I've wasted enough paper..maybe someone can shed some insight on this problem:
Is there anything special I need to do if I'm trying to nest from MicroStation [iPlot] to a HP DesignJet 1050c plus?
Just can't get to the bottom of this..much appreciated * joe
With the exception of the printer driver language (nesting requires HPGL2), there really are no specific settings within the MicroStation or IPLOT software that need to be applied to use the nesting feature on an HP 1050c plus printer.
Jeff,
If I understood above correctly: How can I ensure that IPLOT is using HPGL2?
Also, do you have a recommended process for the nest i.e. sending 1st plot then sending 2nd plot during nest countdown VERSUS sending 1st plot then moving a queued plot to the top?
Please pardon my rookie mistakes here...I'm quite new to MicroStation. I sincerely appreciate your feedback! *joe
See if the FAQ information below from HP's support site helps:
HP Designjet 105x Series - Frequently Asked Questions on Nesting Information Frequently asked questions on Nesting
Details 1. What is Nesting?
Nesting means placing pages side-by-side on the paper to avoid wasting paper.
2. What is Automatic Rotation?
The printer may automatically rotate a page in nesting. It may do this even with a single page. Apart from obvious physical limitations on the roll, any HP-GL/2 page containing raster data will not be rotated.
In 1050c plus if your printer does not have a hard disk installed and does not have PostScript capabilities then rotation will not work. HP can upgrade the printer with a hard disk and PostScript by ordering an upgrade kit. Since nesting may automatically rotate pages, the Rotate setting in the Page Format menu is ignored while nesting is on. NOTE: 1055cm plus The printer's automatic rotation does not apply to PostScript files. PostScript files will print in the orientation in which they were sent to the printer. 3. What are different Nest Settings?
Off: The printer will not nest pages.
Optimal: The printer will search all through the queue for suitable pages. It will nest the pages according to an algorithm that, for most combinations of page sizes, saves the most paper. The resulting nesting pattern may still vary, depending on the size of the first page. NOTE: PostScript The Optimal setting does not affect PostScript files. If Optimal is selected when printing a PostScript file, Nesting will function as if In order is selected. In order: Choose this if the speed with which you receive your prints is most important. The printer will try to nest pages in their queue sequence. If it comes across an incompatible page, it will stop searching and print any nest it has already created.
4. What are the conditions that effect nesting? The printer is loaded with roll paper rather than sheet paper.
In the front-panel menus, Queue is ON (the default).
In the front-panel menus, Nest is ON (that is, set to either Optimal or In order).
In order to be in the same nest, the individual pages must all be color or must all be grayscale.
Files must be at the same dots-per-inch setting.
All pages must have the same print-quality setting (Best, Normal, Draft).
Margin sizes must be the same for all pages (normal, extended).
All pages must be HP-GL/2.
All pages must have equal page accuracy.
All pages must have equal mirror setting.
5. What Happens to Nesting if Queue is Off?
Turning queuing off does not turn nesting off for pages already in the queue. The printer prints all the pages in the queue before accepting any more files. As soon as you turn queuing off, the nesting setting also changes to off. When queuing is turned on again, the printer restores nesting to its previous setting.
6. How Long Does the Printer Wait for Another File?
Waiting period is the nest wait time, it waits after a file has been received to check whether a subsequent page will nest with it or with pages already in the queue. The factory default nest wait time is two minutes. This means that the printer waits for up to two minutes after the last file is received before printing the final nest. This waiting time can be changed using the front-panel menu. The available range is 1 to 99 minutes.
7. Is it possible to cancel the waiting time?
Yes. While the printer is waiting for nesting to time out, it displays the remaining time in the front-panel display. You can cancel the nest wait by pressing the Form Feed and Cut key.
8. What is nest Spacing?
To get the most from your paper it is possible to change the spacing between the images on paper, in order to get more images onto the paper. There are two settings for nest spacing:
Automatic: The automatic setting is when the printer uses margins that it has already set. When using the automatic setting you are guaranteed to keep the page size as defined by your driver and application.
Manual: Choose the manual setting when it is more important to be able to print more images on your paper than to keep the page size consistent. The setting allows you to override the printer's margins and put in a nest space that you want.