agfa star 600 + accuset 1500 plus setup

[sunyiyang]

Agfa Star 600

Agfa Star 600

I've sent you 3 books with user's info.
Read them.
Hope they will help you to understand almost all.

Hi, VladCanada. We have a star 600 and a selectset 7000, and the rip will not communicate with computers. Could you sent the documents related to the Star 600 which you have to me please. Hope there is some useful information to reset and re-configure the rip.

 

[VladCanada]

I need your e-mail address to drop that info. Send me PM with address, please.

 

[aelorenzo]

I had read this thread several times, the Accuset manuals, and so on... but I am in troubles.

I am trying to set up an AGFA Accuset 1200 with a Windows XP machine over a network with no luck.

I buyed it recently, and the previous owner configuration worked perfectly (MAC + router + transceiver and ethernet cable).

At my shop, after booting the Accuset, it seems to be reseted... (language interface changed, for example). It doesn't matter, because the RIP boots without errors.

This is the status:

- The RIP boots, and the Accuset is online and awating for jobs. Everything seems to be OK.
- Accuset is in TCP/IP communications mode.
- I assigned to the accuset ethernet address (MAC address), the one in the cable label,a static IP using the router.
- Windows XP doesn't see any printer...., I cann't ping the Accuset, and no printer when I look for it in WXP.

My questions:

- How can I assign the static IP to the Accuset?
- How can I check that the Accuset has that IP assigned?
- Do I have to install any software in the WXP machine to configure the Accuset, talk with it, and print using Illustrator?

Thank you in advance, and please, today is the fourth day trying to set up this thing...

 

[pdan]

We have our Accuset set up as your previous machines owner, via Mac OSX.
With Win XP we used Apple's Bonjour Print Wizard for Win machines to see the Mac's Accuset.
I would suggest you purchase Miramar's PC MacLan software to enable XP to print to the Accuset without a Mac.

I have been unsuccesfull using TCP/IP with XP. Vlad thought we must have a faulty controller (in a different topic thread) but I doubt that to be the case; we have 2 Accuset's, both set TCP/IP unrecognized in a Win LAN.

(It appears that Miramar's PC MacLan is now under a different label
CA Technologies | Network Magic 4.0)

I would be most grateful if you are able to post any info on enabling XP without additional software succesfully.

 

[VladCanada]

Does anybody know that he has to make some changes (via text editor SW) in the User/boot file to get RIP TCP/IP address... and to download that file back into RIP's HD?

 

[pdan]

Vlad - am I needing to use the AgfaSet utilities to enter some code such as:
{Excerpt from Star RIP Setup and Operation Guide} ?

statusdict begin
/RIP_IP_Address (192.9.222.8) def
end

 

[VladCanada]

Yes, correct.
To add these lines you need just user/boot file from CD or RIP diskettes stack and Win Notepad programm.
Because userboot file is PS file, you can send it to RIP in a lot of different ways.

Sure you can use AgfaSet as well, that's much easier to use its own Edit boot feature.
Do not forget to send one more file from "RIP Tools" folder/diskette - "Enable TCP"

SW RIPs aka Taipan/Harlequin made prepressmen less dependable on very special
"old school tricks".
I wonder of myself what I still remember!

 

[aelorenzo]

First of all, thank you for your time!

Oh my God! does it mean that I need the Agfaset tool for Windows?

The man who sold me the machine didn't give me any SW, just the manuals.

Is there any way to get the Agfaset tool?

The steps then are (please, correct me if I am wrong):

0) Configure Accuset with TCP/IP protocol.
1) I need to get user/boot file from the accuset, get the IP or modify it properly, and upload it again. How I have to access it? using Agfaset with a direct PC - Accuset crossover ethernet cable? I don't know how to connect to the accuset without knowing the IP....
2) Set the static IP in the router using the Accuset MAC address.
3) Configure the Accuset with Appletalk.
4) Install in WXP the PCMACLAN software.
5) Install in WXP Adobe PS printer with the proper PPD for the Accuset 1200 (which one?).
6) Direct the Adobe PS printer to the RIP address.
7) Test it sending job from Illustrator to the Adobe PS printer.

So my big problem is to get/set the machine IP (how? software and hardware setup) and pay for PCMACLAN.

Thank you in advance, I apreciate your support!

 

[aelorenzo]

Ok, right now the Accuset is filming. No lpi selection, just hte machine chose it according the resolution of the job....

Steps:

1) Accuset in Appletalk mode and PCMacLAN in WXP.
2) Adobe Ps printer version 1.0.XXX with PPD from Adobe (PPD for Accuset 800 A).

The Accuset films without errors, just enought by now. I have to process the film and check results.

Questions remaining:

- W2000 had Appletalk, and it it possible to get protocol files and integrate it in WXP. I will test and report. With this option we could avoid using PCMacLAN.
- How can I check what is the version of my internal RIP? The man who sold me the Accuset told me that "We updated the RIP".... If it is a STAR 200 internal RIP (the original one in the Accuset 1200), what is the right PPD file for Windows?
- How I can update the RIP fonts?
- Any way to get Agfafont for Windows?

First, I will try a working environment in W$, and later I will try to setup the system in Linux. I have been reading, and it seems possible.

More info coming, please help me with my problems!!!

 

[aelorenzo]

I have been unsuccesfull using TCP/IP with XP. Vlad thought we must have a faulty controller (in a different topic thread) but I doubt that to be the case; we have 2 Accuset's, both set TCP/IP unrecognized in a Win LAN.

