LabeLase® Producer Software installation manual for /HLFD /3 & Cassette Printer Revision 2 30. March 2010 Always keep this manual with the instrument. Read carefully before working with the instrument.
Table of Contents Copyright © 2007 InfoSight Corporation All rights reserved InfoSight ® is a registered trademark of InfoSight Corporation LabeLase ® is a registered trademark of InfoSight Corporation InfoSight Corporation 20700 US HWY 23 Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 USA Telephone: 001-740-642-3600 website: http://www.infosight.com eMail: service@infosight.
Table of Contents LabeLase® Producer Software Installation Manual for Leica LP C – Cassette Printer 1. 2. 3. Software/firmware licensing agreement .................................................................................................. 7 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Connecting your printer ....................................................................
Table of Contents LabeLase® Producer Software Instruction Manual Leica LP C – Cassette Printer 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 71 Features ........................................................................................................................................................ 71 System requirements ...............................................................
Table of Contents Setup Menu ................................................................................................................................... 119 Toolbars ......................................................................................................................................... 120 Edit Toolbar .................................................................................................................................... 120 Tool Toolbar .................................
1. Software/firmware licensing agreement IMPORTANT: These programs are licensed to end users by InfoSight Corporation exclusively according to the following conditions. Receipt and use of these programs constitutes acceptance of these conditions. This is a legally binding contract between you, the end user, and InfoSight Corporation. 1.
1. Software/firmware licensing agreement Neither the PROGRAM(s) nor the Documentation may be changed or translated without express written permission of InfoSight. You may not reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the PROGRAM(s). 5. THE WARRANTY for this (these) PROGRAM(s) is covered by the InfoSight standard conditions of sale. 6. EXPIRATION OF THE LICENSE The license is effective until terminated. It will be terminated if you fail to comply with any term or condition of this License Agreement.
2. Introduction Thank you for your decision to purchase a LabeLase® printer from InfoSight. Use this guide as a handy reference to get you up and running quickly. It will take you step by step through software and driver installation and configuration and help you verify that everything is working. Note that this document covers the Installation of LabeLase® Producer and communications drivers for the following InfoSight printer: • Leica LP C - cassette printer 2.
2. Introduction Most modern PC’s come with one or more USB ports. If you select this option, this program will guide you through the installation of the USB driver. Do not select this option if you are using a USB to Serial convertor device, since it has its own device driver. Fig. 2 If your PC is connected to an Ethernet network, you may also connect the printer to the network and access it from your PC.
2. Introduction If your PC does not have a free serial port and you want to place your printer a long way from the PC, we recommend an Ethernet connection to you local area network (LAN). Even though this does not mean that your printer now becomes a "network printer" that can be used by multiple PC users, it still provides a fast, convenient connection to your new printer. 2.
3. Installation 3.1 Minimum requirements In order for you to be able to install and use the Leica LP C cassette printer, your PC must have at least the following features: • 100 % IBM PC-compatible computer • Pentium 400 MHz • Windows XP, Vista, 7* • 50 MB free hard disk space • 64 MB RAM • 1 serial port, USB or Ethernet (for connecting the printer) • Color monitor (800 x 600 or higher resolution recommended) • CD or DVD drive * Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000 are no longer supported by LabeLase® Producer.
3. Installation 2 When the LabeLase® installer program starts, it will display a welcome screen as shown below. Fig. 4 When you are ready to begin the installation process, click "Next".
3. Installation 3 The next step requires you to read and agree to InfoSight’s Software License Agreement. Fig. 5 If you do not agree to be legally bound by the terms of this license, simply exit the program. Otherwise, click "I accept the terms..." and then click the "Next" button.
3. Installation 3.3 Connection type 4 Select the connection type for the connection between your PC and the Leica LP C cassette printer. Fig. 6 For a description, see chapter "2.2 Connection types" beginning on page 9. Depending on the connection type you choose for your printer, click the corresponding option box (or on the image with the cable) and then on "Next".
3. Installation If you chose to connect the printer using a serial RS232 communications port, continue on to Step 5. Fig. 7 If you chose to connect the printer using a USB port, continue on to Step 6. Fig. 8 If you chose to connect the printer using an Ethernet network connection, continue on to Step 7. Fig. 9 3.3.1 RS232 serial port 5 To connect the printer to the serial port on your PC, you need a serial cable with a DB9 connector. This cable is included with the printer at delivery. Fig.
3. Installation 5a Locate the serial COM port on the back of the printer as shown in the figure below. Connect one end of the serial cable to this port, and the other end of the cable to a similar port on your PC. 16 Fig. 11 Switch the printer ON (16) and wait for it to initialize.
3. Installation 5b After you selected Serial RS232 as your connection type, you will see a screen that looks similar to the one shown below. Fig. 12 Click "Next" to select the port, or to find out which port the printer is connected to.
3. Installation 5c The installer will show you a list of COM ports that are installed on your PC as shown below. Note that the actual list of COM ports will vary from this figure depending on the number of ports that are installed on your PC. Fig. 13 If you know which port you have used to connect to the printer, simply click the name of the port to select it and then click the "Next" button. If you want to test the port to make sure it can communicate to the printer, proceed to step 5d below.
3. Installation 5d If you are not sure of the name of the port, or if you want to test the port connection, click "Find". The program will attempt to communicate with the printer via each of the listed ports. Fig. 14 As is shown in the above figure, the program has found a Leica LP C model printer on serial port COM3. The model number, firmware version and serial number of the printer are displayed.
3. Installation When you have selected or found the port to which the printer is connected, click "Next" to continue. If you have used the "Find" button and the program has found and communicated with the printer, you can advance to Step 9 to install the version of LabeLase® Producer. 5e 3.3.2 USB port 6 In order to connect the printer to your PC’s USB port, you need a standard USB cable. The printer is shipped with this cable if the USB option has been installed on it. Fig.
3. Installation 6b After you selected USB as your connection type, you will see a screen that looks similar to the one shown below. Fig. 17 Even if you are using a USB port to connect the printer to your PC, the LabeLase® Producer software still expects to communicate with the printer via a serial port. For this to work, the installed USB driver creates a "virtual" serial port, which convinces the Producer that it is a serial port, but is actually using a USB connection.
3. Installation 6c When the USB installer (also called the VCP installer) begins, you will see a screen like that shown below. Note that the appearance of the screen may vary according to your operating system version. Fig. 18 You will need to read and agree to the Software License Agreement for the USB drivers.
3. Installation 6d At several points during the installation of the USB driver, you may see the Windows Logo testing notification as shown below. Fig. 19 If you see this message, you can click "Continue Anyway" without any problems.
3. Installation 6e After the USB driver has been successfully installed, you will see a screen similar to the one shown below. Fig. 20 Click the "Finish" button to continue the installation.
3. Installation 6f After the USB driver installation has completed, the LabeLase® Installer will present the screen shown below. Fig. 21 Now, the printer’s USB cable is connected to a free USB port on your PC. Make sure that the printer is switched on and it has finished initializing before you connect the cable.
