Label Printing Page count

[chakrd]

Dear All,
I have a unique situation .
I have a screen where a user enters a lot and number of labels to print say lot 12345 and 20 labels. (mind it the 20 labels are in one spool file each separated by the exit string of ascii characters which allows zebra to understand when to start printing a new label)
A batch program gets the details and genrates a spool file which has the 20 labels with proper printer control characters for Zebra printer.
Everything prints fine. Now sometimes say after printing 12 labels the printer goes down. so the next time the same spool resent for printing prints the 20 lables again. i need a way to print the next 8 lables (20-12) instead of the 20.
Is there a way to track the number of labels printed using either the USRDFNOBJ or the USRDRVPGM or any other way. Any suggestions/Advise more than welcome.

Thanks in advance
Debasish

Debasish

[TASullivan@BBDODetroit]

Change the batch program to print 20 spool files, one for each label.

[marc_d]

a user enters a lot and number of labels to print say lot 12345 and 20 labels. (mind it the 20 labels are in one spool file each separated by the exit string of ascii characters which allows zebra to understand when to start printing a new label)

Only if you are printing 20 times the same label (if I read your post right)

then why don't you use the repeat label command thats part of the ZEBRA printer language? If your labelprinter runs out of labels or thermal transfer ribbon, the printer prints the remaining labels afterwards if you don't turned the printer off.

[chakrd]

Hi Marc_d,
yes thats what would be a great solution. Question is can I do it using ZPL language embedded as ascii charcters in the as/400 spool. If possible can you please send me the ascii codes or an example. As you rightly said that will be an ideal solution as I am printing the same labels multiple times. Like same spool file multiple copies.

Thanks & regards

Debasish

[marc_d]

ZPL language embedded as ascii chars in the as/400 spool.

The ZPL print repeat label command is:

P<number of labels you want to print>

You are now printing only 1 label (20 times) ?
Take a look at your generated spoolfile, then you see at the end of each label the ZPL command is:

P1

if you change it to

P20

then it prints the same label 20 times. (you can use any number you want.)

Change your program that generate the ZPL code for your label and try it out.

[chakrd]

Hi Marc D,
Many thanks for the reply.
I cannot find the P at the end of each label. here is a sample
¬XA¬XFE:F5.ZPL¬FS
¬FN1¬FD ¬FS
¬FN2¬FDR2072 ¬FS
¬FN3¬FDACID ACETILSALICILIC 500mgVRAC¬FS
¬FN4¬FD Z2406H12¬FS
¬FN5¬FD ¬FS
¬FN6¬FD19/09/06¬FS
¬FN7¬FD0001¬FS
¬FN8¬FD0002¬FS
¬FN9¬FD14/08/06¬FS
¬XZ

Shall I add the P1 before the XZ or after the XZ. I guess XA means label start and XZ means label end.
Thanks & Regards

Debasish

[BigMac]

If you don't have a solution:

If you spool the printfile so that you generate an as400 page for each label after the 'XZ' (end of label) you can control the start/end just like any other spoolfile. if you view the spoolfle and page down does not move 1 label at the time you probably need to change it. When the page count matches the label count that will be when page control on printer failure or End Of Forms(etc) will work just lke other spoolfiles.