how to print centred text in ZPL
Shalom Solomon
Please see attached ZPL sample which is working – its basically output from print to file using bartender.
What I am trying to do is centre the text line as as per this article
What I did was take this line form my ZPL
^A@N,45,44,R:ARIALB.FNT^FD{SAMPLE TEXT HERE}^FS
And try to add in this FB Field Block code like this
^A@N,45,44,R:ARIALB.FNT^FB600,1,0,C^FD{SAMPLE TEXT HERE}\&^FS
But this is not working at all (i.e. nothing prints)
This is their version but I used mine in order to retain the font and position and tried to insert the FB aspect as they have done – I am not sure where I am going wrong?
^FO010,020^A0N,100,100^FB200,3,0,C,0^FD$5\&^FS
I did try the emulator you mentioned but it doesn’t really render it properly (possibly as I haven’t set the label size correctly)
Is this something you could help me with by any chance?
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Lite Finocchiaro <lite.m.fi...@gmail.com>
Sent: 26 April 2022 19:44
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: Tres Finocchiaro <tres.fin...@gmail.com>; qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: QZ seems to have stopped working in chrome
Shalom:
No problem. It would be nice to change the subject of the email for searchability, though. :)
a. If your ZPL isn't aligning properly to your label stock, the most likely cause is the printer's calibration. ZPL assumes a 0,0 coordinate based on the expected label paper. If the labels were changed to a different size without calibration, or if the printer was reset to factory settings, this can cause unwanted whitespace or improper placement of the text/barcodes.
I am not an expert with regards to Citizen printers, but if yours can parse ZPL commands, I would expect a similar effect. All the Zebra printers I have worked with are center-justified. This may be a firmware or driver setting for your Citizen printer.
There may also be a problem with regards to the printers print density, also known as DPI. ZPL commands intended for a 300 DPI printer will appear larger on a 203 DPI printer, for example.
An excellent resource for testing your ZPL with varying label sizes and DPI settings is labelary.com:
b. With regards to the fonts, you must choose a font that is supported by the printer's firmware. There is only one font in FGL that accepts French accents, for example (different PCL, different printer, but still a similar problem).
If you're using QZ-Tray to send this data (I assume you are), then make sure you use the encoding abilities available to Java as well as those available to the printer. Not all code pages will be the same for both Java and the printer's firmware.
Again, I do not know which model printer you have, but the user manual should list all available fonts/code pages.
We don't have a lot of requests for different fonts or code pages in ZPL, but we did get a printer capable of Simplified Chinese to print the correct characters. We have multiple examples with regards to ESC/POS (thermal receipt printers).
If you'd like to tell me more about the data you're sending and the make/model printer, I may be able to give you more information, but it should be available in the ZPL programming guide and printer user manual. :)
Regards,
Lite Finocchiaro
VP, QZ Industries
On Tue, Apr 26, 2022 at 11:37 AM Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk> wrote:
Hi,
I hope you don’t mind me troubling you but I have a problem and I am hoping you can help.
What I am doing is trying to print customised labels from my software (PHP application)
I achieved this by printing to file with bartender to get the ZPL content for my designed file and then replacing the bits I need to be customised with my code like below and then sending this to your QZ program – this works and the label prints
I have 2 problems:
- In the designer I centred my label but when its printed I think its being positioned from the left – so if my content is a different width to the placeholder its not centred
- If I use a non-citizen font (I have a citizen printer) then the content is encoded so I cannot update it – it just looks like some sort of encoded string.
Is this something you could help me with at all?
Thanks for your time as always.
