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Support: 972-898-7921 or 203-421-6471

(Thermal PRICE LABEL printing is available in BCSS Diamond and Virtual.)

Free Support for Labels: Barcode Warehouse at 888-422-9249 or email Margie Benton

Free Support for Zebra: Zebra at 847-634-6700 or ipccTechSupport@zebra.com

Laptops: Use the same USB port each time. If the port is changed go to Start then Devices and Printers. Right click on the TSC, select printer properties and go to the ports tab. There should be another virtual printer port on the list. Select that one and the printer will print.

BCSS Troubleshooting | Print with BCSS | Thermal Labels | Zebra Drivers | Zebra Installation | Zebra Support | Zebra Troubleshooting

Thermal Label Printers

Direct Thermal Printers use a thermal print head that applies heat to a chemically-treated paper, creating lines, text and graphics. The labels are up to 4" wide with 4 pips and 203 dpi.

The disadvantages of thermal labels are that they fade with age and will turn black if exposed to heat or strong sunlight (not a concern to most consignment stores), and the print head must also be replaced periodically.

Thermal label printers are more expensive than laser-style printers ($300+ vs. $50+) but there are several advantages to using thermal label printers:

  1. A roll of 2100 labels (2.25 x 1.25) is about $8.
  2. There are no (expensive) ink cartridges. (Thermal printers use a thermal print head.)
  3. There are no out-of-ink/paper runs, paper jams, tray switching...
  4. It's easier to print a few or several labels.
  5. There are no partially-used sheets with which to contend.
  6. The printer doesn't waste labels.
  7. There is a larger variety of adhesive and non-adhesive labels compared to sheet labels (3).

Zebra Printers

The TSC TDP-225 and Zebra 2824 Thermal Printer print on 2.0 and 2.25-wide labels only.

Warning Turn the printer off before opening the lid. It has been suggested that the printhead is light-sensitive and exposing it to light may cause the printer to lose its calibration.

Our experience has been that there are far more problems with Zebra printers than TSC. We cannot support Zebra printers that were not purchased from us.

The Zebra Direct Thermal LP 2844 or ZDesigner GC420d Label Printer

With BCSS the Zebra is used to print price tag labels which may be printed a few at a time as needed, so labels are not wasted.

Zebra USB Installation

Please read these instructions carefully before attempting to install or connect the printer to the computer.

  1. Remove the Zebra printer and power supply from the box.
  2. Connect the power supply and a USB cable to the printer.
  3. Turn the printer ON.
  4. Put the Installation CD into the CD-ROM or CD-RW drive (or download and run the printer driver software).
  5. Connect the printer to the computer with the USB cable.
  6. The New Hardware Wizard will appear on screen. (Sometimes a screen will appear asking if you want Windows to connect to the Internet. Click NO then click Next.)
  7. Accept the default on the following screen and click Next.
  8. The Wizard will locate and install the printer driver.
  9. The Hardware Installation dialog box will appear.
  10. Click 'Continue Anyway' to complete the driver install.
  11. Click Finish on the next screen.
  12. A popup will appear stating the new hardware has been installed and is ready to use.

Printer Self Test

  1. Make sure the printer is connected to the PC, has labels loaded and is turned on.
  2. Go to Start, Control Panel, Devices and Printers.
  3. Right click on the printer listing and select Printer Properties.
  4. Click on Print Test Page. If a label doesn't print, see Zebra Troubleshooting or call Zebra support at 847-634-6700. (Please do not call BCSS Support because this is not a BCSS issue.)

Test the Printer with BCSS

Proceed only if the printer self test was successful:

  1. In BCSS, have at least one inventory item entered (with a quantity of 1).
  2. On the Main Menu, select File (then Program Setup):

  3. Select Inventory:

  4. 'Secret Codes' can be printed on labels to let store employees (but not buyers) know the disposition of each unsold item. Check this option to print Disposal Codes on labels.
  5. Check to print Discount Schedules.
  6. Check to print bar codes or not.
  7. Select Printers:

  8. Select the Zebra from the drop-down menu to the right of 'Print Thermal Price Labels'. If the printer isn't listed, install the printer.
  9. Note that font size can be changed for the stub and tear-off sections of a 2-part label.
  10. Select the appropriate label type (sticky (adhesive) or non-sticky (non-adhesive 'Hang Tag')) and size (or select the Jewelry Butterfly label).

    The label choices here must match exactly the type and size of label loaded in the printer.


    (Be careful when selecting 2.25 x 1.25. Both adhesive and non-adhesive are available in that size.)

