posted
Last night I gave up when I tried to open my VE Master to see if the plotter would work... and it locked up the computer. I had the key in LPT1 and the plotter in LPT2.
I tried switching the LPT ports... nope, didn't work. I checked the device manager and I get the correct info as it says it should in the installation guide.
So I uninstalled my program and reinstalled it. Still froze up the second I tried to open the program.
Today, I used the test disk that came with the plotter and rebooted my system. The plotter worked fine - yippeee!!! I've got it in LPT1 - the orginal port on the computer.
The key is in LPT2 - the port I added. I can't open it - it instantly freezes the computer. I checked and all my other programs open fine... just not my sign program.
Ok... so now I got a working plotter and no sign program!! AAARRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!! I can't believe this. And no one believes me when I say this thing HATES me. Oh brother.
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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dana ,you might post this problem over on the 4 edge.com board. there is a lot of wizards hangin out over there .they usually respond quickly too.
posted
Dana, there are several things you should check. 1. will the key work on the same lpt as the plotter, sometimes they work better that way than on a seperate lpt. 2 are your lpt 2 and lpt 1 both set the same in the bios. there are three ways (I think) to set the lpt. It has to do with bidirectional info on the plotter. your best bet on this one is to call the software folks. Bill
-------------------- Bill & Barbara Biggs Art's Sign Service, Inc. Clute, Texas, USA Home of The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Proud 10 year Supporter of the Letterheads Website www.artssigns.com "MrBill-" on the chat page MailTo:biggsbb@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1020 | From: Lake Jackson,Tx | Registered: Nov 1998
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I tried the test disk with the plotter in the LPT2 port... didn't work. That's the new one. I thought I would try the new com ports... but the test disk doesn't list those for options.
I removed the drivers for the new ports and reloaded them... no change. According to the device manager, all the ports are ok.
Sign program still locks up the computer no matter what I try.
I checked the configuration settings... which mean NOTHING to me... it shows the parallel port that works in IRQ 7, but doesn't list the new ports. Is it supposed to? The new ports in the device manager all say IRQ 10, but with different '0378 - 037F' type numbers. That's ok, right? IRQ 10 is listed as available in the configuration stuff.
I have NO idea what I just said.
Oh - everyone I've spoken with at GBC (who really have been good to me) have told me NOT to put the plotter through the key. I'm having enough problems as it is without taking the chance of frying my key. They helped me as much as they could a couple months ago and told me to contact them back when I get ports that work.
Tech support for the ports I just bought tried their best... and finally said there's nothing they can do - that my problems run deeper than they can help with over the phone.
Bruce doesn't even want to go anywhere near me right now. Can't say that I blame him!!!
And I don't really have a clue what all this stuff is anyways!! Jon is really understanding with me and talks to me with real words and not all that technojargon. But it scares me that he's at a loss for suggestions, and he does this kinda stuff all day, every day!!
Geeeeez... what did I ever do to deserve this???
[ February 21, 2003, 08:03 PM: Message edited by: Dana Bowers ]
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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You didn't mention the type of plotter you have.
Software shouldn't lock up irregardless if the plotter is visible (ie. turned on; plugged in) or not. I think you may have an issue with the software itself and not with ports.
You 'should' be able to plug the device into the key, I've never heard on a key or dongle that didn't at least claim to be transparent on the port.
If it is a 'normal' plotter you could try to plot(print) to it using any hpgl driver from any program such as coreldraw.
Test your new parallel port with another device, (printer) see if it works...
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Dana, are you certain that you are supposed to be connecting the plotter to a parallel port? Most plotters are supposed to connect to a serial comm port. Printers usually connect to parallel LPT ports.
[ February 21, 2003, 11:02 PM: Message edited by: Fred Weiss ]
-------------------- Fred Weiss Allied Computer Graphics, Inc. 4620 Lake Worth Road Lake Worth, FL 33463 561 649-6300 allcompu@allcompu.com Posts: 427 | From: Lake Worth, Florida | Registered: Feb 2003
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there are many dongles that do not want anything else on them. Some only allow a printer and will die if u hook up anything else even a scanner.. yes, she may have to use a paralell port
Have u installed lpt2 port? i dotn mean using the driver disk, i mean installing the port into the computer using the install new hardware wizard.
goto my computer,, control panel,, add new hardware,, after it does its search thing for plug n play it wil lbring up a manual install.. use manual install select from a list add lpt port..and do its thing...
i dont remember u saying u did this i cannot do much fro this post but that should get you going again..
