Panther & GIMP postscript issues

[type11]

I am currently using OSX (10.3.2) with VW 10.5.1 and plotting to an HP 455ca plotter.

It seems that under this configuration, using the pre-installed GIMP drivers that are included with Panther, I cannot print with round pen weights that are typical of Postscript output. This seems to be causing output that is quite poor.

Previously, using Jaguar I could print with quality output and achieve postscript output with round pens.

Has anyone else experienced print quality issues since upgrading to Panther.

Using the CUPS configuration page (http://localhost:631/) I was able to print a test page that showed the Interpreter information. It listed the filter as "Apple pstopdffilter". I think this may have something to do with the problem - previous versions of GIMP used the "pstoraster" filter - I think...

Any have any advice on this issue?

Also, It appears that ESP Ghostscript is not required with Panther. Is this really the case?

[type11]

After some searching around on the GIMP site I found the following information that fixes the problem.

"If you want to return to using the postscript loop you can use the terminal to set a default that will tell the 10.3.x print system to behave similarly to how things used to be in 10.2.x. Be aware that altering this setting may well affect all printer drivers on your system, and it may cause adobe acrobat to fail to print in certain circumstances. So, to make your legacy apps produce postscript, similarly to how they behaved in Jaguar, enter this command at a terminal prompt:

defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.print.apple.pictwpstopdf YES

To return to the default "correct" behavior in Panther enter this command:

defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.print.apple.pictwpstopdf NO"

This has worked for me.

[macarchs]

HI - I saw your post on the Macintosh to the HP 455CA and we have been running OS9 printing from Vectorworks with no problems. We use an HP JetDirect print server in between the plotter and the network and we have an old copy of PowerPlot which makes us able to select directly from the chooser.

The problem is that we have all moved to OSX and I am having trouble plotting to the HP 455CA over the network. I have tried programs like X-RIP as recommended on the Vectorworks site, but never had any success.

Would you mind telling me how you are getting a plot from OSX to the HP plotter? Thanks!

[macarchs]

Thanks for the info. We are also now on Panther but can only plot from the OS9 machines. We were running a JetDirect EX Plus (HP part number 2591A) which apparently had no assignable IP number. Now we have upgraded to a JetDirect 300X which has a standard IP address of 192.0.0.192. Our typical numbers for machines in the office are 192.168.1.xx

We bought it because I understood that it had a web interface and the IP address and other specs could be changed through a browser. Turns out if I follow the only instructions I have from HP to configure it and I enter the JetDirect IP number in a browser, I get a browser message saying that "Macintosh OS is not supported to run this application."

So I followed your instructions and under IP printing I have a choice of "Rendevouz", "Internet Printing Protocol", "LPD/LPR", or "socket/JetDirect". None of the four work with the IP address of 192.0.0.192 but the JetDirect option notes that it is trying to communicate with 192.0.0.192 on port 631...and then gives up.

I am really stuck here so any and all help would be appreciated. Do you think the problem is the IP address??

[Kevin]

I am using a JetDirect EX Plus. It is on a network with a router. The router is set up as DHCP so it dynamically assigns IP addresses to the various machines on the network.

The print server keeps the same IP address as long as it has power. If there is a power failure I simply start the print server before anything else and it is given the first IP address available.

In print center, select add printer. Choose IP printing. Enter the IP address. Select HP printer from the pull down menu and choose 455CA using gimp...

Before I do this I sometimes check the IP address of the print server by pinging it. There is a network utility in the utilities folder of OSX. I watch the lights on the print server and ping it. If I have the right address, the lights will flash and the utility will return a positive result.

There may be a better way of doing this, but that is how I do it. BTW, when I bought the plotter, HP told me to throw away all of the software that came with the print server as it is Windows only.

[Kevin]

Another idea that may help. If you are using a DHCP router, it should generate a table of clients. My router is a Linksys router which is not Mac friendly. It generates the table but with bad names.

Anyway, you type the router IP address into your web browser and it accesses the router. Get it to generate a client table and it should show all machines on the network and the IP addresses that are assigned to them.

[Kevin]

I tried Kurt's advice on using the test button on the print server. Worked like a charm. It wasted two full sheets of paper but it did give the IP address.

[macarchs]

Thanks for the info Kevin. I printed out a test page from each JetDirect Server. The JetDirect EX Plus shows itself as 0.0.0.0?? and the Jet Direct 300X shows 192.0.0.192.

I am running computer with two ethernet cards that works with a software router (Vicomsoft) to split a single DSL line to the office. This was before the new router boxes came out and it seems to work pretty well still. It can serve DHCP but I can only specifiy what range of numbers and unfortunately it won't show me what numbers have been assigned. All the Macs in the office have fixed IPs and don't get served so the JetDirect should be the only thing asking for an IP but it doesn't seem to be working.

