Set up label printer (Zebra GK420t)

This step-by-step guide shows how to set up a label printer that is connected to xentral via an adapter box. The following items are required for the setup:

Label printers can also be connected to the xentral spooler, in which case it is preferable to use a network-compatible label printer.

Unpack the label printer and make sure that all parts are present and undamaged. The adapter box is not yet necessary for carrying out the first 5 steps of these instructions.

Take the label roll and insert it into the lower part of the label printer as shown in the illustration. The roll is held between the two green hubs by spring pressure. The beginning of the roll is to be inserted as shown to the output slot of the device. Then close the cover of the printer.

The label printer must be calibrated to the label size. Calibration must be performed each time after loading a label roll! To perform the calibration, follow these steps:

The print intensity should be configured so that the labels are easily readable, especially for barcode scanners. The key on the top of the label printer housing should be pressed and held until the LED next to the key flashes 6 times in succession. Then immediately release the button. The device will then begin to print several test printouts, gradually increasing the print intensity. As soon as the printout is clean and legible, briefly press the key on the top of the housing once to confirm the setting.

To connect xentral with the external device (label printer, scale, receipt printer, cash register displays etc.), it needs a small "intermediate server" (adapter box), which you can buy. Solutions for this can be found at our partner Ruhr Agency.

For technical reasons, a Raspberry Pi up to max. version 3B is currently required.

sudo apt-get --yes install libcurl3 php7.0-curl php7.0-cli php7.0-xml
sudo usermod -a -G lpadmin pi
sudo systemctl enable ssh
wget http://www.wawision.de/adapterbox.deb 
sudo dpkg -i adapterbox.deb
echo "Seriennummer eingeben gefolgt von einem [ENTER]:"
read seriennummer
echo "<?php \$config['serial'] = '$seriennummer'; ?>" > /tmp/config.php
sudo mv /tmp/config.php /root/config.php
sudo halt

sudo apt -y install php php-common

sudo apt -y install php-cli php-fpm php-json php-mysql php-zip php-gd        php-mbstring php-curl php-xml php-pear php-bcmath

To continue setting up the label printer, go to a computer workstation with the adapter box and log in to xentral with an account with sufficient rights. In the view Administration → Settings → System open the 'Basic settings'.

Open the tab 'API's' and select the marked option. Then click on "Generate Key" and save.

In the Administration → Settings → System view, open the 'Adapter box' item.

In the adapter box view, select 'NEW'. After that, xentral will guide you through the setup in 3 steps.

First, if necessary, the network settings can be defined manually. If changes are made here, these must be saved. To proceed to the next step, click on 'Continue with step 2'.

For this step, xentral provides a list of actions to be performed. This list has to be worked through carefully in the given order. Then the FAT formatted USB stick is needed.

Once you have worked through the list, take the label output by the printer back to your computer workstation and click 'continue with step 3' in xentral.

Now assign a name to the label printer you just set up and enter the serial number your printer printed on the label in the previous step (third line on the label in the figure above).

In the Administration → Settings → System view, open the 'Printer' item.

The configured label printer appears in the list. Click on the Edit icon to make settings for the printer.

Set 'Label printer' as the device type. For Format, set the size of the labels loaded in the printer. The connection type must still be set to 'Adapter box'.

Now make sure that the USB connection between printer and adapter box as well as the network connection of the adapter box is established. The devices are to be supplied with voltage and the printer is to be switched on in order to test the printer in the following.

Now a test print has to be performed to check if the integration of the printer has worked correctly. To do this, open the Warehousing & Logistics → Label Printer view in xentral. Enter any short text in the top text field and click on 'Print'. If the entered text is printed by the label printer, the setup was successful.

The creation of label layouts is described here.

Labels can be printed individually directly as PDF. The labels are retrieved via the spooler (directly in the printer settings) Or the PDF can be sent to an e-mail address. The type of connection can be selected directly.

We support common label printers from Zebra. Please make sure that it is a network printer via LAN/WLAN and not via USB.