Help With Gerber Plotter Please

[vw4fun]

Here's my situation. I've got a Gerber S/750 plotter connected to a 4E plotter. Graphix Advantage 6.2 is connected to the 4E plotter. When I hit plot I get a communication error. F1 for help states "Cannot find the C:\GSP\SOFTWARE\GQMGR.HLP file. Do you want to try to find this file yourself?"

Yeah!... but I can't find the help file in the computer or software to load it in. Can anyone email me the help file or suggest what I need to do?

In the Quickplot setup I can only select "GS750" and "S750INTRFC" for plotter setup.
The Gerber 4E will allow the pen to move on the 750 but I can't get a signal to the 4E from the computer. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Ray

 

[Fred Weiss]

Ray, check to see whether you have one or two com ports. Chances are you have two and you have the plotter assigned to the wrong port. You might want to delete all your installed devices and reinstall just the GS750 device to all of your com ports and see which one works.

As far as which driver to use, the GS750 is one I am familiar with and it works fine. The second one, I would delete unless you had some reason for installing it.

The error you're getting is strange but probably is just the result of not finding the S750.

Finally, make sure the power is on to the S750 when you send anything to it. It has it's own power switch.

Hope this helps.

 

[vw4fun]

Hello Fred. Thanks for your post.

I disconnected the Gerber HS 15" plotter which has always work on com1. Then installed into the wire that goes from the Gerber 4B's card slot to the com1 serial port. S/750 is turned on and hums like a son-of-a-gun.

When I give the plot signal GQMGR comes up. I select restart and nothing happens. Pressing F1 helps says GQMGR.HLP is not in the computer. Don't know what to do next. Please help....

 

[Fred Weiss]

After you switch the com cable are you selecting the GS750 plotter in GSPPlot? Otherwise you are using the HS15 driver to attempt to drive the S750 and it would likely drive everything crazy.

 

[vw4fun]

Hey Fred. Definately selecting the GS750 in the Quickplot. Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks

 

[Fred Weiss]

If you have the S750 showing on COM 1 and you are selecting GS750 on COM 1, and your HS15 works on COM 1, then it should work.

In GSPPlot, press F7 to bring up Device Select. Check to see that the devices are on the correct COM ports. Frankly, every PC based system I've ever had, we had the plotters running from COM 2.

Is your mouse as PS mouse or a serial mouse and what port is it assigned to? Below in a picture of my Device Select dialog (which doesn't correspond obviously to yours) which has an Envision 375 on COM 2 on my local workstation and both a Sprint15 and Sprint30 (the S750) networked from another workstation. They run through an A-B switch and are connected to a Sprint console with an LMK card. The concept is the same though.

Your error and attempt to open the Help file is just an auto response at not finding the plotter that matches what you are telling it is there. The "can't find help file" just means that the help file isn't installed and has nothing to do with the lack of communication between your PC and the S750 plotter. All that is required is the correct driver sending to the LMK from the correct COM port and a working cable plugged into an energized S750.

 

[vw4fun]

I have a PS mouse. I don't think that could be the problem though.

Fred, one thing I am confused about. When I sold my old 4B in the early 90's I sold it with the cable that connected the 4b to the serial port of the computer. I borrowed a cable just like one I use to have to connect the 4B I have now. My friend also borrowed to me an LMK Module. A plug in module that's labeled Graphix Advantage - Graphix 4B - Signmaker IVB with no wiring coming from it. I'm not sure how it's used for the 4B. There are no fonts in the 4B. The #5 slot is the first available slot to plug in the cable board because the first 4 fonts are programed in the 4B. There is a ":Mode" button on the 4B that, if I recall, must be set in a particular mode for the plotter to work.

If it would save some time I would be happy to phone you and I would be most appreciative if you could help me get this 750 going. Thanks again.
Ray
btw, the thumbnail didn't show up

SR Signs
281-332-1234

 

[Fred Weiss]

It has just dawned on me that you most likely do not have the LMK setup properly.