Do you know how to set the JetDirect to a fixed IP that it will remember when the power goes out? It would be really helpful - thanks.

[Kevin]

Kurt may have to answer that one for you. My printout says that it is configured by DHCP and then says what the assigned IP address is. As I remember, previous discusssions on this board said that the second test sheet should show the IP address. No mention was made of fixed or dynamic IP addresses.

[ 04-15-2004, 02:25 AM: Message edited by: Kevin ]

[Kevin]

I am using OS10.2.8 and the HP455CA. I use the free program Gimp-Print and have been using it for a year. It works fine, but slow. There are a number of threads on this board that detail it's use and setup for this plotter.

http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3

[Kurt Magness]

Panther (OSX10.3) has the gimprint/ghostscript print drivers already installed as part of the system. it couldn't be much easier. Just go to the printer utility and under ip printing, select the HP 455 driver and put in the ip address of the jet direct. You get that by holding down the test button on the jet direct for 5 seconds to get the configuration print out. It should be on the 2nd page. It is a number like 168.124.155.128

[macarchs]

Well - I was finally successful with setting everything up with a little help from the HP forums. Now the problem is that the print quality is pretty bad. No matter what options are chosen it has the following problems:

1. When a horizontal or vertical line is plotted as .03 line weight it looks good, but when that same line goes diagonally or as an arc it becomes much thicker.

2. The overall quality of the print is much worse than with PowerPlot and OS9. If you look closely you can see individual dots used to make up lines.

What is frustrating is I know the plotter can do a really nice print. Somewhere the OSX 10.3 software is the weak link...

I am going to try Gimp Print 4.3.25 and will let you all know if I get better results.

[type11]

macarchs,

Did you enable postscript using the terminal. If not look at my post 2nd from the top. This will tell you how to do it.

[macarchs]

Thanks, but the part about other printers being affected kinda scared me. We have 4 other printers on the network and I'd hate for them to start printing in odd ways due to this change.

The GIMP print definitely made a huge improvement with line wieghts and overall quality. The only remaining problem is that lines that are just of horizontal or vertical (say 1 degree or so) come out a little jaggy.

Thanks.

[Kurt Magness]

If you do not want to waste paper, don't use the roll feed and instead load 8.5 x 11 sheets manually. A friend of mine had a hell of a time getting gimp to work, could not get a correct IP address. Turns out he thought he had a router when he really had a switch. he got a router and felt like a fool. I have been holding off switching to panther on my main machines because of the thicker diagonal lines problem described above. The machine with panther does make the diagonal lines slightly thicker but not that bad to bum out the owner. I even had to point out the difference to her because she did not notice.

[Kurt Magness]

P.S. If you are getting poor print quality it may be as simple as a bad cartridge. Even though the cartridge looks like it has ink in it, it might not or it might be just funky. I had one that looked fine, showed green in the level indicator box, but was really empty. Also be sure to go in and adjust the black density up to 1.7 versus 1.00 the default, in printer settings, expert 2. there are other settings to fiddle with also. The paper you use also affects print quality

[G-Pang]

Have you guys trried using LPD Server??

I can say it work 25 times faster than Appletalks & etc.

[G-Pang]

1 ? Set A Windows Print server with a unique IP. eg : 192.168.5.1

2 ? Setup all printer on the print server by TCP/IP & LPD/LPR

3 ? Set a unique LPD queue for each printer. eg: HP5500 , HP455

4 ? On Mac OS X ... setup printer by using IP printing.

eg: IP address : 192.168.5.1

Queue Name : HP455

Select proper driver...

All print files will be send to windows printserver.

Let the printserver take care all of the printers.

[Kevin]

G-Pang:

What is a Windows Print server. This sounds interesting. Could you explain this more.

[G-Pang]

Hello Kevin,

Gimp-Print purposely for Unix / Linux / Mac to print to non-postscript printer thru ethernet environment.

Most of the problem is connecting the machine to printer because Mac using postscript to print thru network.

It is good to use a PC to make a transaction between them.

By using LDP method.. U can set any custom queue name for your any printer / plotter.

Simply take a PC with MS window OS ( server is better ) & set a unique IP address ( make sure is is same subnet / lower to all Workstation). eg: 192.168.5.1

Setup all your printer by using IP address ( printer IP ).

Under each printer.. specify a unique queue name.

For eq: For printer HP5100TN,

Set queue name as ABC

So.. your new spooling location HP5100TN now under queue ABC at 192.168.5.1

For Your Mac, print jobs will be end at printserver. everything queue inside it and printserver will do all the rest.

Make sure U set " start printing after spool is finished " for all printer. The other rest.. just follow my last post.

I hope It give U an idea what is LPD print Server is.

Currently I handle over 100 Mac, 40 PCs + 12 Various type of printers with thousand of print jobs each day and everything just work perfect.

