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Color device configuration

To configure Dvips for a particular color device you need to fine tune the color parameters to match your device's color rendition. To do this, you will need a Pantone chart for your device. The header file `color.lpro' shows a (rough) correspondence between the Crayola crayon names and the Pantone numbers and also defines default CMYK values for each of the colors. Note that these colors must be defined in CMYK terms and not RGB, as Dvips outputs PostScript color commands in CMYK. This header file also defines (if they are not known to the interpreter) the PostScript commands `setcmykcolor' and `currentcmykcolor' in terms of a RGB equivalent so if your device only understands RGB, there should be no problem.

The parameters set in this file were determined by comparing the Pantone chart of a Tektronix Phaser printer with the actual Crayola Crayons. Because these were defined for a particular device, the actual color rendition on your device may be very different. There are two ways to adjust this. One is to use the PAntone chart for your device to rewrite `color.lpro' prior to compilation and installation. A better alternative, which supports multiple devices, is to add a header file option in the configuration file (see section Configuration file commands) for each device that defines, in `userdict', the color parameters for those colors that need redefining.

For example, if you need to change the parameters defining `Goldenrod' (approximately Pantone 109 on the Phaser) for your device `mycolordev', do the following. In the Pantone chart for your device, find the CMYK values for Pantone 109. Let's say they are `{\ 0 0.10 0.75 0.03 }'. Then create a header file named `mycolordev.pro' with the commands

userdict begin 
/Goldenrod { 0 0.10 0.75 0.03 setcmykcolor} bind def

Finally, in `config.mycolordev' add the line

h mycolordev.pro

This will then define `Goldenrod' in your device's CMYK values in `userdict' which is checked before defining it in `TeXdict' by `color.pro'.

This mechanism, together with additions to `colordvi.tex' and `blackdvi.tex' (and the `.sty' files), can also be used to predefine other colors for your users.


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