Getting Started

Copyright 2001 by Gerber Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. This document may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the copyright owner. This document is part of the proprietary articles furnished to document the Gerber Technology, Inc. plotter systems. In consideration of the furnishing of the information contained in this document, the party to whom it is given assumes its control and custody and agrees to the following: 1. The information contained herein is given in confidence and any part thereof shall not be copied or reproduced without the written consent of Gerber Technology, Inc. 2. This document or the contents herein under no circumstances shall be used in the manufacture or reproduction of the articles shown and the delivery of this document shall not constitute any right or license to do so. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Gerber Technology, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates shall not be liable for errors in this document or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with furnishing, or use of this material including, for example, loss of profits, fabric and production time. AccuPlot, AccuJet and AccuMark, Infinity, MicroMark, and WinPlot are trademarks of Gerber Technology, Inc. Algotex PowerJet 180 and Algotex PowerJet 240 are the trademarks of Algotex. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies., Printed in USA 10/01/01 Document No. 088961000

Contents Contents
Customer Support ................................................................................................. 2 System Requirements ........................................................................................... 2 Introduction to WinPlot .......................................................................................... 3 Plot File Requirements .......................................................................................... 3 HPGL Plot Files (.plt) ......................................................................................... 3 Gerber Plot Files (.gen, .ggt).............................................................................. 3 DWG Plot Files (.dwg) ....................................................................................... 3 DXF Plot Files (.dxf)........................................................................................... 3 Gerber Cut Files (.nc, .cut)................................................................................. 4 System Setup........................................................................................................ 4 Network Setup ................................................................................................... 4 Algotex Plotter Setup ......................................................................................... 5 WinPlot CAD Computer Setup ........................................................................... 9 Plotting A Sample File ......................................................................................... 12 Introduction to the plotter menu........................................................................ 12 To plot a file ..................................................................................................... 13 Queue Manager............................................................................................... 15 View Plot.......................................................................................................... 18 Plotter Settings ................................................................................................ 18 To Create a New Media ID From an Existing Media ID .................................... 19 WinPlot Configuration.......................................................................................... 20 Opening the Winplot Configuration Screen ...................................................... 20 Algotex Interface ................................................................................................. 21

Customer Support
If you are inside the United States and have a question about WinPlot, call our toll free number at 1-800-321-2448. If you are outside the United States, call the sales office where you purchased WinPlot. Make sure you have the following information available when you call: Sales order number Version numbers of your WinPlot software Type of hardware you are using Operating system you are using Description of the problem Exact wording of any messages that may have appeared on your monitor

System Requirements
To install and operate WinPlot for Algotex Plotters, your system must meet the following minimum standards: Industry standard personal computer with: Windows 95/98 or NT 4.0 operating systems 20 MB hard disk space 16 MB RAM (W95) or 32 MB RAM (98/NT) CD-ROM Drive Mouse pointing device

Introduction to WinPlot
WinPlot converts and formats plot files from AccuMark, MicroMark, and other non-Gerber CAD systems that generate plot files according to the specified requirements. After converting for proper page limits, these files can be submitted to a plot queue and plotted. In addition to formatting standard plot files, WinPlot includes utilities to manage the plotter queue, view plot files, and set plotter media characteristics.

Plot File Requirements

HPGL Plot Files (.plt)
WinPlot supports HPGL (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language) plot files that conform to HP 7475 plotter requirements. Generic HPGL format files can also be converted. These include files exported as HPGL files (.plt) from packages such as Micrografx Designer or CorelDraw. WinPlot does not support the entire HPGL command set. For example, arc or circle commands are not supported. Any unsupported command will be reported in the log file window.

Gerber Plot Files (.gen, .ggt)

WinPlot will process and submit (to the plot queue) Gerber plot files generated from AccuMark or MicroMark. These plots are submitted directly to the plot queue, and no conversion is performed.

DWG Plot Files (.dwg)

WinPlot supports .dwg files generated primarily from Autocad. This format is a binary file that allows plots to be generated full size so WinPlot can process the plot without having to apply scaling. Most .dwg commands are supported. Unsupported commands in the file are reported in the log file window.

DXF Plot Files (.dxf)

WinPlot supports dxf plot files generated from Autocad and other CAD software programs. The format used by many CAD packages, dxf files are generally larger in size than the equivalent plot file in dwg format. Most dxf commands are supported. Unsupported commands encountered in the file will be reported in the log file window.

