Calcomp 5536 and ADT 2005

I was trying to configure ADT to plot to a calcomp 5536 tech jet 720. I
could plot if I used the windows system printer, but the output would
scramble some. I'd use the built in calcomp drivers, but when I try to send
a plot using those, AutoCAD tries to save a .plt file. The calcomp is on a
network server running windows 2k and the pc with ADT is running win 2k. I'd
try updating the windows drivers, but calcomp is dead and there don't seem
to be any drivers for anything newer then windows 98 and AutoCAD 14.

 

The old Lorand web site for plotters used to get hit by funny persons so often, that they shut it down. Months before it was shut down the below was posted. Perhaps it will help you.

I am using a DrawingMaster 800 and there does not seem to be a problem.

Wm.




Windows 2000/XP Driver for CalComp Raster Plotters

CalComp did not develop a driver specifically for Windows 2000/XP, but the Windows NT 4.0 Raster driver will function in Windows 2000/XP. In addition to the appropriate files for the specific plotter (95NT40_1, 95NT40_2, and for color models 95NT40_3) three additional files are needed. These are on the Windows NT 4 Installations CD (Workstation and server) in the "i386" folder. The files needed are:

PSCRIPT.DLL
PSCRPTUI.DLL
PSCRIPT.HLP

Since these are part of Windows NT and Microsoft does not permit Calgraph to distribute them, they cannot be included with the CalComp driver files. If the CalComp driver is already installed on a Windows NT computer, these files can be located through the Find File function from the Start Menu and copied for use on a new install.

During the driver install after Disk 1 it will request the PSCRIPT files from the Windows CD. You will need to Browse to the directory where you have placed the 3 PSCRIPT files so the driver install can find them.

In addition the PrintProcessor for the driver needs to be installed and selected:
Double click on the PPInst.exe file in the Disk1 Folder
Select the Print Processor to install, Ccprint.dll.
You may need to go to Windows Explorer View Menu Options Item
View tab and select Show all files for ccprint.dll to be displayed.

Go the Start Menu, Settings... Printers.
Select the Printer icon. Right click and pick Properties from the popup menu
On the Advanced Tab click on the Print Processor button
In the Print Processor Windows select/highlight the CCPRINT.DLL print processor.
On the General tab, click on the "Print Test Page" button.

 

Hi Donovan

This is an ADT/Autocad 2005 HDI driver problem. I've gone over this problem with many people and also Autodesk. I've also sent my
findings to different owners of Calcomp products who have emailed me to get awnsers wich I found. I'm pasting a full thread of
messages below with temporary solutions to your problem and also with Autodesk admitting that there is a problem and that they don't
have a solution at the present time.

I hope this helps you and if possible email me personally with any new findings or solutions.

Thanks

Normand Evers
Network & CAD systems manager
Moureaux Hauspy Design Inc
Montreal, Canada

____________________________________________________________________________


----- Original Message -----
From: Normand Evers
To: Jim Shipley
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: Calcomp techjet 5336 driver on Autocad 2005


Hi Jim

I'm sorry to hear that you're having the same problem.
Did I ever figure this out?? yes and no
Yes, I found some bypasses/workarounds to the problem.
No, the actual problem is not fixed. The Calcomp HDI driver refuses to do network print jobs.
Basically the driver will not plot to Novell queues, Windows Domain server queues or Windows workgroup shared printers. It will
print directly to your LPT1 port just not a shared port.
Even AutoDesk has admitted to the problem and replied that they would try and fix it with a patch or in the next major release.

I'm a AutoDesk Subscription member and all thru June I was in communication with the AutoDesk support.
You can read my full case notes from AutoDesk Subscription Team which I have pasted below.

Now, there are 2 workarounds.
You can use Autospool (see case notes below for info or AutoCAD help) or you can create a BAT file to plot your drawings.
I decided to go with a BAT file because I'm an old DOS user and I used to plot my drawings this way.

