From IT:
Supposedly using Bartender print drivers? Though the drivers are named ZDesigner. Not 100% sure this is true based on that, but I also don't know what Bartender drivers for Zebra printers are called.
Printers are connected to a network using Built in NIC.
Hundreds (?) of print jobs sent to the printer a day.
Ethernet cable is plugged directly into the printer.
There is an in between device called "dc1". "This is an IP Printer and needs to be because the servers are hosted in the cloud and not onsite".
Issue stayed with the device, not the printer.
Pretty sure they only use these printers for printing Inventory Label Printing task.
Fix it to cancel the stuck job and the NEXT label prints, not the one that errored out.
All settings between the printers are exactly the same. All models were the same except the current Printer136 is a replacement and newer model, but same issue.
Replacement model also has the latest firmware from Zebra.
------------------------------
Chris Love
Accounting Systems, Inc. (ASI)
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 08-09-2022 13:43
From: Todd Martin
Subject: Zebra Printer Errors Out Multiple Times a Day
See if you get different results going direct to the printer. This may tell you if there is something with the server managing the printer queue. I would prefer it all go go to a server and be managed there but this may help show what the issue is. If it continues direct from workstation then it may be the driver (if you use the same driver as the server) or network/device.
Number of printing labels would not indicate if you have a print server translating TCP to USB or Parallel/Serial compared to a built in NIC. This would be a device connected to the printer. If the ethernet cable is direct to the device you have a built in NIC. If you have the device, they are usually not that large, then you have a print server device. Although, I have seen people use full workstations as a print server (either windows or Linux). The thing to look at is if there is this in between device then it may be getting bad or sending bad print jobs. Here is an example of a Parallel one Zebra P1031031 Zebra Kit External Print Server IPv4 - Newegg.com notice it connects direct to the parallel port. You can try connecting it differently to see if you get a different result. If TCP, try USB, if USB try parallel.
Quick way to have tested if it is the printer is to switch one that works without issue with the one that doesn't and see if the problem follows the printer or if it follows the device. (It may be good to test with the same print form or process to make sure the two mirror what print jobs they would have).
I wasn't sure if the error was shown on a label (garbage printing and the print queue stops) or if it was just that it was sitting the queue not allowing anything to process.
If it is the same print process (Inventory labels from Sage 100) every time and it will just stop with the queue, it sounds like it might be a communication issue. How do you fix it? Turn off printer? Does it ever print what was stopped in the queue?
------------------------------
Todd Martin
MBA Business Software
https://www.mbabsi.com
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 08-09-2022 09:48
From: Chris Love
Subject: Zebra Printer Errors Out Multiple Times a Day
Todd,
May not be able to answer all of those perfectly, but I'll do my best. The printer is set up on the server and not direct on the workstation. All of the printers are set up this way (7 total printers, 3 of which I know are set up the same and have no issues, the other 4 may be set up exactly the same, but not 100% sure, though I do know they're not direct on the workstation).
I'm going to say it's a Print Server as opposed to built in NIC because they do print a lot of labels throughout the day.
The error is generic. Just says "Error - Printing".
What do you mean by "Do you get any output"? Labels are printed prior to the error, and labels are printed after the error is cleared out. Not sure if the label that errors out eventually prints or not or if a user has to go in and reprint it.
For the printer that errors out, it is using ZDesigner ZM400 300DPI (ZPL). The 2 other printers I know are set up similarly to this one both use ZDesigner ZM400 200 DPI (ZPL). The printer previous to the one erroring out was using the 200 DPI and still threw errors. The newer model of it uses the 300 DPI. I'm thinking this also answers your question about what Zebra printer it is.
We're not sure how many labels they send to the printer(s) a day, but we do know that when labels are sent, it's only 1 label and only 1 copy of the label sent to the printer at a time.
------------------------------
Chris Love
Accounting Systems, Inc. (ASI)
Original Message:
Sent: 08-09-2022 09:34
From: Todd Martin
Subject: Zebra Printer Errors Out Multiple Times a Day
Do you get different results if the printer is setup through a Server or direct from the workstation? Is it connected to the network with a built in NIC or are you using a print server? When you say it "Errors out" what error are you getting? Do you get any output? What driver are you using and what Zebra printer is it?
If it is in the queue, I would not think it is a Sage, Scanforce, or Bartender issue unless there is something wrong with the print file. How many print jobs are you talking about 20 or 100s or 1000s in a day?
------------------------------
Todd Martin
MBA Business Software
https://www.mbabsi.com