Gerber Cut Files (.nc, .cut)

WinPlot supports Gerber cut files generated from AccuMark, MicroMark, or other CAD software. This allows a common cut file to be used to generate the plotted marker and to cut the marker.

System Setup
Setting up an Algotex plotting system is a three-part process; Network Setup, Algotex Plotter Setup, and WinPlot (CAD computer) Setup. Refer to the following Network Setup figure for a typical installation that consists of a computer connected to an Algotex plotter.

Network Setup
Contact your computer network department for assistance in network setup. You can refer to the WinPlot Network Plotting in the online help (after WinPlot for Algotex program installation) for examples of WinPlot Network Plotting for Client/Server and Peer/Peer scenarios. When the Algotex plotter computer and the WinPlot-equipped CAD computer are connected to the network and have a common read/write directory, the CAD computer can pass plot jobs to the Algotex Plotter.

Network Setup 1. Create a common directory where each of the computers has read/write capability. The common directory can be on a server, the Algotex computer, or the CAD computer. This example has a C:\Shared common directory on the Algotex computer.

Algotex Plotter Setup

The following settings are made using the Algotex Computer. You can refer to your Algotex documentation for the complete plotter setup.
Note:

The Algotex plotter provides a choice of displaying measurements in Metric or US-English. These settings can be changed in Regional Settings on the Control Panel. For complete instructions, refer to Changing the Measurement System in the Algotex Power Jet Plotter Reference Manual.

1. Click on the Algotex icon on the desktop to open Environment Settings. 2. Click Environment Settings on the Algotex Plotter Driver dialog box to open Environment Settings.

Algotex Plotter Driver Dialog Box

3. The following settings are important for operation with WinPlot. Make sure these settings are correct: Manual Management Must not be checked Vector Files Folder - Must point to the common directory (C:\shared is used in this example) Vector Format - Must be set to Hpgl Vector Step - Must be set to 0.0254

Environment Settings Dialog Box 4. Click OK. 5. Click Plotter Settings on the Algotex Plotter Driver dialog box to open the Power Plotter Settings dialog box.

Algotex Plotter Driver Dialog Box

6. Click the Print tab on the Power Plotter Settings dialog box.

Power Plotter Settings Dialog Box Print Tab Right Margin. Used to adjust distance between edge of plot and right edge of paper. This example uses a right margin of 0.5 inch (1.27 cm).

Gap Between Markers. Regulates distance between jobs sent to plotter. Plots processed as a group are considered a single job. 7. Click the Paper tab while the Plotter Settings dialog box is still open. 8. Make sure the Paper Width is equal to, or greater than the value in the Plotter Settings on the CAD computer. This assures that only markers that fit on the paper width will be processed or scissored correctly, as applicable. This setting is also important when plotting pieces and STACKING = yes. This makes sure the entire paper width is being used.

Power Plotter Settings Dialog Box Paper Tab 9. Enable the remote control on the Algotex Power Plotter dialog box by using the Remote Control Disable/Enable Remote Control button.
Note:

This is a toggle function that switches between Remote Control Disable and Enable Remote Control. Instead of seeing the current status, you see the action you can take. The plotter is enabled when the button reads Remote Control Disable, and is disabled when the button reads Enable Remote Control.

Algotex Power Plotter Dialog Box 10. Make sure the Algotex is ready to plot by using the Plot/Stop button.

Note:

This is a toggle function that switches between Plot and Stop. Instead of seeing the current status, you see the action you can take. The plotter is ready to plot when the button reads Stop, and is not ready when the button reads Plot.

WinPlot CAD Computer Setup

Installation of WinPlot on your CAD computer also installs WinPlot Configuration and Gerber Devices to the Control Panel. Queue Manager and Plotter Settings utilities are available from the plotter icon. 1. Install a plotter security key (Gerber PN 332501464) on the CAD computer parallel port.
Note:

If you are reinstalling WinPlot, right click on the plotter icon in the bottom, right corner and select Exit. This will close the program if it is running. If AccuMark is installed and running, it will be automatically closed by the WinPlot installation program.

