Argyll Documentation Top
Author: Graeme Gill
Description: Root of Argyll CMS documentation

# Argyll CMS documentation index (V1.1.0)

Date: 16th. January 2010
Author: Graeme Gill

## Introduction

ArgyllCMS is an ICC compatible color management system, available as Open Source. It supports accurate ICC profile creation for acquisition devices, cameras and film recorders, and calibration and profiling of displays and RGB & CMYK printers. Spectral sample data is supported, allowing a selection of illuminants observer types, and paper fluorescent whitener additive compensation. Profiles can also incorporate source specific gamut mappings for perceptual and saturation intents. Gamut mapping and profile linking uses the CIECAM02 appearance model, a unique gamut mapping algorithm, and a wide selection of rendering intents. Device Link can be created with a wide variety of advanced options. It also includes code for the fastest portable 8 bit raster color conversion engine available anywhere, as well as support for fast, fully accurate 16 bit conversion. Device color gamuts can also be viewed and compared using a VRML viewer. Comprehensive documentation is provided for each utility, and a general guide to using the tools for typical color management tasks is also available. A mailing list provides support for more advanced usage.

This is Version 1.1.0, a feature and bug fix release following the V1.0.4 release on 30th June 2009. The first public release of icclib was in November 1998, and of Argyll was in July 2000. Code development commenced in 1995. See Changes Summary for an overview of changes since the last release. Changes between revisions is detailed in the log.txt file that accompanies the source code.

The latest source code is available from here.

Argyll is known to compile and run in at least nine environments:

1) MSWindows 2K system using Microsoft VC++ 6.0 compiler
2) MSWindows 2K system using Microsoft VC++ 8.0 Express compiler + Platform SDK Feb. 2003
3) MSWindows 2K system using Microsoft VC++ 9.0 Express compiler + Platform SDK Feb. 2003
4) MSWindows 2K system using the MingW port of the GCC compiler
5) Linux on Fedora Core 8, 32 bit using gcc
6) Linux on Fedora Core 8, 64 bit using gcc
7) Apple OSX 10.3 PPC using gcc
8) Apple OSX 10.4 Intel using gcc
9) Apple OSX 10.5 Intel using gcc
It is also known to run on:
MSWindows 2000, XP, Vista & Windows 7 32 bit.
MSWindows Vista 64bit & Windows 7 64bit (But a code signing workaround is needed to make USB instruments accessible.)
Linux Ubuntu 7.10
Linux Kubuntu 7.10
Linux Mandriva 2008.0
Linux OpenSuSE 10.3
Linux Whitebox 4.2/2
Apple OSX 10.6 Intel

but may well compile and run correctly in many more than this.

This is a command line terminal only environment. Those unfamiliar with command line environments should consult an appropriate tutorial for their environment if they are interested in using this software. See the listing of tutorials below.
The following color measuring instruments are directly supported:
X-Rite:
DTP20 "Pulse" - "swipe" type reflective spectrometer, that can be used untethered.
DTP22 Digital Swatchbook - spot type reflective spectrometer.
DTP41 - spot and strip reading reflective spectrometer.
DTP41T - spot and strip reading reflective/transmissive spectrometer.
DTP51 - strip reading reflective colorimeter.
DTP92 - CRT display colorimeter.
DTP94 "Optix XR" or "Optix XR2" or "Optix Pro"- display colorimeter.
ColorMunki Design or Photo - spot and "swipe" reflective/emissive spectrometer (UV cut only).
ColorMunki Create - display colorimeter.
Gretag-Macbeth (now X-Rite):
Spectrolino - spot reflective/emissive spectrometer.
SpectroScan - spot reflective/emissive, XY table reflective spectrometer .
SpectroScanT - spot reflective/emissive/transmissive, XY table reflective spectrometer.
Eye-One Pro "EFI ES-1000" - spot and "swipe" reflective/emissive spectrometer.
Eye-One Monitor - spot and "swipe" emissive spectrometer.
Eye-One Display 1 or 2 or LT - display colorimeter.
Huey - display colorimeter.
Sequel imaging (Now X-Rite):
MonacoOPTIX - display colorimeter (Treated as an Eye-One Display 1)
[The Sequel Chroma 4 may also work.]
DataColor ColorVision:
Spyder 2 - display colorimeter (Note that the user must supply firmware)
[The Spyder 1 has also been reported as working.]
Spyder 3 - display colorimeter.
Other:
Colorimètre HCFR - display colorimeter
See Operation of particular instruments for more instrument specific detail.
Other instruments can be supported indirectly, since patch result files created by other packages can be imported into Argyll.

