Dynamic Bitmap Fonts
Hi,
Im coming from designing labels in Zebra Barone V5.0 where i was able to have a text string "abcd...Z,0-9" (Full alphnumeric) in the label and it would send each individual letter/number to zpl output file as a discrete entity.
I would delete the FD line that printed the full string, but i could programatically alter a variable within the zpl file so that i could print changing data (say serial number or part number ) in the TTF on the label.
When i use a truetype font in BT (v8.01 2179), and then print to file using the truetype font, it looks like the value is exported to the zpl file as a bitmap, and then the graphic is called to be printed.
What i need to be able to do is have BT generate the zpl file with the font in it, and then have the option to print variable data using this font. Is there a way to do this in BT?
cheers
padraig
Im coming from designing labels in Zebra Barone V5.0 where i was able to have a text string "abcd...Z,0-9" (Full alphnumeric) in the label and it would send each individual letter/number to zpl output file as a discrete entity.
I would delete the FD line that printed the full string, but i could programatically alter a variable within the zpl file so that i could print changing data (say serial number or part number ) in the TTF on the label.
When i use a truetype font in BT (v8.01 2179), and then print to file using the truetype font, it looks like the value is exported to the zpl file as a bitmap, and then the graphic is called to be printed.
What i need to be able to do is have BT generate the zpl file with the font in it, and then have the option to print variable data using this font. Is there a way to do this in BT?
cheers
padraig
0
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It looks like you might be wanting to create a printer code template with BarTender (which you can later use to print your variable data from an ERP system or directly by uploading the template to the printer / keypad. Is this what you want to achieve?
If yes, you will need to own the Enterprise (now called Automation Edition) of BarTender and use it to export your label as a printer code template:
http://www.seagullscientific.com/docs/whitepapers/Exporting-Printer-Code-Templates.pdf0 -
[quote name='Domingo - Seagull Support' timestamp='1349706597' post='3430']
It looks like you might be wanting to create a printer code template with BarTender (which you can later use to print your variable data from an ERP system or directly by uploading the template to the printer / keypad. Is this what you want to achieve?
If yes, you will need to own the Enterprise (now called Automation Edition) of BarTender and use it to export your label as a printer code template:
http://www.seagullscientific.com/docs/whitepapers/Exporting-Printer-Code-Templates.pdf
[/quote]
Hi,
Thanks for that, it looks like templates is what i need and i have set up one for a simple label using printer resident fonts. This all works but i need to get a bit more fancy.
I need BT to generate the font download file as part of the zpl template code. Say i print a label with SAMPLE in TTF Arial,pt12 . But i want to be able to use the same template in my print system to print the label with any string in place of SAMPLE using Arial pt 12. My print system reads in the zpl and replaces variables within the zpl (partnumber,serial, etc) and sends the whole lot to the printer.
I know sending the Font per label is not optimal, but given the variety and complexity of labels/printers i don't have the option of manually sending all possible fonts to each printer.
Any pointers ?
cheers0 -
No, I don't know any way of downloading the font to the printer as part of the printer code template export. Perhaps it would be better if you look at other integration options, such as our middleware software Commander. Commander will run on a Windows computer (together with BarTender), and will be your middleware between your ERP / database / third-party application system and BarTender. Once receiving the variable data to be printed from your system (either via a trigger file, over a TCP/IP socket or by Email), it will 'wake up' BarTender and print the label with the variable data.
Further details can be found on the following White Papers.
[url="http://www.seagullscientific.com/docs/whitepapers/Codeless-Integration-of-Barcode-and-Label-Printing-with-other-Software(English).pdf"]Commander[/url]
[url="http://www.seagullscientific.com/docs/whitepapers/Commander-Examples(English).pdf"]Commander Examples[/url]0
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