Troubleshooting. GLOBAL GRAPHICS SOFTWARE Navigator RIP version 8.1

Appendix A

0

Troubleshooting

This appendix provides solutions to common problems that can occur when running the RIP.

The first sections contain information about the warning messages that can appear. They are grouped according to where the messages appear in the RIP.

Section A.1, “Warning messages and what to do”, gives a list of some of the major error mes-

sages that may occur when running the RIP. All of the messages in this section appear in dialog boxes.

Section A.2, “Warnings in the Navigator RIP window”, describes the warnings that appear in

the system monitor. They are grouped according to the type of problem.

Section A.3, “Warnings within the progress box”, describes the messages that appear in the

progress box. The progress box is part of the Output Controller in either of the multiple modes, or a separate window in either of the single modes. This list does not include the warnings generated by output plugins.

The remaining sections provide additional information on specific topics.

“Page imposition and media saving” on page 381 contains information on imposition and media

saving.

“Seybold timings” on page 381 describes Seybold test timings.

“TIFF/IT troubleshooting” on page 382 describes solutions to problems when imaging TIFF/IT

files.

“PDF troubleshooting” on page 383 describes solutions to problems when imaging PDF jobs.

“Network troubleshooting” on page 387 describes solutions to network problems when config-

uring the RIP.

“Spool folder problems and considerations” on page 388 describes how to set the access permis-

sions for the spool folder.

A.1 Warning messages and what to do

The following is a list of some of the major error messages that may occur when running the RIP. All of the messages in this section appear in dialog boxes.

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A.1.1 Problems with starting the Navigator RIP

Table A.1 Start-up messages

Message

The RIP failed on bootup

The RIP startup failed

Superpro dongle not plugged in or invalid

Fatal error: Fatal security device failure

Problem

An error has occurred while the RIP was starting up.

An error occurred while starting up the RIP.

Something concerning the dongle is incorrect.

Things to try

Reset the RIP to the factory defaults.

Reset the RIP to the factory defaults. Reboot the machine. If this does not help, reinstall the RIP.

Check that the dongle is installed and plugged-in correctly.

Check that the Sentinel device drivers have been installed and started. If this does not help, shut the PC down, disconnect the dongle completely, and reconnect it. Power-up the PC again. If these suggestions fail, you may have an invalid or a failed dongle.

A.1.2 Problems with resources

Table A.2 Resource messages

Message

Could not access a resource for the current plugin device driver

Problem

The plugin driver for the current device seems to have been moved.

Could not access a Setup resource

There are no devices installed in the setup file

The setup file has been corrupted or is missing.

There are no devices installed in the devices folder.

Things to try

Reset the RIP to the factory defaults.

Move a copy of the device driver into SW\Devices.

Reset the RIP to the factory defaults.

Reinstall the RIP.

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A.1.3 Problems with files

Table A.3 File messages

Message

Could not open the newly created RIP setup file

File too deeply buried inside directories

Move it somewhere else

Incompatible version of the

RIP setup file used/

Old RIP setup file used

Problem finding file— maybe disk is damaged

Problem

This probably means that there are too many other files open.

The file pathname is too long for the RIP to cope with.

The setup file you are using is associated with a different version of the software.

The RIP cannot find a file.

Things to try

Close some files.

Move the file that you are trying to access to a point higher up in the file system so that the full pathname becomes shorter.

Find and install a copy of the correct setup file that was supplied with the version of the RIP that you are running (this file must be placed in the SW folder) or reinstall the RIP.

Try running a disk repair utility.

A.1.4 Problems with sockets

Table A.4 Socket messages

Message

No communication

Problem

Suspect a bad configuration in the receiving or sending application.

Things to try

Check that both applications are using the same port and that the sending application is using the expected protocol: basic TCP/IP socket stream or Xinet PapConnect, as configured in the Socket

Configuration dialog box.

Next check the network connectivity using ping or an equivalent network utility program.

