plotter memory in ACad 2006

[Cryonerd]

:? I recall that in previous versions of ACad, I could resolve a memory overload in my HP DesignJet 750C Plus plotter by checking a box somewhere in the plot windows that said "resolve memory problems in computer" (instead of in the plotter) or something to that effect. It always worked, without my having to resort to spooling. Now I'm again having a memory overload problem using ACad 2006 but that box is nowhere to be found. Can anyone give me some help? My plotter is now connected to my computer via a TCP/IP port.:?

[architecture68-raff]

are you sure it was a checkbox in autocad?? On my Designjet 500 that option is found within the printer's driver preferences. Might vary slightly for your 750C, but for my case I go into the printer's properties, and then on the "Services" tab there is a troubleshooting menu to enable processing in the computer as opposed to the plotter. Hope that helps

[Cryonerd]

Raff - Thanks so much for your reply - you are right on the money. My system printer is slightly different. For instance, under the "Printing Preferences" tab I must go to the "advanced" tab - and there it is! The top box reads:
Process document...
If printer runs out of memory, select 'In computer' and print again.
There are with two boxes to choose from labelled either '...In computer' or '...In printer'
Of course, the whle problem is my short memory coupled with deep menu trees.

Muchas gracias

[architecture68-raff]

Glad I could help, and welcome to the forum. If you stick around you will surely learn a lot from all the great people here.

[Cryonerd]

Raff- thanks again, I'm sure you are right - a casual user like myself just can't keep up with the experts.

But having changed to 'in computer', I was surprised to see that my plotter still reported "out of memory - data was lost" and that the plot indeed was not complete. Looks like I may have to resort to the black art of "autospooling." Or could the problem lie in this 'non-system' printer, such as suggested in the following 'computer-speak' that is reported in the AutoCad 'Plot and Publish' report:



Sheet: - Plotted

File: E:\CadFILES\IFEcryostat\drawing sheets\sheet 4 A.dwg
Category name:
Page setup:
Device name: d-size.pc3
Plot file path:
Paper size: ARCH expand D (24.00 x 36.00 Inches)

MESSAGE: (null) : You have at least one Windows System Printer configured for IP_128.165.67.117, so the HDI driver cannot open IP_128.165.67.117 directly. The output will be spooled through a System Printer, which usually works fine. (We have tried to select a System Printer that will not corrupt the output.) The HDI I/O port configuration will not, however, take effect. To allow direct output to IP_128.165.67.117, all System Printers configured to use IP_128.165.67.117 must be reconfigured not to use IP_128.165.67.117. The appearance of this dialog may be controlled in Tools/Options/Plotting.


This language makes little sense to me. I tried to comply by setting the system printer to direct its output to another port (I tried an unused LPT port), but it made no difference, i.e., I got the same 'Plot and Publish' report back but the plotter did not generate a plot. Maybe I need to reboot to tell AutoCad that the system printer has really changed??
In frustration, I changed the quality of the output from 'best' to 'normal' and then to 'draft'. The resulting file size output to the plotter was much smaller (factors of 5), but the plot still terminated at exactly the same spot, i.e., it left out the same data. By the way, this drawing contains a large raster file that was generated in a large-bed scanner, to which I've added annotations using MTEXT. It is the annotations which do not finish plotting.

[architecture68-raff]

From what I see, I assume that you are trying to use a .pc3 configuration instead of printing directly to the system printer. In theory, that should work fine, but I think your problem is that you are using a Heidi driver (HDI) for your "d-size.pc3" configuration instead of using the system printer.

Try opening your plotter manager and use the "Add-A-Plotter Wizard" to make a new pc3 file. This time, instead of selecting the "My Computer" option which uses Heidi plotter drivers, select the "System Printer" option which will base the new pc3 file on your existing system printer. Then you should be able to alter your new pc3 file to process the print in the computer as opposed to in the printer, and you shouldn't get the error message which you are seeing.

You don't want to alter the system printer's settings to use LPT or anything besides a TCP/IP port since you are printing over a network. You should leave all of the system printer's settings as they were -- that's why pc3 files come in handy because you can modify them for special Autocad settings and leave the system printer alone. As you said, reducing the quality to draft will reduce the print size, but in my experience the "draft" setting does not produce raster images very well on paper. Just out of curiosity, how much memory does your 750C have?

Hope that helps...if not post back. :wink:

[Cryonerd]

But when I do this, I lose the "ARCH" paper sizes that I like to use. I've forgotton how to add these to the driver, or how to change the driver from the one ACad wants to use.

[architecture68-raff]

I'm not sure why they aren't showing up now if they did before, but try this:

Go to your control panel and into the Printers and Faxes section. Right click on your Designjet 750C system printer and go into it's properties. On my DJ 500, I have a "Paper Standards" tab which allows you to select which standards you want (eg. ANSI, Architectural, etc.). Look for something similar to that. Verify that Architectural is checked, and while you're there you can uncheck paper standards that you don't ever use.

[Cryonerd]

Raff - problem finally solved! Thanks for your expert advice. I re-installed the system printer, using the lastest driver from HP. Now, by printing to a system printer, the 'in computer' option takes hold. I did not make a new pc3 file, but printed directly to the sytem printer. I'll play with making a new pc3 file to see if I can understand your logic about using them. My plotter has 11 Mbytes of memory. Muchas Gracias from the Land of Enchantment!