PRN files and plotting

Discussion in 'AutoCAD' started by Matt Forsyth, Jan 6, 2004.

  1. Matt Forsyth

    Matt Forsyth Guest

    Hi

    I have received a few .prn files (they are aerial photographs) and
    their size is in the order of 3 meg or so.

    I dont have any software which will open PRN files (and am not sure of
    their origin).

    I attempt to plot them to my HP 1050c through the dos prompt using the
    command (copy map1.prn lpt3) and the plotter receives the data and
    cannot complete the plotting. We have had one occasion where the plot
    started and was about 70 percent done but then bombed out.

    Can anyone suggest as to why we are experiencing these problems.

    Thanks

    Matt
     
    Matt Forsyth, Jan 6, 2004
    #1
  2. PRN simply means PRiNt and does not say anything concerning the format
    resp. the printer/plotter language of the data.

    The format depends on the printer/plotter driver used by the creator
    of the files.

    Therefore simply copying a PRiNtjob to an arbitrary device may not
    work in every case...


    If you wanna copy to your HP-GL2 / HP-RTL inkjet plotter you need
    obviously appropriate HP-GL2 (vector data) or HP-RTL (raster data)
    files, i.e. the creator must use the correct driver for your device:
    http://www.hp.com/cposupport/

    For checking the format of the content you may either open in a text
    editor and have a look at the header, if HP-GL2 or HP-RTL you should
    find something readable, the so called PJL header.

    You can also try to open the HP-GL/HP-GL2/HP-RTL files in a plot
    viewer as e.g. the nice SPLOT: http://www.swplot.com/splot.htm
    If it opens in SPLOT you may print to your plotter via the driver on
    your system which then should work in every case.

    btw, if you wanna use the COPY command add a "/b" for 'binary' to the
    end of the command sothat the data is not modified during the copy
    process (could happen to ASCII data).

    Better use the nice and free tools 'GoPlot' resp. 'Drop and Print'
    from Govert: http://members.lycos.nl/goplot

    hth
    N.
     
    Norbert Grund, Jan 6, 2004
    #2
  3. Matt Forsyth

    joebob Guest

    Good reply -
    The /b switch is usually imperative.
    Also, if the plotter receives the data, but does not begin the plot, you
    might send a file containing "PG;" - some files don't have this and it tells
    the plotter 'end data; page' (e.g. formfeed).
    The little utilities make it easy.
    Get the HP books for plotting languages: "HP/GL-2 + HP-RTL" and HP-PCL.
     
    joebob, Jan 7, 2004
    #3
  4. Matt Forsyth

    Bill DeShawn Guest

    Does this mean that the plotter starts plotting and is then unable to
    finish? And could that also mean that more memory might be required in
    order to finish the plot?

    --
    Bill DeShawn

    http://my.sterling.net~bdeshawn


    "and the plotter receives the data and
    cannot complete the plotting."
     
    Bill DeShawn, Jan 8, 2004
    #4
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