3. Installation 6g A few seconds after you connect the USB cable to your PC, Windows will detect the newly added hardware and will display a notice in the system tray. The next step differs depending upon the version of Windows. Windows 7 Fig. 22 On computers with Windows 7, the message indicating that new hardware has been detected is accompanied by a security warning. Allow the driver to be installed.
3. Installation Windows XP Fig. 24 On computers with a Windows XP operating system, after the "New hardware found" (USB VCP adapter) message appears, Windows will launch the wizard for new hardware. Fig. 25 If Windows prompts you to switch to Windows Update so that you can find the software for the new hardware, click "No, not this time". Since the printer driver has already been installed, it is not necessary for Windows to look for it. Click "Next" to continue.
3. Installation 6h The Found New Hardware Wizard will then ask you what to do next as shown below. Fig. 26 Click the button that tells the wizard to "Install the software automatically (Recommended)" and then click the "Next" button to continue.
3. Installation Fig. 27 Special note: It is extremely important that you select the correct driver for your operating system. Bear in mind that Windows will not necessarily offer the most suitable driver in this list for you to select. You may have to scroll the list sideways in order to see the full path name which contains the operating system version as shown above.
3. Installation 6i When the wizard completes the installation of the USB Serial Device, you will see the screen shown below. Fig.
3. Installation 6j After the first wizard completes, Windows will detect new hardware once again. Fig. 29 After indicating that it has found new hardware (USB-Serial Port), Windows will run the Found New Hardware Wizard once again. Fig. 30 Follow the instructions in the Wizard to complete the driver installation.
3. Installation 6k The "New hardware found wizard" completes the installation and then the screen shown below appears. Fig. 31 Click "Finish" to complete the installation. This should be the last time you see the New hardware found wizard. After clicking the "Finish" button, go back to the LabeLase® Installer. But before you continue with the Installer, you must wait until Windows tells you that the new hardware has been installed and is ready for use. Fig.
3. Installation SPECIAL NOTE: Once the first printer has been installed, the "New hardware found wizard" will be launched for both the serial device and the serial port every time a new printer is connected to your PC. Follow the instructions for installing the software automatically as indicated above, and then select the newly installed communication port in the LabeLase Producer™ menu.
3. Installation If you have installed the USB drivers, a new COM port, which is actually a "virtual" port, should have been added to your system. If you click "Next" on this screen, the program attempts to find the newly added "virtual" COM port. 6m After you have installed the USB virtual COM port, you will see a screen that looks similar to the one shown below. Note that the actual list of COM ports will vary from this figure depending on the number of ports that are installed on your PC. Fig.
3. Installation The installer program has detected that COM3 was added when the USB drivers were installed, so this port name is highlighted in the list. If you wish, you can now click "Next" to advance to the next step. If you want to test the port to make sure it can communicate to the printer, proceed to Step 6n below. However, bear in mind that - if you run the installation program again - you may have already added the new COM port with the previous installation.
3. Installation 6n If you are not sure of the name of the port, or if you want to test the port connection, click "Find". The program attempts to communicate with the printer via each of the ports (COM ports) in the list. Fig. 34 As is shown in the above figure, the program has found a Leica LP C model printer on serial port COM3. The model number, firmware version and serial number of the printer are displayed.
3. Installation When you have selected or found the port to which the printer is connected, click "Next" to continue. If you have used the "Find" button and the program has found and communicated with the printer, you can go advance to Step 9 to install the LabeLase® Producer software. 6o 3.3.3 Ethernet network connection Connecting the printer to your PC via an Ethernet Network connection requires one of two connection types.
3. Installation IP address Your printer must have a unique IP address on your network. The Network Administrator generally provides the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. The IP address must be within a valid range, unique to your network, and in the same subnet as your PC. IP address: _______ _______ _______ _______ Subnet mask: _______ _______ _______ _______ Gateway: _______ _______ _______ _______ There are two ways to assign an IP address to your printer.
3. Installation 7b After you selected Ethernet as your connection type, you will see a screen that looks similar to the one shown below. Fig. 37 Even if you use an Ethernet network connection to connect the printer to your PC, the LabeLase® Producer software still expects to communicate with the printer via a serial port (COM port).
3. Installation 7c In the next screen, shown below, you must tell the program how you want to assign its IP address, subnet mask and gateway. Fig. 38 Select the method you want to use and click the "Next" button.
3. Installation 7d The program will scan your LAN, as shown below, to find any LabeLase® printers that are connected to your LAN. Fig.
3. Installation 7e After the first search for printers on the LAN, the following screen or a similar one will be displayed. Fig. 40 Remember that more than one printer can be found on your network. You must use the MAC address to find out which printer has been connected. The MAC address is printed on a label on the back of the printer.
3. Installation Note that the IP address of a printer that has not been configured may not be valid for your subnet. If this is the case, it will be displayed in red. At this point, the MAC address is more important than the IP address. Therefore, use the MAC address to select the printer. Select the printer you want to install, and click "Next". If you previously selected the dynamic method (DHCP server) for configuring the printer’s IP address, proceed to Step 7f below.
3. Installation 7f Dynamic IP Address: If dynamically assigning the IP address, the configuration of the printer will begin immediately. Fig. 41 The configuration of the printer’s IP address, subnet mask, gateway and communications parameters takes several seconds. Go to Step 7h to complete the installation process.
3. Installation 7g Static IP Address: If statically assigning the IP address, the following screen will require you to enter the necessary information. Fig. 42 On this screen, enter the static IP address, the subnet mask, and the standard gateway for the printer. When you enter the IP address for the first time, the program calculates the subnet mask for you based on the class of the IP address. You can change the calculated subnet mask as you wish.
3. Installation 7h When the configuration is complete, the following screen appears. Note that the IP address shown is only an example, and does not represent what you will actually see. Fig. 43 Note that Windows may issue a warning to the effect that it is preventing the Installer from functioning as a server. If this warning appears, instruct Windows to enable the program again. Click "Next" to continue.
3. Installation 7i After the printer has its IP address, you must install the COM Port Redirector software. Fig. 44 When you click "Next", the program will begin installing the COM Port Redirector (Redirector) software on your PC. This is the software that creates the "virtual" serial port that is used by LabeLase Producer to communicate with the printer.
3. Installation You may be prompted to restart the PC during the installation process for Redirector. If so, restart the PC. The LabeLase® Installer (this program) will automatically start after the reboot and will continue the installation and start Redirector. Click "Next" to install Redirector. 7j When the Redirector Installer starts, the installation files must first be copied to a folder on your PC. The screen shown below enables you to change the default folder for these installation files. Fig.
3. Installation 7k The Redirector installation files have been unpacked; the final installation program runs as illustrated below. Fig. 46 Click "Next" to continue.
3. Installation 7l Choose the installation folder for Redirector if you must. Fig. 47 We strongly recommend that you have Redirector installed in the default folder. This makes it easier for the LabeLase® Installer to find Redirector and run it after it has been installed. If you install it in a different folder, you will be prompted to find the program when the LabeLase® Installer continues.
3. Installation 7m The installer is is now ready to install Redirector on your computer. Fig. 48 Click "Next" to continue.
