Epic 880TM Programmers Notes
Page 242 100-88002 Rev B
Windows and most other operating systems that support USB will recognize this class
and provide a standard interface to the application.
Do you want to use USB and simulate a communication port?
The TransAct Virtual Serial (TVS) USB Driver allows your application to think that it is
communicating with a serial port, but is actually using the USB link to communicate
with the printer.
This should be downloaded and installed when requested as part of the Windows
Plug and Play or may be preinstalled.
The Epic 880TM printer supports a composite USB interface. This interface allows a
Windows print driver to be installed to a windows USB printer port as well as
supporting a virtual serial port. The printer USB port is configurable and either the
windows printer port or the virtual serial port may de disabled. If you will be using
OPOS, you should disable the Windows printer interface. If you are going to use only
the Windows printer API, you can but do not need to disable the virtual serial
interface.
Are you using OPOS (UnifiedPOS/UPOS)?
If you are using an application that is written to interface with the OPOS "Ole Point of
Sale" standard, then the TransAct Technologies OPOS Driver will allow you to
communicate with most of TransAct Technologies Printers. The OPOS Driver
provides the mechanisms to print in all of the print modes supported by the printer.
Note: The TransAct Technologies OPOS driver only supports the Microsoft Windows
Operating Systems.
Note: If you are using an Ethernet printer, UPOS can be configured to interact directly
with the printer. You do not need the VSerial Ethernet driver.
Do you want to print from a Windows application?
Microsoft supports a Windows Printing API for Windows applications. This interface
is intended to support typical Windows page printers and has features like begin
document, end document and tray selection. Where this is not an ideal environment
for a POS printer, however, there are cases where it is required.
To support this environment TransAct Technologies provides a Windows print driver
with extensions for POS.
This may be down loaded and installed for most of TransAct Technologies printers.
Please read the Ithaca Printer API documentation included with the driver. A POS
printer is not the same as a typical consumer printer and requires unique
consideration when using a Windows printer API interface.