Symbol Printing API

[Harry Simpson]

I was previously using Dick Grier's Serial port control to stream CPCL
printer code via COM1 to a connected Zebra printer. I then got a device
with Bluetooth. I've tried COM8 with both Dick's code and the ZebraPrint
which is suppose to support Bluetooth. Neither worked.

Then tested the Symbol printing which could print via Bluetooth. Only thing
is the API is skelatal at best. Anyone here worked with the Symbol Printing
API with regard to Bluetooth?

TIA
Harry Simpson

 

[Chris Tacke, eMVP]

Are you sure the communication is right? I mean check the actual device
output to make sure it's PCL (use hyperterminal). Then use Hyperterminal
and send the same to the printer to make sure it's seeing it right. Once
you know that's working you can then work to implement the full
funtionality.

 

[Harry Simpson]

Thanks Chris,

I'm sending CPCL Printer code and it prints nice labels wired with serial
connector. Just open the port and pass the CPCL string.

Had hoped to do the same with the Bluetooth wirelessly. We set the COM8 in
the code as the COM port.

I'm not understanding what you are saying to do here Chris. I want to
understand.

Symbol on the otherhand is working via Bluetooth for whatever reason.
There's very little documentation on the syntax and use. It's a higher
level type of printing but severely under-documented.

Harry Simpson

 

[Chris Tacke, eMVP]

Gotcha - I thought you were saying cabled failed as well. What I'd do is
get a serial BT adapter and hook it to the PC and see if it's able to
receive the PCL from the device. It's much easier to tell with something
like that than the printer. THis way you'll know if no data is coming
across, or what is coming across isn't what's expected.

 

[Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]]

Another thing is that not every printer speaks PCL. You might be sending
perfectly legal PCL and, if the printer doesn't understand PCL, you won't
get anything (or not the right thing). If you capture what the Symbol SDK
is sending (using the PC bluetooth adapter, as Chris suggests), and then
send that same string yourself, you should see the same thing that the
Symbol code was able to print.

Paul T.