FC 3100-60 cut from Flexi Pro 7v2 ?

[Michael Dziak]

I have given up after 5 days of fruitless attempts (and poor tech support from the Graphtec agent - very hard to understand through heavy foreign accent) repeatedly trying to get my FC 3100-60 to cut from my old windows 98 computer with Siglab 5.0. So, I decided to try using my other network computer (Windows 2000) after downloading and installing drivers for the Flexi Pro 7 v2 software.

The test cut data is being sent but the plotter does not respond (even with an error message.) I thought I saw someone post a message of having success in getting this model of plotter to cut from Flexi - Pro.
Would a USB coverter for the plotter port make this an easier combination or would I need to stick to the standard cable?
Any replies can also be sent to my email address at signsatd@mwt.net
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[SignsOfMaine]

I wish I had something really useful... I would just confirm that there's no other problem... swap the existing cable with a known working cable... try sending the cut job from a modern computer that has a newish flexi pro (basically you need a friend with another sign shop here). Or if you're really ambitious, see if the same program can send to a different plotter (again, that magic friend is needed). If a different plotter won't work with it either, it's your software or computer at fault.

Based on a google search I saw something that said:
"Click on FILE>INSTALL>DRIVERS. Uncheck the "CadLink Fastboard" driver and the "HPGL standard" driver, and check the appropriate plotter driver for the machine that you have."... and further googling said that driver should be listed as "Gr210050". Do you have that in there?

 

[Michael Dziak]

Thanks for the reply.
I did try a Windows 2000 computer with Flexi Pro and the prescribed drivers for the Graphtec FC 3100-60, but I am encountering issues with getting the software to "see the drivers" in Flexi. I will probably have to call Mark Grugen tomorrow and spend some money on Flexi support to get some imput on this issue. The test cut feature of the plotter works fine, which leads me to believe it is a cable or computer issue. The hard to understand Graphtec tech suggested that the plotter parellel port may be bad, since I still get the "error 2 wrong parameter numbers" response to the old win 98 with Sign Lab attempts. The newer win 2000 with Flexi doesn't connect at all probably due to the driver installation issue.
I did have a capable friend cross the 2 and 3 wire of a serial cable, but I got no response using that cable either.

Being dead in the water for the past week has really drove up the stress level.
I do appreciate that you took the time to offer some feed back.
Michael "Diz" Dziak

 

[Sign Works]

Sounds odd that you are downloading and installing drivers on your systems in order to run a cutter out of Flexi. I have Flexi Pro 6.5 outputting to a Graphtec FC4100-75 on a Win 98 system with no problems, also on XP systems with other printer/cutters. It's been a while since I've done any software installs or output devise set-ups but as I recall Flexi has it's own drivers for specified output devices. If I recall properly on the Win 98 system Flexi prompts you for desired output devices during the software install, I believe this installs the driver for that devise in Flexi's Production Manager. On the XP systems I recall having to go through an output devise set-up for the Production Manager, detailed instructions on page 158 of my Flexi User Manual titled "Setting up Production Manager and Configuring Output Devices"

 

[Michael Dziak]

Kudos to Shalyn at Scanvec Amiable support for pulling this old dog out of the fire with FREE support.
This incredible and patient person, used her internet interactive support, went in to my PC, made the corrections, and made my "Old Friend" jump to life right before my eyes!

Thanks to all of you that tried to help this baby boomer out of his technical dilema.
All the best to all of you in the coming year! Live long and prosper.....

Michael "Diz" Dziak

 

[Sign Works]

Don't keep us in the dark, what exactly did she do to get it working?

 

[Michael Dziak]

Shalyn remotely accessed my win2000 PC, accessed the management settings to check the port status, than faster than I could follow, installed the driver for the plotter in Flexi and sent a test cut to be sure of the correct port.
I should tell you, that prior to this great support, I went to a local computer biz and found a used matching syntronics cable for $3.00 to be sure of the conection.
Even with the "new cable" I still could not get the SignLab 5 to send a test cut with out the error 2 "wrong parameter numbers response. So I dumped the win 98 / SignLab 5 approach and moved on to Flexi 7v2.
I sure am glad I did!
In less than 6 minutes Shalyn accomplished what I couldn't figure out in 2 days.
And she did it at no cost! She did tell me at the start that after 15 minutes I would have had to pay.
The Graphtec support agent did call me back later on and told me he wished they could do the remote access thing for thier clients and has had the Flexi support people do the same great remote service for him.
The one thing I have yet to learn is how to get this plotter to successfully cut thicker materials like chrome finished vinyls without extending the blade and maxing out the cutting pressure. I did get it to cut thermo flex and mock flock heat transfer material for garment graphics by making these adjustments, but I fear it will prematurely dull the blade. If anyone knows of a source for Graphtec blades that is reasonable, I would appreciate it.

Michael "Diz" Dziak - Earth & Sky Promotionals