Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!rice!sun-spots-request
From: esri!houman@uunet.uu.net (Houman Safai)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun
Subject: Can you make my plotter work?
Keywords: Hardware
Message-ID: <1990Nov4.030609.1770@rice.edu>
Date: 4 Nov 90 03:00:00 GMT
Sender: sun-spots-request@rice.edu
Organization: Sun-Spots
Lines: 49
Approved: Sun-Spots@rice.edu
Originator: spots@titan.rice.edu
X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 357, message 17
X-Original-Date: Wed, 17 Oct 90 16:57:14 PDT

We have encountered some problems with spooling files to plotters using
the lpr command. 

When we send plotfiles to Calcomp 104X series plotters using the lpr
command, occassionaly we get a "Trans B error" on the plotter which
according to the Calcomp documentation indicates that there is a
handshaking problem.

The plotters settings are as follow:
	Baud rate   : 9600
	Data bits   : 8
	Stop bits   : 1 
	Parity      : None
	Flow Control: XON/XOFF

The printcap entry is:
calcomp:\
	:lp=/dev/ttya:sd=/var/spool/calcomp:br#9600:\
        :ms=cs8,-parenb,-opost,-echo,ixon,-istrip:\
        :sh:sf:	

The lpr command is used as follow:
	lpr -s -r -Pcalcomp plotfile_name

The plotfiles are between 20 and 500 Kilobytes.

The problem is very intermmitant. For example we can spool 2 or 3 plots
without any problem and suddenly submitting another plot will cause the
error on the plotter. 

If the plotfiles are sent to a Calcomp electrostatic plotter(58XX series)
we do not encounter this problem, since the electrostatic has a built-in
40MB hard drive. Therefore, there is minimal amount of handshaking taking
place between the two devices.

I have placed a service call with Sun about 3 weeks ago, and I am still
working with the technical analyst.

Has anybody encountered a similar problem? Is anyone aware of a potential
bug with this version of OS(4.1)? Any suggestions, comments, or solutions
(apart from lowering the baud rate on the plotter or keeping couple of SS
at 4.0.3, which I am) will be greatly appreciated.

Houman Safai               UUCP: uunet!esri!hsafai
ESRI                       INTERNET: hsafai@esri.com
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