide.

Starting FotoControl
FotoControl can be launched as follows:
1. From the desktop (when available), double-click on the FotoControl shortcut
(below).

2. From the Windows Start button using Programs, FotoControl, FotoControl.

Note: Before running FotoControl for the first time, use the FCConfig program to configure
FotoControl, see FotoControl configuration.

8 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

FotoControl configuration
Starting the FotoControl configuration utility
The configuration of FotoControl is performed using the FCConfig utility. FCConfig
can be launched as follows:

From the desktop (when available), double-click on the FCConfig shortcut

(below).

From the Windows Start button, select Programs, FotoControl, Configure

FotoControl.

Configuring the Fujifilm Frontier minilab

This section describes the specific configuration requirements for the Fujifilm
Frontier minilab. For full configuration details, including adding new services, see
the FotoControl User Guide.
To configure the Fujifilm Frontier Minilab:
1. With the FCConfig utility on display, click on the Fujifilm Frontier tab. The service
page is displayed.

FotoControl configuration 9

2. Click on the Configure button. The Fujifilm Frontier configuration page is

displayed.

The Fujifilm Frontier is configured using the three tabs, Setup, Options and
Colour. Each tab/screen is described in the following sections.

Setup tab
Complete the Setup tab (shown below) as follows:

Output Path - This is a folder that is used as temporary space while processing
output to the minilab.

Frontier Connection - The first time you configure or create a device for the
Frontier, a connection to the Database of the Frontend should be established.
This is achieved by pressing the Frontier Connection button. On the first time
this is performed, FotoControl will seek out all Frontend machines that it can
find on the network. If there is more than one, then the user will be presented
with a choice as to which Frontend machine a connection should be made.
When a successful connection to a Frontend machine has been found, the
Frontier Setup <Connected to> screen is displayed.

10 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

For information on the options displayed on this screen, see Frontier Setup.

Frontier setup

Colour Space / Output Devices - When FotoControl connects to a Frontend

machine it will find the colour spaces and output devices that are available. The
default colour space found (typically Frontier_sRGB or COLOR_sRGB) would
normally be the correct one to use however you can also select a particular
colour space here as well.
By default, the Input colour space is sRGB with SP-1500sRGB or SP-2000sRGB
as the output device.
If you do not want to apply a colour space conversion during the imaging
process, choose COLOR_PD as the input colour space and SP-1500PD (on some
machines SP2000 may replace SP1500) as the Output device. No other
combination will achieve this. In addition, the intermediate file format should be
set to BMP, see File Format.

Auto Exif Colour - If the input file is known to originate from a Digital Camera and
is an Exif JPEG then better results can be achieved by setting the Colour Space
to COLOR_EXIF. If you wish to have this switching done automatically then check
the Auto EXIF Color Space box.

Frontier Pages Sizes - If you click on the Frontier Page Sizes button the software
displays the available page sizes on the selected output device. Click OK to exit
the screen.

Settings - The Settings button provides access to additional configuration

options.

FotoControl configuration 11

Backprint - this section controls whether the Frontier will use its ability to
print information on the back of prints. There are two lines that can be
backprinted; each line is enabled or disabled through the associated check
box adjacent to the entry field.
The first is a set format that includes filename, job number, date, time etc.
The second is user-definable you can type your own text message of up to
40 characters (eg customer name, copyright information etc).

Max Image Per Order when enabled, this will set the maximum number of
images that will be contained in any one order. For larger orders, this allows
the Frontier to start printing sooner whilst the remaining images are
prepared. The same Order number will appear in the Frontend window for
each of the components of the order.

File Format - this is the desired file format (RAW, BMP or JPEG) for the
intermediate files that will be sent to the Frontend.

Note: RAW format is not supported in this version.

FDI Conversion - When FotoControl is used on a separate PC to the Merlin,

this can be used to enable the FDI Convert Server modules which process
images for printing by the Frontier, to run on the local FotoControl machine
this can give performance advantages.

Note: If the FotoControl machine is being used to run the FDI Convert Servers then
the PC should not be shut down while conversion are being processed.

Override - These are advanced settings used with EXIF jpeg files to control
how they are handled by the Frontier. Table 1 describes the options.
Table 1: Frontier Setup Settings Override options
Option

Description

Transfer the EXIF header

This can be used to enable or disable the

transfer of EXIF information to the Frontier.

Do not transfer the EXIF

Header for packages

This can be used to disable the transfer of EXIF

information when a package is being
processed.

Force DSC attribute off

EXIF JPEG files from digital cameras have a

different adjustment when processed by the
Frontier this can be disabled with this switch
if required (eg to give the same adjustment for
digital camera files as for EXIF files that aren't
from digital cameras).

Force EXIF colour off when no

DSC present

This will disable EXIF colour adjustment being

made on images that aren't from digital camera
(eg this could be used on images that have
been retouched and may have thus been
converted to a particular colour space).

Force EXIF colour off

This can be used to avoid any colour space

correction being done by the Frontier on any
JPEG files containing EXIF information.