3. Installation 7n After you have installed Redirector, you may be prompted to restart your computer. For most installations, a reboot will not be necessary. However, it is sometimes necessary to restart the PC after installing Redirector. Fig. 49 If you are prompted to restart the computer, we strongly recommend that you do so before continuing. After restarting, you will have to launch the LabeLase® Installer again and then continue with the Ethernet setup process.
3. Installation 7o After your PC has been rebooted, the LabeLase® Installer will resume where it left off, showing the screen below. Fig. 50 This screen gives you an overview of the next process, which will be to run Redirector and add a virtual COM port to your PC. Check this step and click "Next" when you are ready to launch Redirector.
3. Installation 7p When Redirector is running, a screen like the one below will appear. Note that the port names shown here are examples only, and may differ from those that appear on your PC. Fig. 51 To start, click the "Add/Remove" button on the toolbar. This will open the port dialog box so that you can select the name of the new port.
3. Installation 7q After you click the "Add/Remove" button (Fig. 51), the port dialog will allow you to select a COM port number, which will be used for your printer connection. Fig. 52 Select a free port (COM port) and click "OK" to continue.
3. Installation 7r After selecting a COM port number, you must configure the port as shown below: Fig. 53 To create a virtual serial port (in this example COM10), you must enter an IP address to be connected to it. The address we are entering is the IP address that was assigned to the printer earlier.
3. Installation 1 - Highlight the new port that you just added. 2 - Scroll the Settings page to reveal the Host and TCP Port settings. 3 - Enter the IP address you have just assigned to the printer. Note that the IP address shown here only serves as an example. You must enter your printer’s IP address. 4 - Enter 10001 in the field for the TCP port. This is the TCP port number that the printer displays for connections to the computer. 5 - Click "Save" on the toolbar.
3. Installation 7s After saving your settings and confirming the new software with Windows (if necessary) you will see the screen shown below. Fig. 54 Select "File" / "Exit" to close the program. The LabeLase® Installer program will continue running.
3. Installation 7t The Redirector now has added a virtual COM port to your PC. Fig. 55 Now must must select the new port for using Producer. Click "Next" to continue.
3. Installation 7u After you have installed the Redirector, you will see a screen that looks similar to the one shown below. Note that the actual list of ports will differ from this figure depending on the number of ports that are installed on your PC. The port numbers shown are for exemplary purposes only. Fig.
3. Installation The installer program has detected that COM$ was added when Redirector was installed, so this port name is highlighted in the list. If you wish, you can now click "Next" to advance to the next step. If you want to test the port to make sure it can communicate with the printer, proceed to Step 7v below. However, bear in mind that - if you run the installation program again - you may have already added the new COM port with the previous installation.
3. Installation 7v If you are not sure of the name of the port, or if you want to test the port connection, click "Find". The program attempts to communicate with the printer via each of the ports (COM ports) in the list. Fig. 57 As is shown in the above figure, the program has found a Leica LP C model printer on port COM4. The model number, firmware version and serial number of the printer are displayed.
3. Installation 7w When you have selected or found the port to which the printer is connected, click "Next" to continue. If you have used the "Find" button and the program has found and communicated with the printer, you can advance to Step 9 to install the version of LabeLase® Producer that is suitable for your printer model.
3. Installation 3.4 Installing the LabeLase® Producer 8 The last step in setting up your LabeLase® Printer is to install the LabeLase® Producer software. Fig. 58 LabeLase® Producer is the software that allows you to configure your printer, create layout files, and enter print jobs. To start the Producer installation program for your printer, click "Next".
3. Installation 8a The LabeLase® Producer installation program will run as shown below. Fig. 59 Note that the version number of your specific printer/software may differ from the example shown here. Follow the instructions given by the installer to install LabeLase® Producer on your PC. When the installation is complete, continue on to Step 9.
3. Installation 9 Congratulations on successfully installing your LabeLase® Printer. Fig. 60 If you have any further questions, contact your Leica technical agent for assistance. Thank you for your interest in our marking products. Copyright © 2010 InfoSight Corporation. All rights reserved InfoSight ® and LabeLase® are registered trademarks of InfoSight Corporation.
Notes 68 Software Installation Manual, Revision 2 - 03/2010
LabeLase® Producer CL Software Instruction Manual /HLFD /3 & ² Cassette Printer Revision 1 December 20, 2007 Always keep this manual with the instrument. Read carefully before working with the instrument.
1. Introduction The LabeLase® Producer CL software controls the operation and interface of an InfoSight Corporation Model Leica LP C series laser LabeLase® printer. This software runs on a Windows 2000/XP computer and provides complete control over the laser cassette printer. The program can also run on a Windows 9x computer, but with reduced capabilities.
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1. Introduction • • • • • • • 1.
1. Introduction 1.3 Overview The LabeLase® Producer CL software allows you to configure, create and print cassettes directly from your Windows computer. The program provides basic features for operator level personnel to open and print layouts as well as more advanced features accessible to supervisory personnel for configuring and maintaining the printer. Operator mode The operator mode is the native mode of the software.
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2. Installation and Setup 2.1 Installation The Producer SL software is supplied on CD-ROM. To install the software, simply insert the CD into your drive and close the drive door. The installation program will execute automatically after a few seconds. If the installation program does not start automatically, select Start > Run and enter Setup.exe into the field. Follow the on-screen instructions to install LabeLase® Producer CL on your PC. The software is also available online at our website. 2.
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2. Installation and Setup There are two ways to connect to the printer: serial and network. The serial connection requires you to have two RS232-C COM ports on the PC that is running the Producer CL software. The second port is specified in the "Host Communications Setup" form along with the port parameters (e.g. baud, bits, stop, parity, etc.). It is your responsibility to provide the cable between your Host system's serial port and the serial port on the PC.
3. User Interface 3.1 Main form The program's main form is the primary interface for the operator to configure the printer magazines, select a layout, enter data, and print cassettes. In Version 2.0 and higher, the software supports the Leica LP C model with single magazine. Note that at the top of the form, in the title bar, is the name of the currently loaded layout file. If no file is currently loaded, "Untitled" will be shown. Fig.
3. User Interface 3.1.1 Data Entry The Data Entry area of the main form allows the operator to provide data for the layout that may not be available until it is time to print the cassettes. The designer of the cassette layout can specify zero or more data entry fields that become accessible to the operator. Each field has a prompt (shown here as ID) as well as an editable area where the text is to be provided.
3. User Interface "Status" Tab When used with a Leica LPC laser printer, the "Status" tab appears as follows: Fig.
3. User Interface "Print Queue" Tab Fig. 4 This tab shows information about the pending print jobs in the queue. The job to be printed next is at the top of the list. "Delete" - Click this button to delete the highlighted job in the list. "Move to Top" - Click this button to move the highlighted job to the top of the list. New in V2.20! "Clear" - Click this button to clear the entire print queue. This removes all pending jobs from the list. "Edit" - To edit an individual item, double-click it.