Here's what I did

1- Mapped my LPT3 to Novell queue in a DOS (command) window (this could also be a Windows queue)

NET USE LPT3: \\novellserver\queue-name /persistent:yes

2- Reinstalled my Calcomp to plot to file (not to port)
3- Mapped all plot files to a new C:\PLOT subdirectory (so now all my plots are plotted to a PLT file in the C:\PLOT subdirectory
and not directly to the printer)
4- Created a PLOT.BAT file in C:\PLOT with Notepad to send my plots to the plotter .

echo off
CLS
TYPE *.PLT>LPT3
del *.PLT

You don't need to write the last line <del *.PLT> if you don't want to delete the PLT file

4- Created a shortcut button on the Quicklaunch toolbar for PLOT.BAT

And voilà! It worked like a charm. Now every time I want to print a file on my Calcomp I send all my PLT files to C:\PLOT and then
hit my Shortcut button in Quicklaunch.

Now if your stuck to install this on many PC's like I had to, create a new BAT file called INSTALLCALCOMP.BAT that will do all the
mapping, creating and copying for you.

I hope this helps, good luck

Regards


Normand Evers
Network & CAD systems manager
Moureaux Hauspy Design Inc
Montreal, Canada




----- Original Message -----
From: Autodesk Support (Do Not Reply)
To: Normand Evers
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 1:34 PM
Subject: Case Number 1020947 [Calcomp HDI driver not functionning properly/at all]

Case History
*** NOTES THROUGH WEB 09/JUN/2004 12:02:02 By Normand Evers

"Windows
-created a port to \\server name\plotter name

AutoCAD -Plottermanager - Add-a-plotter
- My Computer
- Calcomp-5636 Techjet Color 720c
- Plot to port \\server name\plotter name

-Plot - Printer name "5636 Techjet Color 720c"
- Typical Page setup
- Plot

???? -Pop-up window - Browse for plot file
???? -Job: - Error(s) Did Not Plot


Job: - Error(s) Did Not Plot

Job ID: 1
Sheet set name:
Date and time started: 09/06/2004 2:46:08 PM
Date and time completed: 09/06/2004 2:47:14 PM
UserID: Administrator
Profile ID: Architectural Desktop - Imperial
Total sheets: 1
Sheets plotted: 0
Number of errors: 1
Number of warnings: 0

Sheet: - Error(s) Did Not Plot

File: C:\Documents and Settings\administrator\My Documents\Personnel\dwg
\10IEME.dwg
Category name:
Page setup:
Device name: 5636 TechJet Color 720c.pc3 - plotted to file
Plot file path: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
\Autodesk\PLOT-SPOOL\test.plt
Paper size: ARCH D (36.00 x 24.00 Inches)

ERROR: Invalid Plot Information
"

Other Comments:
"Just upgraded to Autocad 2005 and when i try to plot to our Calcomp Techjet
5636 over a network it insists to plot to a file even when the plot to file dialog
box is unchecked.

Plotting/Printing works fine on all the other printing devices we have.In
Autocad 2004 and previous versions the HDI driver worked fine.

When I set up my HDI driver, I double checked the Plot To File option to make
sure it was unchecked. When I plot Autocad states it is plotting to my
programmed netwok port and then it Gives me the "Job: - Error(s) Did Not
Plot""



*** NOTES AND STATUS CHANGE 10 Jun 2004 01:06:07 India Standard
Time kamathn Action Type: Manager review
Dear Normand Evers:


Thank you for choosing Autodesk Subscription. Your support request has been
escalated to an Autodesk technical specialist for resolution. We will notify you
immediately by email each time your support request is updated. We appreciate
your patience as we work to resolve your inquiry.


The complete case notes for this case are provided below for your reference.


Best Regards,

Niranjan Kamath
Autodesk Subscription Support Team




*** STATUS CHANGE 10 Jun 2004 01:36:40 India Standard Time kelgeru


*** NOTES THROUGH WEB 10/JUN/2004 06:55:36 By Normand Evers
1-I reconfigured the Techjet plotter from "to port" to "plot to file". The PLT was
created and through a Command window(DOS) I sent the PLT file to my plotter
(using the TYPE command in DOS) and it came out fine.

