Lp 2824 Plus Printer Driver
Gaby Zenz
We have the Zebra TLP 2824-Z Plus label printer (ZLP). We recently purchased it, installed the driver and software successfully, and calibrated successfully (held button down at solid green, got single blink then double blink, and then released the button). We went to Zebra and retrieved the updated drivers (certified) and installed them (fyi have tried with and without these drivers - will do nothing without them).
Immediately after configuration, it will do a test print, and let us send the command to feed a label. If we try to print configuration or anything else, to include printing actual labels, it prints two labels/pages, stops, and then blinks red. If we lift the top off and put it down, it blinks green until we press the button. At that time, it will feed about 2 to 3 inches of labels and then print one label. The process repeats indefinitely until we uninstall the printer.
How do we fix this issue so we can get a configuration or just print our labels? Or, better yet, what are we doing wrong and how do we do it right? Our last printer worked fine with the exception that they stopped making the labels we used with that printer.
The drive sends down an initialization sequence for the printer based on the settings in the Printer Preferences. If, for example, your Printer preferences say that the printer is Thermal mode instead of direct thermal, the driver will send down the command to set the printer to Thermal mode (Ribbon). If your printer is printing Direct Thermal, and has no ribbon physically installed, the printer will think it is in an error mode with no ribbon. This could cause the issue you are seeing.
We are operating Microsoft Dynamics RMS 2.0.0155 on Windows XP Pro.
A couple years ago, our old Zebra LP2824 started giving us some problems, but was still functioning. We decided to spend the couple hundred dollars to replace it. Unfortunately, what I bought was an LP2824 PLUS, not realizing that there would be complications. Turns out you cannot simply unplug the LP2824 and plus in the PLUS model and have it work.
I spoke to Zebra, and they believe it is a problem with the software (Dynamics) not communicating with the printer. I have the print driver software installed, selected "Generic Text Printer" as it used to be before, and while the printer light is green, the best I can get it to do when I try to print labels is have the printer light blink at me once. The print cue does empty, but I cannot get anything to print. We do use 1"x1.25" labels, if it means anything.
Help again!
Happy New Year!
P.S. Calling me at my store and TALKING me though this would be infinitely appreciated!
Rob Placer - Owner
Family Fun Hobbies
609-838-2049
On properties select the printer that you are using now for labels. Find the exact name of the new printer and replace this with old. It worked for me not the same printer but I changed a few different ones this way.
Here is the PID and VID for the TLP2824: "USB\VID_0A5F&PID_00A1.DeviceDesc="ZTC TLP 2824 Plus". I would not use EPL as suggested above. That is not the issue that you are having. Prior to creating your own USB driver and using NI-VISA (which does work but can be a little harder to manage if you are using multiple printer types) you could try chaging the settings on your Zebra driver to make it a raw printer connection. I have not tried this with the USB port but it generally works for a networked printer. The driver is changing the output of our data which results in the printer not seeing correctly formatted ZPL.
Also, the NI Report VIs do not play well with Zebra printers. They also modify the data which results in incorrectly formatted ZPL commands. Your best option is to send the data directly to the printer either confiuring the printer as a raw device or by using NI-VISA.
I have read several of your post about using VISA with a Zebra printer and I have not been able to make my application print. I have a LP2844 printer and have had success with using VISA on LPT1. I would like to use the USB to eliminate the bulky cable. When I substitute the VISA resource name with the USB printer name (ZDesigner LP 2844) I get an error -1073807343 VISA: (Hex 0xBFFF0011) Insufficient location information or the device or resource is not present in the system. I don't know what more information I need to supply.
You need to create a driver using the NI Driver Wixard in order to use USB. The vendor ID is 0x0A5F and the PID for the LP2844 is 0x0027. Using the driver wizard this driver will be installed for you. If you need to distribute this driver let me know. there is a second step you need to do in order to install the driver on other machines. Your VISA resourve name will be in the following format: "USB::0x%04x::0x%04x::%s::RAW" where the first argument is the VID, the second is the PID and the third is the device serial number.
