RE: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
This might be a bit more than you want, but in the long run, may solve your needs better. What if you imbed you own psudocode, tag like into the text you want printed. (ie. x=###,y=###,size=###,font=xxx) then write a subroutine (once), that will convert your psudeocode to the specific printer's code. This way if later, you change printers to a different language, all you will need to do is update the conversion subroutine, all the psudocode can remain the same. Again, initially, a LOT more work. George -Original Message- From: Karjala Koponen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 1:05 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris Hello, I'm running UniData 5.2.15 on AIX 4.3.2 but will be going to UniData 6.0.9 on Solaris 2.8. We have two stand alone Epson LX300+ 9 pin dot matrix printers we use to print labels. They are defined as generic (ASCII) devices. The printers are old and the output is acceptable, at best. I'd like to replace the printers with label printers that will print on peel off labels of roll stock. These printers generally come with Windows drivers but Unix drivers seem to be lacking. Some of the higher end printers come with a programming manual that would allow me to write code to send control sequences to the printer and control everything. I've done that before but I'd rather not take the time to do that if I can simply attach a printer, either to the network or a serial connection, load a driver and create a queue, and then simply send my few lines of text to the print queue and get a label. Bar code would be nice but is not mandatory. I'm sure that we are just not looking in the right place or closely enough. We are not printing high volumes of labels so less expensive is better. Any suggestions? Thanks, Karjala -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
RE: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
We use Zebra printers. However, the output needs to be in ZPL language. Im not sure that you will escape the 'control' characters altogether. You will at minimum need to put characters around the barcode themselves if the need arises. I've never tried sending plain ascii text to them, so Im not sure if they work that way. The programming language is not bad at all - very easily done really (2 hours of messing around and you will probably have it down). If you want to be able to print various fonts and sizes, I don't know how you will escape the 'codes'. Even it you find one that understands postscript, you still have to convert text to postscript. Anthony Dzikiewicz -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Karjala Koponen Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 1:05 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject:Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris Hello, I'm running UniData 5.2.15 on AIX 4.3.2 but will be going to UniData 6.0.9 on Solaris 2.8. We have two stand alone Epson LX300+ 9 pin dot matrix printers we use to print labels. They are defined as generic (ASCII) devices. The printers are old and the output is acceptable, at best. I'd like to replace the printers with label printers that will print on peel off labels of roll stock. These printers generally come with Windows drivers but Unix drivers seem to be lacking. Some of the higher end printers come with a programming manual that would allow me to write code to send control sequences to the printer and control everything. I've done that before but I'd rather not take the time to do that if I can simply attach a printer, either to the network or a serial connection, load a driver and create a queue, and then simply send my few lines of text to the print queue and get a label. Bar code would be nice but is not mandatory. I'm sure that we are just not looking in the right place or closely enough. We are not printing high volumes of labels so less expensive is better. Any suggestions? Thanks, Karjala -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
RE: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
We're using Zebra printers also, and you cannot send plain ASCII text to them. We've recently purchases some IBM A-3300 printers, they may take plain ascii text. I'm not sure though. Nick Cipollina Systems Analyst SuperValu Eastern Region (804)746-6068 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anthony Dzikiewicz To: U2 Users Discussion List [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]cc: ts.com Subject: RE: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris Sent by: u2-users-bounces@ oliver.com 04/05/2004 01:47 PM Please respond to U2 Users Discussion List We use Zebra printers. However, the output needs to be in ZPL language. Im not sure that you will escape the 'control' characters altogether. You will at minimum need to put characters around the barcode themselves if the need arises. I've never tried sending plain ascii text to them, so Im not sure if they work that way. The programming language is not bad at all - very easily done really (2 hours of messing around and you will probably have it down). If you want to be able to print various fonts and sizes, I don't know how you will escape the 'codes'. Even it you find one that understands postscript, you still have to convert text to postscript. Anthony Dzikiewicz -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Karjala Koponen Sent:Monday, April 05, 2004 1:05 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris Hello, I'm running UniData 5.2.15 on AIX 4.3.2 but will be going to UniData 6.0.9 on Solaris 2.8. We have two stand alone Epson LX300+ 9 pin dot matrix printers we use to print labels. They are defined as generic (ASCII) devices. The printers are old and the output is acceptable, at best. I'd like to replace the printers with label printers that will print on peel off labels of roll stock. These printers generally come with Windows drivers but Unix drivers seem to be lacking. Some of the higher end printers come with a programming manual that would allow me to write code to send control sequences to the printer and control everything. I've done that before but I'd rather not take the time to do that if I can simply attach a printer, either to the network or a serial connection, load a driver and create a queue, and then simply send my few lines of text to the print queue and get a label. Bar code would be nice but is not mandatory. I'm sure that we are just not looking in the right place or closely enough. We are not printing high volumes of labels so less expensive is better. Any suggestions? Thanks, Karjala -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
Re: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
