Plot

You can use the Plot option, when you want to send your files to the Plotter.

Icon & Location

Menu: File > Plot
Toolbar: General
Toolbox: Windows Tools

To use the Plot option:

Select Plot from the File menu, or click the Plot icon on the toolbar.

The Plot dialog is displayed.

In the File Name field, set the path for the plot file. If you are using a Spooler, the plot file path must be in the partition where the Spooler is located.

In the Plotter/Cutter Settings area, click the Setup button to open the Plotter/Cutter Setup dialog. For more information, see Plotter/ Cutter Setup.

In the Plotter Page Size area, define the size of the plotting/cutting page.

Y: indicates the page width.

X: indicates the page length.

In the Scale Factor area, define the plotting/cutting image scale. You can either enter a number or percentage.

If you are using a percentage, to increase the length of the image on the page by 10%, enter 10% in the X field. To decrease the length of the image on the page by 10%, enter -10% in the X field.

If you are entering an absolute number. To increase or decrease the length of the image on the page by 10%, enter 1.1 in the X box; to decrease the length by 10%, enter 0.9 in the X box (Ratio). The scale factor display always returns to 1:1 after closing the Plot dialog.

Enter the value -1 in the X box to flip your image vertically without changing the image scale. Enter the value -1 in the Y box to flip your image horizontally without changing the image scale.

In the Output Manager area, you can define the spooler. Optitex software uses two different spoolers: OCC and Outman. Both spoolers support the RS232 protocol and the Gerber plotter (ACUUPLOT) protocol. The Lectra E32 and E33 protocols, OptiJet printer protocol, LPT communication (parallel) protocol and LAN (TCP/IP) printer protocol are supported only by OCC.

In the Ouput Manager Service area, select the radio button of the spooler you require. To add an external Plot file to the Outman spooler queue, use the 'Qman' utility.

To add an external Plot file to the OCC spooler queue, an "OCC Queue" key module is required.

If you select OCC, the following options can be defined:

Alert on Start: When the OCC spooler is used, this option is enabled for both spoolers - OCC and Outman. If you choose to work with OCC, then checking the Hold box sends your job with the "Hold" attribute. You must then send the job manually from the OCC software windows (unchecking the Hold box sends your job directly to the output device). If you choose to work with the Outman spooler, checking the Alert on Start box displays a message in the Outman software windows asking you to confirm sending the job:

Alert on End: This option is available only when you use the Outman spooler. Select Alert on End, to display a message after sending the job in the Outman software windows asking you to confirm that the job has been completed.

Remove on End: This option is available only when you use the Outman spooler. Select Remove on End to delete all the plotted files after sending the job, otherwise, they will remain on your computer.

Copies: This option is available for both spooler types. Enter the number of job plotting copies you need in the Copies field.

Disable Remote Station Spooler Windows: Available only for the OCC spooler. Select this checkbox to hide the OCC software windows if your OCC queue is a Remote Queue.

Select the Selected Piece Only checkbox, if you want to only plot the selected pieces, not all the pieces.

If you want to define the plotter attributes, click the General Plotter Attributes button. For more information, see General Plotter Attributes.

If you want to select specific sizes for plotting, click theGrading Nest Plot Modebutton.

Select the required sizes.

Select the Plot Each Size Separately checkbox, if you want to plot the different sizes as separate pieces.

Click Ok when you are done.

When you are done defining the plotting attributes, click Ok to plot.