<xpml><page quantity='0' pitch='25.0 mm'></xpml>^XA
^SZ2^JMA
^MCY^PMN
^PW398
~JSN
^JZY
^LH0,0^LRN
^XZ
<xpml></page></xpml><xpml><page quantity='1' pitch='25.0 mm'></xpml>^XA
^FO4,87
^BY4^BCN,64,N,N^FD>;<?php echo $productItem->Barcode.($productItem->ItemWeight?$barcodeWeight:'0000') ?>^FS
^FT129,182
^CI0
^A0N,34,23^FD<?php echo $productItem->Barcode.($productItem->ItemWeight?$barcodeWeight:'0000') ?>^FS
^FT100,69
^A0N,45,29^FD<?php echo $productItem->ItemCode.($productItem->ItemWeight?" {$productItem->ItemWeight}g":''); ?>^FS
^PQ1,0,1,Y
^XZ
<xpml></page></xpml><xpml><end/></xpml>
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: 08 April 2022 14:42
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: QZ seems to have stopped working in chrome
Would you be able to tell me why this link doesn’t work
but this link does
https://dev.hanronjewellery.com/label-test/qz_sample.zpl
I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but the former requires a login session.
On Thu, Apr 7, 2022 at 12:59 PM Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk> wrote:
Firstly thank you so much – I am almost there getting this working
Would you be able to tell me why this link doesn’t work
but this link does
https://dev.hanronjewellery.com/label-test/qz_sample.zpl
I need to generate the label with PHP hence why I need the first link – I am passing a plain/text mime type and the output to me looks identical?
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: 07 April 2022 03:14
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: QZ seems to have stopped working in chrome
Setting up the certificate is a multi step process. We have tutorials for this on YouTube as well as our website.
On Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 9:40 PM Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk> wrote:
Thanks for this – I tried this but when I try to print it still says invalid certificate? See screenshots
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: 07 April 2022 02:30
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: QZ seems to have stopped working in chrome
Revocation is rare and only occurs in the case that a private key is stolen or a refund is demanded after issuance.
The certificates are good for 1 year, or longer if multiple years are purchased.
At the end of that year, you may choose to renew (at a reduced rate) or not renew.
If you do not renew, the popups will come back.
If you do not wish to use our support or our certificates, you may create your own:
- QZ Tray menu
- Advanced
- Site Manager
- "+"
- New
This certificate will only work on the PC it was generated for.
Best of regards,
On Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 12:06 PM Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk> wrote:
So just to confirm – this is an annual charge not a one off charge?
If we don’t renew for year 2 the certificate is revolked and we get the popups
Is that right?
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: 06 April 2022 17:03
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: QZ seems to have stopped working in chrome
I have 2 queries about buying your license (were looking at the $499 one)
- If we have the license will the QZ system print without any popups at all – i.e. with the free one you have to click “ok” 2-3 times per print – we want it to just print the label with no popups.
First, you will receive one popup, with option to remember, then no popups.
- If there is an update to the software do we need to pay for the upgrade? If there is a cost what would it be?
No cost for upgrades. License is good for one year however.
Finally if we paid the fee and it didn’t work out – e.g. there were still popups – could we get a refund?
We have no problem refunding, but your certificate will be immediately revoked.
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Tres Finocchiaro
Shalom Solomon
Hi,
We have been in touch in the past and you have kindly helped me with various things using your amazing QZ solution.
I am trying to print to an ESC POS printer (to print POS receipts) – I can print basic text fine but really I need to format it with e.g. bold and so on.
I cannot seem to get a HTML sample to work – when I print I get an error
Can you help me with a basic example that I can then expand upon. Ideally I need a neat 2 column table of items and some bold and a barcode would be great if possible (these are receipts) – the barcode is just if easy.
I don’t mind to use some other library or lanauge – in the past I have passed raw ZPL etc but the ESCP seems to be a binary language so I am stuck there.
Thanks
Shalom
Lite Finocchiaro
I cannot seem to get a HTML sample to work
Shalom Solomon
Sent: 28 February 2024 19:16
To: Shalom Solomon
Cc: Tres Finocchiaro; qz-print
Subject: Re: How to print to ESC POS printer
Lite Finocchiaro
'\x1B' + '\x21' + '\x30', // em mode on
Shalom Solomon
If I can ask one more question – how does this work in terms of Unicode?
