Re: [IUG] Receipt Printer Options

[Bob Rasmussen <ras at anzio dot com>]

On Wed, 7 May 2008, Kachaturian, Andy wrote:

> Hi folks,
> 
> This is Andy from the Newport Beach Public Library, where we're
> migrating to Millennium in July (from Horizon).  We're struggling a bit
> right now with our receipt printer output and I'm wondering what you
> guys are doing for your due date slips and your hold slips (we're not
> printing transit slips).  I have been playing with both direct text
> printing and graphical printing and I'm not sure if the lackluster
> results I'm seeing are because of a limit of Millennium, or because of
> our current printers.  We are using some fairly new Ithaca POSJet 1000s,
> which are capable of color graphical printing.  
> 
> Customization questions/observations:
> 
> *	It does not seem to be possible to add more than 2 single lines
> of text to due date slips, which appear at the end of each slip  
> *	It does not seem possible to add text above the checkout
> information (for, say, the library name)  
> *	It does not seem possible to eliminate the "headers" for each
> column, so that it displays the item title, but not the actual word
> "Title" that precedes the item title
> 
> Graphical printing questions/observations:
> 
> *	The text appears very faded and less crisp than direct text more
> *	The columns layout totally differently than in direct text mode
> *	Very slow to render
> 
> So, I'm wondering:  are you guys happy with your receipt printer slips?
> If not, did you figure out any ways to improve upon them?  Has anyone
> figured out a way to print due date slips in direct text mode, but
> custom hold slips in graphical mode (other than changing that setting
> every time you print)?  If you're using graphical printing, can you
> recommend a better printer-one that can print in color graphically very
> quickly and yet crisp and legible?  

I don't have experience with that particular printer, but I can shed some 
light on receipt printing in general. My key point is the difference 
between what Millennium calls "Text mode" and "Graphics mode".

In text mode:
-------------

* A stream of characters is sent directly to the printer. 

* Nothing from Millennium influences the font selection.

* The printer will print in its default built-in font, which might be 
configurable in the printer or with printer-supplied software. 

* Printing will be fairly fast, because of the use of a built-in font.

* If the printer can be set for character set Latin 1 (ISO 8859-1), you 
will get SOME character/diacritic pairs properly (those belonging to 
Latin-1). You will not get CJK, Russian, or more obscure diacritics.

* You might not get paper cutting.

In graphics mode:
-----------------

* Millennium uses the Windows printer driver to talk to the printer.

* Millennium lets you choose the font.

* If you choose a Windows-based font, it will print slower. If you can 
choose a printer-based font, it should print faster, about as fast as in 
text mode.

* If you choose a variable-spaced font, it will mess up column alignment.

* You should get the Latin-1 set of character/diacritics.

* You will probably be able to get paper cutting.

Other notes:
------------

* Some printers let you configure a logo or other information to 
automatically print at the top of the page. Not sure if this works in 
graphics and/or text mode.

* If printers are going to cut, they tend to cut immediately after the 
last printable data on the page.

* Neither text nor graphics mode allows you to change fonts or colors in 
mid-receipt.

* Millennium version 2007 has a new printing capability called "iReports", 
which will let you design certain printed outputs. It might help.

If you add Print Wizard (our product):
--------------------------------------

* You can add text and/or graphical headers.

* You can add text and/or graphical trailers (new feature).

* You can choose built-in or Windows fonts.

* You can change fonts, size, colors, bolding, italics.

* You can print the full range of diacritics, CJK, Russian, etc.

* You can alter the output from Millennium, such as removing column 
headers.

* We can help you get it set up, using Webex (remote desktop).

Hope that helps!

Regards,
....Bob Rasmussen,   President,   Rasmussen Software, Inc.

personal e-mail: ras at anzio dot com
 company e-mail: rsi at anzio dot com
          voice: (US) 503-624-0360 (9:00-6:00 Pacific Time)
            fax: (US) 503-624-0760
            web: http://www.anzio.com
 street address: Rasmussen Software, Inc.
                 10240 SW Nimbus, Suite L9
                 Portland, OR  97223  USA