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Table A.4 Socket messages (Continued)

Message

Bad jobs at the receiving end

Missing, bad, or corrupted status messages at the sending machine

Poor transfer rates

Problem

The sending application may not be using the correct protocol.

The Socket plugin or the port is not configured correctly.

An inappropriate protocol may be in use.

Things to try

Check that the sending application is using the expected protocol: basic

TCP/IP socket stream or

Xinet PapConnect. Check that no other machine is already using the same port and sending something that is not a PostScript language job.

Check that the sending application is using the expected protocol.

Check that the RIP Socket plugin is configured to return the PostScript language standard output on the correct port (Address).

Check that no other machine is already using the same port and sending something that is not the standard output from a PostScript language job.

Deselect the Xinet protocol in the Socket Configuration dialog box and the sending application. Xinet PapConnect does significant error checking, which slows transfers and may be unnecessary for most jobs.

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A.2 Warnings in the Navigator RIP window

The following warnings all appear as messages in the Navigator RIP window. Again, the warnings are grouped here according to the type of problem.

A.2.1 Problems involving disk space

Table A.5 Disk space messages

Message

System warning—Insufficient Disk workspace

Things to try

Create more free disk space before reprocessing the job that gave the warning.

Error VMerror Offending

Command: renderbands

System Warning: Free disk space gone below requested limit

This appears after a partial paint fails.

Make sure that compression is turned on in Configure RIP.

If this does not help, free-up some disk space.

The RIP waits for some disk space to be freed.

This is not a fatal error. It can happen, for example, if the

RIP is outputting pages, or has pages waiting to be output in the Active Queue. When these pages have been output, they are deleted automatically and the RIP continues with its current job.

If there are no pages waiting to be output, free up disk space by doing some of the following things:

Delete some files.

Turn on page compression in the Configure RIP dialog box.

Reconfigure the PageBuffers folder by placing it on another disk with more free space.

Ensure that there are no locked pages in the Output Controller.

A.2.2 Problems involving fonts

Table A.6 Font messages

Message

Error: invalidfont; Offending Command: <command>

Things to try

Check that the RIP has installed the font correctly.

Try proofing the fonts using the Proof Fonts option on the

Fonts menu. If the font fails to proof it may be corrupt. If the fonts proof correctly, the job itself may be corrupt.

If any job requires a particular font which is not installed, the

RIP attempts to use Courier as a substitute.

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Table A.6 Font messages (Continued)

Message

<FontName> Font not found; using Courier

Courier Font not found; using Courier

Things to try

The font specified in the PostScript language file is not actually loaded into the RIP. Courier is the default font in this case.

If this message appears, the RIP currently has no fonts loaded at all. Use Install fonts to install some fonts—the minimum font set that must be installed is Courier, Times,

Helvetica, and Symbol. Alternatively, reinstall the RIP.

A.2.3 Problems involving files

Table A.7 File messages

Message

ERROR IN CONFIG FILE

Inappropriate compression

Things to try

The RIP failed to finish interpreting the file.

For example, you will see this message if you try to print a

TIFF file that is corrupt, unsupported, or of an unrecognized type.

This can also occur if a file in the spool folder is locked by another application. Close the file and try again.

This message appears if you try to print a file that has an inappropriate compression format. For example, a color or grayscale TIFF file with CCITT compression. CCITT compression is only suitable for monochrome TIFF files.

A.3 Warnings within the progress box

When appropriate, the progress box may show the following warning messages, together with the accompanying icons. The progress box is part of the Output Controller in either of the multiple modes, or a separate window in either of the single modes.

Output plugins can supply their own warnings and icons, which are not listed here.

