Date/Time per Label?
This really should be a simple thing to resolve, but I find myself unable to get this working. I looked over the forums and had no luck testing different settings. I'm hoping someone can help me resolve this.
Basically, we print multiple copies of a template using a print command script, similar to this:
%BTW% /AF="c:\BarTenderLabels\boxdefault.btw" /D=%Trigger File Name% /PRN="ZebraPrinterName" /R=3 /P /DD /C=33%END%data entry1, data entry2, etc.
We would like each label to print the exact date and time that the label actually prints out at. Each label that prints is applied to a case, and then the next label prints and is applied to the next case, etc., until the total number or labels printed (33 in the example above) is done or the operator cancels the rest of the print job. There is a varied amount of time between each printed label, so each individual label should have a different time on it.
We're using Zebra printers (ZE500, etc). They support the time clock, and I'm using the Seagull drivers. Through the Windows printer's settings, I can even print a test label to test the clock, which works fine.
On a BTW template, I'm setting up a Data Source with type "Clock". From there I use the appropriate settings in the Data Type tab. When I print out the labels, it's the exact same date and time (even second) on every label.
I tried using the "Use Printer's Clock" option, same thing. What I found unusual here is that inside the "Printer Clock Options", I changed it from "Use Windows Clock" to "Do Not Print Data Source" if the printer clock is not available, and it didn't print anything then. This is odd because I can test the clock in the printer's settings on Windows just fine. Either way, whether using the Windows time or the printer's time, it still doesn't change the time.
Side note, I also have a data source that starts at "1", and increments by 1 for every page using the Transform tab. This data source works fine, and each label counts up. I don't know why the clock setting isn't updating per label.
ANY suggestions to what I'm missing here, or doing wrong? Thank you!!!
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I believe the issue is because you are telling BarTender to print 33 identical copies of the label and not 33 serialised labels. This means the file will be sent down as one file with the print 33 times rather than print.
Normally the /S=33 command should be used rather than /C=33 for serialised labels.
For the clock field on your label you also need to make sure you are using a font that actually is present (one of the internal Zebra fonts) in the printer for this to work.
Also make sure on the Print > Performance Tab that the Allow Serialisation is ticked so that BarTender will use the internal counter of the printer to serialise the field, but again make sure that the font being used for the serial number is internal font in the Zebra and not a TrueType font.
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I had a feeling it was sending copies of a single print job, I just didn't know the command line code to change. Thank you for this info. I will give these a try and let you know how it performs. Thank you!!!
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No luck. It still prints with the exact same time, down to the same second. Here's what I've done.
1) Updated the script line to reflect "/S=33" so it looks like this now:
%BTW% /AF="c:\BarTenderLabels\boxdefault.btw" /D=%Trigger File Name% /PRN="ZebraPrinterName" /R=3 /P /DD /S=33 %END%
2) Made sure "Allow Serialization" was checked under the Print > Performance Tab.
3) I changed the Text Properties font to "Zebra Font B", because "Font B" is Resident on the printer.
4) Updated the Data Source and ticked "User Printer's Clock". I even did "Do Not Print Data Source" when the printer clock is not available. The data still printed fine, so that must mean it is seeing the printer's clock.
5) I should point out that the Zebra printer is shared off of a different Windows server. BarTender runs on a different machine, and is just using that shared printer, but it should have full permission to that printer. I just point this out in case there is some glitch that is caused sharing the printer.
Any other suggestions? Might it be how the template is setup in the Templates tab under Page Setup? The label I want printed with the changing date/time is placed inside the "Primary Templates" section. I am getting 33 prints of that template. Also, that page number data source that I'm incrementing by one is still working. I guess I'm at a loss here.
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I would go back a step and print directly from BarTender rather than via the Integration just to see what happens.
Looking at the output file with a serialised Zebra font label then it is probably worth testing it by turning the Allow Serialisation off on the Performance Tab. At print time this will mean on the printer that you get a printing 1 of 1 33 times rather than printing 1 of 33 but that will force the unit to call to memory the stored label format whenever it prints a label.
On a side note, I take it this is an existing process you are modifying rather than a new system as the "Commander Script" type command file system is no longer required when using Integration Builder. The print quantity could always have been declared as one of the elements in the data itself, and now with Integration Builder the label format to use and the printer etc can now also be declared as variables with the data and so instead of sending a file that should be configured like this:
%BTW% /AF="c:\BarTenderLabels\boxdefault.btw" /D=%Trigger File Name% /PRN="ZebraPrinterName" /R=3 /P /DD /C=33
%END%
data entry1, data entry2, etc.
it could just be sent as
data entry1, data entry2, printer name, label format, number of serial labels etc.
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You are correct, it was an existing process, from before version 2019, that we are modifying by adding the current date/time to each label.
It looks like we have some things to try out here, both just printing from BarTender first and then modifying our integration. I will post my results again.
Thank you again for your efforts to assist us!
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I was able to get this to work. First, I did not mess with a new new integration, I was able to keep the old commander script as it was. That way I don't have to reprogram the other software that sends the file to Bartender.
The first thing I tried was just manually printing the template out of Designer. I was now able to see an error message about mixing the font on the text. I technically didn't mix any font, but it must have thought I did. I built the text with multiple data sources because I wanted a very specific pattern So, I would do the date setting showing just the month, then I added an embedded text for "/". Then I added another clock setting for just the day, followed by another "/", and so on for the 4 digit year. I wanted it to look like 01/07/2022 and the only close pre-built date setting was 01/07/22, without a four digit year. After the date, I added another embedded text for a few spaces, then I ended the text line with one more clock setting for the time. All of our data sources should have been using the Zebra font, so I don't know why it gave me that font error message. In the end, I just did two separate text fields, one for the date clock setting (which I had to settle for one of the pre-builts), and the other text field was the time clock setting.
Once I no longer had an error with the "font", the label printed out fine from Designer. So, my next process was to play with the /S setting versus the /C. I found that if you use /S=33 instead of /C=33, it will print more than 33 labels. I think it was going to print 33 sets of 33 each. So, if you use the /S setting, make sure to use /C as well. This worked for an accurate count: /S=33 /C=1
Next I just tried using the /C=33 setting again and didn't add /S at all. Doing this kept the time the same for all labels, like Pete explained before. So, I turned off the "Allow Serialization" under the Print > Performance Tab, and re-saved the template. This time it started working.
I was testing this on a Zebra printer (ZT410). I was using the time setting that shows the hour, minute, and second. It seems like the printer doesn't refresh the time until after it was past a minute later. If I pulled a label out every 30 seconds, the time stamp on the labels would read like this: 2:45:15 PM / 2:45:15 PM / 2:46:22 PM / 2:46:22 PM. This is fine for us, and I just changed the template so it only shows the hour and minute. My point about this printer is that it wasn't precise, but it does work as long as you didn't care about the second counter.
Thank you again for your help! We will trial this on a longer production run soon to ensure that it can be deployed full scale.
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