3. User Interface 3.1.2 Print image Fig. 5 The print image panel provides a graphical picture of the layout as it appears when printed. The image is updated whenever the operator button (or clicks on the "Accept Data" presses the F11 key) when there is nothing in the print queue, and when the layout is printed. Please note that the quality of the image display may be less than what is actually printed on the cassette due to loss of resolution when scaling a very large image to fit on the display. 3.1.
3. User Interface 3.1.5 Menu When the program starts the first time, it runs in Operator mode, and the Setup and Maintenance functions are not available. Fig. 8 The main form contains a menu bar at the top. The menus provided are File, Printer, Setup, Maintenance and Help. Note that the Setup and Maintenance menus are "grayed" out, indicating that they are not accessible. This is one of the default settings in "Operator" mode.
3. User Interface • XL Tags - This option allows the operator to open a "Microsoft Excel spreadsheet" and print the data contained within it on cassettes. Files in the CSV (comma separated variable) format can also be loaded and printed. • Exit - Exits the program. Between the XL Tags menu item and the Exit item is a list of up to 4 layout filenames. The program keeps track of the last four layouts loaded by the operator and allows them to be re-loaded quickly by clicking on the filename. 3.1.
3. User Interface 3.1.8 Setup menu Fig. 11 The Setup menu is only available in the Supervisor mode of operation and provides several features for configuring the operation of the cassette printer. Layout - This menu item will activate the "Cassette Layout Designer" form, which allows the supervisor to create and/or edit layout files for cassettes. This form can also be opened by double-clicking the cassette layout icon. Printer Model - New in V2.
3. User Interface 3.1.9 Maintenance menu Fig. 12 The Maintenance menu is only available when in the Supervisor mode of operation and provides several features that aid in the setup of the printer and diagnosis of any problems you may encounter. Note that under most circumstances, it will not be necessary to access these functions. If you must use these functions, do so only under the direct supervision of factory-trained personnel.
3. User Interface About - This menu item will activate the About form, which shows important information about the program including version number, printer firmware version, PassCode, etc. If you contact us for support, you may be asked to access the About form to provide details about your specific configuration. One important feature of the About form is the PassCode field.
3. User Interface File Toolbar New to Version 1.30, the file toolbar provides quick access to the following functions: New, Open, Supervisor / Operator mode, and Setup Layout. Fig. 15 Note that the "New" and "Setup Layout" buttons will require you to enter the supervisor password if you are not already in the supervisor mode. Configuration Toolbar Fig. 16 New to Version 1.30, the configuration toolbar provides quick access to the more useful printer configuration settings.
3. User Interface 3.2 Main form - File menu The file menu provides access to the program functions that deal with loading cassette layout files for printing, as well as for accessing other special program operations. The following gives you information on each command in this menu. Fig. 17 New The "New" menu item has been introduced in V1.30 and enables you to get an easy start on creating a new cassette layout.
3. User Interface The "Open" dialog opens when you select the "Open" menu item in the File menu or click the "Open" button in the Main form. This dialog allows you to open a cassette layout file to be opened. If you select a file from the list, a preview is displayed in the right-hand section of the dialog to help you select the correct file.
3. User Interface 3.2.3 XL Tags The XL Tags menu item allows the user to open a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and print the data contained within it on cassettes. Files in the CSV (comma separated variable) format can also be loaded and printed. The InfoSight XLTags provides an easy method for the operator to specify an Excel file and the data to be printed. 3.
3. User Interface Printer Model This menu item will open a sub-menu allowing you to select the printer model. Fig. 21 The system checks the currently selected model. Select the printer connected to the computer. Note that when Producer starts, the printer model is queried and the corresponding settings are configured automatically. 3.3.2 Printer Configuration The "Printer Configuration" dialog allows you to enter the parameters that describe the configuration of the printer.
3. User Interface Fig. 22 Laser Speed - This field affects the "blackness" of the image produced by the cassette printer’s laser by specifying the speed at which the laser is moved across the cassette surface. The lower the setting for this field, the blacker the image will be. Note that print speed is affected by this setting: the lower the setting, the slower the print speed. Minimum Speed - New to Version 1.30.
3. User Interface Maximum Speed - New to Version 1.30. This field, along with the minimum speed (above), is used to set the range of the "Darkness" track bar on the main window. When the track bar is all the way to the left (brighter), then this speed will be selected. Laser Off Tickle - This field specifies the amount of "tickle" that will be used to excite the laser when it is off. If this value is increased, the laser is ready to use more quickly.
3. User Interface Fig. 23 Stepper Resolution - This field specifies the resolution of the print feed stepper motor in inches or millimeters per step. A typical value for the Leica LP C is 0.00315 inches per step. Microsteps / Column - This field specifies the number of microsteps of the stepper motor per column of the image. A typical value for a cassette printer is 1. Rotary printer models may have a different setting. Contact the factory to determine the proper setting for your printer.
3. User Interface Minimum Frequency - This field specifies the minimum or starting frequency of the stepper motor. The value is specified in Hertz. Maximum Frequency - This field specifies the maximum or top frequency of the stepper motor. The value is specified in Hertz. Reversing Takeup - This field specifies an additional number of steps that the print feed motor must make when changing directions. This feature is used to compensate for backlash in the motor gearing.
3. User Interface Fig. 24 Mirror Resolution - This field specifies the resolution of the mirror galvanometer in inches or millimeters per step. You must enter a value that is compatible with your printer model. A typical value for the model Leica LPC cassette printer is 0.003 inches per step. Galvo Step Size - This field specifies the number of DAC steps to apply to move the galvanometer mirror by one pixel in the vertical dimension.
3. User Interface Galvo Home Delay - This field specifies the time, in milliseconds, that the galvo must delay when returning to the home position. Galvo Offset - This field specifies the vertical distance in inches (mm) to offset the galvo/laser from the center of its scan. This setting effectively shifts the printed image +/- about the center of the cassette.
3. User Interface Fig. 25 Draft Mode - This checkbox allows you to specify that you wish to run the printer in a lower resolution draft mode. When you check this box, the Stepper Resolution, Mirror Resolution, Microsteps / Column, Galvo Step Size and Laser Speed settings will be adjusted appropriately for you. Note that when in draft mode, barcode fields with odd scale settings will be distorted.
3. User Interface Ablative Removal of Background - This checkbox activates a special ablative mode that helps improve the efficiency of the background removal process. Rotate the Printed Image 180 Degrees - New in V2.00 - This checkbox will cause the image printed on the cassette to be rotated by 180 degrees (upside-down.) Print Zone Distance Home to Print Zone - Adjust these settings so the mark is centered vertically on the cassette.
3. User Interface Pickup Extension The Pickup Extension tab provides settings to adjust the distance that the pickup extends from the printer. Lase - Adjust the laser position so the printed image is parallel to the cassette (no skew.) Use the arrow buttons to move the printed image in the direction indicated in the photo. Fig.
3. User Interface 3.3.3 Supervisor password Fig. 28 To keep unauthorized personnel out of the configuration and maintenance functions of the program, you may set a supervisor password. This password is required to enter the supervisor mode of operation. To set the password you must first enter the current password. If the password is not currently set, leave this field blank. Enter the new password, then re-enter it to verify. As you type the password, only asterisks are displayed.