Table A.8 Progress box messages

Buffer full

The page buffer on the output device is full

Buffer space low

The output device is running out of buffering memory

Busy

The output device is working on another job

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Table A.8 Progress box messages (Continued)

Busy or off-line

The output device is either busy or off-line

Communications failed

Communication between the RIP and the output device has either been broken or was never established

Cover open

The cover of the output device is open

Data transfer failed

Image data transfer between the RIP and the output device has either been broken or was never established

Data underrun

The output device has not received data from the RIP when it was expected

Deleted cassette

The required cassette has been deleted, in the Cassette

Manager.

Ink low

The ink supply to the output device is running low

Ink out

The ink supply to the output device has been exhausted

Interface card failed

Communication between the RIP and the interface card in the machine has either been broken or was never established

Invalid clipping

An invalid clipping was requested of the output device

Invalid resolution

An invalid image resolution was requested of the output device

Laser diode failed

The laser diode of the output device is not working satisfactorily

Low power

The output device is low on power

Misplaced cassette

The required cassette is in another output device.

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Table A.8 Progress box messages (Continued)

Missing cassette

There is no cassette in the output device

No cassette

The input media cassette requested is not available

No power

The output device has no power

No take-up cassette

There is no take-up cassette for the output device

Not ready

The device is not ready, for an unspecified reason—perhaps unknown or too complex to show. Look for an extra message in the Monitor window.

Off-line

The RIP cannot communicate with the output device

Page stop-started

The RIP has supplied data quickly enough, but the device has stop/started

Paper jam

Media has jammed in the output device

Paper low

The paper or film supply to the RIP output device is running low

Paper out

The paper or film supply to the output device has been exhausted

Printer caught up

There was a data underrun, and stop-start was either not selected or is not supported by the printing device

Take-up full

The take-up cassette is full

Take-up space low

Space in the take-up cassette for the device is running low

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Table A.8 Progress box messages (Continued)

Toner low

The toner supply to the’ output device is running low

Toner out

The toner supply to the output device has been exhausted

Unknown error

An unknown condition has caused an error

Warming up

The output device is preparing itself for communication with the

RIP

Wrong cassette

The wrong cassette is in the output device

A.4 Page imposition and media saving

On wide printers, using the media saving option (described under “Printing effects” on page 123) can

save both time and media. You must ensure that you set the media width for the cassette being used correctly, because it is the media width that is used to determine if the rotated page would fit on the

media. See “Monitoring media” on page 255 for details of how to set this information.

Some pages may have surplus white space at the sides, and this could mean that film saving will not rotate the page. You can force the rotation in the Edit Page Setup dialog box, and also tell the RIP to center the page if appropriate, so that only the white space is clipped.

It is possible to set up automatic operations such as printing 4-up or 8-up. This is done by adding fragments of PostScript language code into the system that specify where to lay out the pages. This could, for example, automatically fill a large sheet of film with pages. This form of imposition only works within a single job.

A.5 Seybold timings

The Seybold test timings have to cover a large range of resolutions, so, for example, two printers, with resolutions of 2000 and 2540 dpi respectively, would be compared to one another directly. However, remember that there is more data in a higher resolution bitmap—a 2540 dpi bitmap contains 62.29% more data than a 2000 dpi bitmap. The time taken to generate the 2540 dpi job, while probably not as much as 62% longer, is certainly substantially longer.

If you really must reduce timings to be comparable across different resolution printers, the only solution is to use the lowest resolution possible.

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A.6 TIFF/IT troubleshooting

Various problems may occur and warning messages may appear when imaging TIFF/IT files with the

RIP. These are described and explained below.

Missing, duplicated, or partial images

A typical page is described by several files, which can go missing or be in unexpected places.

The RIP finds files most quickly if the FP file and the subfiles are in the same folder. It helps to use the correct file extension for each file type.

Duplicated (partial) images may be the result of printing subfiles independently. Select only the

FP file, not its subfiles, when you want to print a final page.

Poor image quality

Files have an embedded resolution, which the RIP must match in its Page Setup if you want high-quality results. The best way to find the embedded resolution (and page size) is to use a dedicated TIFF file analyzer.

