March 2022 update: Windows printing functionality is now restored. The plotters are fully configured on the 4 shared Windows workstations in Ruggles; follow the instructions below to configure printing on personally-owned Windows computers.
To print from Windows to one of the CAMD plotters, use the following steps:
- First download the HP DesignJet Z9 driver from this link. Double click on the exe file which you’ve downloaded. This will extract the printer driver files to your downloads folder.
- In the Windows search bar, type “Windows Features” and select “Turn Windows features on or off” in Control panel.
- Scroll down in the Windows Features panel to find “Print and Document Services.” Click the plus sign and check both LPD Print Service and LPR Print Monitor. Click OK. Your computer will download the necessary files from Windows Update; click close when this is done.
- In the Windows search bar, type “Add a printer” and click on “Add a printer or scanner” in System settings.
- Click on “Add a printer or scanner.” Wait for the window to refresh, then click on “The printer that I want isn’t listed” text. In the “Add Printer” window, click the button labeled “Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings” and click Next.
- Select “Create a new port” and choose LPR Port for the type. Click Next.
- For the name or address of server providing lpd, enter bos3625.nunet.neu.edu and for the Name of printer or print queue on that server, enter CAMD-Plotter. Click OK.
- In the “Install the printer driver” dialog, click the Have Disk… button and navigate to the printer driver folder you downloaded and expanded in step 1. This should automatically select the file hpi2146.inf. Click Open and then click OK.
- You will now see a list of HP DesignJet printers. Scroll down to HP DesignJet Z9dr 44in PDF V4, select it, and click Next.
- You can name the printer anything you want. We recommend calling it CAMD-Plotter. Click Next.
- There will be a bit of a delay, and the printer will install and configure itself with the correct driver. Choose “Do not share this printer” and click Next.
- When you see that you have successfully installed the printer, click Finish. Do not print a test page.
- Download the PaperCut print client from the link below. Unzip the file, and in the expanded folder, double click on the “client-local-install.exe” icon to install the PaperCut Client. Use the defaults for this, and enter your Northeastern username and password when prompted.
Now that you have everything installed, you’re ready to print. The CAMD plotter queue will show up as whatever name you chose in step 9 above. This is the queue you’ll use to print to the plotters in Ryder Hall, or to the plotters in the Ruggles Architecture Studio. You’ll be billed Husky Dollars at the rate of $0.74 per square foot, the same price as the library plotters. You must be sure that you’re running the PaperCut MF Client in order to print. The client software will start up by default when you start your computer, but you may not want this setting enabled.
The Hewlett-Packard Z9 has both a horizontal and vertical trimmer to save you some time when printing. You’ll need to be sure to enable these options when you print. Below are the settings for these plotters.
- In the Windows DesignJet driver, you need to use the default paper type and feed. These are set by clicking the Properties button near the top of the Print dialog box, after selecting the plotter as your printer. Be sure that both Paper source and Paper type are set to “Use Printer Settings.” If you want to use the vertical trimmer you will have to enable this in the settings.
- Set the “Rotation” option to Autorotate, and then click OK. Selecting “Autorotate” will speed your printing and reduce the amount of paper used.
- Note that printing PDFs will not enable you to create a custom paper size. The paper size will automatically be determined by the PDF itself. This limitation doesn’t occur in apps like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.
- Click print to send your file to the print queue.
Remember that you need to have the PaperCut NG Client application running in order for your print to work. When you run the PaperCut client, you’ll see a dollar amount. This is your “free print credit” allocation and does not reflect your Husky Dollar balance.
When you send your print job, there will be a bit of a delay while your computer and the print server process your file, and you’ll then be prompted again for your Northeastern username and password.
Finally, you should see a pop-up notification that your print job is being held in a queue. At that time, go to one of the plotters and scan the QR code using your smartphone to release the print.
Be sure to pull the basket away from the printer so that your print does not fall on the floor.
If you have any questions about the process, or to report issues, please email camdsupport@northeastern.edu.