Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- equipment:laser:plotter [2026/10/07 12:05] – Add driver installation guide for Windows, Linux, and macOS sage
+++ equipment:laser:plotter [2026/10/16 20:55] (current) – sage
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 <code>
-ls /dev | grep ttyUSB
+ls -al /dev | grep ttyUSB
 </code>
-Normally it would show up as **ttyUSB0** (unless you have other devices attached). To confirm, you can unplug the device, run the command, plug it back in, and run the command again. A new device that popped up would be it.
+Normally it would show up as **ttyUSB0** (unless you have other devices attached). To confirm, you can unplug the device, run the command, plug it back in, and run the command again. A new device that popped up would be it. Take note of the group that owns the device, usually it would be **dialout**. Make sure that your user is in that group. You can do so by running:
-Alternatively, you can also run any of the following commands to find out more about the aliases or the device itself:
+<code>
+groups  # see the groups your user is in
+adduser myuser dialout  # add myuser to the dialout group
+</code>
+You might need to log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.
+You can also run any of the following commands to find out more about the aliases or the device itself:
 <code>
@@ Line 55: / Line 62: @@
 You might be able to install it via other package managers (either system-wide, with pip install —-user, with uv, or other means, untested).
-When exporting via Inkscape, you might encounter an error from pyserial being unable to open or write to the device. This might be fixed by adding your Linux user to the **dialout** and/or **tty** groups so that you can send data to the device without root. We have not tested it, but a quick workaround by running inkscape with sudo worked (although please do not do this - update if you find a fix).
+When exporting via Inkscape, you might encounter an error from pyserial being unable to open or write to the device. Make sure that your user is in the **dialout** group (or whatever group that owns the plotter's tty device).
 ==== macOS ====
@@ Line 103: / Line 110: @@
 ===== Locating the plot =====
-The origin point is in the center of the plotter. This is marked by arrows drawn on masking tape. By default, Inkscape will locate the bottom left-hand corner of your plot at the origin (that is, the bottom left-hand corner of the things to actually plot, not the inkscape document). There is a check box 'center origin' on the Inkscape plot plugin popup. If you check this the center of your plot will be located at the center of the plotter.
+The origin point is in the center of the plotter.
+By default, Inkscape will locate the bottom left-hand corner of your plot at the origin (that is, the bottom left-hand corner of the things to actually plot, not the inkscape document). There is a check box 'center origin' on the Inkscape plot plugin popup. If you check this the center of your plot will be located at the center of the plotter.
+To set up a plot consistently on standard paper sizes, use the [[https://github.com/laymonage/dpx-3300|template files]] that contain guides for A2, A3, and A4 papers.
+The templates can also be found in the computer beside the plotter (WPC35) and subtle guide markers found on the plotter surface. They are are stored in "/Documents/plotter" and are named "plotter_A2_guide", "plotter_A3_guide" and "plotter_A4_guide". Create a copy of the template you want to use, paste it in your own folder, then load this file in Inkscape.
+The template file contains two corner paths that force the plotter to draw exactly about the origin. The corner paths match up exactly with those drawn on the plotter surface already; to avoid drawing them again to your page, **place an empty pen holder in pen slot 8 on the plotter**. If nothing is in slot 8, the plotter will fall back to slot 7, then 6, and so on, until it finds a pen holder to draw with. With an empty pen holder, the plotter won't draw any extra markings, just your design wherever you've placed it on the page.
+When you are ready to plot, add your paper to the plotter surface, aligned with the corner guides drawn in black ink on the plotter surface. There are two corner guides for each page size, lower left and top right, expanding out from the center of the plotter.
+{{:equipment:mainroom:plotter:lower_left_paper_markings_annotated.jpg?900|}}
+{{:equipment:mainroom:plotter:top_right_paper_markings_annotated.jpg?900|}}
+It's easier to see the markers looking at the plotter surface from an angle and with a light shining on them.
 ==== Errors ====
@@ Line 110: / Line 133: @@
 The Inkscape plot dialogue will freeze until either the plot completes or the serial adapter is removed from the computer.
+MacOS often glitches when sending data to the plotter from Inkscape, overrunning its print buffer. If printing instructions to the serial buffer of the plotter directly, add a small pause between instructions so as not to overwhelm the plotter.
 ===== 3D Printed Pen Holders =====