Have a question that isn't included here? Email us: Campus Operations
Q. Why is my PowerPoint plot missing content?
A. If your PowerPoint plot is the correct size and format and still missing content it is probably not your fault. This is a common problem and our current solution can be found here. We are also working on a more permanant and better solution.
Q. Can I insert a Adobe PDF document into PowerPoint for plotting?
A. Yes, it is possible to insert a PDF file into PowerPoint. In order to do this Go to the Insert tab and then select Object. Next select Create from file, and then click browse and find the desired file you with to insert into PowerPoint. Once you have selected your file, click OK and it will insert the first page of your PDF file into PowerPoint. Note: This will only insert the first page of the PDF, you will need to split the file into multiple files to get more than one into PowerPoint.
Q. What large format printing services are available?
A. Printing Services allows students to print to two (2) HP DesignJet 1055CM large-format printers, whose corresponding printer names are Plot02 and Plot03. As the workload for these printers is internally load-balanced, students can only send jobs to Plot03.
Faculty and staff have access to a third plotter, which is a HP DesignJet 5000PS, capable of printing on 42" paper. Since a portion of its print jobs will require 42" paper as opposed to 36", two queues are available, Plot36 and Plot42, by which users may indicate the desired paper size for their plot(s).
Q. What software can I use to print a plot from?
A. Several programs are available on campus that students, faculty and staff can print from. The most commonly used programs used to plot include MS PowerPoint, Windows Picture and Fax Viewer and Adobe Photoshop. Several other programs, usually those specific to a curriculum, are also used. For more information about curriculum specific software (such as architecture), please consult your college consultant. We do not recommend plotting from MS Word, Excel or Publisher. For more information on how to plot, please visit our Plotting Howtos.
Q. Will gradient backgrounds print?
A. Yes and no. Gradients print fine, but will often take a long time to print because of complexity. It is recommended that solid color backgrounds be used.
Q. I am an employee. To which printer should I submit plots?
A. Whenever possible, those with access to Plot36/42 should make use of this resource in order to maintain a better distribution of print jobs across the three (3) plotters.
Q. I am a student needing to print to Plot42. Is this possible?
A. If a student needs the extended capabilities of the 5000PS (Plot42), he/she should contact a professor for assistance.
Q. How soon may I pick up my plot(s)?
A. All plots are bound to a 24 hour turnaround time. While the required amount of time may in reality be much shorter, users should always allow for this delay! All users should receive an email whenever their plots are released to the plotters. Users may pick these up as soon as the printing process is complete. Generally, you may pick your plots up 2 hours after having received email notification that your plot has been released.
Q. Where and when can I pick up my plot(s)?
A. Once finished printing, plots are immediately available for pick-up at the Customer Support Center located beneath Harcombe dining hall. Walk down to the Front Desk and an attendant will find your plot(s) for you. Normal business hours are: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM except for during university holidays.(Note: On Fridays when there will be a home football game the following Saturday, the hours are 8:00AM - 4:30PM).
Q. Do the plotters operate during the weekend?
A. No. Campus Operations runs the plotters Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM except during university holidays. If you need a plot to be available for pick up on Monday morning, you should submit it the previous Friday morning, if not Thursday. (Note: On Fridays when there will be a home football game the following Saturday, the hours are 8:00AM - 4:30PM).
Q. How do I check my plot's position in the queue?
A. Follow these simple steps:
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If not already logged into a computer on which the appropriate plotter is installed, then either follow the instructions here to install the device, or login to a PC in a CCIT lab.
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Click on Start->Settings->Printers.
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Double click on the printer to which your job was sent. If your print job was transferred to Plot02 (discussed previously), you will be unable to view this queue.
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The queue listing will present all of the relevant information regarding the jobs contained therein.
In the future, a web interface may be available for this and other purposes. Users will receive a notice should this develop to fruition.
Q. Why are my plots paused?
A. All print jobs submitted to the plotters are automatically paused, as these resources require attentive management. Campus Operations employees release jobs individually, and a notice is sent via email whenever a user's jobs have resumed printing.
Q. I sent a print job in error. How do I delete it?
A. The following procedure will suffice:
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Query the queue, following the directions given above.
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Select the job to be removed.
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Right-click, and select Cancel Printing.
Q. Where can I find more information on printing to these plotters?
A. Consult the Plotting Howtos section. If the application from which you desire to print is not listed, read the documentation for another (perhaps PowerPoint - the printing process is a bit more involved). A great deal of important information is presented in each Howto!
