Vectorworks and HP488CA

[emkim]

Absolutely frustrated with HP:

We are having tremendous problems with plotting our Vectorworks files on our HP 488CA plotter. After sending a few plots, the HP Designjet Software (print spooler) will freeze or just stop plotting with all plots "Ready" but not spooling, even when we hit the plot button. Sometimes we are able to get it going again for a few more plots if we close the spooler application and relaunch it. Most other times, the entire computer will crash and we have to restart the computer.

Happens every time. We are so very frustrated. The plots themselves look beautiful when they plot. We'd like to be able to stick with the HP software and Laserwriter 8 instead of having to go out and get Macplot or Powerplot if possible. The postscript plots look very good.

This is becoming an intolerable situation in our office. Most of our plotting is done under a deadline and to have these issues every time is completely maddening.

I have called HP on this and the tech guy told me it was "a known issue" with the driver. So I asked him when the next release of the driver for the Mac would come out and he said he didn't know of any in development. Then I ask him "so potentially I could have this problem for as long as I own and use the plotter" and he says "yes, potentially."

Completely maddening. To promote this product as "Mac compatible" right out of the box is downright fraudulent. We may never buy an HP product again if this is how they support Mac users. We feel that they have sold us a product that does not perform. We're so upset, there's talk of a class action lawsuit in our office.

Anyone else have these issues? Are there any solutions possible? Will we be forced to get MacPlot and switch to RTL?

I've posted elsewhere on this issue, but for those who are interested, our setup is as follows:

HP488CA with JetDirect connected to an ethernet network.

Plots are sent to the "plot server" which is an iMac, original 233 Bondi Blue with 96MB of RAM. Virtual Memory is used - 150MB total RAM. HP Print Spooler has 25MB RAM allocated, PE Engine has 60MB RAM allocated. We use Laserwriter 8 to send the plots to the plot server. We are going to try upgrading the plot server to a better, faster computer with more RAM (350 MHz, 320MB real RAM), but I suspect we will still have the same issues.

[This message has been edited by EmmaKim (edited 02-09-2001).]

[This message has been edited by EmmaKim (edited 02-09-2001).]