#HP DesignJet Plotter
4 messages in this thread
We recently purchased a new HP DesignJet Ink Jet plotter for a new
alliance. We were most impressed with the sample and demo plots, and
considering the purchase price, it appeared to be our best option.
However, the plotted output from AutoCAD using the HPGL2 drivers that were
shipped with the DesignJet is not quite the same quality and resolution as
the demo plots that the DesignJet produces, or that the dealer showed us.
Instead of nice solid crisp arcs or text we can see the constituent dots
that make up the image, compared to the demo plots which produce very dark,
well defined lines and characters. I have studied the HPGL2 documentation
carefully, and cannot seem to find any way to improve the output. Also
tried various settings on the plotter itself with no luck.
Not that the output is so poor that we cannot use it, it is just that we
are a little disappointed that it is not the same quality as the samples
that we were provided.
Anyone have similiar experience? The dealer is at a loss to explain it,
and HP has been no help at all.
Ron Warris Colt Engineering Corporation
Gee, Ron-
Seems like you ran into the same problem I did when we were scouting out the
DesignJet. We haven't purchaced one yet, partly due to that problem, partly
due to a convincing enough need (read: lower than normal plotting load).
Same story as your's: Dealer couldn't explain the problem, and they even
called HP to no avail.
I first thought that the problem was inherent to plotting on mylar or
vellum, as all the bond plots I'd seen were nice & dark (just coincidence,
I think, now). Not trusting salesmen to be more knoledgable than I, I made
sure I got a good look at the operation manual. I happened to notice mention
of "hardware vs. sofware controll". I still haven't verified this with my
own eyes (dealer never returned phone call…), but I've been told by
someone else here on the forum that my supposition is correct: The plotter's
default setting is software controll, meaning that Autocad, or the driver,
can override any settings that you make on the control pannel. Set it to
hardware control, and all is well, apparently.
If this is indeed true, *PLEASE* let me know! I'll see if I can dig up that
old message.
Ron- my huge Tapcis age file strikes again…. <g>
—————
Tony-
When I looked at the DesignJet, I found two problems that I wasn't able to
find a way around at the time, and without a solution, the Designjet won't
work for us. I'm sure there's a solution, though, so perhaps you could help.
2) When we had some sample drawings plotted on the HP film, *and* vellum,
what were supposed to be solid lines weren't solid. I set the pen
configuration myself, so I know it was configured right. Except that I
didn't change the software/hardware controll setting. I'm guessing that
because I left it set to software, Autocad or the driver was fiddling with
my pen settings, setting the pen I had set to 100% screen, down to perhaps a
90% screen. Am I on target?
——————————————————————–
Peter,
2. We've set the control setting to hardware and avoided the screening
problems you've mentioned. Leaving it at the software setting causes Autocad
to plot some interesting screens when you don't want them.
Bill – Many of us have problems with network traffic, because AutoCAD keeps
the temporary working database file in the same place as the .DWG file you're
editing. It does this to ensure that you don't run out of disk space (e.g,
if it were to place the workspace files on another drive, you could end up
with a drawing that's too large to save back to the original drive where
the .DWG file is loacated).
Many of us get around the problem using the technique that Mike suggested,
and some of us go even further, and use a custom front-end that transparently
moves the .DWG file to the local drive, invokes AutoCAD on it, and then moves
it back to the network. A front end like this could also maintain a lock on
the network for the drawing that's being edited on the local drive as well,
if it were designed for such.
I know this doesn't solve you're problem, but it does give you some insight
into how others are working around it.
-TonyT.