I would be most grateful if you are able to post any info on enabling XP without additional software succesfully.

Reading Accuset manual, TCP/IP should be used only for Accuset setup and download files to the RIP... It has to work in Appletalk, and it works in Appletalk.

There are details of how to install Appletalk protocol in WXP without any additional software, just taking it from W2000 professional. Here:

The Winsock 2 and AppleTalk protocol programming tutorial

I tested it and worked. Not too legal, that is the reason why I will try Linux.

Of course, you can use a computer with W2000 Professional to send jobs to the printer. Just buy one in internet for 50 $, but perhaps you would prefer to buy a Mac G3.

 

[pdan]

Check here for the ppd's specific to all Accusets

https://acrobat.com/#d=VPqseJ9Qt4Vu4XcrMkFMLA

 

[VladCanada]

No any PPD will make Accuset more visible over LAN
Assume any Star RIP in your network, as one more PC just with different OS inside that box.

 

[aelorenzo]

Thank you Pdan for the PPDs, I got it from Adobe somewhere else, I can not remember.

The problem is that I can not send jobs configuring lpi, for example, all other properties are configurable via windows printer properties, but not that...

I think that it is due to the PPD file, I am using the Accuset 800 PPD, the file named for "AGFA AccuSet 800 with PSE 12.0 RIP".

Also, the way PS file is send to the Accuset is managed by the PPD file, the fonts, etc, isn't it?

So, I would like to know just if I am using the best option. When I process the film with the tests that I have made with the Accuset test page, windows and Illustrator, ... I will know if it works properly.

A friend of mine has a Mac with Adobe Creative, and we are going to test the Accuset with it.

After testing it with windows and Illustrator, Linux and open software, and a Mac with Adobe creative I am going to choose the best option.

Thank you for your help,

Antonio

 

[aelorenzo]

No any PPD will make Accuset more visible over LAN
Assume any Star RIP in your network, as one more PC just with different OS inside that box.

Yes Vlad, I know, but I think that the PS job is sent to the Accuset managed by the PPD file, and also, the PPD file is used by the print manager to show up the options in the printer settings.

I am able to print to the accuset. and it is filming, but I don't know why I am not able to configure the lpi parameter for the job.

So, the reason for my missing lpi option in the print setup qhen I print, I think, that it could be due to the PPD file.

Perhaps I am wrong, but in Mac, you can set resolution, lpi, and all the other parameters for each job qhen you send it.

Right now I am not in my shop, but I will post a pic with the windows print manager printer setup options.

Thank you for your help,

 

[VladCanada]

What type of screening you use?
ABS? AS? STD?

 

[aelorenzo]

What type of screening you use?
ABS? AS? STD?

I don't know it Vlad! I don't have any option in the Windows printer dialog.

How can I know it?

I will use the Accuset to print in negative and mirrored, for polymer UV exposition. I think that 3000 dpi and 150 lpi is really fine, but I am not able to lower the lpi parameter (I think that polimer for letterpress needs just 80-140 depending on the halftones to print and your habilities as pressman...).

Thank you!

 

[ckbeerens]

Hello,
we use an AGFA 9400 with Star 400 and an AGFA 9800 with Star 600 for more than ten years now. The clients are running on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Because the TCP/IP configuration of the RIPs failed, we decided to use the AppleTalk protcol of the RIPs. For the windows XP client, we copied the required files from the windows 2000 client (as described here, too).

Today this configuration problem comes back, because we want to upgrade the clients to newer windows-versions. Years ago, i remember that i tried to copy a file called TCPEN.ps to the RIP to enable TCP/IP, but it didn't work. When i restarted the RIP it started very slow, so i disabled the TCP/IP by an TCPDIS.ps file.

Is there any possibility to configure the RIPs to TCP/IP? Is there a manual with the supported commands of the RIPs to write a custom PS-File to upload to the RIP? On the front of the RIP there is a number-switch. For AppleTalk we use 4. I remember that Centronics and RS-232 required 0, 2 or 3. What is correct for TCP/IP. Can I configure an IP-Address? Which port does it use (3000, 9100, )??

Thanks

 

[aelorenzo]

Hi ckbeerens,

As pcman said in a previous post:

"I would suggest you purchase Miramar's PC MacLan software to enable XP to print to the Accuset without a Mac."

That's the only way to film using Window$$$$$$$, payng for a software.

I didn't have too much time to set up Linux with the Accuset (this month I will try), that's the only free way to film.

Regards

 

[VladCanada]

As I still remember, RIP Star 400/600 hard disk contains: a few boot files, a PS interpreter, Fonts, Sreen Tiles for ABS, AS and TS and... two Ethernet files.
If Ethernet file on HD corrupted, you will never connect the RIP via Ethernet port (which overrides any number on the wheel switch) and none of your local network computer will be able to see RIP Star even if you try to enable TCP/IP or to get IP address.

 

[ckbeerens]

Thank you for answer.

About 5 years ago, the harddisk of the Star 400 was damaged. I connected the disk to the PC and executed a low-level-format. After building back into the RIP, i copied about 10 or 11 files to the rip. If you're right, two of this files contain the configuration of the ethernet. I'm not sure where these files are. Do you have them? Do I have to edit the ethernet-files to set the IP of the RIP? Do you have files to configure the rip?