Printing from Windows based VW11.5 to Deskjet 1220c

[poormetal]

I am running VW11.5 off a windows machine and everytime I try to print to the Deskjet 1220C it crashes VectorWorks. Before I upgraded from VW11 to 11.5 I got a runtime error before it crashed. I updated to 11.5 and uninstalled my current version of quicktime and reinstalled the suggested version of quicktime and now I do not even get an error message before it crashes. Can anyone help?

[chris r]

Hi

i have the same problem. i have been told its because the printer doesn't supposrt postscript files from vectorworks. However it is possible to use adobe press ready to convert the printer script file to a post script file. On looking into this its seems aparent adobe do not longer make this peice of software. i too am looking for answers to solve this problem. can anyone help?

[alanmac]

This is worrying news for me. I have VW 10.5 Windows at home and VW 11.5 Mac at work. Both locations have a 1220c. The one at work was giving some problems but I'm not there all the time and thought it was more a network/printer sharing issue.

The small A4 Epson works fine apart from the printheads drying up !! Got to switch it off for the heads to dock is the answer I told my boss, but he forgets.

The 1220c at home works fine with 10.5 but to keep things simple I was going to upgrade to 11.5 but now I'm not so sure!! Its just bearable to pay the upgrade cost but a bit of a double blow to then find you need to buy another A3 printer.

I'm a little confused with the mention of Postscript. The 1220c as far as I'm aware is not a Postscript printer. How does this and Quicktime come into it ?

To get around your print problem short term you could save as pdf's and print from Reader. Not ideal but could get you out of a tight spot for the time being.

I'm running mine via USB not the parrallel port by the way. Not sure if I used XP drivers straight from XP install or downloaded from HP site.

I'll be watching this thread, please keep us informed of situation.

Hope it's sorted.

Alan

[ 07-02-2005, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: alanmac ]

[jan15]

The 1220C has been causing problems for VectorWorks and other software for years, due to problems with the various versions of its driver.

I used to have a 1220C at an office where I worked, and had to try a variety of different drivers and installation methods before I could get it to work. Then when I got a newer computer I had to do the same thing all over again. And when the 1220C broke irreparably one month past warranty and the company I worked for inexplicably bought another 1220C, I had to do it yet again. (And it had much worse problems than this driver thing, with paper feed failures and jams almost every day, and unbelievably bad color matching.)

I can't remember what driver and method worked for me, but looking through my disk files I found this link to another forum:

http://bizforums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x86d199f08a51d61190040090279cd0f9,00.html

"I can't seem to get the 1220c v2.0 driver that's on the HP website to work on either Win2K or WinXP. When I go to print, the app just quits and I get no output. Happens in all apps -- MSWord, Adobe Illustrator etc.

After running some tests, here's what I found:

Win2K

1220c v1.2 driver from the HP website works fine. 1220c v2.0 driver fails.

WinXP

1220c v1.2 driver is not compatible. 1220c v2.0 driver fails. BUT, if you "Add Printers" and use the driver that Microsoft provides with WinXP-- it works!"

[alanmac]

Hi Jan

thanks for the info. I had a 1120c before and didn't really have too much trouble with that or the 1220 to be honest.

The transparent data strip on the print carriage back has gone on the 1120 and I bet a repair is nearly a new machine cost. Random stopages with all leds flashing. Lost lots of glossy paper before biting the bullet and buying the 1220.

Put it this way they've been a dream compared to the Epson 1520 they had at my last place of work. The lengths we went to to get it to feed paper, and I found the colour on that pretty poor whilst the HP's always looked very close to my on screen image colourwise.

My 1220c works a treat, even sharing it with my older PC on a network. It does bear a similarity to its 1120 older brother in construction, just uglier !! I love the instant cancel button, no waiting for the data to run out in the buffer.

I fan the paper before putting into the try, keep it well stacked as I found if you only have a few sheets it will feed more than one, and I keep the side gauge well tight against the paper.

I tend to keep the bottom tray stacked with A4 and use manual top feed for A3. Does squeal though when it feeds the paper back after going through it's size reading procedure, or do you switch that off?

No driver issue in VW10.5 so this is what worries me about the upgrade.

I guess I'm using the WinXP one. How can you tell, I can't find how to get driver type? How I've found it before does not seem to work. It wants to update it rather than show me it!!

It does say v2.1 in the blue header on the preferences dialog box, is that it ?

Regards

Alan

[ 07-03-2005, 07:20 PM: Message edited by: alanmac ]

[bc]

Alan.

I too am on a Mac running VW 11.5 and printing to a 1220c and all is fine since I downloaded the new version 2.7.1 driver from HP. There is also the following driver which I downloaded just in case:

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

Maybe this would help at the office? My machine works fine, albeit slowly, and although the color is not great, it's pretty good. I'm surprised the Wintel machines are having driver problems with an HP.

[alanmac]

Hi bc

Thanks for the advice on the mac drivers. I work from home mainly with a couple of days in the office picking up briefs, presenting and so forth.

I need to get the 1220 at work sorted. Funnily enough it prints from the old eMac on the network fine running a later version of OSX.

Somebody said we can't use it on a network without something like a jetdirect printserver, and I'm wondering if this is the case. I know the replacement for the Epson 1520 at my last employer the HP1700 (I think thats the model number) needed one.

Regards

Alan

[chris r]

PROBLEM FIXED!!

this is how.

delete all printers installed on your machine, go to add new printer and let windows install the printer not the driver from HP.

go to print and its fine, vectorworks no longer crashes! thanks to everyone here for there added support and thoughts on this issue.

regards,

chris.

[Kurt Magness]

alanmac

you need a jetdirect 300x print server = $50 bucks on ebay. It may need a firmware update if it's old. Check w/ hp for other jetdirect models that work with the 1220. Push and hold the test button for 5 sec to print out the config page. get the IP address from this. go to print center , add printer, ip printing, put in ip address, select 1220 where it says generic.

[SMBD]

I have VW 10.5 Windows and a 1220c. No problems with printing other than colour a bit 'iffy' but I cannot print multiple copies of the same drawing

can this be solved

[Kimcz]

I also use the 1220c at the office and home. At home I have to use the driver which comes with XP which works fine except that I can't prnt multiple copies-a real bind. I tried the HP driver-It crashes every time. In the office we are networked using Windows network programme-4 years old-and the HP driver. This with v9 to v 11.5 crashes immediately. We have to print out in v 8, which prints out fine but of course the translation from upper versions causes problems. There is obviously a serious problem with the compatibility with an industry standard printer and an industry standard CAD programme. Why? Surely Nemetschek have tried to address this, on behalf of their users. It can only mean redrafting a programme. Does anybody have success with the HP1220c. Which printer and driver at A3 format does work with 11.5, XP? Can anybody from Nemetschek (Katie?) answer this question please?