If you try to use too high an output resolution, you will see the following message:

Output resolution too high for this file. It should be no greater than

<number>

DPI

Clipped images

The RIP does not take a page size from TIFF/IT files. You must select a suitable Page Setup before printing the file. Use a TIFF analyzer to discover the page size.

Failure to produce output

open: the TIFF 6.0 or TIFF/IT file is either corrupt, unsupported, of an unrecognised type or the appropriate file type is not enabled in Configure RIP / Extras

The RIP displays this message if you attempt to image TIFF/IT data types that it does not support or to image files that do not conform to the TIFF/IT-P1 profile.

If you attempt to print TIFF/IT-P1 files when the

TIFF/IT

option is not enabled, then the TIFF

6.0 input option may attempt to process the parts of the file that it recognizes as TIFF. If this message appears then the TIFF 6.0 input option does not recognize any part of the file as TIFF.

Poor performance / Long imaging times

Text in the TIFF/IT file can lead to large numbers of line segments and very large files. See the

comments made in “Installation and requirements” on page 241.

Also, if the computer running the RIP is running other applications at the same time, the other applications may be using memory that the RIP could use to operate more quickly. Shut down any programs that you do not need, then stop and restart the RIP to be sure that it is using as much memory as possible.

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Problems with SCID files

Standard Color Image Data (SCID) primary data files are incompatible with the TIFF/IT support in the RIP, but SCID alternate data is compatible. SCID primary data is incompatible

because it uses the dot range 28 through 228. (See the “Glossary” on page 401 for an explana-

tion of dot range.) The ISO document DIS 12640 describes the dot ranges and other differences between the primary and alternate formats, but the next paragraph is sufficient to identify both types of data.

Primary data files are named N1 through N8 and S1 through S10, and each is visibly labeled

ISO 400 in the image. The alternate data is calculated from the primary data, has a lower spatial resolution, and is visibly labeled ISO 300 in the image. The names of the alternate data files end in the letter A, resulting in the names N1A, S1A, and so on.

A.7 PDF troubleshooting

The methods of control provided by the PDF Options dialog box mean that it is possible to reject PDF files that are valid, but that fail to meet strict criteria such as the PDF/X-1 specification. It is also possible for PDF jobs to be badly constructed or for required external files to be missing or in the wrong location. Always inspect the RIP Monitor window or log file if you see problems with printed output.

You may see the following effects or messages.

No pages printed

Check in the PDF Options dialog box that the PDF job is of the required type (for

Accept type(s)

) and that it contains at least one page matching the pages or ranges in the

Pages

field.

Poor color matching

Check that you have an appropriate match of color spaces and management in the PDF job and in the Page Setup in use. If the problem appears in an image, also check that it is not a low-resolution OPI preview being used to substitute for a missing OPI high-resolution image.

Areas missing from the page or printed at low resolution

Check that any files referenced by OPI are present and that OPI is enabled in the RIP. (Files referenced by OPI must be embedded in a PDF/X-1 file.)

%%[ Warning: Skipping page 1 - not in requested page range ]%%

This is not an error. It is a reminder that the options chosen in the PDF Options dialog box have caused a page to be omitted from the PDF job being printed. This omission may be intentional.

%%[ Error: invalidaccess; Offending command: pdfexec ]%%

The PDF files may have been saved with security settings that require a password to be entered for printing. Obtain the password (from the supplier of the PDF job) and enter the password in the text field in the

Password

section of the PDF Options dialog box. Passwords are casesensitive.

If you enter the correct password (in the Navigator RIP) and still see this error, check that you have not entered one or more white space characters at the end of the password. Another possible cause of this error is that the password uses characters from an extended (non-ASCII) char-

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acter set. The way in which these characters are represented can vary from platform to platform and the PDF password may have been set on a platform different from the one on which you are running the RIP. Request a new file using a simpler password.

Finally, the PDF file may be damaged. Try using another application to view or print the file, taking note of any messages given by that application.

