Send .plt file to USB port...

Anyone know how to do this, exactly?

Port is: USB002
Plotter name is: HP DesignJet 500 42 by HP
Ploter shared name is: HPDJ500

Appreciative of any help,
David Kozina

 

Use the share of the printer:

net use lpt1 \\computername\HPDJ500 /persistent:yes

then use lpt1 to plot to

 

Here's another post, you can interpolate for your situation.... much better to print to file and let a spooler do the work in the background, especially across a LAN!

First... Install WinXP SP1 and run MS Update. Second... get a generic USB v2 4-Port Card (about $30... at CompUSA) and install it. If need be, get a 2nd card for additional USB ports, but avoid the HUB. Third... To alleviate the USB / Printer problem, try a print to file with a spooler approach as follows...

Install your Lexmark Printer Drivers (do not connect device at this time), only setup for the port-- FILE; set this printer as default. Now... connect your device and let winXP install it. Setup a C:\Spool Folder on YOUR PC and map as drive-- Y: (or what you prefer!). Get printfile (via http://www.lerup.com/printfile/ ) and set it up as a spooler with a link in the startup folder, to search for all files in
C:\Spool and send to local Lexmark USB Printer.

Then when printing to Lexmark FILE, type in Y:\ and give a basic name like, file.prn or plot.plt ...then hit enter and away the print file goes to the spool folder, then the printfile grabs it and sends it off to the printer!

Another option is to create PLT files and then use Govert's tool-- GoPlot and send directly to device. Get it at-- http://www.output.tmfweb.nl/

Ciao!
~Terry

 

Terry, (and everyone else who responded)
Thanks for the suggestions.
I actually did download GoPlot and tried using it for this. In this case,
the .plt file I received was incompatible and the printer kicked out an
error message rather than a plot.
So this raises another question.
Is there some sort of 'generic' or 'universally obtainable' .plt format (or
perhaps one generated using some sort of free 'virtual' printer that can be
downloaded and installed), that any of you prefer to use?
We've had problems in the past sending unusable .plt files to others, too,
and I'd like to be able to suggest a more reliable solution.

Thanks again,
David Kozina

 

If it's just for printing, send a DWF....

Plot files are plotter/printer specific therefore plot files for your
printer, won't necessarily come out correctly on someone elses printer (as
you have found out already)