U can ask.. which part is confusing U???

[brunus]

Hi G-Pang.

1. I have 2 macs with panther on on two different subnets (192.168.5.xxx and 192.168.6.xxx). The 2 subnets are communicating and indeed I can share files between the 2 macs no problem. The thing is that I don't see the shared USB printer across the 2 subnets, whereas it immediately appears when I plug the 2 macs on the same subnet. it'a a matter of Panther limitation or is just a network administration problem (ie. firewall, specific ports to open, etc)?

2. I'm having troubles printing thru gimp using a IOGEAR wifi router that is also a USB print server.

The strange thing is that I set up the Epson SC 740 as IP printer as you suggested and it works most of the times. Then suddendly the Epson monitor process seems to work until the spooling reaches the 100% but nothing get printed out. The only workaround I've found is to change the gimp driver to Epson SC 760, printing over IP on with it on my SC740. That usually prints a blurred sheet. Thereafter I go back to the SC740 driver and it works. I wonder if there is a sort of cache/spool folder I can erase somewhere, to avoid this workaround.

thank you for any help you'll be willing to give me.

cheers,

brunus

[G-Pang]

Hello Brunus..

1 ? Simply create secondary IP just to work around intranet. eg: 192.168.10.xxx

All printer to be set under 192.168.10.xxx and all machine must have same subnet as secondary IP. It is good speed up your network when intranet and internet to work under deference subnet. And it's easy to filter / setup your firewall. Under Mac OS 10.3.x , rearrange your IP base on your need. Normally, IP with internet / mail access need to be set as primary IP means first row in the column.

2 ? Which type of printing are U using? IP and LPR are sound similar but it is not same. Are you print direct to the printer or by using LPD server? Tell me how long you take to complete spooling on your Panther. Let me give you a clue, By using LPD server, spooling a 50 MB photoshop file takes only 4 seconds to complete under Panther ( Spool from Panther to LPD server ). Tell me how you setup your printer & what OS are you using ?

[ 06-09-2004, 02:39 AM: Message edited by: G-Pang ]

[Drake]

I have spent most of the morning trying to get our two plotters working with Panther. I was finally successful. In an effort to help others avoid spending so much time getting their plotters working with 10.3 (Panther), I will outline our situation.

On my machine I have been running 10.2 for some time. I installed and configured the GIMP and the CUPS drivers, which was a bit of a trial. I have been able to plot to both of our plotters.

Plotter 1 is an HP DesignJet 430 which prints up to 24" wide. It is hooked up to an HP JetDirect EX Plus.

Plotter 2 is an HP DesignJet 430 which prints up to 30" wide. It is hooked up to an HP JetDirect 300X.

We have a machine in the office which we use for scanning and all purpose work. I installed 10.3 on it to test it before installing it on all our machines. 10.3 is preloaded with all sorts of GIMP and CUPS goodies so I did not need to install any of those files. I configured plotter 2 thusly:

-Add Printer

-IP printing

-Printer address: enter IP number from the printout (using the test button on the JetDirect box)

-leave queue name blank

-Printer Model: HP

-Model Name: DesignJet 430

-Push 'Add' Button

This worked fine. I tried to configure Plotter 1 in the same fashion and it simply would not work, I got a message along the lines of port -ip number- is busy. From what I can gather the issue was the two different JetDirect boxes, the EX Plus did not seem to want to do direct IP printing.

The solution, and plotting is much faster, is to use the LPD/LPR option thusly:

-Add Printer

-IP printing

-LPD/LPR

-Printer address::enter IP number from the printout (using the test button on the JetDirect box)

-leave queue name blank

-Printer Model: HP

-Model Name: DesignJet 430

-Push 'Add' Button

I renamed the plotters by selecting the printer in the Print Center and hitting Command I, at which time I was given the chance to rename the plotter.

[G-Pang]

Spooling speed to plotter / printer is about 5 times faster under Windows compare to Apple.

So.. It better to spool from Apple -> Windows -> Plotter

You shoul try print a large file form both OS and will notice the speed.

[joonbug]

i am printing from a g4 powerbook running 10.3.3 to hpdesign jet 455ca through jetdirect ex. I have done the above steps by using the ip address. This all worked. My problem is finding a way for the printer to not time out on large files.

i am trying to print a 12mb file from illustrator. It has hundreds of layers and it seems to do everything fine until about 1/3 of the way it times out and stops printing.

Is anyone having this problem printing large files?

The office computers that also access this printer are Windows Machines and in their print dialog info is a choice to make the spooling occur on the computer instead of on the printer. Is there anything comproble for the machintosh?

How are people printing large files?

[Kevin]

Are you sure that the problem is not your Powerbook going to sleep? I have the same setup and have had printing jobs not finish because of this.

Try setting the energy saver to presentation mode and see if that fixes the problem.