High resolution file is embedded in PDF job file.

This is not an error nor a warning. It is information about the structure of an OPI job. This message is most likely to occur when processing a PDF/X-1 job, but could occur for a basic PDF file.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: text explaining the reason

The job is not a valid PDF/X-1 job. See the following messages for explanations of the various reasons that can appear in messages of this form. The RIP may be able to process the job as a

PDF 1.3 file, if you have allowed this by a choice in the

Accept type(s)

list.

Note: If you have used a creating or editing application that claims to be compliant with

PDF/X-1:1999, you should report these errors and warnings to your supplier of that tool. The

RIP performs strict checking of referenced files as well as the basic PDF content of a PDF/X-1 job.

****** PDF/X-1 Warning: Clipped out 'stroke' operator in EPS

The job deviates from the file PDF/X-1 standard—in this example because of a PostScript language operator used in a referenced EPS file. (The operator is illegal in an EPS file referenced from a PDF/X-1 job but harmless in this context.) Any message starting

“PDF/X-1 Warning:

” has some problem, for the reason given in the rest of the message, but will not cause the

RIP to abort the PDF job.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Invalid TIFF compression

An embedded TIFF file uses a compression method not allowed by PDF/X-1. Many TIFF files use LZW compression, which is not allowed. Ask the creator of the file to recreate the file using an allowed compression method; PDF/X-1 allows an embedded TIFF file to be compressed using the CCITT or (new) JPEG methods.

Note: The new JPEG method is given the TIFF tag value Compression=7 and is expected to be adopted as part of the forthcoming TIFF 7 specification. The new method was designed (by the

Independent JPEG Group) to overcome severe problems in the method of JPEG compression as described in the TIFF 6.0 specification, dated 1992. The old scheme used the TIFF tag value

Compression=6 and several related but separate fields.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Vector painting operator in EPS: stroke

An embedded EPS file uses a vector painting operator. PDF/X-1 does not allow embedded EPS files to contain vector painting operators: stroke

, fill

, show

, and so on.

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****** PDF/X-1 Error: Invalid alternativeSpace in Separation colorspace

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Invalid base colorspace in Indexed colorspace

The PDF job uses an illegal color space. PDF/X-1 places restrictions on the alternative Space of

Separation color space and the base color spaces of Indexed color spaces in embedded EPS files.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: LZWDecode in EPS

An embedded EPS file uses LZW compression, which is illegal in PDF/X-1.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Missing Subtype in EF object

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Unknown Subtype in EF object

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Subtype incorrect for embedded file

The PDF/X-1 file must specify the type of an EF object (embedded file) using the Subtype key.

The Subtype key can be TIFF, EPS, DCS, and so on. The RIP checks that the Subtype key is present, is one of those allowed, and matches the actual type of the file.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: Invalid TIFF PhotometricInterpretation

The PDF job references a TIFF file of an illegal type. Embedded TIFF files must be CMYK, monochrome, or gray scale. PDF/X-1 does not allow RGB, Lab, or other color spaces.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: PDF referenced from PDF/X-1

****** PDF/X-1 Error: JPEG referenced from PDF/X-1

The PDF job references a file type that is illegal for PDF/X-1. The PDF/X-1 standard allows only TIFF, EPS, DCS, or TIFF/IT-P1 files to be embedded.

The following messages can appear as

Errors

or

Warnings

. They appear as

Errors

if you have set up the RIP to accept only PDF/X-1 jobs.

In most cases, understanding the messages requires detailed knowledge of the PDF specification but all the messages indicate that the job is not PDF/X-1 compliant. If you see these errors when printing

PDF/X-1 jobs, you have two alternatives: one alternative is to ask for the job to be re-created in a form that is compliant with PDF/X-1 and wait for that job to be supplied to you; the other alternative is to use a Page Setup that accepts basic PDF (using the option

Any PDF <= 1.3 as basic PDF

) and print the non-compliant version. (In rare cases, there may be a more fundamental error in a PDF file that prevents you printing it at all; in such cases, you must use a different PDF file.)

