Roland DXY-1300 plotting from Autocad R14

**neksmerj** · 22nd October 2007, 09:04 PM

Dear Members,

This a curly one, but I'm sure someone will have a solution.

I dusted off my ancient Roland DXY-1300 pen plotter, and want to try and use it as a crude engraving machine on soft metals. I currently use Autocad R14 on a Windows XP home edition operating system.

My intention is to make up a miniature engraving head that will take the place of a plotting pen.

Here's the crunch........How do I configure Autocad to run the plotter.

I used to do all my plotting with this plotter, so I know it used to work, however, I'm not having any success at the moment. It will do a test plot perfectly.

I have tried setting up the plotter within Autocad, emulating HP 7550, and have tried setting up a printer within Windows. No go, zilch, on both counts.

If you have any suggestions, I will be most grateful.

Regards,

Ken

**patty** · 22nd October 2007, 09:57 PM

Ken Does yor pc obviously recognises the plotter when it is plugged in? My old man has an old Roland Plotter cant think of the model but you always had to set u the width settings first or ( set points) I will pass this onto me ole man to see if he can help out

**neksmerj** · 23rd October 2007, 12:27 AM

Dear Patty,

No, the PC does not recognise the plotter when it is plugged in, it was made long before the days of plug and play. It is connected to my computer via a parallel cable, that came with the plotter. I have connected it to port com1.

From Control Panel, "add new hardware" does not detect it. When I tell Windows this device is connected to com1, it reports "This device is working properly"

Any more clues?

Ken

**Big Shed** · 23rd October 2007, 09:39 AM

Ken, something wrong here. You connected a parallel cable to com 1? Com 1 is a serial port and is fairly small (about 25-30mm wide), parallel port is about 65mm wide.

Maybe it is just your terminology that is confused.

Did you load the printer drivers for the plotter?

**neksmerj** · 23rd October 2007, 01:40 PM

Big Shed,

Thanks for your input.

You are correct, I forgot to mention that I'm a bit of a dummy when it comes to computers, put it down to old age.

Since discovering this oversight myself, I have had a little bit of success. I found some Roland drivers on the net, downloaded and installed them. Through Control Panel, I selected "add new printer" and was delighted to find "Roland" had been added to the list. From there, selected DXY-1300, installed the drivers and selected port LPT1.

The plotter works, however there are two problems. When configuring the plotter within Autocad, there is no provision to select various pens for different line widths.

Normally a dialogue box comes up with plotting options. This does not happen.

In operation, the plotter chooses only one pen for all line widths, and there is no provision to select different plotting speeds. I really want to slow the plotter right down, when engraving.

If someone can help me resolve these two problems, there'll be free drinks all round.

Thanks for everyone's input so far, am getting more response here than from the Autodesk forum, so keep it up.

Ken

**neksmerj** · 23rd October 2007, 02:51 PM

Dear members,

For those of you with an interest in this topic, I have progressed a little further.

Within Autocad, I selected a HP7475 plotter, and wallah, with this emulation, various pens are now being selected for various line widths.

There is still one problem left, how to slow the plotter right down for engraving.

As mentioned above, I intend to make up a miniature engraving/router head for this plotter. Should be fun!

Ken

**Big Shed** · 23rd October 2007, 04:10 PM

Good to see you got it working Ken

Aren't computers wonderful

Sorry, can't help you with the slowing down question.

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