ZDesigner Windows Printer Driver Release Notes

Version 5.1.07.5146

Table of Contents

Welcome
Supported Operating Systems
Installation
Supported Printers
Tips & Advice
Known Issues
Change Log
Technical Support
Software Updates

Welcome

This version of the ZDesigner Windows Printer driver offers many new features and user conveniences. Currently shipping Zebra printers using CPCL, EPL2 or ZPL II can now be driven using one set of driver files. A common user interface for all of the printer languages makes it easy to work with any of the supported printers listed below. New utilities, such as a Font and Graphic Downloader and a Status Monitor have been included.

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Supported Operating Systems

This software is supported on 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Windows Vista®, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 operating systems.
(Windows and Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.)

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Installation

How to Install Zebra Printer Drivers

Drivers can be installed from the Windows "Add Printer Wizard" or using the Installation Utility that came with the driver. NOTE: your user account must have the necessary rights to install a driver otherwise contact your system administrator for further assistance.

To install using the Installation Utility:

1. Uncompress the driver files. Be sure to note the location that the files are placed into.
2. Run the PrnInst.exe utility.
3. Follow the prompts to select the printer model and port that you will be using.
4. The Utility will ask if you want to install the Font and Graphic Downloader and Status Monitor - select these items if they are needed in your application.
5. The Utility will install the appropriate files.

To install the driver using the Windows "Add Printer Wizard":

1. Uncompress the driver files. Be sure to note the location that the files are placed into.
2. Using the START menu select "Settings" and then "Printers". The Printers folder will open up.
3. Double click on "Add Printer" and follow the prompts to begin the installation process.
4. When you come to the dialog screen that lists Manufacturers and Printers, select "Have disk".
5. Browse to the location that contains the uncompressed driver files.
6. Select the ZBRN.inf file in the ZBRN folder and click "OK" to continue.
7. Select your printer model from the list of supported printers and click the Next button to continue.
8. If your printer is connected via a RS-232 serial connection, select "No" to the question "Would you like to print a test page?". This is suggested to avoid an error message in case you have not configured the port on the computer to match the serial settings on the printer. If your printer is connected via a parallel port and is ready to print, select "Yes" to print the test page.
9. Follow the remaining prompts to complete the Wizard. Once the install is done your printer driver is now installed and ready for use.

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Supported Printers

The following Zebra printers are supported in this version:

