Zebra Technologies GX430, GX420 User Manual

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Migration guide Zebra® G-Series™ printers

To facilitate easy migration from your current 28 Series desktop printers to the new G-Series desktop printers, this document outlines the key operational differences and considerations:

Communication•

Hardware•

Firmware•

Communication

The G-Series printer’s serial port is of a cross-over 1. null-modem conﬁguration, which is the same pin-out arrangement as on the ZPL-based 28-series printers. For serial port users of EPL-based 28-series printers, an appropriate serial cable or adaptor can be sourced. The part numbers are G105950-054 and 105850-026 respectively.

The GX420 and GX430 printers’ parallel port is of a 2. DB-25 conﬁguration. A switchbox-style parallel cable can be used. The part number is 105850-025.

Hardware

Media handling•

Power•

Ribbon handling•

Users of the external 10Base-T print server device on 3. their 28-series printers are recommended to migrate to a G-Series printer with internal 10/100 Ethernet option.

To aid the setup of the G-Series printers, representative 4. icons appear above the printer’s interface ports and power supply.

Unlike the 28-series thermal-transfer printers, 1. the thermal-transfer G-Series printers do not have a lid-release catch.

The operation of the dispenser option’s peel sensor 2. is controlled via command code (as opposed to via a switch on the 28-series printers). Legacy users can control the sensor via the appropriate EPL OP command or ZPL ^MMP command. Newer users might wish to adopt a SGD “media.printmode” method of control.

The GX420 and GX430 printers have a moveable sensor 3. option available to them. This full-width reﬂective sensor can be moved across the whole width for use in detecting black-mark registration marks. The multiposition transmissive sensor caters for centralised registration gaps, notches or die-cut holes and for the 28-series printers’ right offset position.

The peaked area on the lower media pathway 4. corresponds to an upper array of sensors. The directthermal printers have a three-peak design, whereas the thermal-transfer printers have a four-peak design. The range of transmissive-sensor movement is the same on both the direct-thermal and thermal-transfer printers.

Migration guide Zebra G-Series printers

Firmware

One of the features of the G-Series printer is the dual 1. residency of its command languages: the coexistence of both EPL™ and ZPL ability to process them are very different from the individual command-speciﬁc 28-series printers. Whilst the G-Series printers will seamlessly handle different language formats or scripts sent in succession, individual constructs must be maintained; EPL and ZPL scripts cannot be merged.

The GX420 and GX430 printers have full E3™ printhead 2. energy control in line with the Zebra mid-range and high-end printers. This individual dot management provides improved print quality over equivalent 28-series printers, so should you have an application or output that requires a crisper, deﬁned image, or should you be looking for a printer with output comparable to your larger Zebra printers, the GX™ printer would be the choice.

Increased print speed and print quality have been 3. achieved on the G-Series printers and so has improved printer management. Printhead control is one example of this: the printer will warn of the printhead being too hot via a solid-amber LED. This is an additional feature that users of the EPL-based 28-series printers (the LP/ TLP 2844 or TLP 3842™), would not have encountered previously. This feature cannot be disabled.

The Feed-button modes of G-Series printers follow 4. those of the ZPL-based 28-series: the LP/TLP 2844-Z and TLP 3844-Z™ printers. With their various ﬂash sequences, they provide more control over the printer’s setup and continued use. This is a feature unavailable to EPL-based 28-series printers and avoids any unwanted entries into a diagnostic mode or the Line Mode of operation. Full details of the printer’s Feedbutton modes can be found in the relevant user guide.

The default conﬁguration report that can be output via 5. a one-ﬂash sequence is that of a ZPL-based printer. If the printer is equipped with an internal 10/100 Ethernet option, a subsequent conﬁguration report detailing the print server setup will be output. Should a user be more familiar with the conﬁguration report of an EPLbased 28-series printer and require this format, it can be output via the appropriate EPL U-command.

command sets and the printer’s

The two-ﬂash sequence on the G-Series printers will 6. only perform a manual calibration routine, which is a slightly different operation from that of the ZPL-based 28-series printers. Should you require the media histogram output, this is available following a new seven-ﬂash sequence.

The command set has been expanded and part of 7. this feature increase is that of the Set, Get, Do (SGD) constructs. This control includes media handling, odometer functionality and wired and wireless setup, and provides a common method of control outside that of any similar EPL or ZPL feature-handling. Full details of the SGD commands can be found in the relevant programming guide.

The G-Series printers support Unicode™. The printers 8. are pre-loaded with the Swiss 721 font and this can be accessed under ZPL to provide a multi-character global printing solution.

The default plug-and-play string of the printer will see 9. a ZPL driver installed. However, if a speciﬁc choice of EPL driver is required, this can be set up via the driver install routine on the printer’s Accessories CD.

Why would this be required? A feature within the 10. Zebra Universal Driver (ZUD) is its ability to select a TrueType™ or OpenType and download to the printer. This font data might be referenced at a future point via the appropriate command code. However, ZPL soft fonts use uppercase reference letters, whereas EPL soft fonts use lower-case letters. Therefore, if you intend to refer to converted font data via command code, ensure that the code-speciﬁc ZUD is installed and used for the actual conversion process.

Converted soft fonts are stored under E: memory. The 11. syntax is fo.FNT, where “f ” is the font identiﬁer and “o” is the orientation. A directory listing of E: might show something similar to AH.FNT, where the font identiﬁer is A and the orientation is H (for “horizontal”). The other choice of orientation is V (for “vertical”).

Real-time-clock handling under EPL provides a 12. time or date stamp of when the print job commenced. For this information to update throughout the print run, you should use ZPL command code and the ^SL command.

font for conversion

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