-------------------- 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: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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dana you got corel draw? if so, go to roland download ther driver and try to run plotter with out the dongle...you can cut right from corel draw!!!!
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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It sounds to me like you have already fried your key. The only time my GA has ever locked the computer on opening was the day the key died.
BTW, this was caused by running a printer through the key. I was able to do this as long as I did not try to use the program while the printer was running, but it did damage the key. I am not sure about VE, but the Gerber key was not meant to be used with anything running through it.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2319 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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Besides juggling the plotter on my computer, I also juggle my sewing machine. (At this point I juggle three different dongles)
A little different, but here is a common problem with the dongle/machine issue: The software was originally designed to only have two ports, which these days doesn't cut it.
When connections were made on the new ports, the software wouldn't recognize it. The software had to have an update to allow the use of more ports.
Could there be an update for your software to allow the use of the extra ports?
Hope this helps in some way.
Valerie
-------------------- Valerie Connot DOA Flatliners North Wales, PA Posts: 138 | From: North Wales, PA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I haven't plugged anything through the key during all of this. If it fried, it was from something inside.
I have a VE Ultra Pro 24. I really do like the plotter and I used to run it parallel. It was still under warranty when I posted back a few months ago about not being able to get it working. Tech support was great in helping me figure out it was that neither of the com ports worked in the computer. That's why I went out and bought a new card with 2 com ports and a LPT one.
I haven't done anything with the program. All I've been trying to do is hook up the new port card and the plotter. It's when I went to open the program to see if the plotter was working, that it froze. I haven't been able to open it since, with the plotter plugged in, not plugged in, key in or key out. I uninstalled and reinstalled the program, tried all the combinations of whatever plugged wherever - still freezes instantly.
I tested the plotter directly thru dos using the test disk. But the disk only gives me 4 port options to test. The plotter will work thru the LPT1 port - the original one on the computer. It will not work thru LPT2 - the one I added. That's what we ran up against with the 2 original com ports. Won't work in Com1 (the original), Com2 (added) and there's no menu option to test Com3.
Curtis... no I haven't tried that - I followed the install instructions for the card and used the disk. I can try that next, though, and will post the results. I'll try with the LPT2 only (skip the coms), to see. Especially knowing that I ran it parallel before.
Valerie... I sorta get what you're saying, sorta not. I can't open my sign program to even choose my plotter options. I remember that there are several to choose from, as far as ports. I kinda figure 2 of either ports can't be too far off. I know I had been trying Com1 and Com2 before, when we figured neither one works. Now my 'choices' would be LPT1, LPT2, Com1, Com2, Com3... if I could actually open my program!
Cross your fingers... going off line to try some more.
Nothing else, I'm probably gonna end up backing everything up and reformatting or f disk or whatever that is. This is a royal pain in the butt... plus we had the day from h**** at work... psycho animals, psycho people... not even full moon!!!
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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Ok... I went to the add new hardware and hit the search... froze up the computer. Rebooted... did it again!!
So I went into device manager and removed the LPT2. Then the computer searched for drivers and chose to use the NetMos that it was before. When I tried to update the driver (from device manager) it said it was already using the best driver.
I tried from add new hardware again... and yep, froze up.
I am SOOO sick of this right now.
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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Dana sounds to me like you need to back up all your data ,..reformat and reinstall your operating system and programs. This process should find any and all working ports whether installed originally or new if they are working. It can be a real pain but if something works a new install of windows will find it and give you the chance to install the proper drivers.If it does not find them and they are functionong properly then it would be a bios setting wrong.Often as not windows can be coruppted and need reinstalling after several years of adding and removing programs not to mention normal everyday use.
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hey Dana I had some problems a while back when I added a used computer and wanted hook-up program and software and drove me NUTS! But I did solve it in a last ditch effort,....TA-DA,....it had to do with a setting for "flow". Once I changed this setting all was fine. I really know nothing about, perhaps someone else here could elaborate. Find the settings and give it a change,....I hope this helps you as it did me. Good luck!
-------------------- Rich Stebbing RichSigns Rohnert Park CA 707-795-5588 Posts: 755 | From: Rohnert Park, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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