3. User Interface 3.3.5 Host Communications Fig. 30 Many cassette-printing applications require that the data printed on the cassettes come from another computer called a host. The host computer must be connected to the cassette printing computer via some type of communications medium and using some type of communications protocol. The LabeLase Printer software allows you to connect to another computer or network to facilitate the download of data to the printer.
3. User Interface This dialog is organized as a group of tabbed sheets. The first tab, Connection Type is common to all communications mediums and protocols. It allows you to specify and configure the connection type and to select the protocol. Additional tabs may become visible as needed to configure the chosen protocol. Connection Type - This radio group allows you to select the physical medium to be used to connect the cassette printer to the host.
3. User Interface Message Format Beginning in Version 1.20, a new tab allows you to configure the message format. Note that the Data Field Separator entry was moved to this tab from the Connection Type tab. The Message Format tab is shown below: Fig.
3. User Interface Data Field Separator - This field is used to specify the character that is to be used to separate the fields in the downloaded message. The default is to use the comma character. However, it may be necessary to include the comma as part of the text to be printed. If this is the case, change the data field separator to another character that is guaranteed not to be part of the data text. Binary data may be included in the separator as follows: \x09 selects the TAB character.
3. User Interface Programmable Protocol Fig. 32 The "Programmable" protocol is not really a protocol as much as it is a mechanism to define a simple communication settings for data transfer between the Producer CL and another device that cannot or does not handle the other protocols available. Using the protocol’s settings, you can configure it to match a simple download of data from another device.
3. User Interface Start Character - This field specifies a unique starting character value (in decimal) that can be used to trigger the receipt of information. The character cannot appear at any other time in the download. If a unique start character is not available, set this field to zero. Terminators - These three fields can be used to specify up to three characters that will terminate the download. If only one terminator is needed, set the second and third to zero.
3. User Interface 3.3.6 Preferences There are certain settings that you can change to configure the program to your individual preferences. When accessed from the main Operator’s window, only the Startup preferences are accessible. When accessed from the Layout Editor, the Display and Format Toolbar preferences are accessible. Fig. 33 Startup - Startup preferences control the behavior of the program when it is started.
3. User Interface Restore Host Message Queue When checked, the messages downloaded from the host and waiting in the message queue will be saved and restored between program invocations. Fig. 34 Cassette Printer Communications - The cassette printer communications preferences allow you to set the COM port/slot/opening to be used for communications with the cassette printer. Important: The setting for the cassette printer COM port must not conflict with the port chosen for Host communications.
3. User Interface ? Fig. 35 Filter Change Notification Change filter every - The printer's filter needs to be changed periodically to keep it working efficiently. This setting enables the software to remind you to change the filter after printing the specified number of cassettes. When the software determines that the filter capacity has been reached, it will display the following window: Fig. 36 Click the "OK" button after you have changed the filter to reset the counter back to zero.
3. User Interface Supervisor Only Features Darkness and Draft Mode controls - Check this box to allow supervisor-only access to these controls on the main window. Queue item editor text fields - Check this box to allow supervisor-only access to the text fields in the queue item editor. Operator Data Entry fields - Check this box to allow supervisor-only access to the data entry fields on the main window Fig.
3. User Interface 3.4 Layout Designer 3.4.1 Layout menu The Layout Designer form is a WYSIWYG editor for creating and editing layout files. The form provides tools for creating text, barcodes, graphics, lines, boxes and ellipses. Tools for field alignment, editing, formatting, etc. are also provided. The form appears as shown in the example below. Fig. 38 Note that at the top of the form, in the title bar, is the name of the currently loaded layout file.
3. User Interface The middle part of the form presents a graphical image of the print area, including all of the fields that have been added to it. Rulers along the left side and top show the image width and length respectively in the current units of measure. The image can be scrolled up/down and left/right as needed to see the entire image. You may also zoom in/out as needed to see the entire image at once. Menu Fig. 39 The designer form contains a menu bar at the top.
3. User Interface Print - Prints a representation of the layout to a printer connected to your PC or to your local network. Print Setup - Allows you to specify the printer to use for printing layout reports. Report - Allows you to view and print a report of the currently loaded layout. A new window will appear showing the report for the layout. You will have the option of printing the report or saving it to a file. Exit - Exits the layout designer form, returning to the main form.
3. User Interface Fig. 42 Paste - Paste the fields in the clipboard to the layout. Multiple fields are pasted as a group. If no items are in the clipboard, then this menu item is not accessible. Rotate - Rotate the selected field or fields by 90 degrees in the clockwise direction. If more than one field is selected, they will be rotated as a group. Any fields that are rotated can be restored using the Undo feature. Align - Provides a list of alignment tools.
3. User Interface View Menu The View menu allows you to control what you see on the designer form. Zoom Out - Reduces the size of the cassette image display so that more of the layout can be seen on the screen. Zoom factors range from 10 to 200 %. Note that as you zoom out, detail is lost when the image is reduced in size. Zoom In - Increase the size of the cassette image display. This allows you to see more detail, at the expense of seeing less of the cassette image at one time.
3. User Interface Tools Menu The Tools menu provides access to the tools that add fields to the cassette layout. Each tool adds a different kind of field to the layout. When you select a tool, it remains selected until it is deselected by selecting the Pointer tool. Pointer - This tool is used to deselect the current tool. Text - Used to add a "text field" to the layout. Barcode - Used to add a "barcode" to the layout. Graphic - Used to add a "graphic image" (bitmap) to the layout.
3. User Interface User Tables - This menu item will activate the "User Defined Tables" form, which allows you to configure certain features related to date codes and shift codes. These codes can then be placed into text fields using the special % flags feature. Operator Data Entry - This menu item will activate the "Operator Data Entry Configuration" form, which allows you to configure how the operator will interact with the layout during the printing process.
3. User Interface Tool Toolbar Fig. 50 The Align toolbar provides the following functions from left to right: Pointer, Text, Barcode, Graphic, Line, Box, Ellipse Align Toolbar Fig. 51 The Align toolbar provides the following functions from left to right: Align Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Middle, Center Format Toolbar Fig.
3. User Interface 3.4.4 Adding a field Before you can add a field to your layout, you must first select the appropriate tool. The Text tool is used to add text fields to the layout, the Barcode tool adds barcode fields, etc. You may select the desired tool either from the Tool menu, or from the Tool toolbar. Only one tool can be selected at a time, so when you select a tool, the previously selected tool is deselected. To select all tools, select the Pointer .
3. User Interface Text Field Editor Each text field is defined by several pieces of information that you must supply. The entries are made using several tabs: Text Tab Fig. 54 Text - The text to be printed. Note that certain special "Flags" can be entered for automatic data insertion. A button labeled "Flag Help" will aid you in adding these flags to your text field. You may also insert special symbols, such as registered trademark, copyright, etc. by clicking the Symbols button.
