KB131990329: Imaging Engine - How to migrate screens (HD screens and SCR screens) with the Screen Migration Tool 14.0

Description

Since Automation Engine 14.x, screens can be stored centrally on an Automation Engine Server. On this central server, the screens are stored in the shared folder bg_data_screens_v020. Since Automation Engine14.x, we also introduced a new unified RIP (Adobe APPE based PixelMachine), which can only use screens that are stored under this new folder bg_data_screens_v020.

So when upgrading to Automation Engine 14, screens will need to be migrated from the local screen folder bg_data_screens_v010 (on FlexRIP) to the new bg_data_screens_v020 folder (shared or locally).

Static screens will be installed automatically on this new screens folder when installing the screens kit that comes with the Automation Engine 14 DVD. However, user installed screens that are generated from HDFlexo (HD01, HD02, ...) or ScreenManager (SCR01, SCR02, ...) need to be migrated to this new folder also.

To avoid that you need to copy those screens manually from bg_data_screens_v010 to the new _v020 folder, we created the Screen Migration Tool.
This tool in earlier versions than 14.1, is part of ScreenManager. Customers having HD Flexo Screens but not having Screen Manager need to request a temporary license for Screen Manager 14 (please contact your local Support). From v14.1 onwards (June 2015), we have a separate Screen migration Tool where no license will be needed anymore. See the Screen Migration Tool 14.1 Release Notes on the Imaging Engine Installer (in Documentation/Release Notes) for detailed information.

The tool will migrate HD Flexo Screens and Screen Manager screens that are installed on an old screens folder to the new (locally or centralized) bg_data_screens_v020 folder.

Important to know is that this migration tools not just copy the screen files to the new folder but also regenerates the screen to that new folder. As a consequence, it is possible that some screens cannot be migrated (e.g. HDFlexo screens that were generated from an older database that no longer exists on the HDFlexo database installed on the new folder).

Procedure

Before using the Screen Migration tool, you need to perform a few steps if you have HD Flexo Screens. In case you have only customized screens made with Screen Manager you can skip the part about HD Flexo Screens and go directly to 'Screen Migration tool'.

When you have HD Flexo Screens:

1. Before you upgrade, check if you have obsoleted screens in HD Flexo Screen Generator v12.x.
   All these obsolete screens cannot be migrated because they are 'old' and they don't exist any longer in the newer HDFlexo database. The migration tool does not know how to regenerate them. In most cases, an obsolete screen has a better equivalent newer version, or that obsolete screen is moved to another screen set (e.g. from 'medium volume' to 'Flexibles').
   
   If you still want to use these screens, you'll have to use these screen with your old Rip (FlexRip or NexusRip).

   In case of FlexRip: FlexRip still look to the bg_data_screens_v010 folder and hence these obsolete screens are still available on FlexRIP.
   When trying to migrate an obsolete HD screen with the migration tool, an error will be generated (Error: no record found ...).
2. Since the migration tool is regenerating the HD screens, they must be known in the HDFlexo database installed on the _v020 folder. So before you upgrade, make sure that the HDFlexo database used by HD12.x matches the HDFlexo database installed on the V020 folder. This also means that you have to be sure that possible HDFlexo FTD Addon packages used on HD12.x are also installed on HD14.x (V020 folder).
   You can check the HDFlexo 12.x application version and HDFlexo Database version in the About box.
   If you don't know which Add-ons are installed, you can contact CDI Support in Itzehoe.
   
   
   Guidelines on database versions:
   
   The HDFlexo main database version is indicated by the 1st two digits of the DB name. This main database version is incremented most of the time a new HDFlexo application version is installed.
   In the above 'about' box you can see that the DB version used on HD12.1.2 is '4200'. This indicates that main database version is '42'. Any database equal or higher than this number should be compatible with this version. HD14.0 comes with main database version DB4400, so this version is compatible with DB4200.
   
   The HDFlexo FTD Addon version is indicated with the 3rd and 4th digit in the DB number.
   e.g. DB4201 indicates that an FTD addon is installed (the addon version is '01').
   The type of the addon that is installed can be derived from that number.
   There are currently five FTD addon packages available with the following version numbers:
• Full HDFlexo: FTD addon versions can be from 01 to 09
• Dupont Digiflow: FTD addon versions can be from 11 to 19
• MacDermid LUX: FTD addon versions can be from 21 to 29
• Flint NExT: FTD addon versions can be from 31 to 39
• ALL FTD Addon: includes all the screen sets available in 4 addon's mentioned above. When the 'ALL addon' version is installed, the FTD version number can be from 91 to 99.
  
  

3. After upgrading HD Flexo Screens to v14.x, make sure HD Flexo is pointing to the correct screens folder.
   
   
   
   If this is not the case, check this KB article to make it look to the bg_data_screens_v020 folder:

   Content by label

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   It sometimes happens that you get an error message when opening HD Flexo: ‘Error in loading HD flexo screens database, and no database update found. Please re-install HD Flexo Screens'. The reason is that there is no SCR_LICFILE.dat yet. After pointing to the correct screens_v020 folder, just reopen your HD Flexo app, and you should not have the error anymore.

   In some other cases it might be needed to re-install the HD Flexo app. In worst case, remove the HD Flexo app 14 and re-install.

4. In HD Flexo Screens v14.x, make sure the same Add-on is installed. Add-ons can be found on ftp://c63ftp:jutrezU5@ftp.esko.com/HDFlexo or https://esko.box.com/HD-Flexo.
   (Esko internal: S:\RND-SW-SPOTON-GENT\HD Flexo)

Screen Migration Tool

What does the Screen Migration tool support?

How to use the Screen Migration tool

1. Start the Screen Manager.
2. Check if the Screen Manager is looking into the new bg_data_screens_v020 folder (you can see that at the top of the window). See the screenshot above about the HD Flexo Screen application (same behaviour).
   If this is not the case, check this KB article to make it look to the bg_data_screens_v020 folder:
   Content by label

   There is no content with the specified labels

3. Go to the Screen menu and select 'Migrate Screens', you will get a window similar to the one as shown below:
4. At the top (red box) you define the server name where the current screens are located (FlexRip Server or PC where the HD Flexo Screens 12.x are installed). As FlexRip should have been upgraded to v14 already, the folder 'bg_data_screens_v010' is shared. For a NexusRip with HD Screens, you will have to manually share the folder 'bg_data_screens_v010' on the PC where the HD Flexo Screens app is installed.
5. The 'Migrate to' field (green box) is already filled and is greyed out because this is the Automation Engine Server (defined by the BG_SERVER).
6. In the Screens overview, you will find a list of screens that can be migrated. When you select all the screens, you will see to which new code they might be migrated (blue box) + also a migrate status. When you want to start the migration, click the green box at the bottom of the window. This will regenerate the screens. If you have a long list, this can take a long time.

Once the screens are migrated, you will be able to use them in the Imaging Engine tickets (Separations tab in 'Dot').

For further information on this tool, please contact your local Support.