12 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

Option

Description

Force DSC off on Adobe

Marker

EXIF JPEG files from digital cameras have a

different adjustment when processed by the
Frontier this can be disabled with this switch
if the Adobe Marker is detected in the EXIF data
this is used for images that have been edited
in an Adobe application.

Force EXIF colour off on

Adobe Marker

This will disable EXIF colour adjustment on

images that have been edited in an Adobe
application.

Force DSC Off/On for

unknown models

DSC is a flag in the EXIF header that indicates

whether the image originated from a Digital
Stills Camera. For camera models that have not
been entered in the Channel Configuration
library, this field forces the DSC switch off or on.

Force EXIF Colour Off for

unknown models

EXIF is one of two colour space modes

supported by FotoControl. For camera models
that have not been entered in the Channel
Configuration library, this field, when selected,
forces the system to use the sRGB colour space
mode.

Use Custom Rendering

Custom Rendering is a field in the EXIF header.

This sets whether the Custom Rendering field
will be recognised. This will allow for the switch
to sRGB rather than EXIF if in-camera
processing has been performed.

DSC Channels Select this button when it is necessary to control the

processing of images coming from digital cameras based on the camera
model.

The features of the DSC Channel Configuration screen are described in

Table 2.

FotoControl configuration 13

Table 2: DSC Channel Configuration options

Option

Description

Settings

Select options to create a list of models and attach certain

settings to each one. These settings will override any global
settings set elsewhere. For an explanation of the options see
Table 1 above.

Camera
Model

This displays any digital camera models that are configured.

Select a camera from the list the settings shown on the left
can be configured separately for each camera model these
will then override the global settings for these attributes.

New Model

To add a digital camera type to the list, click on the Capture

button. The Find Exif JPEG File screen is displayed. This can be
used to browse and select a JPEG file from the relevant digital
camera (this must be a file containing EXIF information in the
.jpg file the EXIF information will include information about the
camera type).
Select Open if a camera model is detected in the selected
JPEG file you will be prompted whether to add the camera type.
The new camera will then appear on the drop down list for the
camera model, and settings can be applied to it.

Options tab
Complete the Options tab (shown below) as follows:

Picture Size - The Picture Size setting is used to set the print size for the
FotoControl device being configured. It will display the list of available sizes on
the device that is selected on the Frontier Output field underneath Picture size.
On the default SP-2000sRGB output setting you would have a whole range of
print sizes available.

Frontier Output - This is used to select which of the Frontier's configured output
options will be used for that device.

CD Service Select this check box if you want the option of creating a CD.

14 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

Pixel Scaling - This is used to set how images will be scaled to the print size (set
in the Setup tab). The Pixel Scaling options are as follows:

Scale to Fill - A picture file will be scaled so that it fills the size of the paper
specified in the paper tray option. There may be some cropping of the image
if its shape is different to that of the size settings.

Note: All scaling is done in proportion the image is not stretched.

Scale to Fit - A picture file will be scaled so that it fits the size of the paper
specified in the paper tray option. The image will not be cropped, but there
may be a white border if the picture shape is different to the size settings.*

No Scaling - A picture file will be output at the resolution of the printer (ie
one pixel on the image will equate to one pixel on the printed image ).

Custom Size - Not used.

Pixel Scaling Mode - This setting controls the type of interpolation used when
scaling pixel images. The default setting of Normal is the fastest mode. The High
setting applies bicubic interpolation, which can give better quality on scaled
images but will take longer to apply. This tends to be used for larger sizes (eg
over 7x5).

Sharpening - This can be used to apply sharpening to images as they are

processed a typical value is 20-25. The range is up to 100 but higher values
should be avoided as they can adversely affect image quality.

Pixel Auto Rotate - With this check box selected, image files will be printed using
the best orientation to fill the paper. For example, if a portrait file is sent to a
landscape size, it will automatically be rotated.

Pixel Label Style - This drop down list allows a label such as some text or a logo
to be added to an image file on output. (See the FotoControl User Guide for
more details).

Package - This drop down list allows you to select a package. A package is a
print option that enables an image to be repeated on pages at preset sizes for
applications such as passport photos, mini-prints, school packages etc. It can
also be useful for saving media when producing prints smaller than the paper
sizes supported by a printer. (See the FotoControl User Guide for more details).

Border This check box option can be used to give prints with a white border
around the edge of the print.

FotoControl configuration 15

Colour tab
This can be used to apply colour adjustments or colour connection (profiles) at the
ripping stage on a per device basis. Complete the Colour tab (shown below) as
follows:

Brightness - These three values provide a basic control of the overall brightness
of the image. The Brightness can be set for each of the RGB (Red, Green and
Blue) colour components; the values can be varied from
-9 (darker) to + 9 (lighter).
Brightness allows corrections to be made to images that are too light or too
dark, or when there is an overall colour cast (not a cross-curve) affecting the
image. The brightness values work in the same way as a gamma adjustment,
where the white and black ends of the tonal range remain fixed, and midtones
are adjusted progressively.

