CognitiveTPG LX User Manual

Ethernet Printer Programmer’s Guide

Audience

This guide is for the system administrator
or programmer using the network printer.

Applicable Models

All Del Sol and Advantage network
e+Solutions™ enabled printers.

Overview

Guide Conventions

Notes and important comments are highlighted respectively with a border
line and red text.

Note:Contains information that helps prevent errors and provides tips on
where to find additional information.

Important:Indicates procedures and comments that must be followed or

the software and/or printer could be misconfigured.

This document is for a system administrator to follow and use as a guide to
configure Cognitive’s network printers. It is not designed for an average user.

Related Publications

Visit www.cognitive.com to download these and other Cognitive documents.

•Cognitive Printers Programmer’s Guide, includes Cognitive Programming

Language (CPL) syntax (part number 105-008-01)

•Network Printer Setup Guide (part number 191-017-01)

•BOOTP Configuration Guide (part number 195-126-100)

•inControl™ User’s Guide(part number 105-022-01)

•Quick Start Guidespecific to the printer (part number varies with printer

model)

2

Programming Overview

Programming Overview

Bar code printers are programmable devices. Most Cognitive printers use the
same command language, which has become an industry standard.
Cognitive’s Ethernet printers accept a series of Variable Ethernet commands
specific to this line of printers. These commands and other Ethernet func­tions are explained in this document.

In typical label printing applications, simple ASCII commands control the
printer. These commands are written to files called label formats. When sent
to the printer, each label format tells the printer how to produce one or more
labels.

One label format can print many similar labels. Label formats may be sent to
the printer individually or in batches in multiple file uploads. Several different
ASCII label formats may be combined in a single file, with each format capa­ble of producing a different label.

This document describes the VARIABLE ETHERNET commands used specifi­cally to configure ethernet enabled printers via label format files. Additional
information regarding general programming options, ASCIIand graphics
commands used to create label formats, stored objects and menus appears
in theProgrammer’s Guide.

Cognitive's e+Solutions printers are designed to work with any ethernet net­work using TCP/IP. Cognitive enables networking features by default. Use the
commands detailed in this document to change the default settings.

Important:Read these instructions carefully and refer to other manuals as

needed to support the host system.

Note:Use the Cognitive inControl software to configure the printer without

using the programming commands. A standard version of inControl is
available on the printer’s companion CD-ROM shipped with all standard
e+Solutions printers.

Contact Cognitive or visit our web site, www.cognitive.com, for additional
information.

3

Command Syntax

Command Syntax

Command descriptions throughout this document use only the explicit form.
The command descriptions contain the following elements:

COMMANDNAME

Function:The purpose of the command.
Command Form: COMMAND syntax
Parameters:List any required or optional parameters included in the com-

mand syntax and the default values for variable elements of the syntax.

Comments:Any additional comments relating to command usage.
See Also:Lists related commands.
Example:

SAMPLE PROGRAM CODE APPEARS HERE ILLUSTRATING PROPER
COMMAND USAGE

Note: The example code shown throughout this document does not always
include all the lines in the label format file. For example, you may combine
multiple commands in a single file for execution.

4

Programming Rules

Programming Rules

•Use blank spaces exactly as shown in the command descriptions, examples

and syntax. Blank spaces are the delimiters between parameters. Omitting a
necessary space may cause incorrect programming or a command recogni­tion failure.

•Do not send extraneous control characters to the printer.

•End every command line with a line feed or a carriage return and line feed.

•All of the VARIABLEETHERNETcommands discussed in this document

require a special header line, VARIABLE READ, VARIABLEWRITE, VARIABLE
ETHERNET RESETand an END statement as shown in the following format:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET ...
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

Note:VARIABLEREADand VARIABLEWRITEcommands are discussed in
the Programmer’s Guide.

•An indented second command line indicates a continuation of the previ-

ous line and should not include a carriage return but only a space between
parameters, for example:

VARIABLE ETHERNET FIRMWARE 195-113-217 V2.17

/tftpboot/195113.217

•Enter all VARIABLE ETHERNET commands in uppercase letters.

•Place any VARIABLE ETHERNETcommands immediately after the header

line in the label format file.

•Enter all VARIABLE ETHERNETcommands exactly as shown.

•VARIABLE may be abbreviated as V, but do not use any other abbreviations

unless specifically allowed in the command description.

Important:Use all VARIABLE ETHERNETcommands with care since they

can change the data in the printer’s nonvolatile RAM.

Note:Not all printers support all commands, and there may be some varia-

tion in command usage depending upon the printer model. For example,
non-ethernet printers do not support VARIABLEETHERNET commands.
Review the printer’s quickstart guide and the Programmer’s Guide for addi­tional information on compatibility.