If you've decided to buy a color instrument because Argyll supports it, please let the dealer and manufacturer know that "You bought it because Argyll CMS supports it" - thanks.

Please direct any queries or problems regarding operation of color instruments in combination with Argyll, to the Author(s) of Argyll, and not to any other party.

## Copyright and Licensing:

Most of the source code and provided executable files are copyrighted works, licensed under the Affero GNU Version 3 license, and therefore they (or works derived from them) can't be copied, sold or made available to users interacting with them remotely through a computer network, without providing the source code. Nothing other than your agreement and compliance with the Affero GNU License grants you permission to use, modify or distribute Argyll source code, executables or its derivative works. You could be sued for copyright infringement if you use or distribute Argyll without a valid license. The Affero GNU license prohibits combining these utilities into any sort of package (i.e. by combining other programs or scripts that make use of, depend on, or work with the Argyll code) and distributing them, unless the other elements of the package are also made available under a GPL compatible license, since such packages are derived works. It is permissible to provide Argyll utilities with other non GPL components, if the elements of the package are not related, such that the packaging is mere aggregation. For all the gory details, please read the accompanying license.

Note that unlike many commercial ICC profiling tools, the profiles created using Argyll, are not subject to any claims or restrictions of Argyll's author(s), but are assumed to be the copyright property of the person who gathers the characterization data, and causes the profiles to be created.

The Argyll CMS is Copyright 1995 - 2009 Graeme W. Gill, and is made available under the terms of the Affero GNU General Public License Version 3, as detailed in the License.txt file. Documentation is licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3. The author asserts his moral rights over this material in relationship to the attribution and integrity of these works. In particular, if these works are modified in a way that materially changes their functionality, then the modified works should be renamed in a way that clearly distinguishes them from "Argyll" or "ArgyllCMS" so that the effects of such changes do not reflect on the original works integrity or the original authors reputation.

The utility spectro/spec2cie.c is Copyright 2005 Gerhard Fuernkranz, and is made available under the terms of the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later, and is licensed here under the Version 3 license, as detailed in the License3.txt file.

The utility spectro/average.c is Copyright 2008 Jordi Nodal and Graeme W. Gill, and is made available under the terms of the GNU General Public License Version 3 or later, as detailed in the License3.txt file.

The UNIX USB library libusb included in this distribution, is copyright Johannes Erdfelt, Thomas Sailer and Brad Hards, and is licensed under the GNU LGPL Version 2 or later. See libusb/LICENSE and libusb/COPYING for details.

The Win32 USB library libusb-win32, included in this distribution, is copyright Stephan Meyer, Johannes Erdfelt and Thomas Sailer, and is licensed under the GNU LGPL Version 2 or latter (the DLL) and GNU GPL Version 2 or later (the drivers, services, installer). See libusbw/License.txt, libusbw/COPYING_LGPL.txt and libusbw/COPYING_GPL.txt for details.

The icc library in icc/, the CGATS library in cgats/, the jcnf library in jcnf/, and the ucmm library in ucmm/ are Copyright 1995 - 2009 Graeme W. Gill, and available according to the "MIT" license granted in the icc/License.txt and cgats/License.txt files, and the licenses at the top of ucmm/ucmm.c and jcnf/jcnf.c.

The yajl library in jcnf/yajl is Copyright 2007-2009, Lloyd Hilaiel and is licensed according to the Berkeley-style License granted in the jcnf/yajl/COPYING files. The yajl library has been repackaged and modified slightly for convenience.

The TIFF library included in this distribution for convenience, has its own copyright and license detailed in tiff/COPYRIGHT (an "MIT"/"BSD" like license).

