P Bartoli Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Well,I'm trying to figure out how to solve a plotting issue. I work in a Mac OSX / OS9 mixed ethernet network. Some VW users are on OS9 others are on OSX. The plotter is linked to a OS9 equipped Mac that spools with MacPlot to an old HP600 inkjet (no, it's not on ethernet...). I'm not going to upgrade MacPlot to OSX right now, so I'm looking for alternate ways of plotting from VW/OSX to the OS9-linked plotter. What happens now? I manually open the VW drawing on the OS9 plotter server and manually print to file (the plotfile is automatically spooled to the plotter). Maybe it's not possible, but is there any chance I can make a script that from the OSX mac opens the VW file on the OS9 mac and prints it? The script should: - connect to the plotter server - send the file to the server and open it in VW copy resident on the plotter server - instruct VW with the correct options to print the file Too complicated? Have another solution? Any suggestion other than upgrade MacPlot to OSX? Thaks a lot! Quote Link to comment
islandmon Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Who needs MacPlot .. use the GIMP Drivers for both OS9&10 ( OSX uses them by default)... they're great and free OpenSource. GoTo www.versiontracker.com www.sourceforge.net Should be possible to use Applescript from OSX to automate some of the process. You will need to write a Print Script in Vectorworks with the parameters. Then Applescript calls the script. Quote Link to comment
P Bartoli Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 quote: Originally posted by islandmon: Who needs MacPlot .. use the GIMP Drivers for both OS9&10 ( OSX uses them by default)... they're great and free OpenSource. GoTo www.versiontracker.com www.sourceforge.net Should be possible to use Applescript from OSX to automate some of the process. You will need to write a Print Script in Vectorworks with the parameters. Then Applescript calls the script. Well, Gimp Print doesn't work with HP600, as far as I know. Does it work now? Quote Link to comment
P Bartoli Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 quote: Originally posted by islandmon: Should be possible to use Applescript from OSX to automate some of the process. You will need to write a Print Script in Vectorworks with the parameters. Then Applescript calls the script. Then the only thing I need to understand is HOW to actually write a Print Script... thanks anyway Quote Link to comment
P Bartoli Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 QUOTE]Well, Gimp Print doesn't work with HP600, as far as I know. Does it work now? [/QB] To be specific, ours is a DesignJet 600 HP. Gimp print lists the DeskJet 600 (I suppose it's a printer, not a plotter...) Quote Link to comment
islandmon Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Just checked my Printer Utility GIMP List and found HP-DJ600 & 600C,v4.2.5. Under IP Printing 'HP". If I had the time, I would post a print script for you.. but all these tropical storms are dxragging on me... have you searched the Vectorscript Forum? Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Being as though neither Apple nor HP ever created a driver for this printer in a Mac envrionment, the troubleshooting process is limited. The 600 is listed on the Gimp Print website, however it's under the section labeled: "The following printers are not all officially supported, but they have been reported to work with the listed driver. In some cases, they may work incompletely, or they may not actually work at all. Thanks to linuxprinting.org for this data." You can discuss this issue with the makers of XRip to ensure you have support with printing to this printer through their driver. I strongly suggest doing so before laying down the $$$ for the driver. Quote Link to comment
P Bartoli Posted October 12, 2005 Author Share Posted October 12, 2005 quote: Originally posted by Katie: The 600 is listed on the Gimp Print website, however it's under the section labeled: I had a look at the gimp print printer list: http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/p_Supported_Printers.php3. However I can't find the DesignJet 600, just the DeskJet 600: little difference in name, big in reality. DesignJet is a A0 plotter, DeskJet is a desktop printer... Tell me if I'm wrong but I don't see the DesignJet 600 in Gimp Print's list: I'd be happy to be wrong! Quote Link to comment
Kevin Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Under OS10.4.2, the Designjet 600 is not listed when I try to set up a new printer. The Deskjet is. I use a Designjet 455CA which works fine. If it were me, I would put my money into a different printer, either new or used. If the 600 needs parts, you might be hard pressed to find them. Quote Link to comment
P Bartoli Posted October 12, 2005 Author Share Posted October 12, 2005 quote: Originally posted by Kevin: If it were me, I would put my money into a different printer, either new or used. If the 600 needs parts, you might be hard pressed to find them. Well, as a saying goes here, let it live till' it dies... Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 It is the Desk Jet - my fault. Even still - you now have more information proving this plotter is not supported in a Mac environment. Quote Link to comment
P Bartoli Posted October 13, 2005 Author Share Posted October 13, 2005 Digging around I found that there's a software that supports the HP DesignJet 600, and it even works with a USB-to-parallel port adapter. The software is ESP Print Pro, as I understand it works with Linux as well. Unfortunately it's not open source $$... Quote Link to comment
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