Getting Started

with ONYX

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This document will explain how to get ONYX installed and running, so you can get printing.

I. Installing the Software

II. Using the Printer & Profile Download Manager
III. First Launch in RIP-Queue
IV. A Quick Introduction to the RIP-Queue Interface
V. Printing Your First Job
VI. How to Contour Cut
VII. Other ONYX Programs
VIII. Basic Troubleshooting

I. Installing the Software

The software box includes a USB flash drive and a hardware key. The USB flash drive contains the installation
program. The hardware key is the license to run the software. If your purchase was an upgrade, a hardware
key is not included; instead you will receive a key update link in an email. Run the key update before
installing the software.

The license hardware key must be connected to the computer during the installation process and when the
program is running.

1. Insert the license hardware key. The key drivers will be installed with the software.
2. Plug in the ONYX USB flash drive (1a)*. * Autostart may appear asking what you would like to do with the files. Click the folder icon to continue.







1a: ONYX USB flash drive
3. Open a file browser and go to the USB flash drive. Run Install_ONYX.exe (1b).










1b: Install_ONYX.exe on the USB flash drive


4. Check the box to accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) and click OK.
5. Click OK to start the key driver install (1c).




1c: License key driver installer 1

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6. Optional - Change the path’s drive letter if you want to install ONYX on a different hard drive. Do not
change the folder name.
7. In the lower right, check mark your printers*. * If your printers are not listed you can download them using the Printer and Profile
Download Manager. Printers can be installed after the software is installed (See Using the
8. Click the install button to begin (1d)**. Printer and Profile Download Manager).

** When the program installer has finished, your web browser will open a message: Note to Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 Users. This message mentions
the user account you are logged into must be an administrator in order to access all functionality in ONYX.

User Account Control (UAC) should also be disabled. This will limit an administrator account and can affect the ONYX software. Consult with your IT department about
turning this off.

1d: Program install window

9. Click Finish when the installation has completed.

RIP-Queue automatically launches and the printers will need to be configured. If printers were not installed
at this point, a new printer install window appears (2c).

If the printer was installed, go to section III.

II. Using the Printer & Profile Download Manager

If your printer is not found on the USB flash drive, you can download it by using the Printer & Profile
Download Manager. This program is automatically installed with the ONYX software.

1. Go to the Windows Start menu and choose All Programs.

2. Select the ProductionHouse 12 program group and click on the Printer & Profile DL Manager (2a).

2a: Printer & Profile DL Manager

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3. Under Version select ONYX12.
4. Under Manufacturer choose the printer’s manufacturer.
5. Under Printer choose the printer model.
6. Check the box next to each Configuration name you want.
7. Click Download Now (2b).
















2b: PPDM interface

8. In the Download Options window, click Browse. Choose a folder to save the PrnInst file. The Desktop is
recommended.
9. Close the Printer and Profile Download Manager when the download is finished.

Next install the printer in the printer install window (2c). If the window was closed, double-click the RIP-
Queue shortcut on your Desktop. This will open the Printer Installer (2c) window.








2c: Printer installer


1. Click Browse and go to the folder with your downloaded PrnInst file.
2. Select the PrnInst file and click Open.
3. Check the box next to the printer and click Install.
4. Click Finish when it appears.

RIP-Queue will open once you click Finish.

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III. First Launch in RIP-Queue

The program launches with a registration window (3a). If you have a myonyx account, click Next and enter
your email and password. If you don’t have a myonyx account go to www.onyxgfx.com and create one.

3a: Registration Screen

When the program or a printer has finished installing, RIP-Queue will automatically start. A Configure Printer
Port window appears (3b) on top.

3b: Configure printer port

1. In Configure Printer Port, select the printer port and click Configure.
2. Enter the required values and click OK.
3. Click OK in the main Configure Printer window.

After the printers have been configured you will need to set the correct media profile and page size.

1. Highlight the printer and open the printer media settings by clicking the gear icon, located on the right
side of the RIP-Queue window (3c).









3c: Change button

2. Choose a media profile that matches the material loaded in the printer. Set the Media to the name of the
material in the printer*. * If you do not see the media profile for the material in the printer, choose one that is a similar type.

3. Under Page Size choose the correct page size on the printer.
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4. Change Placement to Print Jobs Individually or Conserve Media. Default value is set to Group Jobs Together
(3d).








3d : Media and placement



IV. A Quick Introduction the RIP-Queue Interface

The RIP-Queue interface can be divided into six sections: Toolbar, Active Printers, Active Jobs, Buffered Jobs,
Printer Settings and Console (4a).

• Toolbar contains quick launch icons for other ONYX components and RIP-Queue tools.
• Active Printers lists the printers that are installed and active in RIP-Queue.
• Active Jobs lists print jobs that are ready to rip or print.
• Buffered Jobs lists jobs that have printed.
• Printer Settings lists current settings for the printer. Previews are shown below.
• Console shows messages reported by RIP-Queue.