## What sort of project is this ? (re: contributions)

This is essentially my private project, that I've made available under GNU licensing conditions. Because I license my code under other licenses as well, there is a limit to what I will accept in the way of code contributions back into this project. For me to accept contributions into the distribution, it either has to be a non-core (side) project, or has to be offered to me with copyright conditions that are compatible with my other uses (i.e.. a "BSD" like license, or assigning or licensing the copyright to me).
Of course there is nothing to stop someone setting up a real free software, community project based on the GNU licensed code made available here, that would be able to take GNU licensed contributions from everyone and would essentially be a "fork" of this code base.

# Compiling

How to build the software from the source if you want to.
Note that you don't need to do this if you are using one of the binary installations.

# Installing

Important notes on installing the binary software on various platforms.

## Main Utilities and the command line

These are all command line ("DOS" shell) utilities, and each tool require appropriate options to be set, followed by filename arguments. Sometimes the filenames will have to include the usual extensions, sometimes they are implicit. To get a brief listing of the possible arguments and usage of any of the utilities, run it with just an "-?" argument, i.e. targen -? (or some other unrecognized flag, if the "?" character is treated specially in your shell, i.e. try "--" on OS X zsh).
Note that in general the arguments consist of possible flags or options followed by file name arguments. All arguments need to be separated by whitespace. (If you need to specify a string with embedded white space, double quote the string). A flag consists of a dash attached to a single letter, the letter identifying the flag, and is usually case sensitive. An option is a flag that has an associated parameter or parameters. The parameter can be separated from the flag by white space, or may come directly after the flag. So if a utility has a usage that looks like this:
utility -?
usage: utility [options] infile outfile
-v Verbose mode
-d n Choose a depth 0-4
-r Use a random depth
-f [nn] Use full range. nn optional range 0 - 100.
-M Manual
infile Input file
outfile Output file
then there are 5 flags/options, and two filename arguments. Notice that square braces [] denote optional items. The first flag/option is a flag. The second is an option that has a numerical argument in the range 0 to 4. The third is a flag. the fourth is an option with an optional argument. The fourth is a flag. The flags and options can generally be in any order, but must be before the file name arguments. (For a few special utilities you actually specify a sequence of flags and files where the flags apply just to the following file.) So example invocations may look like:
utility -v testin testout
utility -d3 -M testin1 testout2
utility -f infile outfile
utility -f 45 infile outfile
utility -d 3 -f67 infile outfile

In order to make use of the tools, it is necessary to keep track of where various files are, and what they are called. There are many possible ways of doing this. One way is to put each source profile and all its associated files (test charts, spectrometer values etc.) in one set of directories for each source profile type. Similarly the device profiles could be stored in a hierarchy of directories ordered by device type, media, resolution, device mode etc. Naturally you will want to set your $PATH so that you can run the tools from whichever directory you are in, as well as specify any necessary directory paths for file arguments so that the tools are able to open them.

Note that there are two ways the Argyll utilities deal with filename extensions. In one you supply the extension (ie. you supply the whole file name), so the extension is up to you. In the other (used where one name is used for input and output files, or where there are multiple output files), the program adds the extension. In the documentation this should be indicated by calling it a "base name".

Those unfamiliar with command line environments should consult an appropriate tutorial for their environment if they are interested in using this software:

MS Windows :
<http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial76.html>
<http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1723&page=1>
<http://tnd.com/camosun/elex130/dostutor1.html>
To find more: <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=windows+command+prompt+tutorial>
OS X:
<http://www.osxfaq.com/Tutorials/LearningCenter/>
<http://www.atomiclearning.com/macosxterminalx.shtml>
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/mac/2001/12/14/terminal_one.html>
To find more: <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=OS+X+shell+tutorial>
Linux:
<http://www.linuxcommand.org/index.php>
<http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/shell.html>
<http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/>
To find more: <http://www.google.com/search?q=linux+command+line+shell+tutorial>

Note that since OS X is based on UNIX, there is much in common between the OS X and Linux command line environments, and many of the UNIX tutorials may be useful:

<http://www.rain.org/~mkummel/unix.html>

## Tutorial: Typical usage scenarios and examples

A guided tour of the major utilities, applied to typical CMS jobs, such as calibrating displays, creating device profiles, calibrating printers, linking profiles, and converting color spaces of raster files.