2-I connected the plotter to my parallel port. I reconfigured the Techjet plotter
"to port" on LPT1.I sent the plot to my plotter and it came out fine.

3-I connected the plotter to my parallel port.I shared my plotter connection in
Windows workgroup with other PC's. I reconfigured the Techjet plotter from "to port" on
LPT1 to "to port" on Windows shared printer. I got the error message again.

So as I see it the driver does work if you send it to "plot to file" or if it is
connected directly to my parallel port, but it totally refuses to send to the plotter
over either Novell server queues or Windows print sharing. I've been on the
Autodesk newsgroups & general newsgroups and this is not an isolated
incedent.

Thank you



*** NOTES 11 Jun 2004 13:06:03 Pacific Daylight Time hubbard Action Type:
Manager review
Dear Normand Evers:

As I mentioned I did log this with our development team.
One thing you may try as a workaround though is to MAP or Capture a parallel
port to the network resource.

For instance as a Command Prompt you could use the following syntax to
setup a fictious LPT3 port to point to a network resource or share
NET USE LPT3 \\server\sharename <file://\\server\sharename>
/PERSISTENT:YES

Then in the PC3 file for the Calcomp driver choose LPT3 as your port.

The complete case notes for this case are provided below for your reference.


Best Regards,
Danny Hubbard
Autodesk Subscription Support Team



*** NOTES THROUGH WEB 14/JUN/2004 07:19:50 By Normand Evers
Dear Autodesk Subscription Support Team:

Thanks for the tip,(MAP or capture LPT3 to network resource, then in the PC3
choose LPT3 as your port) but I had allready tried this.
I tried mapping either from \server\sharename or
even \workgroup\share by connecting the plotter to an other workstation &
nothing worked.I receive the following error <<Invalid I/O type or port name.
I/O is now configured to plot to a port of the default type or file.>>

Up to now I've configured the PC3 to "plot to file" & i've created a BAT file to
send it to my plotter. Meabe I will try Autospool next but I'm unfamiliar with it and
the example in the resource guide is not extensive enough for me.

The best would be to fix the HDI driver but i could settle for Autospools if it
works.

Best Regards
Normand Evers


*** NOTES AND STATUS CHANGE 15 Jun 2004 13:22:32 Pacific Daylight
Time hubbard Action Type: Manager review
Dear Normand Evers:

The document below should show a lot of the steps to setup Autospool though
the application of this document is slightly different.

Plot drawings to specific folder (TS38777 )
<http://support.autodesk.com/getdoc.asp?id=TS38777>

You would want to change the bat file though from:

@Echo off
Move %1 c:\spfiles
Exit

To:
@Echo off
Copy %1 \\server\share <file://\\server\share> /b
Delete %1
Exit

When doing this for the first time I like to add a Pause line before the Exit
command so I can see the DOS Window to make sure evreything worked OK.

The complete case notes for this case are provided below for your reference.


Best Regards,
Danny Hubbard
Autodesk Subscription Support Team

*** LAST MESSAGE FROM AUTODESK 30 Jun 2004 10:33:51



Autodesk Subscription




From: Autodesk Subscription Support Team
Sent: 2004/06/30 10:33:51 Pacific Daylight Time
Case Number: 1020947 (Click to update or review)
To: Normand Evers
Subject: Calcomp HDI driver not functionning properly/at all



Dear Normand Evers:

This is an update to your Support Request. Our development team has tentatively scheduled to deliver a fix in:The next Service Pack,
available in approximately two to four months.

OR

The next major release of AutoCAD. The specific release date is unknown, so please use the timing of previous release cycles as a
guideline.Please note:Our quality assurance teams may need to reschedule some fixes. Please rely on the above timeline information
as a guideline only and nota guarantee. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.


Best Regards,


Danny Hubbard
Autodesk Subscription Support Team