5

Variable Ethernet Commands

BOOTP

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETBOOTP command toggles BOOTPon and

off.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET BOOTP status
Parameters:ON / OFF (default is ON)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET BOOTP ON
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

FIRMWARE

Function:Used in conjunction with BOOTP, the VARIABLEETHERNET

FIRMWARE command automatically updates the printer firmware.

Command Form:VARIABLE ETHERNETFIRMWARE p r f s
Parameters:p: specifies the part number of the installed firmware,

r: specifies the firmware revision,
f: specifies the filename and directory path where the firmware is locat­ed,
s: specifies the server IP address where the firmware is located

Comments: Firmware part numbers and version numbers may change.

Check with your Cognitive representative or
www.cognitive.com/firmware for current information.

Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET FIRMWARE 195-113-217 V2.17

/tftpboot/195113.217 130.10.103.106
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

Note:Additional information on BOOTPfirmware updates is located in the
BOOTPConfiguration Guide.

6

Variable Ethernet Commands

GATEWAY

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETGATEWAY command establishes the

Gateway address.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET GATEWAY X.X.X.X
Parameters:X.X.X.X, where X is a value between 0 and 255 (default is 0.0.0.0)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET GATEWAY 8.9.9.123
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

HEXDUMP

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETHEXDUMP command causes the printer

to print input from the Ethernet port directly to the print head label.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET HEXDUMP status
Parameters:ON / OFF (default is OFF)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET HEXDUMP OFF
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

IP (ADDRESS)

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETIP command sets the IP Address.
Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET IP X.X.X.X
Parameters:X.X.X.X, where X is a value between 0 and 255 (default is 0.0.0.0)
Comments:The IPcommand will not work if BOOTP is enabled.

7

Variable Ethernet Commands

Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET IP 130.10.1.6
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET

END

LPD

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETLPD command toggles LPDon and off.
Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET LPD status
Parameters:ON / OFF (default is ON)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET LPD ON
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

NETMASK

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETNETMASK command establishes the

Netmask value.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET NETMASK X.X.X.X
Parameters:X.X.X.X, where X is a value between 0 and 255 (default is 0.0.0.0)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET NETMASK 255.255.0.0
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

8

Variable Ethernet Commands

RESET

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETRESET command initiates current variable

commands for the printer.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET RESET
Parameters:No Parameters.
Comments:The VARIABLE ETHERNETRESETcommand must follow any

VARIABLE ETHERNETcommands to effect the change.

Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET BOOTP ON
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

RTEL

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETRTEL command enables or disables

reverse telnet communications with the printer.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET RTEL status
Parameters:ON / OFF (default is ON)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET RTEL ON
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

9

Variable Ethernet Commands

RTELPORT

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETRTEL PORT command sets the reverse tel-

net port address.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET RTEL PORT X
Parameters:X (default is 9100)
Comments: Changes to this value are not recommended.
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET RTEL PORT 9100
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

TELNET

Function:The VARIABLEETHERNETTELNET command enables or disables

Telnet communications with the printer.

Command Form:VARIABLEETHERNET TELNET status
Parameters:ON / OFF (default is ON)
Example:

! 0 0 0 0
VARIABLE READ
VARIABLE ETHERNET TELNET ON
VARIABLE WRITE
VARIABLE ETHERNET RESET
END

10

Cognitive Information

USA

691 Corporate Circle
Golden, CO 80401
Tel: [phone]
Toll free: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Europe

Atlantic Street
Altrincham
Cheshire
WA14 5QJ UK
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

Asia-Pacific

PO Box 726
Level 3, 39 Leighton Place
Hornsby NSW 2077 Australia
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Japan

2-23-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro
Toshima-KU
Tokyo 170 Japan
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

For additional information about Cognitive products and supplies, contact
the addresses above or visit our web site at www.cognitive.com

Copyright © 2001 Cognitive.
Cognitive, Blaster Advantage, Del Sol, e+Solutions™ and inControl™ are trademarks of Cognitive. Other product

and corporate names used in this publication may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other companies
and are used only for explanation and to their owner’s benefit, without intent to infringe.

All information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the
part of Cognitive or its subsidiaries. No part of this manual may be reproduced for any purpose or in any form
without the express permission of Cognitive. All program listings in this manual are copyrighted and are the
property of Cognitive and are provided without warranty.

www.cognitive.com
TEL [phone] TOLL FREE 800-525-2785 FAX [phone]
691 Corporate Circle Golden, CO 80401 PN: 195-127-100 Rev A

11