3. User Interface Style - These buttons allow you to specify the style of the characters. You may select any combination of Bold, Underline or Italic (or none of them.) Rotation - Specifies the number of degrees to rotate the text field. Enter 0, 90, 180 or 270 or use the up/down control to change the field. Note that the rotation of the field is relative to the X/Y coordinate of the lower left of the text (the anchor point.) Link - This field should contain a number that is unique to this text field.
3. User Interface Effects Tab Fig. 56 Hide (do not print) - This checkbox will cause the text field to be hidden (not printed.) You may have a need to link a barcode to a text field, but not have the text itself printed. You can accomplish this by hiding the text field. Note that hidden fields are shown in yellow in the designer, but are not printed on the cassette. Reverse Image (white on black) - This checkbox will cause the text to be printed in "reverse" image (white characters on a black background.
3. User Interface Auto Sequence Tab Fig. 57 Auto Sequence the Text - This field enables automatic sequencing of the text. When checked, three additional fields are enabled to specify the type of sequencing. This form of auto-sequencing is different from the Serial Number feature described earlier. With Serial Number sequencing, only numbers can be used and the field size is limited to about 9 digits.
3. User Interface When • "Each Cassette" - The text is sequenced on each cassette. • "Batch Completion" - The text is sequenced after each batch of cassettes. Type • "Fixed Format" - The sequence is fixed: numeric characters sequence 0-9 while alphas sequence A-Z. • "Programmable" - The sequence is configurable. Click the edit button to change the sequence as needed. Barcode Field Editor Each barcode field is defined by several pieces of information that you must supply.
3. User Interface Rotation - Specifies the number of degrees to rotate the barcode. Enter 0, 90, 180 or 270 or use the up/down control to change the field. Note that the rotation of the field is relative to the X/Y coordinate of the lower left of the barcode. Link - Can contain a list of numbers, separated by commas, that indicate which text fields are to be included in the barcode. A drop-down list of text fields is provided to allow you to select the proper fields.
3. User Interface Position Tab Fig. 59 X - The X coordinate of the lower left corner of the barcode. Note that this value is already filled in for you based on where you clicked the mouse. Y - The Y coordinate of the lower left corner of the barcode. Note that this value is already filled in for you based on where you clicked the mouse.
3. User Interface Effects Tab Fig. 60 Reverse Image (white on black) - This checkbox will cause the barcode to be printed in "reverse" image (white bars on a black background). PDF417 Tab If you set the symbology to the 2D code PDF417, the PDF417 tab will appear to allow you to enter parameters specific to PDF417 as shown below: Fig.
3. User Interface ECC - Each PDF417 symbol contains at least two error correction codewords. The Error Correction codewords provide capability for both error detection and correction. Enter the Error Correction level to specify the number of Error Correction codewords. f you leave the field set to the default value of -1, the program will determine an appropriate setting for you, based on the content of the message to be encoded.
3. User Interface Truncated - If this check box is checked, then the symbol will be printed in its truncated form. In a relatively "clean" environment where cassette damage is unlikely (e.g. an office), the right row indicators can be omitted, and the stop pattern can be reduced to one module. This truncated form reduces the non-data overhead in the symbol (thus reducing its size) with the trade-off in reduced performance and robustness, or the ability to withstand degradation.
3. User Interface Graphic Field Editor Fig. 62 Each graphic field is defined by several pieces of information that you must supply. This information includes: BMP Filename - You must specify the file pathname of the graphic image. A Browse button is provided that will show an Open dialog for searching the file system for the desired BMP file. You may load a file from your PC's hard drive, a CD/DVD or a network folder. X - The X coordinate of the lower left corner of the graphic is specified here.
3. User Interface When you specify a bitmap, the bitmap is loaded and contained in the layout itself. The link to the original bitmap file is no longer needed once the file is initially loaded. This makes it easy to send the layout to someone else without having to worry about the graphics files and their paths. An Export button is provided to allow you to save the bitmap to a file. You will be asked to specify a filename for the destination bitmap. Line Field Editor Fig.
3. User Interface Box Field Editor Fig. 64 Each box field is defined by several pieces of information that you must supply. This information includes: X - The X coordinate of the lower left corner of the box is specified here. Note that this value is already filled in for you based on where you clicked the mouse. Y - The Y coordinate of the lower left corner of the box is specified here. Note that this value is already filled in for you based on where you clicked the mouse.
3. User Interface Ellipse Field Editor Fig. 65 Each ellipse field is defined by several pieces of information that you must supply. This information includes: X - The X coordinate of the lower left corner of the enclosing rectangle is specified here. Note that this value is already filled in for you based on where you clicked the mouse. Y - The Y coordinate of the lower left corner of the enclosing rectangle is specified here.
3. User Interface 3.4.5 Selecting fields Fields are selected for special operations using the mouse. Before attempting to select a field, it is a good idea to deselect all tools by clicking on the Pointer . This will make sure that as you select fields, you do not inadvertently add unwanted fields to your layout. A field may be selected by clicking anywhere within its borders. You may also select a field by dragging a "stretch box" around the anchor point of the field.
3. User Interface When multiple fields are selected, dragging a sizer box for any one field will cause all selected fields to be resized accordingly. Resizing Any field can be resized by using the field editor (double click on the selected field) and changing its size or its height and width values. Selected fields can also be resized by dragging one of its sizer boxes. Dragging one of the top sizer boxes will increase the field's height.
3. User Interface Right - Align all fields to the rightmost edge. Fig. 70 Top - Align all fields to the topmost edge. Fig. 71 Bottom - Align all fields to the bottommost edge. Fig. 72 Middle - Align all fields to the vertical middle of the fields. Fields will be centered along an imaginary horizontal line. Fig. 73 Center - Align all fields to the horizontal middle of the fields. Fields will be centered along an imaginary vertical line.
3. User Interface Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete Whenever there are one or more selected fields, you can perform these editing operations on them. Each operation acts on all selected fields as a group. Cut - Delete the selected field and place it on the program's clipboard. If more than one field is selected, then each is placed on the clipboard. Any field that is cut can be restored using the Undo feature. Copy - Copy the selected field to the program's clipboard.
3. User Interface New Layout Producer CL has three choices for creating new layout files. The New Layout dialog shown below presents these choices to you. Fig. 75 This dialog presents three choices for creating a new layout. Create a blank layout - This choice simply creates a new, blank, layout using the default dimensions. You may then manually add fields as needed using the various tools. Use a template - This choice will ask whether you want to open a layout file that has been provided as a template.
3. User Interface New Layout Wizard The "wizard" is a dialog that guides you through the process of creating a new layout. Each page of the wizard asks you to provide a few pieces of information about the layout you wish to create. As you supply the information, an image of your layout is shown to you. Below is a description of each phase of the wizard creation process. Fig. 76 This first page of the wizard allows you to specify the cassette geometry.
3. User Interface Fig. 77 On this page, the wizard needs to know the orientation of the fields relative to the direction of cassette feed. This direction is shown on the page as being from right to left. Select 0 degrees or 90 degrees as needed. When you have specified the orientation of the fields, click the "Next" button to go to the next page of the wizard.
3. User Interface Fig. 78 On this page, you have to enter the number of text and barcode fields to be placed in your layout. Enter the number of each type of field and then click the "Next" button to continue to the next page.
