How to setup a terminal for OPCOM Models: 524xx/524xxP
How to setup a terminal for OPCOM Models: 524xx/524xxP
The User's Guide P/N for the 524xx plotters is M0014-850 and M0016-180
for the 524xxP.
A. WHAT IS A DUMB TERMINAL?
In order to use OPCOM it is necessary to hook up a dumb terminal to
the plotter port which is marked TERMINAL. There are a number of
commonly used dumb terminals which we can suggest. These would
include the Wyse 30, Ampex 210, LSI (ADM11), and the Espirit
(ESP6110).
CalComp does not offer assistance to customers in configuring their
terminals - only with the general guidelines contained within this
technical note.
1. A dumb terminal is essentially a monitor and keyboard with
just enough additional hardware to send and receive (and
display) ASCII (text) data. Any computer can be turned into a
(dumb) terminal by using most any current communications
software program. Common ones suggested by CalComp are; (for
PC s, DOS or Windows) ProCOMM, PC-Anywhere, and the Windows
Terminal program. For the Mac, CalComp suggests ZTERM (a
shareware program), White Knight or Microphone.
B. WHAT IS OPCOM?
OPCOM is the operator command mode from which the plotter may be
easily configured and controlled. The 524xx series plotters require
either OPCOM or CDCL because they do not have a command-driven
control panels. OPCOM commands allow the operator to configure
ports, scale, rotate, and mirror plots, configure pens and colors
(mono patterns), create custom users (by user number), and monitor
the plotter's hard disk for all current incoming jobs (All jobs
stored on the plotter's disk are lost when the plotter is turned
off).
C. HOW TO CONNECT THE TERMINAL:
1. On the back of the plotter are 5 ports, the one marked
TERMINAL is a standard RS-232 serial 25-pin port (female,
DB25). This is the ONLY port on the plotter which may be used
with a Terminal (for OPCOM).
2. Some communications (dumb) terminals have two RS-232 serial
ports. One is usually marked MODEM and the other AUXILIARY.
The port marked MODEM is usually the one to be used.
3. Most terminals and PC's are setup as DTE (Data Terminal
Equipment) devices. The 524xx/524xxP plotters are DCE
devices (Data Communications Equipment). The cable to use in
when the terminal or PC is DTE is a DB25 (25-pin) MODEM-type
RS-232 serial cable (straight-through, using at least wires 2
through 8 & 20, CalComp P/N 11772-0250).
CalComp does not provide assistance on another manufacturer's
product. If there is any question or confusion about your
particular terminal's cable or setup requirements, please
consult your terminal manufacturer's documentation and other
help resources.
D. HOW TO CONFIGURE THE TERMINAL:
The following guidelines show you how your dumb terminal (or
software communications program running in terminal mode) is to be
configured in order to match what the plotter expects.
1. THE TERMINAL EMULATION: The terminal must be setup to emulate
a VT terminal type (VT means Vax Terminal). VT emulations are
among the most common and virtually every dumb terminal model
and communications software supports them. Here are a some of
the commonly listed VT models; VT-100, VT-102, VT-220, or VT-
52, etc. (Any VT model listed as being supported should work).
2. THE TERMINAL PORT PARAMETERS: The baud rate and character
framing which the terminal should be set to 9600 (see Note #E
below for details on AUTOBAUD), 8, none, and 1. The handshake
can be either HARDWARE or XON/XOFF. The transfer must be FULL
DUPLEX. Please refer to your owner's manuals for additional
details on exactly how to configure your particular terminal
system for these parameters.
3. TERMINAL CONFIGURATION SUMMARY:
Terminal Type = VT-100 (or any other VT model listed)
Baud Rate = 9600
Character Framing = 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, No Parity
Handshake = Hardware (CTS) or XON/XOFF
Duplex = Full
E. AUTOBAUD: CHANGING THE PLOTTER'S TERMINAL BAUD RATE
The plotter s terminal baud rate may be set to either 9600 or
19200. The factory default for the 524xx/524xxP series plotters is
9600. The 524xx/524xxP plotters have the ability (called autobaud)
to switch back and forth from 9600 and 19200. This is done by
sending a data signal from the terminal at the desired baud rate
over a period of 1-2 minutes. To do this, hold down or tap a key
continuously on the terminal s keyboard. Then reboot (first) the
terminal and then the plotter.
F. HOW TO GET THE PLOTTER AND TERMINAL TO TALK TO EACH OTHER:
Once the terminal matches the configuration summarized above (Note
#D, above), it should be able to talk to the plotter. The most
common problems at this point are (1) not getting a clean initial
signal transfer and (2) incorrect baud rate . Here are some
guidelines which usually resolve these problems:
1. GET A CLEAN INITIAL SIGNAL TRANSFER FROM COMPUTER TO PLOTTER:
a. Turn the plotter off.
b. Once you are certain you have the correct cable and the
terminal (or terminal program) is configured as
described above in Note #D, you should REBOOT the
terminal (or, if you are using a communications program
running in terminal mode, quit the program and REBOOT
the computer system. A warm reboot is OK.).
c. After rebooting your terminal (or computer and
communications software), check the cable connection and
terminal configuration once again to be sure it is
correct.
d. Now turn the plotter on. At this time you should
immediately see (on your terminal or computer screen)
readable English words and a logical sequence of
characters which indicate the plotter is going through
its normal bootup diagnostics and system check,
eventually ending with the message; Initialization
Complete (or something similar).