Q. How do I know if my plot failed to print properly?
A. Campus Operations employees inform users of significant problems (e.g. plot was printed out 8.5" x 11") via email. Be sure to check your email (the username under which the plot was submitted) often in order to avoid unnecessary trips to the Customer Support Center.
Q. What types of print jobs are considered acceptable?
A. The plotter is for academic use only! All non-academic and/or wasteful plots will be cancelled. Any user that submits non-academic and/or wasteful plots may have their plotting rights suspended at any time.
Q. How can I preview my plots which are on queue?
A. At this time, no interface is available for this purpose.
Q. How long are plots retained for pick-up?
A. Users have one week to pick up their large-format print jobs. Jobs that take more than one week to be picked up will be discarded.
Q. Can I send a test plot prior to submitting my final print job?
A. By all means, yes! Feel free to send a test plot with various samples on it a few days ahead of time in order to get a good feel of how the plotters reproduce colors, text, and overlays.
Q. Where can I find high quality Clemson University graphics for inclusion in my plot?
A. The CU seal and other official graphics are available on the Share drive (S:\), assuming you have logged into Novell on a Windows workstation. These graphics are available in several different formats, but the two most commonly used are EPS and TIFF. TIFF graphics are similar to traditional bitmaps, implying that such documents are not as suitable for printing. EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) graphics are specifically created for printing purposes, and are infinitely scalable (this is usually a safe assumption).
EPS versions of Clemson University graphics can be found in the following location:
S:\Media\Graphics\CUgraphics\dos_eps
As PowerPoint and several other applications support the direct insertion of EPS graphics, this resource may be used quite easily. Simply treat the graphic as a standard image file, and proceed to scaling the inserted artwork as required.
Q. How many copies/pages am I allowed to submit to the plotter?
A. Users are allowed to submit no more than 2 copies/pages per print submission. If, for example, you need 10 copies of your plot, you should either a) send your job 5 times with 2 copies each, or b) send your job individually 10 times. Users that submit more than 2 copies/pages per submission will only receive the first two pages of their print job - if any at all. All other copies/pages will be deleted.
Q. I submitted my plot to Plot03, but I cannot see it on the queue. Should I resubmit my plot?
A. Not necessarily. Before resubmitting any print job to the plot queue, check your email. When an error occurs with a user's plot the user is immediately emailed a description of the problem as well as how to fix it. Additionally, some jobs are moved to a second queue (Plot02) for load balancing purposes. Although users cannot readily view this queue, the jobs have not been deleted and will be printed in a timely fashion. If you have any question about whether or not you should resubmit your plot, please call us before taking any action: 656-4766.
Q. I need my plot right away! Can you print my plot ahead of others?
A. No. Plots are printed in the order they are received. We guarantee you will have your plot, assuming it was submitted correctly, within 24 hours of submission (Monday-Friday). To be more specific: if you need your plot by 10am on Tuesday, you should submit it no later than 10am on Monday. If you wait until 9am on Tuesday to submit your plot there is no guarantee that it will be printed in time. It is your responsibility to have your plots printed by the time due; not ours.
Q. I submitted my plot correctly, but the plotting staff did not print it how I wanted. What should I do?
A. The most important thing to remember is that the plotting staff does not and can not alter any print jobs that are on the queue. If your plot printed incorrectly, it is because it was submitted incorrectly.
Q. I don't have the time to submit my plot to the queue. Can I email it to the plotting staff and have them print it for me?
A. No. We do not accept email submissions. All plots must be submitted properly through the queue for printing.
Q. Can I bring you sheets of paper to print on?
A. No. We only print on rolls of paper. Sheets will not be accepted.
Q. I would like to have my plot printed on non-regular paper (e.g. glossy photo paper, canvas, etc...). Is this possible?
A. Yes. We will print on non-regular paper to a limited degree. The user must supply his or her own paper - we will not provide any paper other than the Heavy Weight Coated paper the plotters currently utilize. Non-regular paper can be expensive (over $200/roll in some cases) and users should keep this in mind when considering printing on non-regular paper. Additionally, the user should consult a Campus Operations employee before purchasing any materials - the plotters can only take certain types of paper and it is best to be sure that we can handle your request before making any purchases.
Because Campus Operations prints, on average, over 100 plots/day, it is very important that the user understand that their plots, when printing on non-regular paper, do not become a priority over other students/faculty plots. Printing on non-regular paper is time consuming and labor intensive, and will only be done during slow periods. With this in mind, if you should need plots printed on non-regular paper, you should have your plots, paper and any other materials ready no less than 2 weeks before the project due date.