Microstation Version 7 printing failure on Konicaminolta C458 printer

Hi Mosses,

can you provide more details? Without knowing Windows version do you use and also using what .plt file the print data is created is even not possible to guess what can be wrong.

You should be aware MicroStation/J is very old product, not supported today, and not certified for any current Windows (I guess the latest certified Windows are Windows 2000), so you can expect some level of incompatibilities with new Windows and printers.

With regards,

  Jan

Thanks Jan for the reply, The PC is running windows 10 64 bit and works fine when printed on other printers which were setup few years back.

does microstation printing works only when printed through a print server? or can it be setup to print directly on an IP.

Hi Jan, Sorry for the delay as I had to get the file from the client.

Please find attached(zipped file)clough_standard_printer.zip and kindly advise.

Regards

Moses

Hi Moses,

ok, now it's clear that the print file (which in my opinion contains some a bit weird settings like incomplete weight values list) is based on HPLJET3 HPGL2 file.

In my opininon it's about a detective work to test things like:

• What format is supported by used Konica printer, maybe HPRTL or PostScript would work better.
• Is the file created properly?
• How the file is transmitted and is it delivered to the printer?
• ... and of course to try find what error exactly is reported by the printer.

My experience is that without sitting next to the printer and trying how it works with different plt files and settings is rarely successful. But maybe somebody with the same printer will provide some advice. The problem is that .pltcfg files used by newer MicroStation for about last 10 years are not compatible with old .plt format.

With regards,

  Jan

Thanks Jan, Appreciate your inputs. I will have to try it as per your suggestion and I know our printers support postscript so I might use that to test.

I think if I add the printer locally on the workstation using standard TCP/IP port I should be able to test it right? I know on the notepad I have to change the path from \\server\printer name to \\local host name\\printer name(ip address) and set as default.

I had tried this earlier but a windows test-page printed when sent directly to the printer(from printer properties) but from microstation job did not arrive at the printer and no error displayed in logs. is there anything I am doing wrong or can I use any other method to print direct to the printer? this behavior is same on all other printers too when direct printing is setup..

only when job is sent through the server \\server name\printer name the job is held at the queue as "remote down level document" and prints when selected on some devices but does nothing on Konica devices with postscript driver. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

try printing to  pdf with the pdf.plt and then print from acrobat reader to the printer with the windows printer from konicaminolta other wise print via  printer.plt which was the system printer in v7  to print direct to  windows using the windows printer set up to choose the plotter....

Thanks Lorys , It works fine when printed to pdf and then to the printer. But the requirement here is to make the printer print .PLT file directly. I think KM device is not able to understand the format MS-7 is using to create .PLT file and hence ignoring the job.

Interesting is when printed through a hold/release queue the job appears as 'remote downlevel document" and when selected to print the printer does nothing. So still struggling to make KM devices print from MS7.

What format does system printer (printer.plt) in V7 uses to create the file? Postscript or HPGL2? I might try this and see if it makes a difference.

Thanks Lorys , It works fine when printed to pdf and then to the printer. But the requirement here is to make the printer print .PLT file directly. I think KM device is not able to understand the format MS-7 is using to create .PLT file and hence ignoring the job.

Interesting is when printed through a hold/release queue the job appears as 'remote downlevel document" and when selected to print the printer does nothing. So still struggling to make KM devices print from MS7.

What format does system printer (printer.plt) in V7 uses to create the file? Postscript or HPGL2? I might try this and see if it makes a difference.

Hi Moses,

Moses Ekbote said:

What format does system printer (printer.plt) in V7 uses to create the file?

I do not remember V7 too much, but printer.plt sends plot data to Windows printing system. At time when MicroStation/J was released, the printing language was Windows GDI and I guess it cannot be changed. So how it is processed dependes on Windows driver.

You can try to check what is set in printer.plt file and what exactly is set inside. Because the most of setting is done in Windows printer, there is not too much test and change. Maybe to set simple_gdi.

Also check advanced Windows printer driver configuration like what RIP is used (Raster Image Processor) etc. These settings often depends on particular Windows driver (and sometime even on specific version).

Regards,

  Jan

V7 is so far out of date that  you may just have to upgrade so you can still use more recent V8iSS4 msnt in latest windows and take advantage of more up to date windows printer drivers from  KM...and transition from V7 to v8i for users is not too drastic..

I used to use HP plotters for v7 and I think always used HPGL2  supplied windows printer, alternative try the HPGL2.plt from Bentley to create .plot files and send them to the printer via the copy command to the printer later.

Alternative is to just do pdfs yes I know its not " what they do here" but your software is too old to cope and nobody remembers all the tricks we came up with for v7 so long ago ... the pdf mode is faster , transportable and is what you will send your clients in the end right  so it makes sense to convince the powers that be to either upgrade mstn or  use pdfs, which store better for records, and print faster and can be viewed by anybody as acrobat format pdf now is universally accept file format all over the world...and is cheaper to view as viewers are generally free as is the pdf.plt from Bentley to make them.

Thanks Jan, Appreciate your inputs.

Thanks Lorys.

Go ahead and set your Windows system printer to that Konicaminolta C458 printer, then use printer.plt. Might work.