The cable that runs your HS15 would be running from a cable directly between your PC COM port and the HS15. No LMK card is used. A completely different hookup is needed for the S750 and LMK card. The cables coming out of the S750 plug into the two plotter jacks inside the 4E along with the ground plug.

The LMK card should not be plugged into a font slot. It has to be in a separate slot located to the rear of the font slots. I'm going from memory but I seem to recall that the 4E was a scaled back 4B with less features. It's possible that there is no slot to accomodate the LMK card. But that is how it works. So if you can find the correct slot for the LMK card, then there is a special COM cable you will have to get from Gerber, if you don't have one, that runs from the PC's COM port to the input of the LMK card.

 

[vw4fun]

Ok, Fred, here's what I have set up for the 4E.. The first 4 fonts are chips programmed into the 4E. The available open plug-in slots are 5,6,7,8. I have the cable going from the serial port with the board plugged into the #5 slot . 6,7, and 8 are open. Where would I plug the LMK module?

I must leave on an errand for a little over an hour. I anxiously await your response with some good news. I can't thank you enough already for your time.

Ray

 

[Fred Weiss]

This, from memory, is a diagram of a Signmaker 4B. As I said, the 4E was a scaled back model and may not support an LMK board. If that is the case, you may be out of luck.

Your S750 has a long attached cable coming out of it. This cable has three white plug receptacles. These get plugged into the shapes shown in green.

The LMK card gets plugged into a slot in the motherboard that is to the rear of the 8 font slots.

The specially wired Gerber Com cable plugs into a connector on the top of the LMK card and the other end plugs into a COM port on the back of your PC.

If this isn't how you have it wired or if your setup is different in some way, then someone else will have to help you because this is how I've always run mine. I never had a 4E, however, so there may be differences.

 

[vw4fun]

Hello Fred. Well, looks like I may be out of luck. Only have the font slots of 5-8. Looked everywhere and don't see a place or markings for the LMK on the motherboard. The LMK card only has the male strip to plug into the motherboard. No wiring from it or any female strip to plug into the module. A card similar to a font card has the wire connected to it and has the serial port on the other end.

I called Gerber last week to help me with a question for this setup. Left two messages with no response. Don't matter to them that I paid $14,000 for their computer w/GA software, monitor, and scanner in '93.

I'll keep trying. Can't give up. Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Fred Weiss]

The LMK card only has the male strip to plug into the motherboard. No wiring from it or any female strip to plug into the module. A card similar to a font card has the wire connected to it and has the serial port on the other end.

Do you have the S750 plugged into the plotter connectors on the 4E motherboard at this point? Sounds like you have a Gerber LMK card and someone else's card to do the same thing. If the other card has a hardwired serial connector and you don't have the special serial cable for the LMK, then the other card is the one to try to get to work.

What you really need is to talk to a Gerber tech rep, if for no other reason than to find out whether or not a 4E will even support this kind of hookup. They charge $45 now for telephone help.

 

[vw4fun]

Yes, the S750 is plugged into 4E the plotter. The card with the hardwire serial port is the card I used in '93 to connect the old 4B into the newly purchased GA 3.5. I sold my 4B and the hardwired card (in '94) to an old my friend of mine. He loaned it back to me (along with his wireless LMK module) to help me get this S750 running. Since there's no wire coming from the LMK module I don't know where to plug it into the 4E.



I'll try and give Gerber a call again Monday. Thanks



Ray

 

[vw4fun]

Good morning, Fred. Got the plotter going last night. Got the right settings: SMIV-30, 4E mode button set to GDS-PLOT, hit the knife/pen on quickplot, she goes. No LMK module, just with the power card. Cool.
Thanks so much for your help. Look forward to surfing this site often.
Ray

 

[Fred Weiss]

Glad to hear it Ray.