How many computers can I install the software on?

A Spark for Ricoh DTG software activation license allows a single installation. If you need to purchase additional licenses, contact your distributor.

How do I transfer the license from my old computer to my new one?

You can deactivate the license from the current computer so that it is freed up for use on another computer. Select Start–All Programs–Spark–Spark for AnaJet Activator, and click Deactivate on the Activator dialog. The Spark installation will be deactivated on the current computer, and you will be able to install it on a different computer by re-using your current Activation Serial Number.
For detailed instructions on deactivation, please see “Deactivating Spark” in the Spark for Ricoh DTG User’s Guide.

How do I save artwork in the design software?

To save a design as an image in .png or .tif formats, click on the Save As Image command on the menu bar. Please note: This will place all design elements into a single layer that is non-editable in the future.

You may want to save a design as a Layout. Layouts are design files that can contain text and images in a specific layout. Layouts are especially useful in creating a large number of designs based on a single theme. For instance, if you need to print out a number of shirts with the same image but different names and numbers, a Layout makes this job very easy to do.

Once your design is final, click on the Save tool from the toolbar; then, from the drop-down list, select ‘Save as Layout’.

How do I print from the design software?

When your design is complete and ready to be printed on a product, use the Print command. The Print command is found in the top menu of the design software. The Print command opens the Print dialog, which allows you to output the design in the format compatible with your printer.

What types of artwork files can I use in the design software?

The following artwork formats are supported in Spark for Ricoh DTG software: .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .eps, .pdf, .png, and .tif.

How do I add my own artwork/design category?

The Design Categories page allows you to set up the categories for designs in the Studio Design Gallery. You can create new categories and assign them within the existing categories; or, create a new category at the top level.

To add a new category to the Design Gallery:

1. Open the Design Categories page.

2. Click the New link.

3. In the Parent field, select the path to the category you want the new category to belong to; for example, if you want to place it within Elements of Style, select Root/Elements of Style.

4. In the Name field, type in a name for the New category.

5. Check Active to have the new category appear in the design software; if left unchecked the category will be saved in the Administrator, but will not appear in the design software.

6. Click the Add button.

The new category will now appear in the Category tree on the left; also, this new category will now be available to add designs to on the Designs page. If you wish to have this category appear in Spark for Ricoh DTG, check the Active box and click Update.

How do I add artwork/designs that I already own into the software?

To add a new Design to the Gallery:

1. On the Designs page, click New.

2. In the Category drop-down list, select the category in the Design Gallery to add the design to.

3. Type a name for the design in the Name field.

4. Enter any keywords to associate with the design. These words will be used for searching the Image Catalog.

5. Input a Price to associate with the Image.

6. Click Browse; you will see the “Choose file to upload” window.

7. Navigate to the directory containing the desired image file, and select the file you want to upload.

8. Check Active to have the design appear in the Design Gallery on Spark for Ricoh DTG software.

9. Click Submit.

10. When Spark is next synchronized, the new design will appear in the specified place in the Design Gallery.

How do I add a new product in the design software?

You can add new products to display in the Spark design software. These can be added to the database using the Products page in the Administrator. Access the Administrator by clicking on the Start Menu, and then selecting All Programs–Spark for AnaJet–Spark for AnaJet Administrator.

To add a new product to the list:

1. Click the New button.

2. Fill in the following:

• A name for the new product.

• The unit price for the new product.

3. Check the Active checkbox to have the new product available in Spark.

4. Click Add.

5. Synchronize or restart Spark; the product will now be available.

Configuring the new product:

Once the new product has been created, it needs to be configured before it can be used by Spark for Ricoh DTG. In order for products to be usable, you must assign each one of the following attributes:

A Category (or Categories), Colors, Sizes, and Sides. Also, each combination of side and color must be configured. This is also done on the products page - when you select a side, you will see a new area open at that lower right of the Product page, showing fields for filling in the attributes of the side that is selected.

How can I add my own fonts into the design software?

You can view all available fonts on the Fonts page of your Spark for Ricoh DTG Administrator. The Fonts page also allows you to upload new TrueType® fonts, and to insert a custom image of the font to display in the fonts gallery of the Spark for Ricoh DTG designer.

