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PostScript Settings and RIP


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I have a couple of questions on printing VectorWorks files in PostScript:

1. Is there any advantage or need to select the level of PostScript (1, 2 or3)? Is that dependent on my plotter? I use an HP DesignJet 488CA with their RIP software.

2. There are two VW options to set with checkboxes: "Print PostScript Only" and "Send PostScript Savvy Transparent Bitmaps" What do these do? Why would/wouldn't I select them?

Occasionally I have been frustrated with the plotting from VectorWorks but I think it's to do with the RIP Software provided by HP with the 488CA. Has anyone successfully used a 3rd party RIP application for VectorWorks to the 488? I'd be curious to get recommendations.

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  • 4 months later...

As regards the level of PS: if you are printing to a Level 3 machine (not sure what your HP is), then do select the Level 3 only option - the PS file that is sent to the printer is significantly smaller than if you select 1, 2 & 3.

The PS savvy bitmaps option is essential if you are printing any bitmap that you have set to be 'transparent' (i.e. the fill for the bitmap has been set to NONE), such as when you might want to see the sky behind the bitmap of a buiding. If you don't select it, then you will not see (print) what is 'behind'. There is a NNA post on the subject somewhere on this site.

Personally, I have had a lot of success generating postscript files from VW 8.5.2 and having them plotted on a number of machines (I a local print bureau), includling an HP2500CP, an HP1055CM, a Xerox Xpress and even to a Canon photocopier via a Firey RIP.

I am using a Mac (OS9) and - very importantly - the Adobe PS driver (version 8.7). This is far superior to any other driver I've used and, amongst other things, it allows - via the Page Setup dialogue - the creation of a " virtual printer" for generating PS files, just as long as you have the PPD description for the device you are outputting to. Note that the Adobe PS driver and the PPDs are all free.

The only problem I've encountered relates to using an HP2500CP, and is a real puzsle - see my separate posting elsewhere in this forum.

Hope this is all of help.

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I too am having problems with the HP488CA and it's driving our office mad! With our setup, our HP488CA w/ JetDirect is networked to a couple Macs and we send all plots to the "Plot Server" (G3-233 w/ 96MB real RAM - 150MB total RAM w/ Virtual Memory) which spools the files to the HP488CA. The HP Print Spooler has 25MB RAM allocated and the PE Engine has 50MB allocated. We at first used the Adobe PS 8.6 driver but now we just use Laserwriter8 with equal results (or non-results).

My feelings are that the problem lies not with the Laserwriter 8 or Adobe PS, because plots are sent to the plot server with almost total success (beyond a few crashes for rather large files), but with the HP Print Spooler at the plot server. Every time we send multiple files to the Print Spooler, the first few plots will plot fine, and then the Print Spooler will just stop responding with the rest of the files "Ready" but not plotting even when we hit the plot button. Occasionally, we are able to get a few more plots by closing the Print Spooler and then reopening it, but more often than not, the entire computer will crash and we will have to restart. Drives us up the wall, especially since most plotting is done under the pressure of a deadline.

Any ideas? Does this sound familiar? We'd like to stick with the PS output since the plots themselves look great, but we need to desperately figure something out.

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