Troubleshooting the HP455CA RIP

Blast that RIP!

Troubleshooting the HP 455CA RIP

Andy Caldwell offers these pointers for troubleshooting the HP RIP software

1.
You should be running at least OS 8.5.1 or preferably OS 9.1.

File sharing should be enabled properly on each computer. This means you should be able to access each computer from the other computers. Use the Mac OS Help on your menubar if you need assistance with setting it up.

2.
About the HP RIP:

You cannot print to the HP455CA without either the HP RIP or another third party RIP.

The HP 455CA should be set up properly and the Ethernet box that came with it should be connected to the Ethernet hub.

3. The HP RIP is designed to be used in a server setting but can also be used directly on the machine you print from. To use it in a server setting, first install it on the server.

Get Info on the RIP application and give it as much memory as you can.

Open the RIP and check the preferences. Bump the slider bar of the memory allocation to the right, for more complex postscript. Saving the changed preferences requires quitting the RIP and restarting it.

4.

Important: There's a patch for the HP RIP. "PosterJet 8.5 Patcher" It fixes a problem with the LaserWriter Chooser extension. Run this application and select OK at the dialog box.

Download the PosterJet 8.5 Patcher

5.
Turn the plotter on and load it with paper.

6.
Open the Chooser and select the LaserWriter in the left side. On the right side "HP DJ 455CA - E/A0" should appear. Select it from the list. Click the Setup... button. and click on the Auto Setup button.

It will process for a minute or so and should automatically select the proper printer description file. Then check OK button.

7.
A new Desktop printer icon should have been created if one did not already exist. I recommend bumping up the memory allocation for this desktop printer (via Get Info)

8.
You will need to run the Patcher application and do the above Chooser selection steps on each computer you use, especially the server where the RIP is running.

9.
When you print from PowerCADD (or any other application) and the plotter is the default printer choice in the Chooser, the spooled print document will first go to the HP DJ 455CA desktop printer and then will be sent to the RIP.

10.
The RIP must be turned on, click the green button, before it will process and send the document to the plotter.

The RIP will automatically accept and process documents from multiple computers in the order they are received.

Sometimes I find it necessary to to restart the RIP and or the server it's running on if there's a problem with it accepting print requests.

11.
You can run the RIP on the same machine you print from, but not print directly to it. You have to print the document to a file (pull down selection in the top right of print dialog box.) and then go to the RIP and hit the "+" button and navigate to the print file to add it to the processing list. This method is not as easy to use.

Hope this helps.

Can this be improved? Tell us how.

1.	You should be running at least OS 8.5.1 or preferably OS 9.1. File sharing should be enabled properly on each computer. This means you should be able to access each computer from the other computers. Use the Mac OS Help on your menubar if you need assistance with setting it up.
2.	About the HP RIP: You cannot print to the HP455CA without either the HP RIP or another third party RIP. The HP 455CA should be set up properly and the Ethernet box that came with it should be connected to the Ethernet hub.
3.	The HP RIP is designed to be used in a server setting but can also be used directly on the machine you print from. To use it in a server setting, first install it on the server. Get Info on the RIP application and give it as much memory as you can. Open the RIP and check the preferences. Bump the slider bar of the memory allocation to the right, for more complex postscript. Saving the changed preferences requires quitting the RIP and restarting it.
4.	Important: There's a patch for the HP RIP. "PosterJet 8.5 Patcher" It fixes a problem with the LaserWriter Chooser extension. Run this application and select OK at the dialog box. Download the PosterJet 8.5 Patcher
5.	Turn the plotter on and load it with paper.
6.	Open the Chooser and select the LaserWriter in the left side. On the right side "HP DJ 455CA - E/A0" should appear. Select it from the list. Click the Setup... button. and click on the Auto Setup button. It will process for a minute or so and should automatically select the proper printer description file. Then check OK button.
7.	A new Desktop printer icon should have been created if one did not already exist. I recommend bumping up the memory allocation for this desktop printer (via Get Info)
8.	You will need to run the Patcher application and do the above Chooser selection steps on each computer you use, especially the server where the RIP is running.
9.	When you print from PowerCADD (or any other application) and the plotter is the default printer choice in the Chooser, the spooled print document will first go to the HP DJ 455CA desktop printer and then will be sent to the RIP.
10.	The RIP must be turned on, click the green button, before it will process and send the document to the plotter. The RIP will automatically accept and process documents from multiple computers in the order they are received. Sometimes I find it necessary to to restart the RIP and or the server it's running on if there's a problem with it accepting print requests.
11.	You can run the RIP on the same machine you print from, but not print directly to it. You have to print the document to a file (pull down selection in the top right of print dialog box.) and then go to the RIP and hit the "+" button and navigate to the print file to add it to the processing list. This method is not as easy to use.