### Topical Discussions

Discussions about particular topics:
About Fluorescent Whitening Agent compensation
Operation of particular instruments
About ICC profiles and Gamut Mapping
About display monitor settings and targets
About display "Gamma"
What's the difference between Calibration and Characterization ?
My blacks get crushed on my display - why ? How do I fix it ?

## Main Utilities by category:

### Calibrating devices

dispcal Adjust, calibrate and profile a display.
printcal Create a printer calibration .cal file from a .ti3 data file.

### Creating test targets for profiling or print calibration

targen Generate a profiling test target values .ti1 file.
filmtarg Create film recorder TIFF files from Argyll .ti1 file.
printtarg Create a PS, EPS or TIFF file containing test patch values, ready for printing.

### Obtaining test results for profiling or print calibration

chartread Read a test chart using an instrument to create a .ti3 data file.
dispread Test and read colorimetric values from a display
filmread Read film colorimetric values using a SpectroScanT (Deprecated ?)
scanin Convert a TIFF image of a test chart into .ti3 device values.
fakeread Fake the reading of a device using an ICC or MPP profile.
synthread Fake the reading of a device using a synthetic device model.
cb2cgats Convert Colorblind format CMY/RGB test chart into Argyll .ti3 CGATS format.
kodak2cgats Convert Kodak Colorflow format CMYK test chart into Argyll .ti3 CGATS format.
logo2cgats Convert Gretag/Logo or X-Rite ColorPort format RGB or CMYK test chart results into Argyll .ti3 CGATS format.
fakeCMY Create a fake Argyll .ti3 CMY data file from a CMYK profile, as a basis of creating a CMY to CMYK separation
average Average / Merge two measurement data files

### Creating Device Profiles

colprof Create an ICC profile from the .ti3 test data.
mpprof Create a Model Printer Profile (MPP) from the .ti3 test data.
sepgen IN DEVELOPMENT Create a CMY[K] to device colorant separation.
revfix Regenerate a device profiles B2A table data by inverting the A2B table.

### Creating Device Link Profiles

collink Link two device ICC profiles to create a device link profile.

### Converting colors or applying print calibration

cctiff Color convert a TIFF file using a sequence of ICC device, device link, abstract profiles and calibration files.
applycal Apply calibration curves to an ICC profile.
icclu Lookup individual color values through any ICC profile table.
xicclu Lookup individual color values forward or inverted though an ICC profile table.
mpplu Lookup individual color values though an MPP profile. Also create MPP gamut files/views.
greytiff Convert a TIFF file to monochrome using an ICC device profile

### Color Tweaking tools

refine Creates an abstract profile from two chart readings, useful for refining proofing profiles.

### Creating gamut views

iccgamut Create a gamut file or VRML file of the color gamut of an ICC profile.
tiffgamut Create a gamut file or VRML file of the color gamut of a TIFF image.
viewgam Convert one or more gamuts into a VRML 3D visualization file. Compute an intersection.

### Diagnostic and test utilities

iccdump Dump the contents of an ICC profile as text.
profcheck Check an ICC profile against .ti3 test chart data.
invprofcheck Check ICC forward against inverse lookup.
splitscgats Split a CGATS file (ie. a .ti3) into two parts randomly to verify profiling.
timage Create TIFF test images.
mppcheck Check an MPP profile against .ti3 test chart data.
spotread Use an instrument to read a single spot color value.
verify Verify matching of CIE in two .ti3 files (also view differences as VRML)
synthcal Create a synthetic input, display or output calibration (.cal)file.

### Other Utilities

extracticc Extract an embedded ICC profile from a TIFF file.
extractttag Extract a text tag (ie. CGATS .ti3 data or CAL) from an ICC profile.
dispwin Install or uninstall display profile, set display calibration from profile or .cal file, test displace and dispwin access to a display.
spec2cie Convert spectral .ti3 readings into CIE XYZ or L*a*b* readings. Apply FWA, plot spectrums.
spyd2en A special purpose utility that enables the Spyder 2 colorimeter.