If you get either no response (nothing is displayed on
the terminal or computer screen) or what appears to be a
string of unreadable characters, go on to the next note
(#2, under the Note F) for solution-assistance to these
problems.
2. IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE OR THERE ARE GARBAGE CHARACTERS
DISPLAYED ON THE TERMINAL SCREEN:
a. NO RESPONSE (NOTHING IS DISPLAYED ON THE TERMINAL OR
COMPUTER SCREEN):
If you see nothing on the terminal or computer screen,
yet after about 2 minutes the plotter's online light is
steady (indicating the plotter is ready), repeat steps
a-d above, under Note F1. (IT IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY TO
REPEAT THESE STEPS SEVERAL TIMES before everything comes
into proper sync. )
If there is still no success, test your cable or try
another one that is known to work with the CalComp
plotter. BE CERTAIN THE CABLE IS THE CORRECT TYPE AND IT
IS NOT DEFECTIVE. Do not assume it works. The only sure
way to know if you have a good cable is to test it.
Basically, there are two ways to test a cable. One way
is to check the wire connection from one end (pin
connecter) to the other. Each pin must be checked this
way (use a common electrical Ohmmeter or Continuity
Checker). If you are uncertain how your cable should be
wired, please refer to Note #C, above, of this guideline.
The other way is to use a second cable that is currently
working and meets all of the required cable
specifications. If this cable does not work, you
probably have either a defective terminal or plotter.
FAILURE on the plotter for this problem is VERY LOW. Try
either another dumb terminal or a PC running a
communications software program in terminal mode BEFORE
calling CalComp for further assistance.
b. UNREADABLE (GARBAGE) CHARACTERS ARE DISPLAYED ON THE
TERMINAL OR COMPUTER SCREEN:
If there are characters but they do not form any
readable messages, there is a baud mismatch. To fix
this, either change your terminal baud rate from 9600 to
19200 or use AUTOBAUD to switch the plotter back to
9600. There is no way to pre-determine what the
plotter's terminal baud rate is. However, the factory
default setting for OPCOM is 9600 baud.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the plotter's OPCOM baud rate only which
can be switched. The plotter's initial bootup /diagnostic test
baud rate is fixed at 9600 no matter what OPCOM is set to.
This self-test (and fixed baud rate) occurs for only about
half of the plotter's total bootup initialization sequence.
During the second part the plotter shifts into OPCOM mode and
uses the OPCOM baud rate (either 9600 or 19200). For this
reason if the terminal and the plotter/OPCOM are using 19200,
YOU WILL GET GARBAGE CHARACTERS BUT ONLY UNTIL THE PLOTTER
SWITCHES INTO OPCOM MODE (then the characters will be
readable, ending with the INITIALIZING COMPLETE message or
something similar).
G. THE TERMINAL DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY - A SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE
PROBLEMS AND THEIR CAUSES: The most common reasons for terminal
communication failure are listed below, in the order of probability
(with the letter 'a' being the most common cause).
There are two basic symptoms for terminal communications problems.
They are given as follows as symptom #1 and symptom #2. The first
and most common is:
1. SYMPTOM #1: No response - the screen is blank, no
messages are being received by the terminal
from the plotter.
a. Incorrect terminal configuration
b. Poor initial signal link between terminal/computer and
plotter
c. Incorrect or defective cable
d. Incorrect COM port number assigned on the terminal or
computer
e. Defective terminal or computer serial interface
f. Computer COM port interrupt interference (computers only)
g. Defective terminal (hardware)
h. Defective plotter hardware or OPCOM system (Requires
onsite repair)
2. SYMPTOM #2: A string of unreadable (garbage) characters
is displayed on the terminal (or computer)
screen.
a. The dumb terminal (or computer) baud rate does not match
that of the plotter's Terminal / OPCOM port.
H. HOW TO GET THE OPCOM PROMPT?
The plotter will be ready for OPCOM after completing it's start-up
initialization sequence. The last message it sends to the terminal
indicates that initialization is complete (or something similar).
At this time hold the Ctrl key and press P (Ctrl-P). The plotter
should them respond back with the prompt: ENTER USER PIN
PIN means Personal Identification Number. At the Enter User PIN
prompt type 8378 or 0 and enter. You will not see these PIN
characters displayed as you type them. They are meant to be hidden.
There are two types of PIN; One is assigned as Administrator and
all others are for the individual Users. The factory default
ADMINISTRATOR PIN is 0 (zero). The administrator's PIN can be
changed to any number in the range of from 0 to 256. If it is
changed and then somehow lost, you can always get administrative
access with a special number supplied by CalComp, 8378. In
administrative mode the user has full control. The ADMIN prompt
appears as the letter (A) followed by a small arrow. The USER
prompt is the arrow only.
Please refer all other general questions concerning OPCOM to the
User's Guide, chapter 4. If you do not have a copy of the User's
Guide you may order it. The order part number for the 522xx/524xx
series plotters is M0014-850 and M0016-180 for the 524xxP.