Can you make my plotter work?

[Houman Safai]

We have encountered some problems with spooling files to plotters using
the lpr command. 

When we send plotfiles to Calcomp 104X series plotters using the lpr
command, occassionaly we get a "Trans B error" on the plotter which
according to the Calcomp documentation indicates that there is a
handshaking problem.

The plotters settings are as follow:
	Baud rate   : 9600
	Data bits   : 8
	Stop bits   : 1 
	Parity      : None
	Flow Control: XON/XOFF

The printcap entry is:
calcomp:\
	:lp=/dev/ttya:sd=/var/spool/calcomp:br#9600:\
        :ms=cs8,-parenb,-opost,-echo,ixon,-istrip:\
        :sh:sf:	

The lpr command is used as follow:
	lpr -s -r -Pcalcomp plotfile_name

The plotfiles are between 20 and 500 Kilobytes.

The problem is very intermmitant. For example we can spool 2 or 3 plots
without any problem and suddenly submitting another plot will cause the
error on the plotter. 

If the plotfiles are sent to a Calcomp electrostatic plotter(58XX series)
we do not encounter this problem, since the electrostatic has a built-in
40MB hard drive. Therefore, there is minimal amount of handshaking taking
place between the two devices.

I have placed a service call with Sun about 3 weeks ago, and I am still
working with the technical analyst.

Has anybody encountered a similar problem? Is anyone aware of a potential
bug with this version of OS(4.1)? Any suggestions, comments, or solutions
(apart from lowering the baud rate on the plotter or keeping couple of SS
at 4.0.3, which I am) will be greatly appreciated.

Houman Safai               UUCP: uunet!esri!hsafai
ESRI                       INTERNET: hsafai at esri.com
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