105SL 203DPI
105SL 300DPI
105SLPlus-203dpi ZPL
105SLPlus-300dpi ZPL
110PAX4 203DPI
110PAX4 300DPI
110Xi4 203 dpi
110Xi4 300 dpi
110Xi4 600 dpi
110XiIII Plus 200DPI
110XiIII Plus 300DPI
110XiIII Plus 600DPI
140Xi4 203 dpi
140XiIII Plus
170PAX4 203DPI
170PAX4 300DPI
170Xi4 203 dpi
170Xi4 300 dpi
170XiIII Plus
170XiIII Plus 200DPI
220Xi4 203 dpi
220Xi4 300 dpi
220XiIII Plus
220XiIII Plus 300DPI
888-DT
888-TT
EZ 320
GC420d
GC420d (EPL)
GC420t
GC420t (EPL)
GK420d
GK420d (EPL)
GK420t
GK420t (EPL)
GK888d
GK888d (EPL)
GK888t
GK888t (EPL)
GT800 (EPL)
GT800 (ZPL)
GT800-300dpi EPL
GT800-300dpi ZPL
GX420d
GX420d (EPL)
GX420s
GX420s (EPL)
GX420t
GX420t (EPL)
GX430t
GX430t (EPL)
HC100 300 dpi
iMZ220
iMZ220 (ZPL)
iMZ320
iMZ320 (ZPL)
KR403
LP 2824
LP 2824 Plus (EPL)
LP 2824 Plus (ZPL)
LP 2844
LP 2844-Z
Mobile Printer
MZ 220
MZ 320
P4T (CPCL)
P4T (ZPL)
QL 220/QL 220 Plus
QL 320/QL 320 Plus
QL 420/QL 420 Plus
QLn220
QLn220 (ZPL)
QLn320
QLn320 (ZPL)
QLn420 (CPCL)
QLn420 (ZPL)
R110PAX4 LH-203DPI
R110PAX4 LH-300DPI
R110PAX4 RH-203DPI
R110PAX4 RH-300DPI
R110Xi 200DPI
R110Xi 300DPI
R110Xi HF 200DPI
R110Xi HF 300DPI
R110Xi4 203 dpi
R110Xi4 300 dpi
R110Xi4 600 dpi
R170Xi 200DPI
R170Xi 300DPI
R2844-Z
RP4T (ZPL)
RW 220
RW 420
RW4-PS
RZ400 200 dpi
RZ400 300 dpi
RZ600 200 dpi
RZ600 300 dpi
S4M-203dpi EPL
S4M-203dpi ZPL
S4M-300dpi ZPL
TLP 2824
TLP 2824 Plus (EPL)
TLP 2824 Plus (ZPL)
TLP 2844
TLP 2844-Z
TLP 3842
TLP 3844-Z
ZD500R-203dpi ZPL
ZD500R-300dpi ZPL
ZE500-4 LH-203dpi ZPL
ZE500-4 LH-300dpi ZPL
ZE500-4 RH-203dpi ZPL
ZE500-4 RH-300dpi ZPL
ZE500R-4 LH-203dpi ZPL
ZE500R-4 LH-300dpi ZPL
ZE500R-4 RH-203dpi ZPL
ZE500R-4 RH-300dpi ZPL
ZE500-6 LH-203dpi ZPL
ZE500-6 LH-300dpi ZPL
ZE500-6 RH-203dpi ZPL
ZE500-6 RH-300dpi ZPL
ZM400 200 dpi (EPL)
ZM400 200 dpi (ZPL)
ZM400 300 dpi (ZPL)
ZM400 600 dpi (ZPL)
ZM600 200 dpi (EPL)
ZM600 200 dpi (ZPL)
ZM600 300 dpi (ZPL)
ZQ510 (ZPL)
ZQ510 (CPCL)
ZQ520 (ZPL)
ZQ520 (CPCL)
ZT210-200dpi EPL
ZT210-200dpi ZPL
ZT210-300dpi ZPL
ZT220-200dpi EPL
ZT220-200dpi ZPL
ZT220-300dpi ZPL
ZT230-200dpi EPL
ZT230-200dpi ZPL
ZT230-300dpi ZPL
ZT410-203dpi EPL
ZT410-203dpi ZPL
ZT410-300dpi ZPL
ZT410-600dpi ZPL
ZT420-203dpi ZPL
ZT420-300dpi ZPL
ZT410R-203dpi ZPL
ZT410R-300dpi ZPL
ZT420R-203dpi ZPL
ZT420R-300dpi ZPL
ZD500-203dpi ZPL
ZD500-300dpi ZPL
ZD500-203dpi EPL
ZD500-300dpi EPL

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Tips & Advice

1. Use the Use Printer Settings option on the Advanced Tab to stop the driver from sending the printer configuration and save configuration commands. This has the effect of improving throughput in some applications.

2. For ZPL printers, use the use ZIP compression option on the Other Settings dialog to cause the driver to create compressed graphics. This has the effect of improving throughput in some applications.

3. Windows Vista has enhanced control over permissions. When installing in Vista, it is recommended that an Administrator account be used.

4. Microsoft Word splits strings into single characters. To avoid this select "Merge characters" option on driver's "Printer settings" tab.

5. The Status Monitor regularly checks the printer for current status information. When the driver is being used over a network connection, this can have the effect of consuming connection ports that would otherwise be used for accepting print jobs at the printer. If the Status Monitor is in use and you are experiencing a delay in printing, try right clicking over the Status Monitor in the system tray (by the clock) and closing the Status Monitor.

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Known Issues

1. The drivers will not print more than 32767 copies of a document. This is a Windows limitation.

2. Graphics print best when a monochrome image is used. Because Zebra printers are monochrome printers, color and grayscale images will be printed using the dithering method you select on the Options tab. There are four available dithering methods, each offering some control over the final printed image. However, monochrome images will print in a more predictable fashion.

3. When using Word, the application forces the driver to insert spaces into any edited line of text using the ZPL Font 0 (ZB:Zebra CG Triumvirate). If you save the document after editing the text, but before printing it, the spaces will not be inserted on the printed label.

4. Not all Applications will read internal font information from drivers. Some applications will not present the list of native fonts and bar codes even if the operating system is restarted after installing and the driver is set as the default driver. This is a limitation of some applications.

5. The Command Font Prefix and Suffix value are inserted before and after each character of text in Command Font when an EPL or CPCL printer driver is used. Microsoft Word splits strings into single characters. To avoid this select "Merge characters" option on driver's "Printer settings" tab.