3. User Interface Fig. 79 This page is where you add the individual fields to the layout. At the top is an area where you define a text field. You must specify the source of the data for the text field. You can choose the data source to be "Operator/Host", which means that the data will be typed in by the operator or downloaded from the host. This corresponds to a "%V" flag in the field.
3. User Interface Each text field may optionally be the source of data for a barcode field. By checking the "Link a barcode to the text field" box and specifying the barcode symbology, the wizard will automatically add a barcode for this text field. Once you have specified the text field, and its optional linked barcode, click the "Add" button to have the field added to the layout. The layout image will be updated to reflect the new field.
3. User Interface Fig. 80 Congratulations! You have finished your new layout. If the layout is correct, click the "Finish" button. The new layout will be shown in the designer window where you will be able to modify it as needed for your application. Be sure to save the layout when you are finished.
3. User Interface 3.4.6 Special flags Special Flag Fields Special flags are available that cause the printer to automatically insert text into a field. These flags can be inserted anywhere in the text string. All flags begin with a percent sign "%" and are followed by an optional number and then a character. The following flags are available for use. Note that the computer’s locale setting may affect the output of these flags, including language, order, etc. %A Abbreviated Weekday (MON, TUE, WED...
3. User Interface Any automatic text flag may be followed by a "sub-string specification" which can be used to extract a portion of the automatically generated text. Following the flag with this sequence specifies the sub-string: (#, #). The first number following the open parenthesis character specifies the character position of the first character to be included. The first character in the string is character number 1.
3. User Interface example, the %C flag can have an optional number before the letter C that specifies the number of digits to put in the year portion of the generated text. In this example, you may specify 2 or 4 digits. Once you have selected your flag and provided the optional parameter for it, you may click the Insert button. The form will close, and the selected flag will be inserted into your text message at the cursor. Text field before using the Insert feature of the Flag Help form.
3. User Interface 3.4.7 Geometry Form The Geometry form allows you to configure the physical geometry of the printable area of the cassette in your layout to match the actual cassette you are printing. Dimensions Fig. 82 Dimensions This tab allows you to specify the dimensions of the cassette's printable area. Width - This field specifies the width of the printable area. The width is shown vertically on the screen and is entered in inches or millimeters.
3. User Interface 3.4.8 Serial numbers The LabeLase® Producer CL program is capable of printing fields that automatically change, increase or decrease, on each cassette. There are two methods for producing auto-sequenced numbers. Method 1 - Numeric Only with Programmable Range These auto serial fields are numbers only and have a configurable starting value, range, and increment value. The printer provides four serial number fields. The serial number fields are grouped into two sets of two.
3. User Interface • Increment - This is the value that gets added to the serial number after each successful print cycle. This field can contain any integer number, either positive or negative. If a negative number is specified to the Increment field, then the serial number will decrement after each successful print cycle. In this case, when the number gets smaller than the lower limit value, then the value rolls over to the upper limit value.
3. User Interface Direction • Right to Left - The rightmost character sequences first, then from right to left • Left to Right - The leftmost character sequences first, then from left to right When • Each - The text is sequenced on each cassette. • Batch - The text is sequenced after each batch of cassettes. Note that if the text field is specified as an operator entry field (e.g. %2V) then whatever the operator enters into the field at print time will be the text that is sequenced.
3. User Interface 3.4.9 User Tables Form User Tables Form The printer allows you to include text in your layouts that is automatically generated. There are three such automatic fields that can include text that is configurable by you. These are the "User Shift", "User Month" and "User Year". You add these to your layout using the %Z, %U and %E respectively. You then use the User Defined Tables dialog to enter the text associated with these automatic fields. User Shift Tab Fig.
3. User Interface shifts. You may enter one or more characters as needed for each shift. When the %Z flag is placed into a text field, the printer uses the current time of day from the computer to determine which shift is active. It then obtains the Shift Code for the active shift and inserts it into the text. Fig. 85 Month The second tab of the dialog allows you to define a text string to be associated with each month of the year.
3. User Interface User Year Tab Fig. 86 Year The third tab of the dialog allows you to define a text string to be associated with the last digit of the year (0-9). When the %E flag is placed into a text field, the printer uses the current date from the computer to determine which Year Code to insert into the text.
3. User Interface Programmable Auto Sequence Tab Fig. 87 Programmable Sequence String The fourth tab of the dialog allows you to specify how alphanumeric text fields are sequenced if the Auto Sequence the Text feature is enabled. You must enter a text string that includes all of the characters you want to be included in the sequence, without those characters that are undesirable.
3. User Interface 3.4.10 User Data Form The "Operator Data Entry Configuration" dialog allows you to specify the data fields and prompts that the operator can access during cassette printing operations. This dialog is only accessible from the Layout Editor. With this dialog, you can enable an unlimited number of operator entry fields in the Producer CL program. Fig.
3. User Interface Each operator entry field allows the cassette printer operator to enter a piece of information that can be included on the cassette when it is printed. Operator entry fields are specified with the following information: Prompt- This field is a text prompt to inform the operator as to the type of data to enter. Verify - This field allows the cassette designer to constrain the operator’s input.
3. User Interface 3.4.11 Layout Preferences Form There are certain settings that you can change to configure the program to your individual preferences. When accessed from the Layout Editor, the Preferences dialog has two tabs, allowing you to set preferences for the Display and for the Format Toolbar. Display Tab Fig. 89 Display - The display preferences allow you to change the settings for certain display characteristics. Grid Size - This field specifies the spacing of the placement grid.
3. User Interface Format Toolbar Tab Fig. 90 Format Toolbar - The format toolbar preferences allow you to set the default values for the settings on the Format Toolbar. Text - You may set the text’s default font, size and style. Barcodes - You may set the barcode’s default symbology, height and (in Version 1.30 and later) the scale. All Fields - You may set the default rotation angle for all types of fields.
3. User Interface 3.5 XL Tag batch printing Printing Cassettes from an Excel Spreadsheet The XLTags form allows you to import lists of cassette data from a Microsoft Excel or CSV (comma separated variable) file. The form then extracts the data from the various columns and associates it with fields in the cassette layout. One or more cassettes are then printed for each row of data in the file. Fig.
3. User Interface Data Files Before you can send data from an Excel file to the cassette printer, you must create a file with the data to be printed. XLTags extracts information from this file and prints it one record at a time. XLTags can read files of two types: comma-delimited text files (preferred) and Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files. Comma-Delimited Text Files XLTags natively uses plain text files, where each line of text represents a cassette to be printed.
3. User Interface field and/or layout. It would be nice if the cassette printer had the capability to take a long text field and break it up over several lines, performing word wrap as required to ensure that words are not split between lines. The cassette printer itself is not capable of this, but fortunately XLTags is. The first field of a record can contain more characters than can fit on any one line of the cassette layout.
