Portable CPCL or ZPL  printer will not calibrate to gap type labels

Goals:  

Step by step instructions on setting the CPCL/ZPL printer to work with gap type labels

Printers

Encore Series, Cameo Series, QL Series Printers, RW Series

Details

The default media setting for most of the CPCL (portable) printers is Mark Sense.

To change the printer to Gap Sense, you must send the GAP-SENSE command to the printer.  This command falls under the Utilities command.

Format:

{command}

Where:

{command}: choose one of the following:

GAP-SENSE # (0-255)
BAR-SENSE # (0-255)

Example to change to a standard gap mode:

! DF CONFIG.SYS
! UTILITIES
GAP-SENSE
PRINT

The # (0-225) values are optional.  You may need to use them if you are having trouble getting the printer to calibrate once the printer is in Gap Mode.

Create the file in a standard Text Editor or DOS EDIT, save the file as GAP-SEN.CFG

Use Label Vista to send the file to the printer:

1. Open Label Vista, Click on the menu item "Printer", then select "1 Send File"
2. Use the browse button to locate the file GAP-SEN.CFG
3. Make sure the check box for "Store to flash file system" is NOT checked.
4. Click on send and wait for the process bar to complete.
5. Power the printer off and on. Test by pressing the feed key to see if it stops at the gap between labels.

See setting media type using the "setvar" command for alternative method

ZPL Enabled Mobile Printers

If you will be using the ZPL emulator, see below for further instructions.

See the CPCL programming guide for additional information.

Running Calibration if your using the ZPL emulation:

After loading the Gap Sense Command from above, you will need to run a calibration in ZPL to set the label length.  This length can be saved and will be recalled by programs using the ZPL emulation.

To run the calibration, you need to send the ZPL command ~JC to the printer.  This will cause the printer to calibrate to the label length.  Once the printer finishes the calibration, you must send the ^JUS command to save the value.  The full command would be:

 ^XA^JUS^XZ

Once these two steps are complete, your printer should remember the label length and only feed one label whenever the feed key is pressed.

Notice: Zebra Technologies Corporation makes no representations about the suitability of this documentation for any purpose. It is provided "as is", for your information only, without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.