  11. Place a check in 'Check this box to include bar codes...' if bar codes are to be printed. (See above.)
  12. Click Save/Exit.
  13. On the Main Menu click on Labels.
  14. Click on Select Labels to Print.

  15. Check an item and click OK. The label should print. If it does not, refer to BCSS Troubleshooting.

BCSS Troubleshooting

Labels Don't Appear in the Print Preview

There is no print preview for thermal labels. When printing thermal price labels, Print Preview in Program Setup (on the General tab) can be turned off (but other print previews for things like invoices and reports won't show either).

Labels Aren't Printing Correctly

The most common cause is that the label type (adhesive, non-adhesive) and size doesn't match the label loaded in the printer.

Labels Won't Print

Check the spelling of the printer name in Control Panel/Printers. The name of the Zebra listing must be exactly Zebra  LP2844 (or 2824) (with 2 spaces between 'Zebra' and 'LP') . If the CD provided with the printer is used for installation, this spelling should be correct.

The are numerous causes. The most common is that print jobs are 'stuck' in the printer queue. (Not a BCSS issue)

  1. The most common solution is to turn the printer off and back on. Try a printer self test.
  2. View the print queue to see if print jobs are 'stuck': Go to Control Panel then Device and Printers then right click on the Zebra listing. Click 'See what's printing'. Right click in the box in the white area and select Cancel All Documents. (Sometimes the printer is locked up and this won't work. If not, turn the printer off/on.) Try a printer self test.
  3. In BCSS on the Labels Screen, labels won't print for items with quantity of zero if 'Quantity Greater Than 0' is checked (at the top).
  4. On the Labels Screen, labels won't print for items that are excluded by any filters that are set.
  5. Multiple labels for the same item won't print if 'Label Quantity = Item Quantity' is checked. (lower left on the Labels Screen)
  6. Labels won't print if 'Thermal Labels' is not selected as Style (lower right on the Labels Screen)
  7. Bar codes won't print if 'Check this box to include bar codes on price labels' is not check (Program Setup, Printers tab)
  8. For other possible causes see Zebra Troubleshooting.

Prices Don't Appear on the Label

If the Discount Schedule is being printed on the price label, it is because 'Show discount price schedule on pricing labels' is selected in Program Setup, Inventory. The first price in the Discount Schedule is the Current Price.

Complete Discount Dates and Prices can only be printed on labels that are large enough. They cannot be printed on jewelry labels or 2 x 1 or 3 x 1.25 labels.

Print is Cropped

In Program Setup on the Printers tab, choose smaller font sizes for tear-off and/or stub settings.

Only One Label Prints

In BCSS click on Labels on the Main Menu. On the Labels Screen, check 'Quantity Greater than 0" (at the top) to print labels only for items in inventory, and check 'Label Quantity = Item Quantity' (lower left) to print multiple labels for items with quantity greater than 1.

Zebra Troubleshooting

By default the 2844 or ZDesigner GC420d is in 'page mode' which is correct for the new FoxPro version of BCSS. Please make sure the 2844 or ZDesigner GC420d is not in 'line mode'.

Two Ways to Reset (Calibrate) the Printer:

  1. Turn printer off and unplug the cable.
  2. Hold down the green feed button.
  3. Turn printer back on.
  4. Wait 4 flashes, ONLY 4 - very important!
  5. Release the green feed button.
  6. Labels will feed. When they stop, press the feed button once.
  7. Reconnect the cable.
  8. Try printing one label using BCSS.
 
  1. Turn printer off.
  2. Hold down the green feed button.
  3. Turn printer back on.
  4. When the indicator light flashes release the feed button.
  5. The printer advances several labels and prints a status page indicating 'page mode' or 'line mode'. Mode must be 'page'.
  6. Press the feed button to exit dump mode and return to normal operation.
  7. Try printing one label using BCSS.
  8. Watch a video of this procedure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD7nrSsyp7s&NR=1

Labels

Users Guide

Online Tech Support

Zebra Printer Drivers

Zebra Customer Support:

Direct Email Contact: ipccTechSupport@zebra.com

United States and Canada, +1 847 634 6700 or +1 866 230 9494

Europe, call the US at +001 847 634 6700

Asia Pacific, +65 6858 0722

Latin America, +1 847 634 6700

For free email support, send us an email. For fee-based phone and remote-PC support please contact Joy Archer, enJoy Consigning Services, 972-898-7921, email or Russ Cox, Cox Technology Associates, 203-421-6471, email