Dears,
I need print a label to identify a material, using a Node-Red flow. How can I do this?
Thanks,
Roberto Campos
Youre gonna have to provide more details.
- What printer?
- does it accept TCP or UDP commands?
- does it have any sort of API?
Also is the printer accessible from the machine running node red or is it on the machine running the browser, if they are different.
Hi Steve,
I don't have these informations still. But I understood that this is fundamental to find a way to print label from Node-Red. When I know the printer type, I will post here.
Thank You
Thanks Collin. I will see this information also. But I believe that the printer can be accessed by the machine running node-red.
Best Regards
That makes it easier, as the file does not need to be downloaded to the browser machine for printing.
Hi Colin,
My client don't decide which printer will be purchased. Do you have some recommendation, to facilitate the printing by node-red ?
This label will be placed on oxygen cylinders, in an aid to the coronavirus pandemic here in Brazil.
Thanks
I can't see any way to automate that if you don't even know how the printer is connected. For example it might be a printer plugged into USB on the device running node-red or it might be a remote network printer. However, I don't know Windows well (I assume the machine will be running Windows since you have not said) so perhaps there is a way.
I see Colin. Probably the printer will be connected in the usb port of the machine running node-red. The operation system will be a Windows 10.
Thanks for your attention,
Roberto
The first thing to establish is the type of label required i.e. are paper labels acceptable or do you need a thermal printer for plastic / coated for water proofing?
Once you understand that,
find some suitable printers and speak to sales reps to see what equipment they have that can be automated via external command.
USB might be harder to automate from a node environment on Windows so I would look for one that accepts printing via TCP or UDP (Ethernet).
@bobfield indicated earlier that they cannot specify a particular printer. That is up the end user apparently.
I read this...
And figured the client is not deciding the printer.
On a 2nd read, perhaps it means the client has "not decided yet".
Anyhow, regardless, @bobfield should influence the choice to ensure it is automatable.
Yes Steve, if I know what is the best type of label print to do the impression by a node-red flow, I will recomend to my client the acquisition of this printer.
Thanks
Node-red might be able to send information to a printer to print a label.
The information NR would sent will depend on the printer and how it could communicate with NR.
So any flow - where Node-RED will talk to a printer - will be dependent on the printer.
Some label printers also provide RS232 communication via a virtual USB com port. That might also be an option.
Hi Dears,
The printer selected was a Zebra zd220 Usb. The product site is ZD200 Series Desktop Printer | Zebra
Thanks
What plarform will Node-RED be running on?
Is the printer the ZD200D series or the ZD200T series?
Have you looked at the technical manuals to determine how to communicate with it?
If so, tell how it needs to communicate,
if not, why not?
Hi zenofmud,
Yes, I am beginning to read the printer's manual and trying to understand the characteristics. When I see more relevant informations, I will post here.
Thank you
A handy and long forgotten trick on a windows pc to print from "dos/other" type packages is to share the windows pc printer and then "net use lpt1 \pserver\laser1 /persistent:yes " .... Thereafter its accessible as needed on the respective lpt port... Unfortunately this only gives access to the printer at a more "hardware" level... Some printers require additional host processing to actually generate a usable output, as they are effectively glorified bmp printers for want of a better term....
Ed
Why involve Node-RED at all?
