RE: [External] RE: iSeries label printer

Eric,

What I'm saying is that the Zebra printers work DIRECTLY on the IBM i when connected via ethernet.
We've owned TL Ashford software for 25 years... So I'm not at all in favor of reinventing the wheel. We use Varsity shipper for small carrier shipments - the write ZPL directly. I've modified their labels to do our thing.
I've also sent ZPL directly to the printer (again, the ZPL data string was in the response JSON of a web service).
So I CAN write it, but only when I absolutely have to.

I'm just saying to the OP, IMHO Zebra makes the BEST label printers on the market, period. The experience of an old-old printer with some sort of "box" between it and the IBM system is odd.
I don't even allow my people to have an ACS emulation session between the printer and the IBM i.

Greg

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Lehti, Eric
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2022 4:05 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [External] RE: iSeries label printer

Hi Greg,
Re: <snip> What I really am looking for is a label printer that works with the iSeries. Forget the Zebra part. <endsnip>

Are you sure you want to write your own code to do label printing, rather than using T L Ashford?
I know a company who chose to develop their own inhouse coding in ZPL language to print labels on Zebra printers, and their development cost far exceeded the purchase of T L Ashford.
T L Ashford's "wheel house" is label printing, and they are good at it on the IBM Power platform. "Reinventing the wheel" on something that is not in one's wheelhouse is just expensive.
Of course, If you write some excellent label printing software, you can market it and go into competition with T L Ashford.