To add a new TrueType® font:

1. Go to the Fonts page in your Spark for Ricoh DTG Administrator, and select a category from the drop down list; this will determine which category the font will appear under in the Fonts gallery.

2. Click the browse button at the end of the Name field. A new field appears.

3. Click in the “Select a True Type font” field to display the list of TrueType Fonts available in your system; click on the font name to select it.

4. Check the Active box to enable the font within the Font catalog; uncheck to keep it hidden.

5. (Optional) Click the Browse button (to the right of the Image field) to upload an image to represent the font in the font catalog. If you add a font without performing this step, Spark for Ricoh DTG will automatically create an image icon for the added font.

   Note: Only .jpg, .png, or .gif files may be used for the font image.

6. Click Submit.

    

The new font will appear in the font Gallery when Spark for Ricoh DTG software is synchronized.

How do I create a Proposal Sheet?

The Proposal tool in the Spark for Ricoh DTG is a quick way to generate a price Proposal for a job. This feature consists of a form, which includes a table. The table has spaces for relevant data, such as the product type, the quantity to be printed, the applicable taxes, and so on. When you click the Update Price button, the dialog automatically calculates the total.

After all the relevant information has been entered, you can print the Proposal, or save it as a PDF.

Setting up the Proposal Sheet:

1. Select a garment from the Products tab, and create a design on it.

2. On the Spark toolbar, click the Proposal button.

   You see the Save layout dialog.

3. Enter a name for the template, select the category to save it in, and click OK.

   A new proposal sheet will open, showing a preview of the current design.

4. On the Proposal sheet, input the customer and design information, as required. For a complete description of how to fill in the Proposal sheet, see “Preparing a Proposal Sheet” in the User’s Guide. 

How do I change the price on my Proposal template?

When the Proposal dialog opens, the first row of the Pricing Description will show the product information of the current product that is open in the Spark for Ricoh DTG software. You can add other products to the Proposal, or modify the parameters of the original product. The master unit price is set in the Administrator, but you can choose to modify it on an individual basis in the Proposal dialog by selecting it and typing in a new value.

How do I include my company logo with my Proposal?

To add a Company logo to the Proposal:

1. Save the logo as an image file to your computer; note that the logo file must be in .jpg, .gif, or .png format.

2. Open the Settings dialog in Spark, and select the Proposal tab.

3. Under Display Company logo, click Browse.

   You see the “Select file to upload...” dialog.

4. Browse to find the logo image file, and select it.

5. Click Open.

   Your logo will now appear in the Proposal dialog.

What are the system requirements?

The following are the requirements for installing the Spark for Ricoh DTG Administrator and Spark for Ricoh DTG Library:

• Genuine Intel® Pentium® V, dual-core computer (or better).
  (Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries).

• Operating system - Windows® 8 (32 or 64 bit) or Windows® 7 (32 or 64 bit) with Service Pack 1.
  Important: For installations on Windows 7, note that Spark for Ricoh DTG will operate on the Home Premium edition (or higher); it cannot be installed on Home Starter and Home Basic editions.

• 50 GB free disk space

• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 & Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0

• MySQL™ Server 5.5

• MySQL™ Connector ODBC (x86)

• MySQL™ Connector NET 6.4.4 (x86)

• 4 GB of RAM

In addition, the installer will check for the following components. If any of them are not already on the host computer, the missing components will be installed automatically.

• Internet Information Services

• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 & Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0

• MySQL Server 5.5

• MySQL Connector ODBC (x86)

• MySQL Connector NET 6.4.4 (x86)

Is the Spark for Ricoh DTG software compatible with Windows Vista®?

Spark for Ricoh DTG is not compatible with Windows Vista®. It is compatible with Windows® 7 and Windows® 8.

Is Spark for Ricoh DTG software Mac™ compatible?

Spark for Ricoh DTG software has been developed as a Windows® product and is recommended to be used in a Windows® environment.

Do I have to be connected to the internet to use the software?

Spark for Ricoh DTG software needs an internet connection for activation of the serial number. However, you do not have to maintain the internet connection after the activation has occurred.