Then that is even easier. Simply use the VISA open on the appropriate port and send the label format to the printer. You can both print and use the port to control the printer. Or are you saying that they will have two applications talking to the printer at the same time?
Regardless, LabVIEW is capable of directly communicating with any supported port of a Zebra printer. And given that most uses of the printer only use a hand full of unique labels it is very easy to define those using ZPL. (EPL if it is an older printer which does not support ZPL.) Communicating directly with the printer is more efficient and reliable in the end.
The ForceINF.zip file is the means to actually install the driver. I will have to package up the variant of this application if you need a better tool for adding the driver. Essentially when you plug the printer in you ignore the "New Hardware Detected" messgae you get from Windows. Run the ForceINF utility to call the dll with the appropriate USB information and you should be all set. The majority of Zebra printers install as unique instances so you would need to install the driver for each printer you have.
I should have also mentioned that you do need to install the inf file. Easiest way to do this is to simply right-click on it and select install. This only has to be done once but prior to using the ForceINF vi.
I need more help. First, Windows detects the printer as soon as I turn it on and installs the drivers. Second, with the vis and inf files you sent me do I still need to create a VISA driver? Attached is a screen shot of the force inf.vi. Do I have the information correctly formatted? I don't get success when I run it.
Here is the tool that I use to install our USB driver for Zebra printers. I would recommend that you remove any drivers currently installed (go to the device driver, selcet the printers and then select "uninstall drver"). After removing the driver unplug the printer's USB cable and plug it back in. When Windows pops up that it detected a new device cancel that dialog. Then run the utility I enclosed and select the appropriate printer model.
I was hoping someone could help me. I've got a Zebra LP 2824 label printer that's only printing blank labels. I suspect the image isn't aligned to the print-space correctly, but it's printing test-page information correctly formatted. I've tried a lot of formatting combinations when printing, but I can't seem to align it correctly to the print area. Any insight would be much appreciated.
The Zebra LP2824 plus thermal label printer is a bar code label printer with an ultra-slim design where space-saving and desk space are critical. This direct thermal label printer is the ultimate solution for small-label applications. The LP-2824 plus label printer is a super cost-effective solution for printing 2.2 inch-wide (56mm) labels, great for shipping and inventory control. The LP 2824 plus printer is made with double-walled ABS casing, designed to last for many years.
The Zebra LP2824 plus label printer integrates easily into a wide array of printing and business labeling applications, including: shipping, receiving, inventory, health-care, laboratories, transportation & logistics, and ecommerce postage.
I have Zebra LP 2824 printer. I don't have the serial number, but I found out that it used to be from UPS to print labels. From the store Zebra told me that I can use it to print labels for jewellery. Is there any way that we can fix that problem because is only printing half of the label?
Well since I am leaving for the day I will leave you with a quick walk through on how to change the label size. Right click the printer, click properties, and go into printing preferences in the general tab. Next choose your label size:
While you are in there you might want to go to media settings and change the darkness, I have found through trial and error that 22 darkness looks very nice. You will also have to do the exact same thing you just did here, in printing defaults under the advanced tab (pictured below). The layout after getting in there is exactly the same as printing preferences:
Now keep in mind it is entirely possible that it will still continue to print with the old settings, sometimes this works sometimes it doesn't. Zebra support is unable to explain to me why this happens (even on brand new printers). Anyway if this happens to you a firmware update will be necessary. You can get the new firmware and the flash utility here. You will have to create an account to download it but it shouldn't take too long and they don't ask any specifics about your printer (if I remember correctly).
EDIT: The steps I outlined above are for standard single labels if you have double labels or specialty labels it may differ slightly. Just let me know what your setup is if you don't use standard single labels.
Zebra TLP 2824 Plus is an ultra-compact thermal barcode label printer, for print widths up to 2.2 inches/56 mm, brings powerful performance to applications requiring both direct thermal and thermal transfer printing.
Zebra TLP2824 Plus has a clear media window for simple media loading and monitoring, and an instant reset button results in increased workplace efficiency.