2. Insert the WinPlot for Algotex Plotters CD into the CD drive. 3. From the Start menu, select Run. 4. Type e:\setup, where e is the CD-ROM drive letter. 5. Select OK. As the software installs, you will be prompted by a series of screens in the following order in Table 1 (Steps A through H). Most screens require a response. Refer to Customer Support on page 2 if you have installation problems.

Table 1. WinPlot for Algotex Plotter Software Installation

Screen Description A. Welcome B. Software License Agreement C. User Information D. Warning

Required Response Click Next. Click Yes to accept terms. Enter name and address, then click Next. Click OK to allow AccuMark to be closed by the WinPlot install program. No response is required. Program files are copied. Click OK to acknowledge that Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed to read WinPlot Release Notes (.pdf format on WinPlot CD). Click Finish. WinPlot has been installed. Select the radio button Yes, I want to restart my computer now. Click Finish.

E. WinPlot for Algotex Setup F. Information

G. Setup Complete H. Setup Complete

6. On the CAD computer, click the Windows Start button, and then go to Settings. Click Control Panel.

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7. Double-click the Gerber Devices icon. 8. Click the Plotter tab to open the Plotter Configuration window, if necessary. 9. On the Plotter tab under Type, select the Algotex plotter you are using: Algotex Powerjet 180 or Algotex Powerjet 240.

Gerber Device Configuration Dialog Box 10. In Settings, make sure the folder is the same as that set in the Algotex computers Environment Settings dialog box under the Vector Files Folder. 11. Click OK. 12. Look in the tool tray at the bottom right corner of the display for . A plotter the plotter icon. An enabled plotter will look like this that is not enabled has a red circle with an X over the plotter icon . A plotter that is not enabled has no communication with the plotter. Make sure the plotter is on, cabling is secure, and that the remote control is enabled at the Algotex computer.

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Plotting A Sample File

This will familiarize you with the plotter menu and how to plot files.

Introduction to the plotter menu

The plotter menu provides easy access to plotter utilities available to your system. Once installed, the plotter program automatically starts with your computer. Right-click the plotter icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar to open the plotter menu. From the plotter menu: Display Algotex plotter status interface Plot Files (WinPlot) Open Queue Manager Open Plotter Settings (*Media ID) Restart Plotter Exit (shut down) plotter program

Plotter Menu

*A set of parameters for a unique media type (paper, oaktag) on a specific plotter. This is more fully described later in the manual.

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To plot a file
1. Right click the plotter icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar, then left click on Plot Files. 2. Click Add, and then select Test_boxes.plt from C:\winplot\samples.

WinPlot Dialog Box 3. Click Plot to submit the file to queue. The process is complete when the file selected (Test_boxes.plt) disappears from the dialog box window.
Note:

If the file from the CAD computer does not reach the shared directory and the shared directory is on the plotter, you may have a network problem. Confirm with your computer network department that your shared folder has read/write capabilities.

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4. Measure the two boxes in Test_boxes.plt plotted on the Alogtex. The small box should be 25.4 cm x 25.4 cm (10 in x 10 in). The large box should be 40 cm x 40 cm (15.75 in x 15.75 in).

WinPlot Test Boxes (Test_Boxes.plt) 5. If your plot measurements are unsatisfactory, do the following: CAD Computer: Go to Start/Settings/Control Panel/WinPlot Config. Click on the HPGL Files tab and make sure Input Units is set to 1016 units per inch. Algotex Computer: Click Stop on the Algotex Power Plotter dialog box. Click Environment Settings on the Algotex Plotter Driver dialog box to open Environment Settings. Make sure Vector Step is set to 0.0254. Algotex Calibration Procedure: Refer to the calibration procedure in the documentation supplied with your Algotex plotter. Calibrate the plotter as necessary.

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Queue Manager
The Plot Queue Manager displays information about the plotter and each job in the queue. The Test_Boxes.plt plot file was processed and placed in the plot queue. 1. To open Plot Queue Manger, right click on the plotter icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar, then left click on Queue Manager. The Queue Manager utility allows you to:
View plotter queue status Display the contents of a plot file using View Plot Delete jobs in the queue Stop and restart the plot queue

* **

Plot Queue Manager

*See Table 2 for details on current Status display field. **See Table 3 for details on job information display field.

