Plotting over the internet (to a remote plotter) ??

[Hazdaz]

I've just started my search on Google and not coming up with anything great, so maybe you guys know how to do this.

 

I'm trying to come up with a way to plot to a remote plotter over the internet from my computer. I can't reply on someone at the other end to download my drawing and plot it - since these people are very un-computer savvy, and have no AutoCAD knowledge - thus I need to make it as totaly easy (and transparent) for them as possible.

 

A option that I COULD do (but don't want to) is taking over their PC using that utility that comes with XP, but that would involve one of their PCs being tied up, so not a great solution.

 

I've found something called IPP (internet Printing Protocol), but from what I've read so far its not a real 'standard' yet, so still researching if there are any real products that take advantage of it out yet.

[Fernando Lino]

sometimes we use "plot to file" and it works well! did you try it?

[Hazdaz]

That might be one of the options if all else fails, but even that is just a little too much user-interaction on their part. Trust me, the less these people are asked to do (computer/CAD-wise) the better. I want almost like a FAX - you hit the button, and its there - simple.

 

I would prefer something along the lines that would make their plotter appear as just another printer on my computer (kinda like how I have my other printers accessable on my main PC, even thought they are just on the network).

[Kerry Thompson]

Hi Hazdaz

 

Have your tried using dwf or pdf based plotting.

 

Send them a dwf file and get them a copy of Autodesk express viewer. This viewer can plot drawings out to scale. You could place them on a web site. (Publish to web within AutoCAD)

 

Alternatively look at pdf as the format. – most people can read and print this format.

 

Long ago, we setup an dial up link to a client’s server where plt files were sent to a local “bin”, the “bin” was polled every 10 minutes and the files moved to the client file server via dial up remote control software (PC Anywhere i think). Plot spooling software on the client server polled and plotted the files automatically.

 

Copying a plot file into a plotter can be undertaken with a batch file with the line “copy *.plt ltp1: /b” (plotter connected to parallel port) Maybe they download the plot file into a dedicated subdirectory and the client runs the batch file.

 

Hope this helps.

Regards

 

Kerry Thompson