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:evil: LPR or IPP plotting

Anonymous
Not applicable
I am using ArchiCAD on G5 box. I cannot understand incomprehensibly decision to NOT support printing layer of MacOS X (CUPS) for plotting from PlotMaker and ArchiCAD application. At this moment ArchiCAD can PLOT only by HP JetDirect (9100) protocol. Unfortunately my plotter (Ocè TDS400 PS - very expensive, and very fast laser A0 plotter) support all standards protocols for printing (lpr, ipp, smb, appletalk) but NOT support proprietary jet-direct protocol. So I have to make plt file (using hpgl2/rtl driver - hp800) and send it by ftp connection with plotter or lpr command from Terminal.app. It is a shame that using such professional application as ArchiCAD would be I cannot plotting directly to any other plotter that is not jetdirect compatible from MacOS X.
7 REPLIES 7
Anonymous
Not applicable
I have had no problems printing from AC or PM using CUPS (with GIMP Print & Ghostscript), and I found many ways to print to the TDS400 including LPR. If you have a server machine attached to your Océ you can also FTP Postscript or PDF files directly into the que.

Do not try to print to the Océ through Appletalk. I found that it only worked using an AppleShare IP server sharing the printer with OS9 workstations. No OSX support at all and the OS9 setup was flaky.

My favorite method was FTP. It was clean, simple and rock solid reliable. And since we had a standard practice of using PDF for record sets and remote printing, it fit right into the workflow.
Anonymous
Not applicable
I don't talk about printing to TDS400 with ps system driver, but about PLOTTING to TDS400 using ArchiCAD hpgl/rtl driver, without passing thought plt file - as I can do from windows or macos9 box.
Anonymous
Not applicable
As I recall I could also plot to the TDS400 but I don't remember the details as we ended up settling on PDF and printing as a better standard.

BTW, You can also FTP plot files to the que.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Raffael wrote:
I am using ArchiCAD on G5 box. I cannot understand incomprehensibly decision to NOT support printing layer of MacOS X (CUPS) for plotting from PlotMaker and ArchiCAD application. At this moment ArchiCAD can PLOT only by HP JetDirect (9100) protocol. Unfortunately my plotter (Ocè TDS400 PS - very expensive, and very fast laser A0 plotter) support all standards protocols for printing (lpr, ipp, smb, appletalk) but NOT support proprietary jet-direct protocol. So I have to make plt file (using hpgl2/rtl driver - hp800) and send it by ftp connection with plotter or lpr command from Terminal.app. It is a shame that using such professional application as ArchiCAD would be I cannot plotting directly to any other plotter that is not jetdirect compatible from MacOS X.
Is there any chance you can email me a more verbose description of your workaround? Please email to todddixon@mac.com. We have the same problem with a DJ 755CM a G5 and archicad 8. We just get a communication error when attempting to plot (unless the file is only a simple single line or squiggle). I understand the basics of the command line stuff like lpr etc but am not experienced in it enough to help in our exact scenario. Could you help?

Thanks in desperation, Todd
Anonymous
Not applicable
I know it is possible to use ftp for plotting plt files on tds400, but I have paid a lot of money for ArchiCAD and I don't understand why I cannot plot directly from ArchiCAD/PlotMaker from MacOS X computer and from winxp I can.
MacOS X has great, OPEN SOURCE system for printing delivery - CUPS. Why Graphisoft don't us it for plotting delivery instead of using only 9100 (proprietary HP technology) which is not supported by ALL printers/plotters - for example oce tds/tcs series (appletalk, lpr and smb are supported by ALL plotters) and by server's print services.
Anonymous
Not applicable
I have another problem - not with tds400 but with HP DesignJet 800ps. TDS400 is VERY fast plotter so my network admin could allow me plot directly to it (using ftp protocol of course), but he "ask" me do not plot directly to HP plotter, without respecting printing code, but he wants me to plot to our print server witch accept lpr/appletalk/smb transmissions. At this moment I have to open classic PlotFlow (appletalk) or windows Plotflow (lpr) to do it that it is not very good solution.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Rafal,

I am trying to FTP from MAC OSX to same kind of device but am getting permission errors? Did you have to do any thing special?