The InterPlot Driver Pack and InterPlot drivers can be downloaded
from Web Downloads or requested through MySELECT CD.
Background Data
Several of InterPlot’s Driver Pack products provide printer/plotter drivers that are targeted toward middle to high end document class plotting hardware devices. A document class hardware device is; a printer/plotter having special hardware features for rapidly collating, copying, and otherwise handling multi-page documents. This type of printer/plotter hardware typically has two or more input media sources that are capable of supplying bond, vellum, or mylar/film media types from rolls and/or cut sheet stock. InterPlot’s software drivers, for these plotters, are delivered in a default configuration where the InterPlot software driver selects the input media source that the output print/plot image can be produced on with the least amount of media waste. These InterPlot software drivers also provide the flexibility to change, control and specify the input media source used for plotting as well as plot finishing options for plotter options such as balers, folders, stackers, sorters, stampers, etc. The remainder of this document discusses the configuration of these options within the InterPlot software.
Technical Data
After the InterPlot driver has been installed and the printer has been added/created, the first step is to access the InterPlot Device Attributes dialog box and identify to the InterPlot software what media types and sizes have been installed in the printer/ plotter in which of the media source locations, and what action the InterPlot software should take if a media handling error occurs. An example of a media handling error would be; if a plot is requested for mylar/film media, but this media has not been installed in the printer/plotter or if an E-size (34x44 in.) plot is requested but only 22 inch media is installed in the printer/plotter. The InterPlot Device Attributes information is used by the InterPlot driver software to determine which of the media sources can be used to produce a specific print/plot request.
The next step is to define within the InterPlot Rendering Attributes dialog box, the default parameters for the InterPlot driver product to use for options such as the Rendering Options, Media Source, Media Trimming, Folding, Output Delivery and other driver specific options. These settings will be used when printing from an InterPlot printing submit interface. Please note that not all InterPlot drivers will have all of the specific options listed above, each InterPlot driver will have options specific to that driver. Online Help for the specific InterPlot driver pack product provides details for the rendering options, as well as other driver specific information, for each InterPlot driver within that product. Online Help for InterPlot’s driver pack products can be found within the InterPlot Utilities program group. Help for a specific InterPlot driver’s Rendering Attributes options can also be found by selecting Help within the Graphical Attribute Editor (GAED) utility which is also located within the InterPlot Utilities program group. To override the InterPlot Rendering Attribute options established as the “default” for the printer/plotter within the IPLOT and APLOT command line and dialog submit interfaces, an InterPlot Rendering Attribute file can be sent along with the plot request that specifies the desired options by using the rendering_attributes qualifier. The desired options can also be assigned to existing forms on the system and specified by using the paper_size qualifier when the IPARM/APARM file is created. The paper_size and rendering_attributes qualifiers may also be used within an InterPlot settings file. Custom forms can also be created for specific purposes that would define the desired options. Use the GAED utility to create or modify InterPlot Rendering Attributes files. Use the Forms... option within the InterPlot Device Attributes dialog box to assign options to existing or custom forms.
InterPlot’s Organizer plotting interface offers an additional option within the Print Setup... and Print options called InterPlot Attributes... that can be used to specify a desired set of InterPlot Rendering Attribute options to be sent along with a plot set. Additionally, InterPlot’s Organizer plotting interface also supports the use of the paper_size option within the layout property page. Applications that submit print requests using the Windows printing workflow of File->Print can define default InterPlot Rendering Attributes options by setting the default document properties for the printer. To set the default document properties for a printer, open the Printers folder, click the printer you are using, on the File menu, click Document Defaults, select the Advanced tab, then select Rendering Attributes. Applications that submit print requests using the Windows printing workflow of File->Print can override the InterPlot Rendering Attributes settings established as the “default” for the printer/plotter by selecting a form which has had the desired options defined or by setting the desired options within the Properties-> Advanced tab, Rendering Attributes selection within the printing interface. Included below are some examples of the InterPlot Device Attributes dialog box, an InterPlot Rendering Attributes dialog box and the Forms... option within the InterPlot Device Attributes dialog box for one of InterPlot’s printer/plotter drivers.
The InterPlot Device Attributes Menu for the Xerox X8830 INGR Driver
The InterPlot Device Attributes dialog box is used to identify to the InterPlot software what media types and sizes have been installed in the printer/plotter in which of the media source locations, and what action the InterPlot software should take if a media handling error occurs. The InterPlot Device Attributes information is used by the InterPlot driver software to determine which of the media sources can be used to produce a specific print/plot request.
The InterPlot Rendering Attributes Menu for the Xerox 8830 INGR Driver
The InterPlot Rendering Attributes dialog box is used to define the parameters for the InterPlot driver product to use for options such as the Rendering Options, Media Source, Media Trimming, Folding, Output Delivery and other driver specific options.
The Forms... Menu for the Xerox X8830 INGR Driver
The Forms... option within the InterPlot Device Attributes dialog box is used to assign options to existing or custom forms. Those options defined above as “Default” will use the settings specified in the Rendering Attributes dialog box . Those options that are defined as something other than “Default” will override the settings specified in the Rendering Attributes dialog box.
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