The Rapport printing mode allows for combining and joining repetitions of a single design in such a way as to produce a continuous design of unlimited dimensions, showing no splices between designs. This feature is used for example for continuous textile printing such as fabric reels, like bed sheets or curtains production. This option is licensed-based.
Opening Document for Rapport
When opening a document, the option Open as has to be selected. From the three options, Rapport Printing is shown with the rapport icon.
If, instead of opening a document, you choose to open a new document, the window that will appear is the following. In the case of Rapport-type documents, the design will appear repeated in such a way as to cover the whole of the surface that is to be printed.
Composition Options
When loading a design in Rapport mode we may establish the following options for the Rapport, by selecting them in 'Rapport' from Control Center.
Preset: This is a list of presets that the user may save in order to make it easier to repeat Rapport settings in drop, orientation, and size for similar designs. The Save and Delete functions allow organizing such items, then next to the dropdown menu all parameters are saved using the specified preset name. if your source file has such embedded data, then you can load it automatically by enabling the option to use existing source file settings.
Drop: With this option, it is possible to control the displacement between the copies, either horizontally or vertically. The default drop presets are fractions 1 to 10 and custom (for unit or %) to shift the copy by half or by one-third of its size. The option enabled "Use existing settings in source file" will use the embedded file drop information with the preset settings.
Width & Length: It refers to the amount of material that we wish to print in both directions.
- The Infinite value shows that there's no length limit and printing will continue uninterrupted until the user decides to stop it.
- The customized value allows us to determine the number of meters that we wish to print.
- In Width, it will detect the rapport width automatically.
- The Minimum value is the minimum motif that must be printed for all the design information to be contained, and to ensure that when making copies the Rapport will be correct. This option is only valid for printers with special repetition functions, which are sufficiently precise to carry out continuous Rapport.
- The Gap allows for additional space in width and length between the repetitions.
- The Final size shows the calculated to-print size in full width and length.
Start: The offset where the design will start on the image page can be set, in both vertical and horizontal positions. The buttons will calculate the average of the offset.
Position: The point where the design will start its print on the media can be set, in both vertical and horizontal positions. For instance, if we need to leave a margin of 0,3 mm to start the printout, this is the place to set it. The button will calculate the average of the position point to the center.
Machine Repeat mode: Using this option, the output image will contain the selected width and minimum repeat length. If using Print statistics it won't be printed. Depending on the driver, the final length will be written in textile (.xml, .job, .robust, etc.).
Minimum Rapport processing: Using the minimum rapport, the image is calculated in full rapport to be repeated. This is in using micro designs that can have different final print lengths as defined.
Practical examples
A) In the following image, a design and a non-displaced copy of it may be observed. The pattern has been designed in such a way that it is necessary to displace the motifs in order to make them coincide.
B) In the following image the copy has been 1⁄2 half displaced horizontally, making the motifs fit, and when the copies are made, the resulting design will be continuous.
C) The following image shows the minimum design quantity for (minimum Rapport) for the next repetition to fit perfectly and to generate continuous rapport.
