Zebra Printing Language

[Twist Around]

We have to use a zebra printer to print some specialty labels. I was
wondering if anyone had used python to output text to these. I know
they use the Zebra Printing Language and before we got into that i was
wondering if there was already a module that did this. Any info would
be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

Christopher

 

[Emile van Sebille]

Twist Around asks...

We have to use a zebra printer to print some specialty labels. I was
wondering if anyone had used python to output text to these. I know
they use the Zebra Printing Language and before we got into that i was
wondering if there was already a module that did this. Any info would
be greatly appreciated.

I print directly to the printer without using any specific module.
Depending on what you want to do, ZPL (or DPL or ... ) is fairly easy. I'm
using one or another label printer in six or so different locations now and
have had no significant problems. IIRC, the hardest problem I've run into
during an installation was getting Zope to talk to a windows shared printer.
It rather felt like a naming of cats issue...

Emile van Sebille
(e-mail address removed)

 

[George Kinney]

We have to use a zebra printer to print some specialty labels. I was
wondering if anyone had used python to output text to these. I know
they use the Zebra Printing Language and before we got into that i was
wondering if there was already a module that did this. Any info would
be greatly appreciated.

ZPLII isn't a language, its a *very* simple text markup. So think HTML or
TEX, not code.
Here's a 'hello world' label:

^XA
^FO10,10
^A0,40,40
^FD
Hello World!
^FS
^XZ
(
Which is:
^XA - Start label format
^FO10,10 - Set field origin to (10,10)
^A0,40,40 - Use Font 0, size 40x40
^FD - Begin field data
^FS - End field data
^XZ - End label
)

Enter the above in a text file, and you can send it by direct serial
connection, via LPR, or even just FTP it to the printer. Personally I use
FTP while working up a format, then LPR when it is put in production on the
iSeries. (Currently via ILE-RPG, even though python is available on OS/400
now.)

The ZPLII manuals area available from: http://www.zebra.com/SS/manuals.htm