Anthemios — Large Format Color Printer
Instructions and Rules for Use
As of last term, we have made a major new output device available for architecture users connected to the campus network. This is an HP DesignJet 650C roll-feed, large format, 300dpi color inkjet printer. The printer will output individual full color sheets in architectural D size in as little as 7 minutes (15 minutes per D-size sheet seems typical). Properly used, this printer is much faster than the Tektronix Phaser, produces higher-quality color, and in real architectural sizes. It uses the PostScript graphical printer language, just like the Phaser and most LaserWriter printers.
We are making the plotter available now strictly on a trial basis, because both remodeling of Room 281 Lawrence and establishment of a system for collecting payment for prints will be necessary before the printer can be fully operational.
There are some basic rules that will govern trial use of the printer. Please read these carefully, because anyone who accidentally or willfully creates inordinate problems will be prohibited from further plotter use during the trail period.
——— HP DesignJet 650C Large Format Color Printer Rules ———
1) You can send prints to the HP DesignJet 650C Large Format Color Printer (HP 650C) 24 hours a day, as long as you find it on-line.
2) ALL prints must show the full name of the person printing and the date of printing. Anonymous prints will be confiscated.
3) ALL prints will be available for pickup ONLY in Room 283 Lawrence Hall, the Design Computing Laboratory (DCL). Without this provision, we will not be able to support the trail period, and it will be enforced strictly.
4) Prints will be delivered to the DCL only twice daily during weekdays, and not at all on most weekends. The delivery times will be about 8am and about 1pm. There will be no waiting for prints in progress.
5) Personal service related in any way to use of the HP 650C by students will be available only through Larry Martin's regular office hours, 9-10am weekdays in Room 204 Pacific.
6) This printer is available only for use by students and faculty in the Department of Architecture. It is a serious infraction to assist people outside the Department to use this printer in any way during the trial period.
7) Don't print on a larger page size than your drawing requires. (See Page Setup in whatever application you print from.)
(end of Rules)
There are also some simple things you need to do before you can use the HP 650C from your own Macintosh. The lab computers in the DCL will be set up for printer access gradually over the next week or so.
——— HP DesignJet 650C Large Format Color Printer Setup ———
1) Your Mac must have the LaserWriter 8 printing software installed.
2) You need to put the printer description file (PPD) "HP DesignJet 650C v2014.102" into the "Printer Descriptions" folder, inside the "Extensions" folder, inside the "System Folder" on your hard disk. (Note: If there is no "Printer Descriptions" folder there, you probably don't have the LaserWriter 8 software fully installed.) ** You will find this PPD folder in the "Anthemios (HP 650C)" support folder, in Architecture Support, on Architecture Forest.
3) The first time you select the HP 650C in the Chooser, you'll need to define the correct PPD file for the Mac to use with it. Open the Chooser from the Apple menu, then select the "LaserWriter 8" driver, the "UOnet" network zone, and the printer name "Anthemios", and then click on the Chooser "Setup" button, in the lower rightish area of the Chooser window. Then click on "Select PPD..." in the Setup dialog box, and then go to the Printer Descriptions folder, in the Extensions folder, in the System Folder, and select the PPD "HP DesignJet 650C v2014.102". Finally, click OK and close the Chooser.
(end of Setup)
There are also a few things you'll need to know to successfully use the HP 650C, as follows:
——— HP DesignJet 650C Large Format Color Printer Operations ———
The HP 650C large-format printer essentially functions like most Macintosh LaserWriter-type PostScript printers. The actual differences you may run into stem mostly from the large page size.
Here's an outline of a typical overall procedure for printing a D-size layout of drawings, images, and/or text and titles on the HP 6540C. First, create the desired graphic elements, and save them as PICT files. Then open a new D-size drawing file in ClarisWorks 2.1, using the stationery document enclosed with this message for simplicity. In ClarisWorks, use the Insert command to import each image into the composite document, or Copy and Paste. Then fine-tune the layout and add text and titles as appropriate. Proof as necessary by printing the D-size layout at 29% on a standard letter-size printer. Finally, choose the HP 650C, setup for "ARCH D-Size" paper, and print. Plan to pickup your print in the DCL after the next standard delivery time.
Here's the same process in more detail:
1) Create your document. Most Mac applications will print to the HP 650C, although more memory than normal (sometimes much more) may be required.
We have found ClarisWorks 2.1 to be a cheap, powerful, easy-to-use, and reliable application for creating composite documents for large-format color PostScript printing, so I'll use it in this example process. First, create the desired graphic elements, and save them as PICT files. For instance, if you're working with a DesignWorkshop model, establish the views to print, then export these views to 2D files in PICT format (easiest), or as EPS (useful if substantial enlargement is necessary). Then open a new D-size drawing file in ClarisWorks 2.1, using the stationery document enclosed with this message, which is already setup for the large size paper. In ClarisWorks, use the Insert command to import each image into the composite document. Then fine-tune the layout and add titles as appropriate. Save your document!
((If you use the ClarisWorks stationery document in the Anthemois support folder to start your layout, you can get started with a D-size page without having to first choose the HP 650C. Note, however, that if you change the page setup to letter size to print a proof sheet, you'll need to either not save the proof-sized version, or you'll need to select the HP 650C through the Chooser to get back to D-size paper.))
2) Proof the page on an 8 1/2" x 11" regular LaserWriter. In addition to the obvious (and important!) issues of eceonomy and avoiding printer overload, since you'll need to wait to get your large color plots, you'll want to be sure you'll get the right thing first time. By Choosing a LaserWriter, and then setting a Reduction of 29% with Page Setup, you can get a miniature of your D-size sheet.
3) Repeat the proofing process until your layout is satisfactory.
4) When you're ready for the real thing, choose the HP 650C with the Chooser. To do this, open the Chooser from the Apple menu, then select the "LaserWriter 8" driver, the "UOnet" network zone, and the printer name "Anthemois". (You only need to setup the printer PPD the first time you use it. (See above.))
5) Back in the application you're printing from, use the File menu Page Setup command, and select paper size "ARCH D" in the pop-up menu (or whatever you actaully need). Make sure you select the page orientation you want, and set the Reduction back to "100%" if you've been proofing. (DON'T use a paper size bigger than what you need. The special paper used by the HP 650C is one of the major costs of printing.)
6) Pause and make sure you've really got everything laid out, formatted, and set up properly. Remember that your name and the date are required on every printed sheet.
7) Finally, print the document. Use the File menu Print command to open the printing dialog box. Click on the Options button, and then use the top left pop-up menu (right of the word "Print:") to set "Calibrated Color/Grayscale". (if you miss this, your print may come out in grays instead of color, or in color but too dark.) Click OK to close the Print Options dialog, and then at last click "Print".
8) When you've sent off the print to the HP 650C, take the necessary time to go back to the Chooser and select a regular black & white printer, so the next person at the Mac doesn't send their class notes to the big color printer. We cannot afford very many accidental D-size color prints!
(end of Operations)
We've gotten great results with the HP DesignJet 650C. It can unlock the architectural presentation power inherent in a wide variety of Mac-based computer graphics.
I hope and trust that you will use this great new output tool carefully and responsibly during this trial period. Please keep in mind that after the trial period, we will be charging a modest fee, probably starting at around $1.00/ft of paper run, for all use of this printer, and that the ability to make it free for now relies on your collective and individual good judgement.
Good luck!
Prof. Kevin Matthews 95.05.14
Research | Matthews Index | Architecture Faculty | Architecture Foyer | Architecture Index
http://www.dil.uoregon.edu/faculty/matthews.kevin/research/gbc.html
Posted 1996 KMM, rev. 96.07.29