New and getting a "Waiting" message that lasts forever!

[Linda 0]

I just got my LP up and cutting today and have been having some problems.

One is that I keep getting a "WAITING" message on the cutter after it cuts. ON the computer screen I have an "After Cutting" window. Everything seems to freeze up and I can't close out the window on the computer or change the waiting message on the cutter.

I'm not trying to cut a big job here... mainly just doing a few repeats with a single word of 2" brush script letters. I do have many big jobs due asap and this problem is frustrating me like crazy. I'm afraid to cut the big things until I have some of these issues solved.

BTW, I'm not new to the vinyl sign business (15+ years)... just wanted to make a little extra money working from home.

[RegisG 0]

Sounds like cutter is up against the emergency stop (red button on each side of pcut).    Just had it happen one time today when I set vinyl a little too close to left side.

Regis

[Linda 0]

Regis thanks for your reply. How do you solve that problem?

Would the computer screen have a window open that says "After cutting" when that occurs?

[CKR 0]

I am not 100% but you may need to set the cutter to zero, away from the red stop/limit switch.

CKR

[Linda 0]

Found the emergency stop buttons on either side of the cutter. My vinyl isn't near them, it's pretty centered on the cutter.

[Linda 0]

On the computer screen is an "After cutting" window that I can't seem to get out of either along with waiting message on the cutter and the only way I can get out of it is to shut everything down. Is it a communication error? I'm using a usb port.

[Jay2703 704]

Sounds like your USB connection is not good. I recommend using a serial connection if possible. 

[Linda 0]

Thanks Jay, I just read in another thread about this. I'm working on a laptop that doesn't have a serial port. I will have to look for a usb to serial connector and see if that helps.

[Jay2703 704]

BannerJohn taped his in position on the cutter and it has worked for him. Just be very careful of movement while cutting. It moves the plug in the cutter and you lose connection.

[Linda 0]

Wow, it's really THAT sensitive! Well I'll definately try that too.

Now I'm also having a problem where the cutter will not go online after setting the origin. Any ideas what this is all about?

EDIT:  Got it to go online after a few tries... just panicking I guess.

[Jay2703 704]

The little bubble buttons are sensitive. If you press too long it goes back to Offline.

[Linda 0]

Ah, thanks for letting me know. You've been very helpful and I really appreciate it!

Another question: Do you know why I can't exit from the "After cutting" window without shutting my computer down?

[Jay2703 704]

If it is doing that after losing USB connection, try just unplugging the USB cable.

[haumana 1,220]

Linda - You might need to reinstall SBE. I know that you got it working, then it started acting hinky, etc.  That was how I was in the beginning too. It took me a few uninstall/reinstall tries, then selecting the right butter in the cut screen setup, making sure I had the updated SBE, etc.

If you have the setup using the Laser Point driver, you can also try it using the PCut CT630. At the time I bought my LP there wasn't a specific driver written for it so I was told to use the PCut driver. Got it to work ever since, and since it ain't broke, I won't be changing the driver to the LaserPoint either 

If you suspect that it truly is a communication issue, than you can always pick-up a USB to Serial adapter (keyspan). You can find them at your local computer store, Radio Shack, or pretty cheap on eBay.

Just keep us posted and let us know how you're progressing.

[Linda 0]

Thanks haumana, I've been trying to cut thru signcut x2 but will try SBe again and see if that helps solve some problems. 

I'm currently trying to cut letters for a banner and cannot seem to cut a whole line for the life of me. Have you been able to do this? I get a few letters and it just stops cutting... the green progress line stops advancing as well and then I know it's not going to finish. Is there a memory problem with this device?

I actually work in a sign shop and have never had a problem with cutting multiple lines of text or complicated graphics before. With the LP, I can't seen to even get a whole line of text. Do you think SBE will solve that problem. BTW, I'm designing in Corel 9 and exporting to ai, could that be the problem?

Sorry for asking so many questions... hopefully I can eventually contribute to the forum instead of just asking, asking, asking! I actually do have many years of sign biz experience.

[haumana 1,220]

Thanks haumana, I've been trying to cut thru signcut x2 but will try SBe again and see if that helps solve some problems. 

I'm currently trying to cut letters for a banner and cannot seem to cut a whole line for the life of me. Have you been able to do this? I get a few letters and it just stops cutting... the green progress line stops advancing as well and then I know it's not going to finish. Is there a memory problem with this device?

I actually work in a sign shop and have never had a problem with cutting multiple lines of text or complicated graphics before. With the LP, I can't seen to even get a whole line of text. Do you think SBE will solve that problem. BTW, I'm designing in Corel 9 and exporting to ai, could that be the problem?

Sorry for asking so many questions... hopefully I can eventually contribute to the forum instead of just asking, asking, asking! I actually do have many years of sign biz experience.

I'm not familiar with SC, but if it's stopping during mid cut than something is definitely hinky. I does sound like some type of communication issue. As long as the graphic you're cutting is vector, I can't imagine why it would stop, unless the red kill buttons get hit, which it is not. I would try changing USB cables and see if that will help clear the issue. Are you connecting directly to the computer or is the LP getting routed thru a hub? LP's have some serious issues if it's not connected directly to the computer.

Another possibility is that the graphic is waaay large.

Are you able to type text in SC? If so then I would suggest that you set your text  up in SC rather than in Corel.  Give that a go and let us know how it turns out.

[Linda 0]

haumana, the text and graphics I'm cutting are for a 4' x 8' banner, so maybe large by LP standards? Not so large by mine.

I've tried 2 usb cables and have the same problems. The usb is connected directly to the LP. The files are vectors.  As for SC, you are not able to type text in, it's strictly for cutting.

Ken sent me SBE software that I also tried. When I cut from that I have the very same problems... cutter stops before finishing. I cannot reload the software btw since I do not have cds for it. I tried but it wouldn't load.

[haumana 1,220]

How much text are you sending to the cutter at one time? Would you mine posting the vector file that you're trying to cut?

When you used SBE to do the cut, was it as a graphic image or did you type the text and send it to the cutter?

[Linda 0]

haumana, it was text created in corel 9 and exported in ai with text converted to curves, so should have come into sbe as a graphic I believe. How do I post the file? Do you want a screen pic of it or the actual ai file?

[haumana 1,220]

haumana, it was text created in corel 9 and exported in ai with text converted to curves, so should have come into sbe as a graphic I believe. How do I post the file? Do you want a screen pic of it or the actual ai file?

The actual .ai file is good, but I only have up to illy9. if you could export as an .eps i could import it faster.

to attach, click "Additional Options" at the bottom of the reply box.

[Linda 0]

Apparently the eps file is too large. The ai is attached hopefully

address phone 5.ai

address phone 5.ai

[haumana 1,220]

When I download it, it's coming in as a text file.

If the .eps file is too large, that just might be a mighty big file that you're sending to the cutter.

[Linda 0]

the file is made up of text, but it should be converted to curves. My corel just crashed I have to reboot and will check the to make sure it converted to curves... give me a few minutes.

[haumana 1,220]

if you can zip the file, that would probably help. if it's still too big, let me know the details of what you're trying to setup (i.e. font, text, height of font, etc.). If it's a specialized font and you don't mind posting it, that can be zipped too.

[Jay2703 704]

I was able to get the .ai file to open in SBE. Shouldn't be a problem to cut it. Not much there.

address.SBD