Flexi production manager over a network

[Miki]

Has anyone using Flexi tried to set up the production manger over a network? I have production manager installed on the computer hooked up to my Graphtec plotter and I have my Flexi program installed on a seperate computer. I followed the instructions for set up on the manual and have TCP/IP installed. I can send vinyl to be cut and it will hold in the production manager about half the time. The other half of the time when I try to send it to production manager it locks up my computers and I have to reboot. I called tech suport for Flexi and they asked if my hardware key was on the computer connected to the plotter. After I informed them that that was the case they said to try putting the hardware key back on the computer with the Flexi program on it and see if that worked. I did this and am still getting the same results. Anyone have any suggestions? I have found answers to so many of my questions here - am hoping that someone will be able to help out with this one!
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[jayhawksigns]

I get the same lock-ups that you are talking about, I don't have to reboot the computers, just shut down the PM and Flexi, then restart each. Its quite annoying I know, especially when I am ripping a large job to print and I lose all of that. Just another problem with the several thousand dollar program we paid for.

A suggestion here, don't upgrade to 7.6v1 if you can help it.

 

[Miki]

Well, I got ahold of another guy and he says that it's a serial port versus USB port issue. In order to fix the problem I have to order a USB hardware key - about $50. I am somewhat skeptical - and really don't want to shell out the 50 if it's not going to work!

 

[Matthew Scher]

PM connection problems

It sounds like a software conflict. Something is blocking the TCP/IP communcations between Flexi and PM. It could be a firewall, a virus checker, or even a virus. As a temporary work around you can force Flexi to communicate to PM using DDE. From Edit>Preferences choose "Cut/Plot" then turn off the TCP/IP checkbox. A better solution would be to find the conflict. Disable firewall and try again. Disable virus checker and try again. See what else is running in the background. Exit it and try again.

 

[Miki]

Turning off the TCP/IP checkbox and disabling the fire wall were the first things that I tried. Would the virus checker need to be disabled on both the host and the remote computer? The only other programs that I run on the host computer are my Microsoft outlook and Coreldraw.

 

[Matthew Scher]

Try disabling the virus checker on both computers then, since communication is bi-directional.

The TCP/IP checkbox only works for local PM connections, so it will still use TCP/IP for a remote connection.

 

[OADesign]

i have it set up that way but i have 2 copies of flexi and two hardware locks.
and i'm certain that the instructions say it has to be that way. also there is a setting (check box) in the production manager that says "allow others to use this production manager) that must be checked in order to work.

what also may help you out is delete ALL the set ups on the machine connected to the plotter. then setup the plotter again but this time when you enter the set up name (i.e. [plotter_name] on USB) add some thing odd to make the set up name stand out. like in all caps graphtedUSBPICKME. make sure the prodman is running on the pc with the plotter first then start the other prodman on the other pc. then when it asks you which one select on another computer. then you will see the right one "graphtedUSBPICKME"

i had similar issues but i got it to work fine. only prob is the pc connected to the plotter has to have its prodmanager running for it to run.

help that all made sense and i hope it helped