posted
As if there isn't enough to do... quite behind in a few projects because of the rain, and trying to get it together for this walldog thing....
I've come to rely on my computer (after my continuing protests) and it has become quite a good employee....
But...the computer I use to drive the plotter using Sign Lab, took a big frying dump late Friday night...
Tried to attach the key and load the program into my newer computer, and it's not working... windows 98 on old computer, windows xp on the newer tower...
Went to Cadlink website, downloaded an update for "hsap" security device or something like that, got the program advancing a little further but still not recognizing it enough to send to the plotter....not smart enough to remember all the steps to take..load program?load plotter?etc..
Monday, I'm going to go buy another computer, simply because I don't want the newer one I have now, to take all the burden and take a dump with the overwhelming amount of walldog info on this computer....
Are any signlab users out there who might know what's going on?
Tips and tricks are a big welcome right now...seems that's all I need to worry about.... going thru the computer installs and the sort..
thanks
-------------------- Tony Segale Segale Fine Art & Gold Leaf Sign Co Lodi, CA www.tonysegale.com
""and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear" Posts: 216 | From: Lodi,CA,USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
sometimes I get emails thru this bully-board, but there's no way to reply...
someone suggested saving as a WMF from corel...
the problem is not how I save, but the computer fried and I can't load the signlab5 program on my newer computer (with windows xp) and get it operating the plotter...
I'll be calling cadlink in the am...you can't reach anyone there on the weekends...
-------------------- Tony Segale Segale Fine Art & Gold Leaf Sign Co Lodi, CA www.tonysegale.com
""and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear" Posts: 216 | From: Lodi,CA,USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
Had basicaly the same problem, the older versions of Signlab won't work on the newer versions of Windows XP. Everthing would lock up or act strange. Called Signlab and they said the only thing you could do is by an upgrade or load an older version of windows on the new computer. But I wasn't about to load windows 98 on a new computer so it cost $700.00 for an upgrade to the newest version of Signlab. The Colonel
-------------------- Silver Creek Signworks Dick Bohrer Two Harbors, MN Posts: 236 | From: Two Harbors, MN USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
Sorry to hear of your problems Tony..but the plain truth is..older programs just don't work well (or even at all) on newer operating systems..they were not programmed to do so since the newer technology wasn't available at the time.
It is a tough nut to swallow but, if we use computer technology, we have to keep current. Or at least, slightly current.
At this point I am enjoying some of the new features in CorelDraw X3..didn't NEED to upgrade from 12 but I know, that sure as god made little green apples, someone would be sending me a file I couldn't open unless I had the latest and greatest.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
I'll check into the upgrade...I've also heard you can get drivers to use directly with corel or adobe...true?
to be honest, I don't want another sign program if don't have to...I'd rather drive straight from corel or adobe to my graphtec 4100-75 for patterns primarily...
as I do plan on an evolution away from the majority of sign work...
any help?
-------------------- Tony Segale Segale Fine Art & Gold Leaf Sign Co Lodi, CA www.tonysegale.com
""and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear" Posts: 216 | From: Lodi,CA,USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
Graphtec has a cutting program (or plug-in... or driver?.. or whatever it's called) that will allow you to cut direct from Illustrator.
Do you have the original W98 disc? You could set up a dual-boot arrangement in your new computer so you could run the older program from one partition & still have compatibility with all things new, on your XP SP2 partition. That's what I did to have access to my old CasMate program. I don't use it anymore, but any of the 7 years worth of files that didn't have text convertedto outlines, will get kerning screwed up if opened in Flexi... so my dual boot computer has been real handy, (I also get much better results locating old archived files on my dozens of back-up CD's from the W98 OS because for some reason XP SP2 crashes when accessing several of my archive Cd's)
posted
I might be missing something here, Tony----but, on the XP 'puter, did you also load your plotter's own software? And, if you did, did you then go into Signlab's setup menu to determine whether to use the "fastboard" or the "HPGL absolute" under the "cut" dropdown? And then set the port to use?
What I IM'd you earlier still holds true---Signlab 5 didn't like RAM over 512---workaround was to change the minimum setting in virtual memory to 100, and leave the higher number alone. This worked---at least for a while---eventually something else turned up and I dug out the retired Win 98 'puter, and been using it ever since. I don't remember what the something else was that I went back to the old computer.
Signlab e6 supposedly does not have the over 512 Ram problem.
Signlab 7 I don't know anything about.
bill preston
[ April 30, 2006, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: Bill Preston ]
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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here's some results.... thought about what you said, Bill... this morning did I forget to load the graphtec plotter..found an update on their website for winXP, downloaded it and added to the XPputer...plotter was working but only after a window came up that said Error... Com1:9600,n,8,1....click OK and the plotter runs,, but didn't sound good.. Put a call in to Graphtec, no answer, but then I realized it was 7am...after I put a call in to a computer repair place across the street.. called everyone again about 8:15... computer repair says, when you hear three loud beeps, your video cards out...Graphtec says, you don't need to download update and you don't need to load plotter...signlab loads plotter automatically... computer repair say they can fix in 48 hours....I says, I'm going to Staples, bought the card, slapped it in...and all is well! Haven't used it since I know it's worked a few minutes this morning... wheeling with the walldogs...tonight back at it...
oh, the total cost was $95 for a video card.. still have win98 puter and winXP puter
thanks again for all your input and suggestions
-------------------- Tony Segale Segale Fine Art & Gold Leaf Sign Co Lodi, CA www.tonysegale.com
""and he took that golden hair and made a sweater for baby bear" Posts: 216 | From: Lodi,CA,USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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