Has anyone used Zebra barcode printers with LabVIEW

[hdferguson3]

Huub,

Thanks for following up. I ended up doing it exactly how you suggested. Works great.

[bfeddeck]

Can you send me the vi you use to communicate with the printer?

Bert

[knipph]

Hi Bert,

I did not use a specific VI. This is the way I did it:

I used the Report Toolkit to output the ZPL strings tot the printer que.

1e. NewReport (input Standard Report)

2e. Append Report text (input the ZPL strings)

3e. Print  Report  (input printer name)

4e. Dispose Report

Huub

[bfeddeck]

I tried the report tools but when I try to print the printer changes ribbon mode and then gives me an error. I ended up using VISA through the LPT port. I was using the USB port with the report tools and calling the Zebra printer. Maybe if I used the LPT port It would have worked. But I am finished the program and don't have the printer anymore to try it.

Thanks for your help,

Bert

[pallen]

Hi Doug,

Here's a little chunk of code I wrote for a job recently.  It's not printing barcodes, but it is using the ZPL language over the COM port to send commands to the printer, so you can see the formatting.

I'm not exactly sure how the USB driver works for these.  But I would guess that they'll create a "virtual" COM port in Windows that you can use the same way as a standard one.  To send over Ethernet, try replacing the Basic Read/Write block I've got with the TCP/IP block.  You can find it in LabVIEW Examples.

Good luck.

[drummaniac83]

Hello all.  I was using this thread to help me program a zebra 110xiIII Plus Printer.  I am using it through usb (NOT serial to usb).  I found that printing to the printer through the included driver ended in failure every time.  Using the print report method ended in nothing being printed and the data light not flashing.

I could not the use the COM port or the system command exec because USB does not create a COM port for either to access.

What I found worked, was changing the driver from the zebra specific driver to a generic text printer.  This caused the raw text ZPL commands to be sent to the printer and everything worked great.

once i changed the driver, I was able to print to the printer throug the easy text report and all commands went through perfectly.  It was also 10x faster than even the fastest baud rate on the serial port.

[bfeddeck]

I have been unable to print using the USB. Currently I use the parallel port and VISA.

What do you mean by "generic text" driver? I am not familiar with printer drivers so can you direct me to a driver to use.

Bert

[hegb_85]

I'm using a Zebra TLP 3842 has anyone used this printer??

I'll use it via USB. The printed arrived today so I haven't done any tests.

[morngoose]

Hi there,

Has anyone had any luck talking to a Zebra printer using the USB port yet with labview?

Just got my printer today, but have no idea where to start, in terms of USB, to start sending ZPL commands to it.

thanks

Goose

[hegb_85]

Does the printer has serial port? If yes, use it. It's really easy to print via serial port. Just send the *.txt file with the ZPL commands and that's all.