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Table 2. Current Status Display (part of plot queue manager)

Status: (Plotter Status) Describes operating conditions of plotter associated with selected plot queue

Online Operating or able to accept and execute commands sent from controlling system Offline Plotter is prevented from accepting commands from controlling system. Servos are not disabled. Error Stopped due to plotter error.

Status: (Queue Status) Describes operating condition of open queue.

Active Sending data from queue to plotter. Waiting Waiting for plotter to finish current plot. Stopped Queue interrupted by Stop Immediate, Stop After, Delete Active, or an error condition. Empty No data in queue and all jobs completed.

Owner: On networks, this field identifies the system node that currently has ownership of the plot queue and the plotter. The field is empty if no system has locked the queue. Media: Displays the name of the media ID currently active for the plotter. 16

Table 3. Job Information Headings (part of plot queue manager)

Heading Job Group

Description Job numbers are assigned sequentially as jobs are added to list. If a job is one of several to be processed as a group, its group identifier (a letter) appears in the list entry. Displays the current condition of the plot job (Ready, Active). Displays the name of the plot file On networked systems, name of the node that processed the job. Displays name of device that contains the source HPGL plot file Displays the Media ID assigned to the plot job. Describes operating conditions of plotter associated with selected plot queue Media is only displayed if plotted from AccuMark If plotted from WinPlot, the selected media will be used

Status Plot Name Node Storage Media

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View Plot
The View Plot program allows you to display a plot job within Queue Manager. This gives you a means to validate the job before plotting. You can use the zoom function to examine details, take measurements, or print a representative single-page plot. To Open View Plot 1. Open the Queue Manager. 2. From the job list, select (click to highlight) the job you want to display. 3. From the Actions menu, choose View. To use the View Plot Zoom function 1. Place the pointer at the top left corner of the section of the display you want to examine. 2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag a box around the section you want to examine, then release the button. 3. To zoom out, right-click the mouse.

Plotter Settings
If you work with different types of paper, the Plotter Settings program allows you to specify plotter and media characteristics, such as paper width and scissoring parameters. Save these settings as a Media ID for repeated use. Once defined, a Media ID can be applied to a plot queue or to individual jobs. To open Plotter Settings from the taskbar 1. Right-click the plotter icon in the lower right corner of the taskbar. 2. Click Plotter Settings.

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To specify units of measure 1. From the Plotter Settings View menu, choose Options. 2. In the Options dialog box, click the radio button that corresponds to the units you want, then click. OK.

Options Dialog Box

To Create a New Media ID From an Existing Media ID

1. Open Plotter Settings. 2. Click or choose Open from the File menu.

3. Select the Media ID to open, then click Open. 4. Make applicable changes. 5. Choose Save As from the File menu. 6. In the Save As dialog box, type a unique name for the Media ID. Click OK.

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WinPlot Configuration
The WinPlot Configuration screen is added to the Control Panel folder during installation of WinPlot software. This is used to select parameters under the following tabs: General, HPGL Files, DWG/DXF Files, Cut Files, Remote Plotters, Log File, and Spooler.

Opening the Winplot Configuration Screen

1. Click the Windows Start button, go to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click the WinPlot Config icon. 3. With the WinPlot Configuration screen open, click on the tabs and select parameters, as desired. This screen is shown for reference only. Refer to the online help for complete information on all tabs.

WinPlot Configuration - General Tab 4. Click OK when finished selecting parameters for all tabs, or cancel if no changes were made.

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Algotex Interface
A right-click on the plotter icon in the tool tray, and then a left click on Algotex Interface, will select the Algotex interface dialog box. No choices can be made here. The Algotex plotter status dialog box quickly shows: Status What state plotter is in. (Remote commands denied, On-line, Paused by user, Rasterizing, or Plotting) Last Plot If last plot was successful (OK, Aborted, Bad Data). Alerts - If the plotter is ready to operate, and what reasons could be responsible if it is not ready to operate. (Heartbeat Blinks to show Algotex plotter is powered up and Algotex plotter driver is running, Warm Up, Paper is Running Low, Paper is out, Paper is jammed, Ink is running low, Ink is out, Inkjets/Pens require service, cover is open, or Emergency. Refer to the documentation supplied with your Algotex Plotter for information on specific error conditions. Current Plot Current plot and whether plotting has ended. (Plot Name, File Name, and progress).

Algotex Plotter Status Dialog Box

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088961000 10/01/01