Blaster

Last edited: December 15, 2003 08:06 AM

This module is designed to work in conjunction with the “Barcode Blaster” printer. It will take a template from TouchPRO/TouchNET and reformat it to be printed to the “Barcode Blaster” printer.

It will support two sizes of labels through a command line switch. It will support testing through a command line switch.

Command Line Switches:

    * /size=n (where n is either 1 or 3 for the two supported label sizes) (will default to 1 if not specified)
    * /pizza1 – will print a label specifically designed for pizza operations. (only prints 1″ labels)
     

LG Print      Item x of XX                                          Check #

SM Print      Descriptors Packed (uses first 3 characters of PLU description, comma delimited, up to 15 items)
              Customer Name                Phone #                  Account #
              Street 1                                Route          Sector
              Customer Memo1
              Order Type                Time of Order                Total Check

     
    * /pizza2 – will print a label specifically designed for pizza operations. Is slightly different from Pizza1. (only prints 1″ labels)

LG Print  Item x of XX                                                    Check #

SM Print  Descriptors Packed (uses first 3 characters of PLU description, comma delimited, up to 15 items)
          Customer Name                                              Account #
LG Print  Street 1
          Customer Memo1
          Order Type                Time of Order                Total Check

     
    * /test=xxxx (where xxxx is LPT1,LPT2,LPT3,COM1,COM2,NONE) will produce a label and print it to specified port. If NONE is specified, it will still produce the label, but not print it. The file created will be: Label.TST in the directory you run this application from.

It will print one menu item per label with it’s respective modifiers (up to 9 modifiers) and up to 4 lines of user defineable text in a box on the right hand side rotated 90 degrees. It will count the labels required and show on the label (i.e. 1 of 2, 2 of 2) It will read Z:Variable.TXT for miscellaneous info.

To print the allowed 4 lines of user defineable text, you put a line of text on the print template preceeded with the keyword [TEXT]. If this keyword is omitted, the text will be ignored.

Example of a print template:

[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/blaster%20template%20example.gif[/img:1fjqchqj]

Template rules:

  1. Put categories to print on template.
  2. User can define up to 4 lines of text to print on the right most side of label at 90 degree angle. Will only print 15 characters if size is 1″ or 36 characters if size is 3″. Must preceed each line of text you wish to print with this command: [TEXT]
  3. No options other than show price!

Note the usage of the [TEXT]keyword on the example above.

Example of the Shell:

[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/blaster%20shell%20example.gif[/img:1fjqchqj]

Shell setup:

  1. Turn on Store variables
  2. Turn on Preserve screen
  3. If necessary Turn on Swap…

If any Customer related information is found in Z:Variable.TXT, it will be printed. The information to be printed includes:

    * Cus:Account
    * Cus:Name
    * Cus:Street1
    * Cus:Memo1
    * Cus:Memo2
    * Cus:Phone
    * Cus:Route
    * Cus:Sector

The existence of any one of these variables will cause the customer information to be printed. Blaster will print this information differently depending on the label size:

1″ – On a seperate label (One for each check) OR if using either of the /pizza command line switches will include SOME customer information on the label.

3″ – On each label.

Implentation Steps:

  1. Do Template
  2. SHELL to
  3. Print to

An example 1″ label and accompanying customer information label:
[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/1inchlabela.jpg[/img:1fjqchqj]

[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/1inchlabelb.jpg[/img:1fjqchqj]

An example 3″ label:
[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/3inchlbl.jpg[/img:1fjqchqj]

An example of /Pizza1 label:
[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/pizza1lbl.jpg[/img:1fjqchqj]

An example of /Pizza2 label:
[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/pizza2lbl.jpg[/img:1fjqchqj]

(the differences are: the Route, Sector and Phone number are not printed, the street is printed larger)

An example of the 3″ test label:
[img:1fjqchqj]http://www.possupport.net/dealer/kbase/images/testlabel.jpg[/img:1fjqchqj]

Revisions

01/29/97 Version 1.00

  1. Initial Release

02/11/97 Version 1.01

  1. Added Cus:Account to printed customer information.

02/11/97 Version 1.02

  1. Fixed bug related to printing Cus:Account. It would always print a label regardless of Cus:Account being a valid number.

06/11/97 Version 1.03

  1. Added command line switch /PIZZA1 to change the format of the label specifically for pizza boxes. The label will look like this:

      This command line switch will only be compatible with 1″ labels.
  2. Added command line switch /PIZZA2 to change the format of the label specifically for pizza boxes. This command line switch is very similar to /PIZZA1, just minor differences made to accomodate Rick at LaVal’s Pizza. The label will look like this:

      This command line switch will only be compatible with 1″ labels.

06/12/97 Version 1.04

  1. Fixed a bug that caused the check number to be pushed off the edge of the label when the PLU description was all caps.