## Main Utilities Alphabetic Listing:

applycal Apply calibration curves to an ICC profile.
average Average / Merge two measurement data files
cb2cgats Convert Colorblind format CMY/RGB test chart into Argyll .ti3 CGATS format.
cctiff Color convert a TIFF file using a sequence of ICC device, device link, abstract profiles and calibration files.
chartread Read a test chart using an instrument to create a .ti3 data file.
collink Link two device ICC profiles to create a device link profile.
colprof Create an ICC profile from the .ti3 test data.
dispcal Adjust, calibrate and profile a display.
dispread Test and read colorimetric values from a display
dispwin Install or uninstall display profile, set display calibration from profile or .cal file, test displace and dispwin access to a display.
extracticc Extract an embedded ICC profile from a TIFF file.
extractttag Extract a text tag (ie. CGATS .ti3 data or CAL) from an ICC profile.
fakeCMY Create a fake Argyll .ti3 CMY data file from a CMYK profile, as a basis of creating a CMY to CMYK separation
fakeread Fake the reading of a device using an ICC or MPP profile.
filmread Read film colorimetric values using a SpectroScanT (Deprecated ?)
filmtarg Create film recorder TIFF files from Argyll .ti1 file.
greytiff Convert a TIFF file to monochrome using an ICC device profile
iccdump Dump the contents of an ICC profile as text.
iccgamut Create a gamut file or VRML file of the color gamut of an ICC profile.
icclu Lookup individual color values through any ICC profile table.
invprofcheck Check ICC forward against inverse lookup.
kodak2cgats Convert Kodak Colorflow format CMYK test chart into Argyll .ti3 CGATS format.
logo2cgats Convert Gretag/Logo or X-Rite ColorPort format RGB or CMYK test chart results into Argyll .ti3 CGATS format.
mppcheck Check an MPP profile against .ti3 test chart data.
mpplu Lookup individual color values though an MPP profile. Also create MPP gamut files/views.
mpprof Create a Model Printer Profile (MPP) from the .ti3 test data.
printcal Create a printer calibration .cal file from a .ti3 data file.
printtarg Create a PS, EPS or TIFF file containing test patch values, ready for printing.
profcheck Check an ICC profile against .ti3 test chart data.
refine Creates an abstract profile from two chart readings, useful for refining proofing profiles.
revfix Regenerate a device profiles B2A table data by inverting the A2B table.
scanin Convert a TIFF image of a test chart into .ti3 device values.
sepgen IN DEVELOPMENT Create a CMY[K] to device colorant separation.
spec2cie Convert spectral .ti3 readings into CIE XYZ or L*a*b* readings. Apply FWA, plot spectrums.
splitscgats Split a CGATS file (ie. a .ti3) into two parts randomly to verify profiling.
spotread Use an instrument to read a single spot color value.
spyd2en A special purpose utility that enables the Spyder 2 colorimeter.
synthcal Create a synthetic input, display or output calibration (.cal)file.
synthread Fake the reading of a device using a synthetic device model.
targen Generate a profiling test target values .ti1 file.
tiffgamut Create a gamut file or VRML file of the color gamut of a TIFF image.
timage Create TIFF test images.
verify Verify matching of CIE in two .ti3 files (also view differences as VRML)
viewgam Convert one or more gamuts into a VRML 3D visualization file. Compute an intersection.
xicclu Lookup individual color values forward or inverted though an ICC profile table.

## Performance Tuning

Performance hints.

## Overview

Overview of the software and its aims and functionality.

## Limitations

Limitations of the current functionality.

## Organization

How directories are organized, what they contain.

## Source

Any detailed documentation on how the software works, or what algorithms it is based on. (Very incomplete.)

## Minor Utilities

A very brief description of minor utilities and test harnesses.

## File formats that Argyll uses

Argyll uses a number of file formats for its operation, some that are external standards, and some that are unique to Argyll.
.ti1 Device test values
.ti2 Device test values & chart layout
.ti3 Device test values & CIE tristimulus/spectral results Format details.
.cal Device calibration information. Format details.
.cht Test chart recognition template. Format details.
.gam 3D gamut surface description
.sp Illuminant spectral description
CGATS Standard text based data exchange format
ICC International Color Consortium profile format
MPP Model device profile format
TIFF Tag Image File Format raster files.
VRML Virtual Reality Modelling Language 3D file format.
ucmm Unix micro Color Management Module convention and configuration file format.

## Errors, Corrections and Omissions:

If you notice any errors, corrections needed or omissions in the current documentation, please contact the author.