Loftware Label Manager can print to all of your PC printers.  This includes standard Windows printers such as LaserJet, dot matrix, bubble jet, etc.  It also includes third party Windows drivers purchased for bar code label applications.

Loftware makes no claims as to the performance or reliability of third party drivers.

Configuring a New Printer Connection for Windows or 3^rd Party Drivers

1.  Add any Windows or 3^rd Party printer(s) through Windows:
Start | Printers and Faxes

2.  In LLM, press F6 or File | Devices.

3.  Choose Windows in the Device Family drop-down list (in either the Wizard or the LLM Device Configuration grid).

4.  Select a printer from the list of configured Windows printers.

Aliases are not allowed for Windows Printers.  See the ‘Windows Printers and Aliases’ section below for more information.

Windows printer options (such as paper tray, paper quality) cannot be set from LLM.  Printer properties can be accessed from Control Panel | Printers and Faxes.

5.  Click Finish.

Windows Printer Resolution - When a label is designed for a Windows printer, you can select the printer resolution from a list returned by the printer driver: 

1.  With the label open in LLM design, select File | Media Setup (or press F5).  This displays the Label Setup and Properties dialog.

Windows printer models listed on this dialog are those configured from Start | Printers and Faxes.

2.  On the “Configure Label For” section, select a resolution from the Resolution drop-down list.  Resolution choices depend on the selected Windows printer model.  (Note that this is not available for tags.)

Loftware Label Manager will print the label at the resolution specified in LLM.  If the target printer is not set for that resolution in Windows, Loftware Label Manager temporarily resets it, prints it, and replaces the original value.  If Loftware Label Manager cannot set the Windows printer to the required resolution, an error message is displayed.

Figure 2-J: Setting the Windows Printer Resolution in Label Setup and Properties

Windows Printer Setup - Follow the previous procedures for configuring your printer from the list of available printers.  Use the Windows Control Panel | Printers and Faxes | Properties for configuring printer connection details (baud, port, etc.). 

The Loftware Windows Printer - When printing through a Windows Printer Driver, print jobs are routed through the PC’s operating system print manager.

Fonts - Some Windows Drivers map TrueType fonts that are sent to them as native printer fonts. If this happens, printing is much faster, but the font style may not exactly match the font displayed in Loftware Label Manager Label Design.

Windows / Spooling Information

It is important that multiple printers in your Printer Control Panel or Printer Folder are not configured to use the same local port!

A scenario in which this causes problems is as follows: If a variety of print jobs are being sent directly to an Intermec printer on LPT 1, the Loftware Label Manager is sending these jobs faster than the printer is able to print, and the printer gets into a “busy” state.  If a Windows printer such as a LaserJet is also configured to print to that same LPT port, Windows redirects the jobs to the spooler of the LaserJet printer.  This results in lost print jobs, as the printer never receives the redirected data.

Windows Printers and Aliases

Shared network printers cannot be renamed locally.  You can, however, add a local printer that points to a shared network printer (Add a Printer from Printers and Faxes) and provide a name for the new printer.  This is the name that will appear on the Loftware device configuration grid.