Zebra Technologies GC420t After Your Printer is Connected, Testing Communications by Printing

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After Your Printer is Connected

After Your Printer is Connected

Now that you have basic communication to your printer, you may want to test printer communications and then install other printer related applications, drivers or utilities.

Testing Communications by Printing

Verifying the print system’s operation is a relatively simple process. For Windows operating systems, the Zebra Setup Utility or the Windows ‘Printers and Faxes’ Control Panel to access and print a test label. For non-Windows operation systems, copying a basic ASCII text file with a single command (~WC) to print a configuration status label.

Test Printing with Zebra Setup Utility:

1.Open the Zebra Setup Utility.

2.Click on the newly installed printer’s icon to select the printer and activate the printer configuration buttons below it in the window.

3.Click the ‘Open Printer Tools’ button.

4.In the ‘Print’ tab window, click on the ‘Print configuration label’ line and click on the ‘Send’ button. The printer should print a configuration status label.

Test Printing with Windows ‘Printer and Faxes’ menu:

1.Click on the Windows ‘Start’ menu button, to access the ‘Printers and Faxes’ menu or ‘Control Panel’ to access the ‘Printers and Faxes’ menu. Open the menu.

2.Select the newly installed printer’s icon to select the printer and right-click the mouse to access the printer ‘Properties’ menu.

3.From the printer’s ‘General’ tab window, click on the ‘Print Test Page’ button. The printer should print a Windows test print page.

Test Print with a Copied ZPL Command File for Non-Windows Operating Systems:

1.Create a text file with the following ASCII three characters: ~WC

2.Save the file as: TEST.ZPL (an arbitrary file name and extension name).

3.Copy the file to the printer. For DOS, a file sent to a printer connected to the system’s parallel port would be as simple as:

COPY TEST.ZPL LPT1

Other interface connection types and operating systems will have different command strings. See your operating system documentation for detailed instructions to copy to the appropriate printer interface for this test.

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5/22/2012

GC420t™ User Guide

P1052686-001

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Contents Zebra GC420t P1052686-001 GC420t User Guide 22/2012 Iii FCC Compliance Statement About This Document ContentsHow This Document Is Organized Who Should Use This DocumentMail Back Technical Library ContactsIcons Used Document ConventionsContents Print Operations Appendix Dimensions P1052686-001 GC420t User Guide 22/2012 Introduction GC420t Thermal Printers Unpack and Inspect the Printer What’s in the Box?Opening the printer Your PrinterPrinter Features Operator Controls Power Switch Status Light Feed ButtonClosing the printer Getting Started ContentsAttaching Power Preparing Media Loading Roll MediaPlacing the Roll in the Media Compartment Loading Roll Media Guides Loading Transfer Ribbon Loading Transfer Ribbon Loading Transfer Ribbon Loading Transfer Ribbon Printing a Test Printer Configuration Label Pre-install Windows Printer Drivers Serial Port and Windows operating systems Universal Serial Bus USB Device CommunicationsInterface Cable Requirements Connecting your Printer to a ComputerUSB Interface Requirements Autobaud Serial CommunicationsEPL Y Command Parallel Port After Your Printer is Connected Testing Communications by PrintingAfter Your Printer is Connected Print Operations Determining Printer Configuration Long Term Printer In-activity or StorageThermal Printing Print Media Types Modes of PrintingTypes of Media Roll and Fanfold Media Replacing Supplies Determining Thermal Media TypesAdding a New Transfer Ribbon Adjusting the Print Width Adjusting the Print QualityReplacing a Partially Used Transfer Ribbon Media Sensing When to Use Ribbon Ribbon OverviewCoated Side of Ribbon Ribbon Scratch Test Ribbon Test with AdhesivePrinting on Fan-Fold Media Printing on Fan-Fold Media Externally Mounted Roll Media Considerations Printing with Externally Mounted Roll MediaLocalizing the Printer with Code Pages Fonts and Your PrinterZPL Fonts Identifying Fonts in Your PrinterStand Alone Printing Sending Files to the Printer Print Meter Printer Options XA MMP XZ Label Dispenser OptionLabel Dispenser Option Label Dispenser Option Zebra KDU Printer Accessory KDU Plus Printer Accessory ZBI 2.0 Zebra Basic Interpreter ZBI 2.0 Zebra Basic Interpreter Maintenance See Cleaning the Printhead on CleaningCleaning the Printhead Media Path Considerations Sensor Cleaning Platen Cleaning and Replacement Maintenance Other Printer Maintenance Replacing the Printhead Maintenance Unplug both bundles of printhead wires from their connectors Maintenance Troubleshooting Status Light Descriptions Status Light Error Resolutions Printhead is open Printhead is over temperatureMedia is out Ribbon is outPrint Quality Problems No print on the labelPrinted image does not look right Print Quality Problems Is the printer in pause mode? If so, press the Feed button Manual Calibration Troubleshooting Tests Printing a Configuration LabelRecalibration Communications Diagnostics Resetting the Factory Default ValuesCommunications Diagnostics Flash Sequence Action Feed Button ModesPower On Modes Feed Button Modes Appendix Interface Wiring Universal Serial Bus USB Interface Host Parallel InterfaceSerial Port Interface Connecting the Printer to a DCE DeviceAppendix Dimensions External GC420t Printer Dimensions Optional Label Dispenser External GC420t Printer Dimensions Appendix ZPL Configuration ZPL Printer Configuration Format Managing the ZPL Printer ConfigurationConfiguration Label Printout ZPL Configuration Status to Command Cross-referenceDefault 65536k.......B only displays this if installed ZPL Programming for Memory Management Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports~WC Printer Memory Management and Related Status Reports