Auto print plt files on any printer - is it possible?

I wrote a program in vb6 a long time ago that sent plt files to a printer or plotter depending on the size. This was for a manufacturing company and allowed them to print drawings in the factory without having AutoCad. As years have gone on they have replaced many printers and now some won't print on the printers that they weren't created on and I assume it is because the printer can't read the plt file correctly. Is there a way to create a plt file that will be able to be printed on any printer or plotter or a common driver that can be used to create the plt file? Or is there a better way to do it now?

Thank you for your help.

Chris

If they dont have AutoCAD and just want to be able to print at the factory then why not just send them a PDF of the drawing?

I have never looked at using pdf's instead. Here is the current solution that is in place. The drafter will create a plt file using a script I wrote in AutoCAD that will output the plt file based on the title block/drawing size. We have 4 size drawings Ansi a, b, c, and d. The vb6 program I wrote will send the plt file to the correct printers queue to print out automatically (a and b to the printer and c and d to the plotter).

The factory will print out 20-40 drawings in the morning that will be used that day so they just type in the drawing numbers and it spits them out on the correct printer by sending them to that printers queue.

If you use pdf's will they print out on the correct size paper without user intervention or does the user have to open the pdf and change the printer and paper size?

Thanks for the reply.

.....they just type in the drawing numbers and it spits them out on the correct printer.....

Just type the numbers into what?

Am I right in thinking that they run the program that you wrote with vb and then type the numbers into that?

If that is the case then I would think that it is the program that is doing the sorting by size and sending to the correct printer / plotter. In which case it is the program that needs to be updated with new printer names and not the .plt files.

If you just send pdfs to print then, yes somebody will have to open and print them.

That's correct, they type the drawing number into the custom program to print them out. The program knows which printer to send them too because when the drafter creates the plt files they are saved into one of 2 folders.One for a and b and one for c and d. Inside the custom program the user select the printer and plotter they will use to print with. The printer and plotter the drafters are using to create the plt files are not the same as the ones the factory uses to print them out so some of the drawings don't print and I believe this is because of the difference in the drivers for the printers.

My question is if there is a common driver that will work on all or at least most printers or plotters?

Also, I created this about 10 years ago and I was wondering if there is a better way to automate this now?

Thanks.

The printer and plotter the drafters are using to create the plt files are not the same as the ones the factory uses to print them out so some of the drawings don't print and I believe this is because of the difference in the drivers for the printers.

There is your problem. PLT is a file extension, not a file format. You need to use the driver to create the plot files that matches the hardware they will be printed on.

Or, switch to DWF or PDF, which are hardware independent.

Thats what i figured was the issue, that's why I was asking if there was a generic driver that worked with all printers. it seems like there must not be though.

Does anybody else use an automated solution for their company or does everybody that needs to print out a drawing open up the drawing (dwf or pdf) one at a time with a viewer and print it out after selecting the paper size and printer?

Yes I see what the process is.

The thing is though, .plt file is actually a HP-GL/2 file which is a generic driver and should work with all printers / plotters.

The nonsystem HP-GL/2 driver supports a variety of HP-GL/2 pen plotters and ink-jet plotters. It is a generic HP-GL/2 driver that is not optimized for any particular manufacturer’s devices. For example, it does not send PJL commands to devices, as a true Hewlett-Packard driver would. The HP-GL/2 driver supports obsolete pen plotters and newer devices made by manufacturers other than Hewlett-Packard.

OOps they are shutting the office for the weekend and so I have to dash.

Can anybody else pick this up and give clafrancis a hand?

...that's why I was asking if there was a generic driver that worked with all printers. it seems like there must not be though.

Does anybody else use an automated solution for their company or does everybody that needs to print out a drawing open up the drawing (dwf or pdf) one at a time with a viewer and print it out after selecting the paper size and printer?

We publish to plot files, and then use Repro Desk to send the plot files to the printer.

 

The thing is though, .plt file is actually a HP-GL/2 file which is a generic driver and should work with all printers / plotters.

Not necessarily.

See above.

PLT is a file extension, not a file format. Many plot files are HP-GL/2, but many are other formats that won't work on certain printers.