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Thread: Gravostyle and serial ports

  1. #1

    Gravostyle and serial ports

    Hi, I have a TrophyMaster and a newly acquired IS400. I've always had the TM on a parallel port with a parallel dongle. I want to try to change from parallel port transfer to serial port so I can run both machines off one computer. I'm getting "Can't open printer..." from GS98.
    • It's a Dell Optiplex that has a 9 pin serial on board,
    • I've installed a PCI Express Parallel card for the parallel port,
    • My parallel printer is "TrophyMaster" on LPT1 using Generic/Text Only,
    • I use the Sentinel drivers to recognize the dongle in the parallel port.

    The parallel setup works.

    When I try to send a job through serial,

    • I unplug the parallel cord,
    • I plug in the NH-provided serial cable,
    • I've tried using COM1 and COM2 and the results don't change,
    • The serial printer I'm trying is "TM on Serial" on either COM port using Generic/Text Only,


    Anything I've left out? Anything have to happen at the machine's control joystick? Can you theoretically send a job through serial with a parallel dongle installed but with no parallel cable plugged into the dongle?

    EDIT: Or would it be easier to run both engravers through parallel ports if I install a 2nd card?

    Charlie
    Last edited by Charles Glenn; 06-24-2020 at 6:25 PM.

  2. #2
    before I can help further:

    are you using EP modules between the computer and machines? If so, do you have one for each machine, or trying to share one?
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  3. #3
    EP Modules: No, since I only think I know what those are from a quick google.

    On the existing GS98/TM I am going from parallel card to dongle to NH parallel cable to mini connector on IS machine control unit. The GS5/IS400 is going from PCMCIA parallel port card/cable to dongle to NH parallel cable to mini connector on IS400 as well.

    Both GS98 and GS5 are graphic, which I need. I'd obviously prefer to get both machines running on GS5 but don't have the install disk. The GS5 installation doesn't have the fonts I'm used to on the GS98 either.

  4. #4
    I have gobs of EP modules because many of my machines are older than Gravostyle. Only New Hermes/Gravo machines that direct connect are my IS400 and IS7000, which is done via USB and 'smartstream'..

    since you're getting the 'can't open printer' error, I'll assume your machines are 'in' but not quite there-- Go thru the motions to get to that error, THEN, below the printer choices, you should have an 'into a file' option, click on that-- this should take you to the 'machine properties' menu. Assure the machine's parameters match the machine, they should... NOW, hit the "More" button, and click YES when it asks if you want to modify the post-processor...

    Scroll down until you see this:
    pproc1.jpg>>closeup pproc2.jpg
    what you're looking for is:
    PORT=0
    PORTDESCR=
    ---------------- mine is 0 and blank, yours may be 1 and the machine's name... PORT=1 means the output port (serial or LPT) is ON, and PORTDESCR= MUST be followed by your printer's EXACT NAME is it appears in the Windows printers list, CAPS and lower case DO MATTER, it must match exactly, this is my IS7000's setting in the post processor--
    pproc4.jpg
    Yours needs to match up the same way. Check your working machine, it should match up--

    If you find your IS400 is correctly listed in the post processor, then you may have a serial issue...

    --the serial cable MUST be a null-modem version, at least all mine are--

    --or, you may have a parity or flow control mismatch...

    In your computer, go to Control Panel/Device Manager, the scroll down to Ports Com & LPT-- Whichever COM port is connected to the machine, click on that, then click the PORT SETTINGS tab, they should be:
    9600
    8
    none
    1
    X-on / X-off ...<<<<< you may find this is set to 'none', if so change it and try it, that might be all you need...

    Hopefully some of this helps!
    Last edited by Kev Williams; 06-25-2020 at 11:30 PM.
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


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