29 Aug
2007
29 Aug
'07
7:06 a.m.
Hi
Me have a big problem connecting a plotter to a computer, no1 is able to help me.
Hopefully you can.
I have a draftmaster 7595A
deeply appreciated if you would offer your help.
From: Ambrose
29 Aug
29 Aug
7:31 a.m.
On 8/29/07, Patrick Adams <padamsdesign at mweb.co.za> wrote:
Hi
Me have a big problem connecting a plotter to a computer, no1 is able to help me.
Hopefully you can.
Not being a mind reader, giving a summary of your problem would go a
long way to encouraging people to speak up.
-ethan
8:28 a.m.
Me have a big problem connecting a plotter to a
computer, no1 is able to
help me.
Hopefully you can.
I have a draftmaster 7595A
deeply appreciated if you would offer your help.
From: Ambrose
Me have will to help but have no crystal ball
But knowing the draftmaster, you need a 25-to-9pin serial cable, with
full handshake (all nine wires connected), you can find it in
www.thehardwarebook.net and do it in your home. Hope that helps!
11:14 a.m.
On Wed, 29 Aug 2007, Patrick Adams wrote:
Hi
Me have a big problem connecting a plotter to a computer, no1 is able to help me.
Hopefully you can.
I have a draftmaster 7595A
deeply appreciated if you would offer your help.
The usual problem is getting the right cable to connect it to the SERIAL
port of the computer. Joe Campbell's "The RS232 Solution" will teach you
what you need to know to make the cable.
If you connect a serial device to the parallel port of the computer, you
are likely to do some damage.
If your computer only has USB (Useless Serial Botch), then get an older
computer.
Once the cabling is done, then you can start your descent into Driver
Hell, looking for an appropriate driver for it.
12:23 p.m.
On 8/29/07, Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> wrote:
The usual problem is getting the right cable to
connect it to the SERIAL
port of the computer. Joe Campbell's "The RS232 Solution" will teach you
what you need to know to make the cable.
I'd wager at first approximation, the usual difficulty is hardware
handshaking, or lack thereof.
If you connect a serial device to the parallel port of
the computer, you
are likely to do some damage.
!!!
The fast way to turn Light Emitting Diodes to Smoke Emitting Diodes. ;-)
I've seen people toast parallel port dongles by stuffing them onto a
Mac-style DB25 SCSI port before, but I've only seen serial-parallel
confusion with the Amiga 1000, since they a) chose the opposite
connector gender from PCs (DB25M for parallel, DB25F for serial),
_and_ b) ran power over the serial and parallel connectors (along with
some unusual signals like clock and system reset) which _was_ handy
for, say, a host-powered voice-mail modem, but not so handy for trying
to attach an ordinary printer over a cheap PC cable.
http://www.concentric.net/~Alxevans/a1000ports.html
If your computer only has USB (Useless Serial Botch),
then get an older
computer.
Indeed, though it _might_ be possible to get a USB-RS232 dongle to
work, if you can get the plotter to function with various hardware
handshake lines shorted or tied together.
Once the cabling is done, then you can start your
descent into Driver
Hell, looking for an appropriate driver for it.
Or you can learn HPGL. :-)
What I recall, though, from those days, is that each application
(AutoCAD, OrCAD...) would have its own bank of drivers. In the case
of a DraftMaster (since I happen to have a DM-II), I would expect
you'd tell your app that you have an HP GL plotter, and most likely
your paper size, and with the possible exception of pen changes, it
should work well.
I don't ever remember seeing OS-level _plotter_ drivers.
-ethan
1:51 p.m.
> The usual problem is getting the right cable to
connect it to the SERIAL
> port of the computer. Joe Campbell's "The RS232 Solution" will teach
you
> what you need to know to make the cable.
On Wed, 29 Aug 2007, Ethan Dicks wrote:
I'd wager at first approximation, the usual
difficulty is hardware
handshaking, or lack thereof.
of course. But, considering the lack of information that the OP provided,
I figured it might be best to explain THAT as "you'll need a special
cable"
I've seen people toast parallel port dongles by
stuffing them onto a
I've seen serial printers get plugged into parallel ports on PCs.
I've even had untrained lab staff ask for gender changers, in order to be
able to use "those other ports" (DB25M) for parralel printers!