3. User Interface Opening a Data File When you select the File menu, you will be presented with a menu as described below. • New - Clear the currently loaded file from memory and prepare for a new file. • Open - Open a file from disk. • Save - Save the contents of the file, overwriting the original contents on disk. • Save As - Save the contents of the file to a new file. • Begin - Start printing the data file. • Cancel - Stop printing. • Exit - Close the XLTags window and return to the Operator window.
3. User Interface Excel File Import Excel spreadsheet files cannot be used directly, so they must be imported into the program and converted to a comma separated file format. The Import Excel File dialog performs this operation. Fig. 92 XLTags has a limited ability to read Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (.XLS) files. The spreadsheet must be designed to use only a single workbook and must not include formulas, functions or any other non-text data.
3. User Interface If the spreadsheet contains special features, or is excessively large, XLTags may take a very long time to read it, or it may hang while trying. Because of this, we recommend that you save your spreadsheet as a CSV (comma-delimited) format. Specify the workbook number that contains the data you want to import. All of your data must be contained within a single workbook. If your data contains comma characters, check the box "Replace embedded commas with spaces" to remove these commas.
3. User Interface At the top of the form, you are required to specify how the first field in the data records gets split among the fields of the cassette layout. First specify the number of fields of the cassette layout that have been reserved for the split data. Second, set the limit on the number of characters that can fit into each of these split lines. In the middle of the form, you are required to enter the starting and ending record numbers to be printed.
4. Host Communication Many cassette-printing applications require that the data printed on the cassettes come from another computer called a host. The host computer must be connected to the cassette printing computer via some type of communications medium and using some type of communications protocol. The LabeLase® Printer software allows you to connect to another computer or network to facilitate the download of data to the printer. 4.
4. Host Communication File Transfer - When the printer's PC is connected to your host computer via a network interface, but it is impractical for you to interface via the TCP/IP protocols, the file transfer connection type may be selected. When enabled, there is no actual protocol used to transfer the data. The host computer simply writes a file containing the data (one or more records separated by CR/ LF) to a specific location on the printer's PC.
4. Host Communication The Port pull-down will provide a list of COM ports available on your PC. The list will not include the port that is currently assigned to communicating with the cassette printer, because that port is not available. The Producer CL program has no way of knowing if other programs on your PC will need access to the other ports, so it shows all ports that are installed, rather than ports that are available.
4. Host Communication On your host system, you must write software that makes a call into the operating system to open a TCP connection. You must specify the IP address of the PC as well as the port number you set in the Producer CL program's host setup form. Once the connection is made, you must send data to the PC over that connection with another call into the OS. The format of the data sent/received is as required by the application layer protocol that you have chosen (see below).
4. Host Communication There is no imposed limit on the number of records that the host can put in the file. However, the Producer CL program will read each entry into memory for processing, so the amount of available system memory may impose a practical limit. Miscellaneous Settings The Producer CL program has two additional settings that effect the way communications takes place.
4. Host Communication For example, say your layout has 8 text fields, but only 4 operator entry fields. If your download contains 6 data fields, the first 4 will be assigned to the operator entry fields. The fifth field of the download will be assigned to the text field whose ID is set to "1", and the sixth field will go to the text field whose ID is "2". Be careful that you assign the ID numbers of these "extra" text fields correctly, or you may overwrite text fields inadvertently.
4. Host Communication The second field is the quantity of cassettes to print. This is the same value that the operator can enter on the main form. You may omit this field and the quantity will default to one (you must still include the separator character). The third field is the number of copies of each cassette. This is the same value that the operator can enter on the main form. You may omit this field and the copy count will default to one (you must still include the separator character).
4. Host Communication This message will cause the Producer CL program to load the layout called "stainlesslayout.itl" from the most recently used folder or from the program launch folder. It will set the quantity and copy count both to 1 The starting serial number will also be set to 1. The cassette will be picked up from virtual magazine 101 and deposited in exit bin 2. It will set the first operator data entry field to "A2398", the second field to "123" and the third field to "Stainless".
4. Host Communication To include these values, you may specify the value in one of the following ways: • Specify the hexadecimal value directly using the following format: \x09. • Use a common "escape" sequence: \r = carriage return, \n = line feed, \t = tab. • Use the standard ASCII control code name: \ \ <\RS> Skip Fields - It may be desirable to have the host download part of the marking data with the operator entering the remainder.
4. Host Communication 4.5 Communication protocol Regardless of whether you are using a Serial COM port or an Ethernet network as your means of connecting to the cassette printer PC, you must still use a communications protocol to communicate. Although TCP/IP provides the basic connection level protocol, the application protocol "rides on top of" TCP. LabeLase® Producer CL provides several application protocols that you can use to connect your host system to the cassette printer.
4. Host Communication Each time you send a message of this type, the data will be added to the data queue (see "Data buffering" below.) Other message types are also available: Type "C" - Communications check. The reply message contains no data. Type "G" - Begin printing. Use this type when the software is not configured to begin printing upon receipt of message text. Type "S" - Allows the host to query the printer for its status.
4.
4. Host Communication PICK RESULT Cassette pickup successful Cassette pickup successful, magazine is low on cassettes Pickup failed, out of cassettes Pickup failed, latch opened Pickup failed, marker is paused Cannot pickup, exit bins are full Pickup failed, general fault Undefined. Marker has yet to pickup a cassette, or a pickup operation is in progress.
4. Host Communication Programmable The "programmable" protocol is not really a protocol as such. It is instead a mechanism for implementing simple communications between your host system and the Producer CL program. You have the ability to customize the message format, reply, etc. There are actually two ways to use the programmable protocol: "Fixed Fields" and "Standard Message Format".
5. Maintenance menu Main form - Maintenance menu The Maintenance menu is only available when in the Supervisor mode of operation and provides several features that aid in the setup of the printer and diagnosis of any problems you may encounter. Note that under most circumstances, it will not be necessary to access these functions. If you must use these functions, do so ONLY under the direct supervision of factory trained personnel. Fig.
5. 5.1 Maintenance menu Motor diagnostics The Motor Diagnostic dialog is useful for exercising the printer’s various stepper motors. With this dialog, you can: • Jog the Print Motor by single (or multiple) steps in either the forward or reverse directions. • Specify a specific position relative to the home sensor and have the motors move there. • Monitor the state of the home sensors to determine if the sensors are functioning properly.
5. Maintenance menu 5.2 View Printer I/Os Fig. 95 The Printer I/O Monitor is a view only screen that shows the status of the inputs and outputs of the printer. This screen is updated once each ½ second. Inputs that are "off" are shown as dark, while "on" inputs are shown lighted in yellow.
5. 5.3 Maintenance Menu Digital-to-analog converter Fig. 96 The printer uses a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) to control the operation of the mirror galvanometer. This dialog allows you to manually manipulate the DAC and thus the position of the mirror. Enter the Desired Voltage - There are two ways to enter an output voltage and thus move the mirror. You may type the voltage setting into the edit field and then press the Output button, or you may move the slider control.
5. Maintenance menu 5.4 Barcode scanner Fig. 97 The Barcode Scanner menu item presents a window that allows you to trigger the printer's barcode verification scanner and then view the results of the read. Controls are provided to display non-printable characters in either their normal or ASCII name format.