Friends, I really have no time for any development, however small, on this. Too many other higher priority projects on my list. These printers are used by many people, however infrequently, so having the printer attached and driven from a single workstation is not attractive, though I might be able to get somebody else to do that setup work. I don't know how people would like using central workstations for generating labels. I suppose I could have an old PC logged into our UniData application and somehow drive the printer from the server, but I don't know how to do that, though there was a recent thread that might be relevant. Yes, I could write an application that would send the correct control sequences and I don't think it would take much time (only because I've done a very similar task at another company), but that's not a zero time project, either. Guess I'll have to recommend that we just upgrade to a better text printer for now. Thanks for your ideas, Karjala [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/05/2004 3:14:57 PM Hey Karjala, Why not just purchase something like a Dymo SE300 label printer and put it on a Windows workstation, connected to the network running the U2 application? ... Regards, Scott - Original Message - From: Karjala Koponen [EMAIL PROTECTED] ... Hello, I'm running UniData 5.2.15 on AIX 4.3.2 but will be going to UniData 6.0.9 on Solaris 2.8. We have two stand alone Epson LX300+ 9 pin dot matrix printers we use to print labels. They are defined as generic (ASCII) devices. The printers are old and the output is acceptable, at best. I'd like to replace the printers with label printers that will print on peel off labels of roll stock. ... Thanks, Karjala -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
RE: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
We use Datamax labels printers. While I don't send straight ASCII to it, I don't know if it won't accept it. You could try calling their tech support 407-523-5540 and ask them, they have always been very helpful and know their products very well. Can't speak for Zebra, havn't had to use one. George If you just need to send a few characters to allow it to accept text, you could modify your printcap from unix to prepend the characters and add some trailing data to all print jobs that go through it, Shouldn't take too much time (maybe 15 mins) to modify it. -Original Message- From: Karjala Koponen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 4:01 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris Friends, I really have no time for any development, however small, on this. Too many other higher priority projects on my list. These printers are used by many people, however infrequently, so having the printer attached and driven from a single workstation is not attractive, though I might be able to get somebody else to do that setup work. I don't know how people would like using central workstations for generating labels. I suppose I could have an old PC logged into our UniData application and somehow drive the printer from the server, but I don't know how to do that, though there was a recent thread that might be relevant. Yes, I could write an application that would send the correct control sequences and I don't think it would take much time (only because I've done a very similar task at another company), but that's not a zero time project, either. Guess I'll have to recommend that we just upgrade to a better text printer for now. Thanks for your ideas, Karjala [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/05/2004 3:14:57 PM Hey Karjala, Why not just purchase something like a Dymo SE300 label printer and put it on a Windows workstation, connected to the network running the U2 application? ... Regards, Scott - Original Message - From: Karjala Koponen [EMAIL PROTECTED] ... Hello, I'm running UniData 5.2.15 on AIX 4.3.2 but will be going to UniData 6.0.9 on Solaris 2.8. We have two stand alone Epson LX300+ 9 pin dot matrix printers we use to print labels. They are defined as generic (ASCII) devices. The printers are old and the output is acceptable, at best. I'd like to replace the printers with label printers that will print on peel off labels of roll stock. ... Thanks, Karjala -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
RE: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
George, And maybe I can get the fellow what wants to get the new printers to do the work! He's our Solaris guy, but I don't think his strength is in printers. I suspect, though, that we'd take more than 15 minutes to figure out what command sequences to send. :) Also, Solaris uses System V printing with printer interface programs that use some other scripting language that, again, I don't know (but maybe ...). A quick look tells me that what you suggest could be done, with another learning curve ... No man pages on our AIX or Solaris systems for printcap. I did call the Datamax tech support, who referred me to Integrated Software Design and Unibar. The Unibar product looks nice but costs $3000 plus. Thanks again, Karjala [EMAIL PROTECTED] 04/05/2004 4:07:26 PM We use Datamax labels printers. While I don't send straight ASCII to it, I don't know if it won't accept it. You could try calling their tech support 407-523-5540 and ask them, they have always been very helpful and know their products very well. Can't speak for Zebra, havn't had to use one. George If you just need to send a few characters to allow it to accept text, you could modify your printcap from unix to prepend the characters and add some trailing data to all print jobs that go through it, Shouldn't take too much time (maybe 15 mins) to modify it. -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
Re: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris
I've purchased many Prodigy DataMax label printers (4x6 UPS or smaller) from Ebay for around $80-$150 each over the last few years. The replacement heads alone are $280 new. The PCL (sic) is pretty straightforward. It isn't WYSIWYG but debugable. These printers have all the bar code fonts contained. They all have many helvetica-style fonts and sizes. Complete orientation, sizing etc. They are usually serial. There are thermal and ink-based labels. If it's temperature sensitive (either hot or cold) don't use thermal as they fade in time. If they're shipping, thermal is fine. my 1 cent. - Original Message - From: Karjala Koponen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 1:05 PM Subject: Label printers on AIX and/or Solaris Hello, I'm running UniData 5.2.15 on AIX 4.3.2 but will be going to UniData 6.0.9 on Solaris 2.8. We have two stand alone Epson LX300+ 9 pin dot matrix printers we use to print labels. They are defined as generic (ASCII) devices. The printers are old and the output is acceptable, at best. I'd like to replace the printers with label printers that will print on peel off labels of roll stock. These printers generally come with Windows drivers but Unix drivers seem to be lacking. Some of the higher end printers come with a programming manual that would allow me to write code to send control sequences to the printer and control everything. I've done that before but I'd rather not take the time to do that if I can simply attach a printer, either to the network or a serial connection, load a driver and create a queue, and then simply send my few lines of text to the print queue and get a label. Bar code would be nice but is not mandatory. I'm sure that we are just not looking in the right place or closely enough. We are not printing high volumes of labels so less expensive is better. Any suggestions? Thanks, Karjala -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