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Lite Finocchiaro (lite.m.fi...@gmail.com) <lite.m.fi...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 8:49 PM
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: Tres Finocchiaro <tres.fin...@gmail.com>; qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Lite Finocchiaro
Shalom Solomon
Hi,
I went down the HTML route and I generally have this working – can you help me on 2 things:
- Even though I have my code set to 100% the print is only on around 60% of the paper – how do I set the width?
- Similarly the bottom of the paper – eve if I put spaces or set a margin or padding – doesn’t seem to have a gap so when the paper is torn the bottom gets cut – can you suggest what I can do about this
I think you may have mentioned this items but I didn’t fully follow what I should do to tackle them
Shalom Solomon
Further to my last email I have been playing with this setting
options: { pageWidth: 2.3 }
and the scaling
whatever I try I either get HUGE content spaning to 2 pages or tiny content
I am using an 85mm paper width printer – I ASSUMED that the page width is in inches (I have tried 3.3in which is roughly 85mm and that also didn’t work)
Help….
Tres Finocchiaro
Shalom Solomon
Hi,
Happy to share anything you need – I have attached my debug.log from the log system in QZ
I am still a bit stuck how to calculate the pageWidth – I tried to do a whole bunch of widths with random behaviour so I gave up – here is a screenshot from my Printer properties if it helps
My printer paper width is 85mm and if I am correct the DPI is 203dpi but I may be wrong there – so what is the calculation for the width?
I did try the scale Content set to false but I just ended up with a HUGE print job so I changed it back
I am not sure I follow about the longest size but for my purposes I just want to print the receipt length – that said I have found a solution to having a bottom margin (I just put a bunch of <br> then a <HR> and that seems to work
I find PDF printing flakey and also resource intensive from PHP and ESC/POS I don’t mind but if I can sort out this width problem I think I am basically there and the HTML approach is easier to maintain. As Lite said its hard to get a 2 column approach with ESC/POS and for a Receipt I find 2 columns pretty standard.
So what do you suggest I do now? If I can just work out the width I think I can have a working system for now at least.
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro (tres.fin...@gmail.com) <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 29, 2024 3:49 PM
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>
Cc: Lite Finocchiaro (lite.m.fi...@gmail.com) <lite.m.fi...@gmail.com>; qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: How to print to ESC POS printer
HTML is hard to get just right. Do you mind sharing your logs with us so that we can help?
Tres Finocchiaro
As Lite said its hard to get a 2 column approach with ESC/POS and for a Receipt I find 2 columns pretty standard.
- Paper width: 58mm
- Printable width: 48mm
qz.configs.create(..., { units: 'mm' });
...
data = [..., options: { pageWidth: 48 }]
Tres Finocchiaro
Lite Finocchiaro
Tres Finocchiaro
Shalom Solomon
Hi guys – thanks so much for your help, really appreciated
Based on what you said I thought maybe I installed the wrong printer driver – so I switched form POS-58 to POS-80
Now I get this error
Error: Cannot find printer under the JavaFX libraries
It’s the same physical machine – what do you think I should do now?
I do think I am very close!!
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro (tres.fin...@gmail.com) <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 29, 2024 4:53 PM
To: Lite Finocchiaro <lite.m.fi...@gmail.com>
Cc: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>; qz-print <qz-p...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: How to print to ESC POS printer
Lite,
Tres Finocchiaro
Shalom Solomon
Yes that was exactly it – thanks so much for your help my label now looks pretty much perfect and I can tweak it from there.
I have only 2 final questions
- I think there is some sort of paper cut feature that make it easier to take out the receipt – I can see it when I print a test page from windows – is there any way to get that with the HTML option? I think with the raw commands you can send a cut command but I am using HTML
- Similarly – if I wanted to insert a barcode – I could generate a barcode image and insert it – but is there some way to maybe send a command to generate it with the printer rather than me sending an image
Thanks
Shalom Solomon
Exceed IT
T: 0203 675 4541
M: 07958 469 758
From: Tres Finocchiaro (tres.fin...@gmail.com) <tres.fin...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 29, 2024 5:21 PM
To: Shalom Solomon <sha...@exceedit.co.uk>