Help printing to a Zebra label printer from Tcl or C please

[berkeman]

TL;DR Summary

I need to print high-resolution graphics agency approval labels and MAC ID labels for a new product's Manufacturing Test Fixture that I'm helping with. My main program and test GUI are in Tcl/Tk, and I have helper programs in C. I'm having trouble understanding the best way to send files to the Zebra printer (ZPL files).

I'm able to send these ZPL files to my 600dpi industrial Zebra printer using their Zebra Setup Utilities program, but I'm not understanding yet how to send the files to the label printer from my Tcl/Tk Mfg test program.

With Google searches, I've found the ezprint option:

http://compgroups.net/comp.lang.tcl/printing-to-a-zebra-label-printer/1858009

but it is too old and it corrupts my Tcl installation and does not work. Ouch.

I've looked at this option recommended by my IT savant:

http://compgroups.net/comp.lang.tcl/printing-to-a-zebra-label-printer/1858009

but so far I'm not understanding the tserialport mechanics and linking it to my Tcl code...

I've tried making the Zebra label printer my Win7 default printer, and sending files via Notepad /P calls, but there are extra things sent with the ZPL file by Notepad or Notepad++ to the printer that seem to confuse it.

I'm thinking that I need to open a Tcl channel to the USB printer with the right syntax, but so far I haven't been able to figure that out. I'm fine with making a C helper app that I call from my Tcl program if that is an easier way to send text files to a printer with no extra information sent along.

Thanks for any ideas!

This is info on a lower-resolution Zebra printer that I'm using for some prototyping:

 

[jedishrfu]

Is there a command that you can use ie not a GUI command ?

i found this programming manual where it looks like you could have your Tcl script create a file Using print statements and theN send it to the printer directly.

https://support.zebra.com/cpws/docs/zpl/zpl_Exercises.pdf

some other tips are here

https://www.zebra.com/us/en/support...cles/zpl-command-information-and-details.html

 

[berkeman]

Is there a command that you can use ie not a GUI command ?

Yeah, that's what I was trying to find, so I could call it with the "exec" command from Tcl/Tk. I'd looked at DOS "print..." and "notepad..." commands from the command line, but each had issues with trying to get to a USB device.

Then *finally* after many Google searches, I ended up following a promising rabbit hole of combined search terms, and found a way using "Printer Sharing" to associate one of the old standard printer device names (LPT1) with the USB printer's optional shared resource name.

Here is a link to the page that did it for me ("Solution #2"):

https://www.codeproject.com/Questions/465476/copy-file-to-LP1-printer-using-commandline-in-wind

So here is what I did on my Mfg Test laptop (\\loanerx220) to finally be able use "copy" to sent the ZPL files (in /B binary format) to one of my Zebra label printers:

Open the Printers folder and set the desired Zebra printer as the default, then open its status window:

Click Printer, Properties, Sharing, “Share this printer” and name automatically gets filled in: ZDesigner 110XiIII Plus 300DPI

but change spaces to “_” to make the contiguous name: ZDesigner_110XiIII_Plus_300DPI

Associate LPT1 with that shared printer name…

In a Command Prompt DOS Box:

net use lpt1: \\loanerx220\ZDesigner_110XiIII_Plus_300DPI /persistent:yes

Then to copy a text (or ZPL) file to the USB printer in the shared name, use this (/B means send as binary):

copy /B checks1.zpl LPT1

Where "checks1.zpl" is a small checkerboard pattern file

And that worked finally! Whew!