Indeed, though it _might_ be possible to get a
USB-RS232 dongle to
work, if you can get the plotter to function with various hardware
handshake lines shorted or tied together.
I am NOT going to attempt to talk a newbie through THAT!
Once the
cabling is done, then you can start your descent into Driver
Hell, looking for an appropriate driver for it.
I don't ever remember seeing
OS-level _plotter_ drivers.
2:07 p.m.
On 8/29/07, Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> wrote:
Fair enough.
Hmm... I did fiddle with plotters with Unix, VMS, and DOS, decades
ago, but I have to admit to never attempting to do it with Windows.
On Wed, 29 Aug 2007, Ethan Dicks wrote:
I've seen serial printers get plugged into parallel ports on PCs.
I've even had untrained lab staff ask for gender changers, in order to be
able to use "those other ports" (DB25M) for parralel printers!
Did they remember to ask for a hammer to make sure they were seated
firmly in the wrong ports? ;-)
Indeed, though
it _might_ be possible to get a USB-RS232 dongle to
work, if you can get the plotter to function with various hardware
handshake lines shorted or tied together.
I am NOT going to attempt to talk a newbie through THAT! I don't
ever remember seeing OS-level _plotter_ drivers.
Some earlier versions of Windoze (3.10?) purported to. Monte Hanrahan and
I were going to hook up a Draftmaster I to a PC, but before we got to it,
the college administation came through one weekend, and dumpstered "all
that junk", even the stuff that we had in the glass display case!
Ow!
OTOH, perhaps my DraftMaster II _was_ "all that junk" - I got it from
Uni surplus for $25 after it was marked down from $100, since it
wouldn't print a test page on command. Turned out to be a jammed pen
in the carousel. I'd love to run across a take-up motor and spool for
it - right now, it's limited to 3' or 4'-long plots. With the
optional take-up kit, you can plot on the entire roll, since the Y
motors don't have to support the entire weight of the output side of
the paper.
-ethan
4:02 p.m.
On Wed, 29 Aug 2007, Patrick Adams wrote:
One ofhte HP manuals I looked it gave details (and wirelists for the
cables) to link the Draftmater to (IIRC) a VAX [1]. HP3000, HP150 (either
RS232 or HPIB), PC/XT nad PC/AT machines.
[1] Considering there were many serial ports available tyhat would work
in at least some VAXen, I am suprised that there's only one possible cable...
Hi
Me have a big problem connecting a plotter to a computer, no1 is able to help me.
Hopefully you can.
I have a draftmaster 7595A
deeply appreciated if you would offer your help.
The usual problem is getting the right cable to connect it to the SERIAL
port of the computer. Joe Campbell's "The RS232 Solution" will teach you
what you need to know to make the cable.
If you connect a serial device to the parallel port of the computer, you
are likely to do some damage.
Toe the computer, not to the seiral device :-)
If your computer only has USB (Useless Serial Botch), then get an older
computer.
I resemble that remark :-)
IIRC there are USB->RS232 interfaces. That should work fine,
hardware-wise, with the Draftmaster, but don't ask me about the software
:-). I've also seem (expensive) USV-HPIB interfaces, I asusme that would
work too.
-tony
3:57 p.m.
Hi=20
Me have a big problem connecting a plotter to a computer, no1 is able to =
help me.
Hopefully you can.
I have a draftmaster 7595A
deeply appreciated if you would offer your help.
People who've been on the end of one of my hardware faultfinding
conversations my think I have ESP, but I can assure you I don't. And
you've not told us much about your system or problem.
There are manuals for the Draftmaster over on http://www.hpmuseum.net/ ,
including a hardwre manual (which includes exploded diagrams and a
schematic of (At least most of) the processor board (although curiously
nothing on the PSU/motor driver board). And a user manual that tells you
how to set it up and configure it.
ff I'm reading that right, the Draftmaster has both HPIB and RS232
interfaces (2 of the latter). Which are you using?
What is your host computer (on this list it could be _anything_)?
What cable are you using?
What software are you using to drive it? Have you tried the little test
programs in the manual?
Has this setup ever worked?
What's the orobkem you're having?
-tony
6325
days inactive
6325
days old
8 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
alexandre-listas＠e-secure.com.br -
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
cisin＠xenosoft.com -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
padamsdesign＠mweb.co.za