****** PDF/X-1 Error: unknown PDF/X version

****** PDF/X-1 Error: unexpected PDF/X version

****** PDF/X-1 Error: obsolete PDF/X version

****** PDF/X-1 Error: unexpected PDF version

The PDF version number is too low, too high, or otherwise unsuitable for use with this version of the RIP and the settings in use.

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****** PDF/X-1 Error: missing Info dictionary

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid Info dictionary

PDF/X-1 jobs must have a valid Info dictionary.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: missing trailer ID key

PDF/X-1 jobs must have an ID entry in their trailer object.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid encryption

If encrypted, PDF/X-1 jobs must have a blank User password.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid operator

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid HTP in ExtGState

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid TR in ExtGState

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid RI in ExtGState

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid TransferFunction in halftone

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid colorspace

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid file compression

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid function type

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid halftone type

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid pattern type

PDF/X-1 files have restrictions on the allowed PDF operators, parameters in the graphics state, transfer functions, color spaces, methods of compression, halftones, and patterns. The job has tried to use an invalid option.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: missing embedded font

PDF/X-1 jobs can use only embedded fonts. The job has tried to use a font without embedding it.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid filespec

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid embedded filespec

Files referenced through OPI in a PDF/X-1 file must be embedded within the PDF/X-1 file itself. The job includes OPI references to files that are not embedded.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid external file

PDF/X-1 jobs can use external files only for OPI. The job has tried to use an external file for some other purpose.

****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid embedded file

PDF/X-1 jobs can embed a limited number of file types. The job has a file specification that is badly specified for Macintosh, UNIX, or DOS platforms, is not embedded, or where the Subtype of the file indicates that the file is not TIFF/IT, EPS, DCS, or TIFF.

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****** PDF/X-1 Error: invalid PS XObject

A PDF/X-1 job cannot contain a PostScript language XObject (PostScript language code embedded in the PDF page description).

****** PDF/X-1 Error: missing characterized printing condition

****** PDF/X-1 Error: multiple characterized printing conditions

All data in a PDF/X-1 job must be prepared for exactly one characterized printing condition, which is identified using embedded ICC profiles. (A job can embed multiple ICC profiles and each must contain a characterized printing condition but all conditions must be the same.) The

RIP reports the first condition to the Monitor window, in a message similar to this example:

Prepared for printing condition "CGATS TR 001".

A.8 Network troubleshooting

This section covers solutions to network problems when configuring the Navigator RIP.

A.8.1 Navigator RIP fails to publish

If the RIP is not publishing on the network, check the following.

A.8.2 Network connections

Ensure that the network cable is connected correctly to your. The easiest way to do this is to check that the PC can see other things on the network. For example, are there any printers on the network visible in the Print Manager? If not, check that connections have not been broken due to connectors being removed.

A.8.3

Restart the RIP once you have checked the connections and corrected any problems with the network cable PC. Start the RIP, make sure that there is an AppleTalk channel defined in the Input

Controller that is

On

, and then choose

Navigator RIP > Start Inputs

.

Is the system software installed correctly?

It is difficult to check the correctness of an installation. If you have checked for faulty connections, the most reliable procedure is to reinstall the software.

A.8.4 The Navigator RIP is not picking jobs up correctly

The software on either the printing PC or the RIP PC may need reinstalling. If the RIP is published on the network, but jobs do not get processed correctly, check the following:

Spooler problems

Some spoolers check for a specific product name. The RIP is set to

Laser-

Writer-Sim

. If the spooler does not recognize this, it may not send the job to the printer. This name has been chosen to minimize such problems.

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A.9 Spool folder problems and considerations

In cases where the spool folder is on a file server, you must ensure that the RIP has permission to access the shared folder and all enclosed folders.

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