Software Imaging Brings High Performance & Flexibility to XPSDrv Printer Driver Solutions

The latest release of PrintMagicXPS™ eases the integration of the Stream Interface into an XPSDrv driver while maintaining the flexibility of the XPS Document Interface

Oxford, United Kingdom – July 25, 2007 – Software Imaging has announced the general availability of its latest release of the leading XPS raster image processor (RIP), PrintMagicXPS, to software developers and printer OEMs worldwide.

The new PrintMagicXPS 1.2 release simplifies the creation of XPSDrv drivers that utilize the Microsoft Stream Interface in the XPS filter pipeline. The Microsoft Stream Interface offers significant performance advantages and, as the new PrintMagicXPS offers an interface similar to the XPS Document Interface, OEMs using PrintMagicXPS can take advantage of the Stream Interface with no loss in flexibility.

This latest release also enhances the flexibility of the PrintMagicXPS RIP by adding features that are often used by printer manufacturers, including per-object color matching and a new plug-in architecture. Per-object color matching allows the OEM or end-user to control the color matching intent or ICC profile depending on the graphic object attributes (e.g. the type of fill or graphic operation). The new plug-in architecture gives software developers complete control of the blending process which can be used for custom blending operations or page content analysis.

PrintMagicXPS 1.2 provides a level of accuracy and fidelity not supported by other solutions and is made available in a Software Development Kit (SDK) that enables fast XPSDrv print driver creation for Windows Vista.

New features in version 1.2 include:

• A new sample application, provided in source code, that runs natively on Windows XP or Windows Vista
• An updated sample XPSDrv driver, provided in source code, that supports both Stream Interface and Document Interfaces in a single binary
• Support for easy implementation of per-object color matching in an XPSDrv
• Support for blender plug-ins to customize for unique OEM requirements

"PrintMagicXPS brings the additional performance gains achievable through use of the Stream Interface but also allows easy integration of existing document filters within the stream filter. This new flexibility brings real benefits to customers already engaged in XPSDrv development," stated Jon Williams, Group Product Manager for Software Imaging. "The new feature extensions and blender plugin architecture also provide flexibility that makes it easy to use PrintMagicXPS to drive special technology requirements."

PrintMagicXPS is delivered in a powerful SDK that makes it easy to integrate the PrintMagicXPS RIP quickly into OEM solutions. The sample solutions and source code provided with the PrintMagicXPS SDK demonstrate how easy it is to integrate PrintMagicXPS into software projects. These samples show working examples of PrintMagicXPS's support for hi-fidelity 16-bit rendering.

"Our customers look to us to make the latest advancements in printing technology, like XPS, available to them in a way that eliminates the need for ground-up development projects that inevitably last longer and cost more than they originally planned," explained Kevin Jampole , Vice President Sales & Marketing for Software Imaging. "PrintMagicXPS 1.2 will allow customers to reduce their time-to-market and development costs while helping them implement the highest quality and performance possible in their Vista-based products."

PrintMagicXPS features include:

Full support for…

• Microsoft's XPS 1.0 specification
• WCS Color matching on Windows Vista
• Wide gamut input color spaces, including scRGB
• Wide gamut output color spaces
• Third-party Color Matching Modules (CMMs)
• Third-party Blender plug-ins
• Down-level color matching for Windows XP
• Per-object color matching
• Stream and Document interface XPSDrvs

Rendering to…

• Any required output resolution (600dpi, 720dpi, 1200dpi, etc.)
• Non-square resolutions (720x1440dpi, 600x400dpi, etc.)
• 8- or 16-bit/channel color depths for maximum accuracy
• Any required number of bands

The PrintMagicXPS SDK features…

• Easy to implement PrintMagicXPS XPS RIP rendering library
• Comprehensive doxygen generated documentation for the PrintMagicXPS library
• Annual support contracts including software updates

Along with full source code projects for…

• XPS rasterizing command line based RIP (fully native code, no managed component)
• XPS rasterizing command line based RIP (Utilizing Managed code and the .Net 3 Framework for document part control)
• Microsoft Windows Vista XPSDrv printer driver supporting both Stream and Document interfaces

The PrintMagicXPS DDK for application and driver integration is available for licensing today. For more information visit softwareimaging.com/xps

About Software Imaging

Software Imaging is well respected as one of the most influential and reliable technology providers in the print and imaging industry.

For over twenty years the company has been at the forefront of global graphics innovation in print and imaging software, delivering significant time-to-market and cost advantages to customers through its Printer Driver Technologies, Embedded Systems and Specialty Applications. Software Imaging is the Microsoft development partner for Unidrv and with the launch of Windows Vista continues to work with Microsoft on the new XPS document format.

Headquartered in the UK with offices worldwide, Software Imaging licenses technology to the world's largest suppliers of printers, digital copiers, and print-related services.

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