Intensity/Saturation/Contrast - These attributes can be adjusted separately

using values from -9 (darker) to + 9 (lighter).

Note: Printer Calibration - The Brightness, Intensity, Saturation and Contrast controls are
intended to provide a quick method of making simple adjustments but are not a
substitute for a correctly calibrated printer.

16 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

Colour Connection - This allows a colour management system to make colour

adjustments to images on-the-fly, during the ripping stage of output.
The use of a colour management system allows colour adjustments to be
applied to images on-the-fly, during output. This is especially important when
converting between colour spaces (ie output of RGB images on CMYK printers,
or CMYK images on RGB printers).
The colour management system currently available is the Heidelberg Colour
Engine, it allows colour profiles in the ICC format to be used. These profiles may
be generated by the user (using colour profiling software) or provided by a third
party (eg monitor, printer, scanner, or operating systems manufacturers etc).
Profiles can be set separately for source (input) images for RGB and CMYK
scans. These are then used in conjunction with an output profile for the printer
device being used. Some colour profiles are supplied with FotoControl these
are in the \CC folder inside the FotoControl software folder.
The profiles will be applied automatically while image files are being printed.

Mode - this is a drop down list that allows you to enable the colour
management systems built into FotoControl.

Note: Colour management can also be turned off by selecting Off from the list. This
will also turn off all of the other colour adjustment functions.

RGB Scans - This area allows you to select an input profile for RGB images
(i.e. a colour profile describing the colour space of the images that are being
used). The file location of the colour profile can be specified in the second
box; you can enter the file location directly into the box or select it using the
Browse function.
The options available in the drop down list will depend on the colour
management system selected. If the Heidelberg colour engine is being used,
several options (including Off) will be available.

CMYK Scans - This area allows you to select an input profile for CMYK
images - (i.e. a colour profile describing the colour space of the images that
are being used). The file location of the colour profile can be specified in the
second box; you can enter the file location directly into the box or select it
using the Browse function.
The options available in the drop down list will depend on the colour
management system selected. If the Heidelberg colour engine is being used,
several options (including Off) will be available.

Output ICC Profile - The file location of the Output ICC Profile can be entered
directly into the box or selected using the Browse function. This should be a
colour profile for the printer being used.

FotoControl configuration 17

18 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3

Frontend operation
The Frontend software would normally be running when the machine is started but it
need not be running for an order to be sent to it. When it is running a FotoControl
order will appear in FE-IN, which is an Input Queue that the C4 software uses. This
Queue is displayed in the Order Reception window of C4.
When orders are registered with the F-DIA data base files, the ripped files are
automatically copied from their locations and the conversion process is performed
by C4 on all the files in the order. When this is done the converting status changes
to one of Wait which indicates that C4 is waiting for the Controlling software on the
Frontier to be ready to receive digital data (the operator must put the Frontier in this
mode)
If the correct paper is in the Frontier and selected, the prints will be made with no
further intervention from the user. When the order is printed, the entry will be
removed from the screen after a preset interval if the Fujifilm Engineers have set
this feature. One note previously it was possible to print one part of a mixed paper
width order, and it would appear that the order has been printed successfully,
although one of the paper widths was not been printed. With the current version of
the Axiom software, any mixed paper orders will be split into sub-orders containing
only a single paper width.

Frontend operation 19

Hints on Frontier output

Wherever possible, install FotoControl and Frontend software on separate PCs.

Frontend software benefits from having the highest spec PC in order to run its
Convert Servers.

If FotoControl fails to make a connection and hence does not get a list of
Frontier paper names then take the following action:

If the Frontend software is working with the Access database then copy the
file fdiaclient.dll that is to be found in c:\fe of the Frontend software into
\imgdir.

With the SQL database the fdiaclient.dll is now placed in the

c:\winnt\system32 folder. If FotoControl is running on the same machine as
Frontend then remove the version of fdiaclient.dll in the \imgdir so that only
the one in c:\winnt\system32 can be found and so used. Alternatively, if
FotoControl is installed on a remote machine then in order to ensure that
the correct .dll is used copy the fdiaclient.dll that is in c:\winnt\system32 on
the Frontend PC to the \imgdir folder overwriting any other fdiaclient.dll that
might be found there. In the case of Version 4.0 and above you should also
copy fdiaclient40.dll to \imgdir.

When working from a remote machine you must always ensure that this
machine has logged in (Frontier/FRONTIER) or is a User of the Frontend PC,
or there will be a lengthy wait whilst the remote PC tries to interrogate all the
PCs on the Network including the Frontend in order to establish an ODBC
link.

With the SQL database (version 3.52 and below) when working on a remote
machine, ensure that this machine is logged in as (Frontier/FRONTIER) and
has administrator rights.

Also confirm that both the InSpool and OutSpool folders on the Frontend PC
are shared with the shared names InSpool and OutSpool, for remote
operation.

20 FotoControl Configuration for Fuji Frontier Minilabs v3