Plotter Config File help

[JoeGarcia]

My department just purchashed a new plotter last week (HP Designjet T770) and discovered some issues when plotting directly from Wildfire 4.0 M050. For awhile we have been using .pcf (plotter config files) for custom pen widths on our old plotter. But now I have tried to copy and modify the .pcf file for this new plotter. But it seems that I can't get Pro/e to plot to this printer. Although I can plot from other sources (i.e. adobe acrobat, etc) Can anyone help? I have called into PTC tech support and don't seem to have a clear soulution. Below is the text we have been using for our .pcf file: plotter postscript button_name: HP770, Dsize, Release print delete_after_plotting: yes interface_quality: 1 paper_size: variable 36.0 24.5 pen_table_file: ...Plotter_config_files\pentable_HP770CM_release.pnt plot_label: yes plot_names: yes plot_with_panzoom: no !plot_sheets: current plot_translate: 0.0 0.5 in plotter_command: windows_print_manager HP Designjet T770
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[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

My department just purchashed a new plotter last week (HP Designjet T770) and discovered some issues when plotting directly from Wildfire 4.0 M050. For awhile we have been using .pcf (plotter config files) for custom pen widths on our old plotter. But now I have tried to copy and modify the .pcf file for this new plotter. But it seems that I can't get Pro/e to plot to this printer. Although I can plot from other sources (i.e. adobe acrobat, etc) Can anyone help? I have called into PTC tech support and don't seem to have a clear soulution. Below is the text we have been using for our .pcf file: plotter postscript button_name: HP770, Dsize, Release print delete_after_plotting: yes interface_quality: 1 paper_size: variable 36.0 24.5 pen_table_file: ...Plotter_config_files\pentable_HP770CM_release.pnt plot_label: yes plot_names: yes plot_with_panzoom: no !plot_sheets: current plot_translate: 0.0 0.5 in plotter_command: windows_print_manager HP Designjet T770

[JoeGarcia]

Looks like our old plotter the HP Designjet 755CM did support postscript. Now I'm wondering how to modify our .pcf file to accept these new languages? Thanks for the help so far...

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

Looks like our old plotter the HP Designjet 755CM did support postscript. Now I'm wondering how to modify our .pcf file to accept these new languages? Thanks for the help so far...

[JoeGarcia]

Just confirmed with HP and they seem to feel that the plotter is working and given that I can print Adobe PDF's (which is a form of a postscript file) that the error is on the PTC side.

[BPapp]

PTC does not have a driver for our HP Designjet 4000 ps either, we have to convert drawings to pdf files to plot, which introduces a whole new set of concerns & issues. I hope they get these plotter drivers figured out soon. We're running WF 5.0. Bruce

[JoeGarcia]

I hope its not a case where we will have to convert drawing to pdf and then plot from there. That introduces a whole other step that will be conter-productive. We are running Wildfire 4 M050. After getting off the phone with PTC they said we might be able to use a totally different driver to meet our needs. They are recommending to using a HP 650 driver...there not sure if that will work.

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

I hope its not a case where we will have to convert drawing to pdf and then plot from there. That introduces a whole other step that will be conter-productive. We are running Wildfire 4 M050. After getting off the phone with PTC they said we might be able to use a totally different driver to meet our needs. They are recommending to using a HP 650 driver...there not sure if that will work.

[JoeGarcia]

Martin, Was able to follow thru all the steps you had listed upto the point of sending the plt file to the plotter. Sadly I am not understanding oh how to send that file. I did go to the command window and type in the following line Copy /b xxxx.plt lpt1 But windows keeps giving me an error. Am I mis typing the information?

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

Martin, Was able to follow thru all the steps you had listed upto the point of sending the plt file to the plotter. Sadly I am not understanding oh how to send that file. I did go to the command window and type in the following line Copy /b xxxx.plt lpt1 But windows keeps giving me an error. Am I mis typing the information?

[JoeGarcia]

Martin, Thanks for the break down. However the way my plotter is connected to my computer is thru a shared connection but it is using an IP address to connect to that plotter. How might I address or list that in the command line you have stated (i.e. copy /b c:\temp\test.plt \\xxx.xx.xxxx?)

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

Martin, Thanks for the break down. However the way my plotter is connected to my computer is thru a shared connection but it is using an IP address to connect to that plotter. How might I address or list that in the command line you have stated (i.e. copy /b c:\temp\test.plt \\xxx.xx.xxxx?)

[JoeGarcia]

Martin, I really do appreciate your help so far. It really has help me understand a little more how Pro/E works. With that being said I have uploaded a zip file containg the error message I get when I try to use the windows command you have given me. Am I typing something in wrong? Please adivse. Joe

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

Martin, I really do appreciate your help so far. It really has help me understand a little more how Pro/E works. With that being said I have uploaded a zip file containg the error message I get when I try to use the windows command you have given me. Am I typing something in wrong? Please adivse. Joe

[JoeGarcia]

Looks like I am having no luck with this command. Please see attached screen shot.

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

Looks like I am having no luck with this command. Please see attached screen shot.

[JoeGarcia]

Martin, Looks like the command finally worked. After a couple of errors of mis-typing the printer name my computer was able to send the file to the plotter. However at the plotter did display an error message. It read as follows: "Wrong file format. The printer cannot process the job. Press OK to continue." So I guess the printer doesn't understand the .plt file. If memory serves the .plt file contained postscript? If so then it may look like I need to purchase that postscript module for this printer? Thanks!! Joe

[MartinHanak]

"Joe Garcia" wrote:

Martin, Looks like the command finally worked. After a couple of errors of mis-typing the printer name my computer was able to send the file to the plotter. However at the plotter did display an error message. It read as follows: "Wrong file format. The printer cannot process the job. Press OK to continue." So I guess the printer doesn't understand the .plt file. If memory serves the .plt file contained postscript? If so then it may look like I need to purchase that postscript module for this printer? Thanks!! Joe

[JoeGarcia]

Thanks Martin for your help. My company will order the postscript accessory module for this plotter. Once I receive and install the module. I will let you know the results I get. Stay tuned! 😃 Joe