Poll Size

[John L]

I've been told that poll size will only work if connected by serial cable.. is this correct or is there a way to do it with USB?

I am using WinXP, FlexiPro, and a q100 Vinyl Express (Graphtec).

 

[iSign]

do they make USB plotters, or are you using a serial/USB adapter?

If using an adapter, is it cutting fine, and just not working to poll size, or are you just trying to plan ahead for a hook-up that hasn't happened yet.

I've heard that a lot of plotter hook-ups with serial/USB adapters have problems because a lot of those adapters were made for PDA's and did not have the level of communication capabilities required for running plotters. What I think I remember reading is to get a "high speed" adapter?

 

[John L]

Thanks for the quick response.

It's hooked up and working now for plotting.. it just wont poll size. The Graphtec plotter I have is a serial-or-USB model. I have it connected to the PC with a standard USB (I think it's called a standard a/b usb cable - just like you'd use for a regular printer). It all works, it's fast, just wont poll size.

I called SignWarehouse and they said I have to use a serial cable to poll size. I'd just like to verify with someone else that might have experience with it.

 

[iSign]

I'd grab a seriel cable just to test it. If it still doesn't poll size, then you can look to the software or plotter... if it does... then SW was probably right (but maybe not?)

 

[CL Graphics]

I have a panther cutter from sw. It has paralel and serial ports. Poll size works on serial but does not work on the paralel. I use a usb to serial adapter and poll size also works. Hope this helps.

 

[SignsRus]

Never understood why they couldn't get the 'poll size' to work on USB

Just doesn't make any sense =O

 

[EndlessOptions]

Early versions of Flexi 7.6 didn't poll right with the fixes it does. What version and build are you running?

 

[bob]

Never understood why they couldn't get the 'poll size' to work on USB

Just doesn't make any sense =O

I have a Graphtec FC7000 using Flexi 7.6V2 connected via USB and the poll size works just fine.

What model Graphtec, what firmware version, and what software are you using?

I recall that the poll size behaved strangely until I went from Flexi 7.5 to 7.6V2 and updated the plotter firmware. I never really knew what, exactly, fixed it since I did both updates at the same time and Scanvec and Graphtec each were busy blaming the other for the malfunction. This was a couple of years ago.

Prior to the updates the poll size would return the correct size for sheet but the size returned for roll was always divided by 10.

 

[SignsRus]

hmm

I have a Graphtec FC7000 using Flexi 7.6V2 connected via USB and the poll size works just fine.

What model Graphtec, what firmware version, and what software are you using?

I recall that the poll size behaved strangely until I went from Flexi 7.5 to 7.6V2 and updated the plotter firmware. I never really knew what, exactly, fixed it since I did both updates at the same time and Scanvec and Graphtec each were busy blaming the other for the malfunction. This was a couple of years ago.

Prior to the updates the poll size would return the correct size for sheet but the size returned for roll was always divided by 10.

I'm running the newest firmware on our graphtec fc7000-130. I have to check to see if flexi was updated to 7.6v2 though. I know the poll size doesn't work properly though

 

[SignsRus]

I guess I never tried the "poll size" after I updated the firmware on the plotter a few weeks ago. Just tried it, and it work's fine!

Update your firmware on your plotter!

 

[P Wagner]

The Q-Series plotters from Sign Warehouse, while made by Graphtec, and appear to be the same as the FC-Series Graphtec machine, are not equivalent machines from a software perspective.

Graphtec firmware updates will not install into the Q-Series, not will the Flexi drivers for the Graphtec FC work with the Q-Series. The essential difference between the machines is that the Q-Series uses a Windows driver developed by Sign Warehouse, and cannot use the Graphtec drivers. This Q-Series driver only supports uni-directional communication (toward the plotter), and cannot move data in the other direction. Hence the Poll function cannot work via this driver.

Since serial communication is inherently bi-directional, and no driver is needed to communicate with the plotter, this is the only scenario where Polling will work from Flexi. Note that you will need a specific serial cable, called a null-modem cable (pins 2 and 3 swapped) to communicate from a Comm Port to the Q-Series.

Bob

 

[John L]

I got a cable... Serial cable works. Thx.