Toolbar
Active
Printers Printer Settings

Active
Jobs

Buffered
Jobs Console

4a: RIP-Queue interface

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V. Printing Your First Job

Now that ONYX is installed, you are ready to print. Here’s how:

1. Load the first job. Click the Open button in the Toolbar or File > Open.
2. Browse to your image and click Open.
3. After the job has ripped, highlight the printer and click Print Now, located below the nest preview (5a).












5a: Print Now button

After the job has printed, it moves to the Buffered Jobs section.

VI. How to Contour Cut

ONYX sees a cut path within any vector file as long as it is defined by a specific spot color. The default spot
color name used is CutContour.

1. Highlight the printer and click on Configure Printer (6a). Click Yes to shutdown the server.





6a: Configure Printer in the Toolbar

2. In the Quick Set tab click on New.
3. Give the new Quick Set a name.
4. Select the cutter marks for Contour Cutter Selection, under Cutter Options (6b).









6b: Quick Set contour cutting options

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5. Enable the option Use Cutter Path Prefix. The name in the text box is the spot color prefix ONYX will use to
identify the cut paths*.
* The Cutter Path Prefix means any spot color that begins with the name in that field. It is possible to create
multiple spot colors that will be used as cut paths. They just have to begin with that name. For example,
CutContour Kiss and CutContour Thru are both valid names. They will be seen by ONYX as cut paths.


6. Click OK to save the Quick Set.
7. In the main RIP-Queue window, click the Open button in the Toolbar.
8. Browse to the file you want to use for contour cutting. Select the file.

Before you click Open, choose the contour cutting Quick Set. On the right side of the Open window are
options for printer and Quick Set.

6c: Choosing a Quick Set in the Open window

9. Select the printer (if not already listed).

10. Select the contour cutting Quick Set.
11. Click Open.

After the job has ripped, you can highlight the job to see the image preview. In this preview there is a pink
outline indicating the cut paths (6d).

6d: Cut path preview

12. Highlight the printer and click Print Now.

At the beginning of the printing stage, your cut file is created and ready to be used by CUT-Server.

13. In the Toolbar section click CUT-Server (6e).

6e: CUT-Server in RIP-Queue’s Toolbar




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14. A window appears asking to add a cutter (6f ). Select your cutter and click Close.







6f: Add a cutter in CUT-Server
15. In CUT-Server click Manage Cutters at the top (6g). Select the cutter and click Configure.





6g: Manage Cutters in CUT-Server Toolbar


16. Under Port Settings, select how the cutter is connected and then click Setup (6h). Enter the required
values.











6h: Configure cutter’s Port Settings

17. Click Close to save the settings.
18. Click Close on the next window.
19. Click OK in the Manage Cutters window.
20. Highlight the cut job on the left.
21. Load the printed job into the cutter.
22. Click Cut Now* located below the cut preview.
* Some cutters require extra steps for mark detection. This will be displayed on the cutter’s panel and not in CUT-Server.

VII. Other ONYX Programs

Besides RIP-Queue and CUT-Server what do these other programs do?

RIP-Queue - This is the heart of ONYX software. It’s in this program that jobs are ripped, nested and printed.

Job Editor - Provides the ability to change job settings such as media, color management settings, size, tiling
and color correction. The changes apply only to a single job.

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Layout Tool - This manual nesting tool provides the ability to adjust nests of jobs, change sizes, color correct,
and more. Jobs can be sent to RIP-Queue or directly to the printer.

CUT-Server - This program communicates to your cutters.

Media Manager - This program provides options to create or recalibrate media profiles.

VIII. Basic Troubleshooting

Sometimes errors may appear during installation or in RIP-Queue. This section outlines how you can resolve
them.

Error Troubleshooting Screenshot

Hardware key is not plugged in or the
drivers are not installed correctly.
1. Make sure the hardware key is
plugged in and the light is on.
Failed to initialize the USB hardware key
2. Is the device installed correctly in
(8a)
Windows Device Manager? 8a: Hardware key failed to initialize
3. Do not use Windows Remote
Desktop. This interferes with key
detection. Log in directly.
Media profile assigned to the job does
not match the profile assigned to the
printer.
Job has a status of Wait for Media: Media
1. Change the media assigned to the
Mismatch (8b)
job. This requires the job to re-rip.
2. Change the media assigned to the
8b: Wait for media: Media Mismatch error
printer. No re-rip is needed.
Job size is larger than the printable area
for the printer’s page size.
1. Reduce the job size. Double-click the
job to access Job Properties.
2. Change the page size for the printer.
Job has a status of Wait for Media: Size Highlight the printer and click the
(8c) gear icon.
3. Rotate the job 90 degrees. Right-
click on the job choose Edit > Rotate 8c: Wait for media: Size error
> CW 90.
4. Tile the job. Highlight the job and
click Job Editor from the toolbar.

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