RE: IPDS printer required for printing a barcode?

["Mark A. Manske" <mmanske@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Barcode requires IPDS (type/emulation) - and compile the prtf that way; 
my personal preference is to go AFPDS, even more "graphics" are available,
but either way - 

As for hardware, any printer that is capable of IPDS emulation will work,
we are running barcodes on HP and Lexmark here.

The HP has a "blue box" ipds emulation, I do not recall how the lexmarks
are set up, but they are straight IP, no twin-ax cables.

You can, also; depending on your HP model, get a card for emulation, or even
a special chip that goes on the logic board.  

Zebra printers work well too, so I have heard, but not had the pleasure to
use -
so I am not sure what they use to print bar-codes, could be ipds, or special
data streams.


HTH

Mark

<<follow-up to my previous/bull headed/narrow minded answer>>>
Sorry I forgot about that "other-stuff", my therapy must have helped...
Printronix uses a data stream to create barcode, fonts, graphics, ect.,

IMHO (I would go IPDS anyhow, the data streams are "confusing" at first,
and in general require the programmer to do much more testing, and printing
to make sure it is correct, as the printer file contains only something
similar to the following:

¬PN¬-1000¬-¬*¬M0101000¬-¬*¬M0101000¬-¬*¬M0101000¬-¬*¬T0010X1220886341¬-¬*T10
60¬BAP00008863410¬GT0790<--- 

Which (IMHO) is not very intuitive, and cumbersome.  IPDS is quicker to
learn, sometimes slower to print,
but over all, cheaper to get up and running and maintain.





-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@midrange.com
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Prowak, Dave
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 9:18 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: IPDS printer required for printing a barcode?


Hi,

If I want to print a barcode, am I limited to only using an IPDS printer?

Also, can I print a barcode on a HP printer, or am I limited to using IBM?

Thanks,
Dave

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