plt files corrupted?!?

Hi all,
I'm the IT manager for the company and we've been getting reports that plt files we're sending out are corrupted. we're using AutoCAD 2004/5 on Win2k machines all with the most up to date HP driver for our HP 1050c.

the results we've been getting are said to be 'dotted like a dot to dot picture' to missing the drawing but the title block is ok or the title block is 'screwed' and the drawing is dotted.

however, we've been issuing them via a project management / document sharing / information collaborating system called Build on Line. this system allows you to vie them online and whilst they take a while to load they always come out fine on screen.

has anyone got any ideas on where i should be looking as the CAD department are of the opinion that a plt file is a plt file is a plt file so they all just work regardless of where / how / what your plot them on. great help, huh?

So far I've tried using an older version of the driver (4.4 as opposed to 4.6) but it's very reliable, i've created 'dummy plotters' with different drivers on that work for other offices and even just used a pc3 that is 'all singing and all dancing' according to the CAD manager in another office, all with the same effect!

as you can probably guess, this is all beyond my level of CAD knowledge so if anyone can give me even a hint on the type of thing i should be looking at, i'd be really grateful!

Thanks in advance, folks.

Tim.
aka: Harassment Central!

P.S. how do i get a detailed setup / configuration out of CAD so i can see what it's doing? cheers!

 

From what I've run into with plot files, one thing to make certain of is that the plot file has been made using parameters for the device which is to produce the output. For example, if you've created a plot file using the parameters for your HP1050c, it may not print correctly if I'm trying to plot that plot file on a Xerox.

At my last office we had many different clients with different plotters and almost all did their own in house plotting, so we would send them plot files, however we created the plot files using plot styles (.ctb or .stb) files that they sent us, as well as a printer driver from them for whatever plotter they were outputting on. This setup seemed to eliminate some similar problems we were having.

Not sure if that helps or makes any sense, but you might start by checking to see what kinds of printers your clients are outputting on.

 

Are those to whom you're sending the files *also* using the HP 1050c?
___

for our HP 1050c.

 

Get View Companion from Software Companions web site and have a look at the plot files. Might determine whether it is the plot files or the plotter's interpretation of them.