ibmi-brunch-learn

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Zebra Labels to PDF anyone?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Zebra Labels to PDF anyone?

    Hi All,

    We print a number of Zebra labels in our operation. Recently users asked if we could save labels so they could look at them when needed.

    Ideally this function would require manual intervention to create the doc in the ifs.

    Does anyone know of a way to put label images in the iseries so they can be viewed?

    Practically all our reporting now is in the IFS and users use F keys to bring up docs from their applications.

    Thanks for your time and help!

    Gary

  • #2
    Re: Zebra Labels to PDF anyone?

    does zebra provide a print to pdf option? What software are you using for the label production?
    Hunting down the future ms. Ex DeadManWalks. *certain restrictions apply

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Zebra Labels to PDF anyone?

      Originally posted by DeadManWalks View Post
      does zebra provide a print to pdf option? What software are you using for the label production?
      I'll look to see if Zebra has a PDF option. We have TL Ashford for some labels and RPG generating Zebra code also.

      I guess I'm wishing for a magic bullet that will take an outq entry and make a PDF.

      Thanks for the reply.

      WOW, APT, how much of it?

      Gary

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Zebra Labels to PDF anyone?

        Hi Gary:

        This is what I use to copy a regular spool file to a .PDF file:


        Code:
                  pgm parm(&prtname &jobname &username &jobno &splno &pdfname)
                      dcl &prtname  *char 10                                  
                      dcl &jobname  *char 10                                  
                      dcl &username *char 10                                  
                      dcl &jobno    *char  6                                  
                      dcl &splno    *char  6                                  
                      dcl &direntry *char 40                                  
                      dcl &pdfname  *char 15                                  
               /*    topdf is a blank flat file 199 bytes                 */  
                     CPYF       FROMFILE(QS36F/TOPDF) TOFILE(QTEMP/TOPDF) +   
                                  MBROPT(*REPLACE) CRTFILE(*YES)              
                     monmsg cpf0000                                           
                     clrpfm qtemp/topdf                                       
                                                                              
                                                                              
               /*    copy spool file to physical file use *fcfc print ctl */ 
                       CPYSPLF    FILE(&PRTNAME) TOFILE(QTEMP/TOPDF) +            
                                   JOB(&JOBNO/&USERNAME/&JOBNAME) +              
                                   SPLNBR(&SPLNO) MBROPT(*REPLACE) +             
                                   CTLCHAR(*FCFC)                                
               /* set up a directory in usrfls/out for the user        */ 
                CHGVAR     VAR(&DIRENTRY) VALUE('/usrfls/out/' *CAT &username)   
                      MD         DIR(&direntry) DTAAUT(*RWX) +                   
                                         OBJAUT(*ALL)                            
                         monmsg cpf0000                                          
                chgvar     var(&direntry) value(&direntry *Tcat '/'  *Tcat +     
                               &pdfname)                                         
        [COLOR=#FF0000]             OVRPRTF FILE(*PRTF) DEVTYPE(*AFPDS) CTLCHAR(*FCFC) +        
                       tostmf(&direntry) wscst(*pdf)                             
             CPYF       FROMFILE(QTEMP/topdf) TOFILE(QSYSPRT)              [/COLOR]      
                     DLTOVR     FILE(*PRTF) 
                 /* email the .pdf */                                  
                      EMATTACH2  SUBJ('PDF Spool File') FILENM(&PDFNAME) +       
                                   LMSG('PDF Spool file') USR(&USERNAME)  
                 /* place origional spool file in outq pdfoutqbu */
                     CHGSPLFA   FILE(&PRTNAME) +                               
                                  JOB(&JOBNO/&USERNAME/&JOBNAME) +             
                                  SPLNBR(&SPLNO) OUTQ(PDFOUTQBU)  
                 /* delete the pdf from user's directory */             
          RMVLNK &DIRENTRY                                                     
          dltf qtemp/topdf                                                     
            endpgm
        The only warning is that you will get the zebra control characters in the output.
        This works only for scs printouts ..... it will not work for barcode or any afp.


        Best of luck
        GLS
        The problem with quotes on the internet is that it is hard to verify their authenticity.....Abraham Lincoln

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Zebra Labels to PDF anyone?

          Seems to me that it's TL Ashford (not Zebra) that would need to have a print to PDF option. In this case (unless I've misunderstood) all Zebra provides is printer hardware. You wouldn't expect the printer to receive the label, convert it to PDF, and then somehow send it back to the computer, would you? Since TL Ashford is the label formaatting software, it should be the one to handle outputting the data in PDF format (instead of Zebra's ZPL format that you're using for printing.)

          I used TL Ashford extensively at my previous job, but never looked into a PDF option, so not sure if there is one. I would ask the folks at TL Ashford -- their tech support is quite good. (Keith, in particular.)

          As for the operating system's PDF facility (i.e. the WSCST(*PDF) that GLS400 suggests), I don't think that will work here. It'll work with 'regular' spooled files, which are generated in IBM's AFPDS format, but TL Ashford doesn't work that way, instead it sends the actual printer language for the printer it's targeting. You can verify this by printing on hold, and then using WRKSPLF option 5 to view the spooled file. If it looks like 'garbage' (a whole bunch of printer codes in a spooled file) then using WSCST(*PDF) won't work because the PDF would also have that 'garbage'. But, if it looks like you would expect your labels to look (which I don't think it will, but I could be mistaken, that's why you'd be checking this) then outputting with WSCST(*PDF) should work.

          Comment


          • #6
            Was searching for a solution... found this thread and thought I should update.

            TL Ashford now has a PDF option available as an add-on.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks everyone!

              Comment

              Working...
              X