PLT files

[Gino]

Have a little bit of a dilemma here…

Up until about a year ago we were using as one of our cutting programs Gerber Graphics Advantage 4.3. Last February we upgraded all of our computers. Since we used Gerber the least, it was on a back burner to have up and running right away. After we installed it on our new system we found out it wouldn’t properly install for all sorts of reasons, so we put it back on the old computer. Well for some reason, it kept asking us for some code word or number to install again, which we long lost…. HOW, I don’t know, but we could never get it back on the old system. After talking to numerous Gerber reps and support, we found out that they won’t even help us if we paid them because they only go back to version 6. Okay, we gave into that, but the fact remains, we probably can’t get our old Gerber plt files to work on anything anymore. Does anyone have any ideas of how we could update our jobs so we can cut them again ??

We have a customer whose files weren’t updated on anything but plt and we can’t repeat this customer’s jobs. Can anyone think of a step we’re missing or someone we could talk to about this ?? I think if I even got a new program [which bugs the total crap out of me because I paid $3.000 for this one and they won’t help me], it won’t work. We have jobs that we can’t duplicate and now they’re starting to surface after a year. This is the third or fourth one and we forgot about certain ‘repeat jobs’ coming back into us.

thanks…
Gino

 

[beckys]

Gino,
I don't know what your current solution would be, but if it was me, I would upgrade.
GA, do you know how obsolute that is...Gerber has come a long way in there Omega 2.5 now, I also started with GA.
Maybe if you sent the file to someone who has Omega, it can be downsaved to your version. Can you even open it? Can you see it, send it?
edit,
I can only downsave to 6.2 which is GA, i assume.

 

[bcpop]

Your old files will open with a newer version of gerber. You can't open a file created in a newer Omega version in an old program.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Since you do not have your GA even installed, the only solution would be to have someone open the file in a newer version of GA or Omega and then save as AI or EPS. There might be some font issues but maybe not.

What you would then have to deal with would be the fact that layer order and even colors will get boogered in the process, but you would at least have the original vectors. There are lots of members here including myself that would likely be happy to help when needed.

If you'd like to email me a file to test it out, I'll send you back an EPS for your inspection.

 

[Gino]

I really don’t want to buy another Gerber program when the one I have worked fine until I moved it from one computer to another and then back. I realize Gerber along with every other company out there has come a long way since 1995. We were kinda using it, just as a cutting program for our Gerber plotters. Back then, not all of the other companies communicated with each other and had drivers for Gerber, the way they do today. Few of our jobs were created in Gerber, but some were, while others remained there from previous cut jobs. Those are the ones we need to get out and re-save to files so we can use them some more in one of our other programs. We simply don’t have a way of retrieving them any longer. It just would be nice if Gerber would give us our old number back so we can re-load it again. I know they can do it; they just appear to be too lazy to do it.

In response to your comments Fred, we loaded the hard drive into another computer and can see the PLT files, but our Flexi, ANA, SignMate or any other programs will not open them…. they’re too old and won’t recognize them. So my hope was exactly your suggestion. I will be e-mailing a few out tomorrow. Some members have come to our rescue and have made that same offer. Colors, layers and so forth won’t bother us near as much as not getting them opened at all. Customers don’t like when you tell them ‘Modern Technology’ just died on me.

I’ll gladly re-build them. It’s starting over new that scares me. Lots of these PLT’s were just that…. .eps files converted from other programs just for cutting, so fonts, colors will probably all just fall into place.

Thank you all….


Guess I’m just a casualty of war…. the computer wars

 

[signage]

Gino don't blame it on Gerber, I have a windows 95 machine that was upgraded from window 3.1, I can not get any support from Microsoft! This happens with all software and hardware they only support it for so long. I will help you if I can. One other recommendation would be to look into a cross grade to signlab. Let me know I can help you.

 

[Jillbeans]

I'm still running GA6.2 on a Win98SE computer upgraded from Win95.
It's never been connected to the Internet or anything, but I have always been afraid of it someday crashing and losing all my stuff.
I did put all of my PLTs onto a floppy and then onto this computer and onto a CD, with Stevo's help.
I'm often tempted to reinstall GA on that computer, because according to Stevo, all of its features are not installed. But the thought of losing 9 years of files is just too intimidating.
I did try to install it onto this computer, but I didn't have that code or whatever it is right handy. I do still have all the original paperwork and boxes.
Scary.
If I could help, I would, but I think my system is too old.
I can open Omega files in GA tho.
Love....Jill

 

[mrmoto95]

I run Omega and would be glad to help you. If ever you need one opened send me the file I will save it for you in AI or EPS. and send it back no charge.
Let me know if I can help.

 

[Fred Weiss]

In response to your comments Fred, we loaded the hard drive into another computer and can see the PLT files, but our Flexi, ANA, SignMate or any other programs will not open them…. they’re too old and won’t recognize them. So my hope was exactly your suggestion. I will be e-mailing a few out tomorrow. Some members have come to our rescue and have made that same offer. Colors, layers and so forth won’t bother us near as much as not getting them opened at all. Customers don’t like when you tell them ‘Modern Technology’ just died on me.

Send them anytime Gino ... just be sure to have a plainspoken subject since I deal with a lot of spam emails.

 

[Gino]

Thank you Fred.... and to the rest of you for all of your offers to help.

The files you sent back, Fred, worked perfectly !!

This doesn’t happen often, so I hope it’s okay if I ask again when this situation arises.

Thanks again…………….
Gino

 

[Fred Weiss]

No problem Gino. Glad it worked out.

 

[mgieske]

Gino, you may also pick up a copy of Turbocad. Its cheap & imports PLT files & exports DXF. It also works just like Autocad LT, which is great for designing architectural projects.

 

[Gino]

Gino, you may also pick up a copy of Turbocad. Its cheap & imports PLT files & exports DXF. It also works just like Autocad LT, which is great for designing architectural projects.

Now that's my kinda talk....

thanks....

 

[Tony Teveris]

Not all PLT file extension files are created equal.

Gerber has used PLT from the start. HPGL files also use the PLT extension, so just be mindful of this before purchasing anything.