Installation manual

ManualsBrandsEltron ManualsComputer equipmentLP2042

VOLUME 13, July 1997

Setting Up Eltron Printers

OVERVIEW OF SETTING UP ELTRON PRINTERS

Unlike most printers having only enough buffer storage for a

single print, the Eltron printers have a standard 128K

memory for storing multiple label data within the printer. In

addition, all but one of the Eltron printers come with a

Create-A-Label (CAL) Tools software program which the

installer uses to easily create a custom label for downloading

into the printer's memory. The label created is then resident

in the printer—rather than the digital indicator—and the PC

that created the label can be permanently disconnected.

This unique approach to label creation and storage offers

great advantages to the user and installer, but the new technology requires some non-traditional set up proce-

dures different than most printers. This publication will guide you through those procedures.

The basic steps in setting up an Eltron printer with a custom label are:

1. Connect the printer and IBM-compatible PC together with either RS-232 serial or Centronics parallel cables.

2. Load the supplied CAL Tools software program onto the PC’s hard drive.

3. Create the label on the PC.

4. Download the label to the printer.

5. Disconnect the PC and connect the scale indicator to the printer with an RS-232 cable.

6. Set up the indicator to provide the interface commands necessary to operate the Eltron printer. With some

indicators, the optional keyboard display unit (KDU) may be necessary for proper interfacing. The KDU will also

be necessary if alphanumeric operator entries are desired during weighing operations.

7. Begin weighing operations.

For detailed setup procedures using Eltron printers with selected RLWS scales and indicators, see pages 3–10.

THE OPTIONAL KEYBOARD DISPLAY UNIT (KDU)

The Eltron KDU is used for three main purposes:

• Choosing one of several label formats stored in a printer or printing all label

formats stored in a printer

• Calling up product IDs or entering other alphanumeric information.

• Establishing a communication interface with Eltron printers. See the

interface chart on the following page for RLWS products which require

the KDU to interface to Eltron printers.

Keyboard Display Unit (KDU)

Summary of content (12 pages)

PAGE 1
VOLUME 13, July 1997 Setting Up Eltron Printers OVERVIEW OF SETTING UP ELTRON PRINTERS Unlike most printers having only enough buffer storage for a single print, the Eltron printers have a standard 128K memory for storing multiple label data within the printer. In addition, all but one of the Eltron printers come with a Create-A-Label (CAL) Tools software program which the installer uses to easily create a custom label for downloading into the printer's memory.
PAGE 2
INTERFACE CHART FOR RLWS PRODUCTS RLWS Product Direct Operates Additional interface with hardware possible? KDU? needed? Baud rate, Bits, Parity Terminal character, EOL Delay Notes IQ plus 310A No Yes KDU 4800 8 none CR/LF 1500 mS Format=CC Printer=Generic IQ plus 800/810 Yes No None 9600 8 none CR 0 mS Turn off Truck In/Out program IQ700 Yes No None 9600 7 odd CR 0 mS 14=Simplex 14.
PAGE 3
IQ PLUS 310A — ELTRON SETUP RS-232 RS-232 Serial or Centronics Parallel PC with Create-A-Label Tools program Eltron Printer RS-232 KDU Keyboard IQ plus 310A Indicator The IQ plus 310A indicator requires a KDU keyboard to interface with an Eltron printer. Indicator Configuration 1. Configure the indicator to send RS-232 serial data out either the EDP or Printer Port.
PAGE 4
IQ PLUS 800/810 — ELTRON SETUP (WITHOUT HOTLINE) RS-232: scale data RS-232 Serial or Centronics Parallel PC with Create-A-Label Tools program Eltron Printer IQ plus 800/810 Indicator The IQ plus 800/810 interfaces directly with Eltron printers; the KDU keyboard is incompatible. Indicator Configuration 1. Configure the indicator to send RS-232 serial data out either the EDP or Printer Port. Configure the PRINTER or EDP submenu as follows: Baud=9600, Bits=8 none, Termin=CR/LF, EOL DLY=0ms.
PAGE 5
IQPLUS 800/810 — ELTRON SETUP (USING HOTLINE) RS-232: Hotline programming to indicator ® RS-232: scale data RS-232 Serial or Centronics Parallel PC with Create-A-Label Tools program Eltron Printer IQ plus 800/810 Indicator The IQ plus 800/810 interfaces directly with Eltron printers; the KDU keyboard is incompatible. Indicator Configuration 1. Configure the indicator to send RS-232 serial data out the Printer port to the Eltron printer.
PAGE 6
. For this example, modify the string as follows: GFMT=NFR"GLABL"?P1 Where: <> " " N GLABL FR ? P1 G NL designates a command designates a file name Eltron command telling the printer to clear its buffer for a new print Name of the label file Eltron command telling the printer to search its memory for a file to import Eltron command telling the printer to import the GLABL file Eltron command telling the printer to print the label one time Gross weight data Indicator command for a
PAGE 7
Label Creation Example: Gross-only Label For this example, we’re sending scale data and print commands in a data string through Port 1. We’re also using the indicator’s Smart Serial I/O option which must be activated. Therefore, IQ 700 configuration parameter OP7 must be turned on to activate the option, and subparameter OP7.1 must be turned on to enable custom printout.
PAGE 8
CW-80 — ELTRON SETUP RS-232 RS-232 Serial or Centronics Parallel PC with Create-A-Label Tools program Eltron Printer RS-232 KDU Keyboard CW-80 Checkweigher The CW-80 must use the Eltron KDU keyboard to interface with Eltron printers. Indicator Configuration The CW-80 communicates in serial RS-232 from its serial port through the KDU keyboard to the printer. The serial string format is in Condec format (CCC), but the complete auto-print command is not included in the indicator string.
PAGE 9
Adding the Auto Print Command to the Printer With the CW-80’s Print Function parameter set to auto print (PFunct=AP3 or AP4), the print command will be sent to the printer at the appropriate time. Before the command is executed however, a prompt appears on the KDU asking the operator to enter the number of labels to print. The operator must select some number–usually 1–and press ENTER to complete the print command.
PAGE 10
IQ 6500 — ELTRON SETUP RS-232: scale data and ticket format data Special cable #41279 Eltron Printer IQ-6500 Counting Scale with Eltron option # 41278 When interfacing an IQ6500 Counting Scale to an Eltron printer, the IQ6500 must have the special factoryinstalled option (part # 41278) to function with the printer. A custom 25-pin to 9-pin cable (part # 41279) is also necessary to connect the counting scale and printer.
PAGE 11
PK2800SS — ELTRON SETUP RS-232: scale data from indicator RS-232:data RS-232 Serial or Centronics Parallel for downloading graphics PC with Create-A-Label Tools program Eltron Printer PK280SS with special program RC21A306 The PK280SS, when loaded with special program RC21A306, interfaces directly to Eltron printers. Indicator and Printer Configuration Configure the indicator used with the scale to send RS-232 serial data to the PK280SS at 9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity.
PAGE 12
TECH TALK A TECHNICAL PRODUCT PUBLICATION CAL TOOLS QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE CAL Tools is a DOS-based, PC software program used to quickly create label forms and bar codes with fixed, variable, and/or graphic fields. The label files are then downloaded from the PC to an Eltron printer for permanent storage. CAL Tools is the graphical WYSIWYG program supplied on floppy disk free of charge with all Eltron printers that can use label-creation software.