6. In Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2, some applications do not allow the fonts that are native on the printer to be displayed as selectable when the user accesses the Properties of a field. In most applications they are displayed and selectable from the Fonts drop-down menu.

7. If Permissions on the computer do not allow the driver to write in the Registry then the Command Fonts and/or Stocks Tabs in the driver dialogs will have buttons disabled. To change Command Fonts and Stocks, open the Printers folder the in Control Panel, select the printer and then open its "Printing Preferences". Then the user will be able to modify Command Fonts and Stocks. These properties are set per device and not per document.

8. When the passthrough start/end character combination includes the {} characters, data may not be passed through when using newer web browser versions including, but not limited to Internet Explorer®, Google Chrome™ and Firefox®. Use a start/end character combination that does not include {}.

9. The P4T and RP4T printers contain firmware supporting a subset of ZPL commands. As a result, when using the P4T or RP4T ZPL driver, some functionality in the tools section is not supported by the printer. The "Feed one label" option may not work and can be substituted by sending: ! U1 do “test.feed” “now”.

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Change Log

Release Date | Version | Changes
08 Jan 2010 | 2.0 | Initial release of new platform. New features include: Status Monitor For use with EPL and ZPL printers Optionally installable when using the PrnInst.exe utility Regularly checks printer status and displays an error message when an error occurs Advanced TCP Port Provides a defined TCP port type Tools tab: Simple method to send common printer commands. Send File and Send Command options. Supports all communication ports. Use Printer Settings" option on Advanced Setup tab: Allows user to configure driver to not send printer settings Inverse option on Advanced Setup tab: Allows user to cause the entire label to be printed in inverted format (white text on black background) Passthrough feature on Other Settings dialog: Allows user to create blocks of commands to be sent to the printer unchanged by the driver. Control Character Substitution on the Other Settings dialog: Allows the ZPL driver to use the internal characters for the Format (^) and Control (~) characters On-screen barcode rendering, display only for design purposes
08 Jul 2011 | 2.6.63.02 | Update Release Added support for the QLn Series and EZ 320 model. The Print Monitor will now be completed, even if the applicaiton is still running during the uninstall process. Memory Card options for G-Series printers have been expanded. Print positioning for EPL drivers in 180 degree rotated mode has been enhanced. Font and Graphic Downloader installation for R110Xi4 has been corrected. Set-Get-Do Commands formatting issues resolved. UI Language translations for the Printer Install Wizard and Status Monitor has been updated. Spooler interactions for USB connected printers have been improved to handle situations where the printer has been disconnected.
15 Aug 2011 | 2.6.63.06 | Update Release The "Send File" feature for Mobile printers has been corrected. The GX420s is now supported.
14 Sep 2011 | 2.6.63.12 | Update Release The "Send and Store" feature for Mobile printers has been corrected.
03 Jan 2012 | 2.6.67.03 | Update Release Corrected Russian translations. Improved handling of file headers in the 'Send and Store File in Printer' function. Added Stream option in advanced setup. Added support for the following printer models :- ZDesigner GC420d ZDesigner GC420d (EPL) ZDesigner GC420t ZDesigner GC420t (EPL) ZDesigner QLn220 (ZPL) ZDesigner QLn320 (ZPL) ZDesigner ZE500-4 LH-203dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-4 LH-300dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-4 RH-203dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-4 RH-300dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-6 LH-203dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-6 LH-300dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-6 RH-203dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZE500-6 RH-300dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZT210-200dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZT210-200dpi EPL ZDesigner ZT210-300dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZT220-200dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZT220-200dpi EPL ZDesigner ZT220-300dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZT230-200dpi ZPL ZDesigner ZT230-200dpi EPL ZDesigner ZT230-300dpi ZPL
02 Oct 2012 | 2.6.77.09 | Update Release Executable files are now signed with Zebra Technologies digital signature. Corrected an issue where the GK888t EPL driver could not be set for direct thermal mode. Corrected an issue where the GC420t EPL driver could not be set for thermal transfer mode. Corrected an issue where print jobs were deleted from the Windows print queue when an out of media condition occurred and USB communication was used. Added the following printer models:- 105SLPlus QLn420 iMZ220 iMZ320
25 Oct 2012 | 2.6.77.18 | Update Release Updates to be Windows 8 compatible. Corrected iMZ320 model name. The correct Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer options are now displayed for the following printer models :- GC420t ZPL GK888t ZPL LP2844 GX420s EPL GX420s HC100 Added the following printer models iMZ220 ZPL iMZ320 ZPL
11 Jun 2013 | 2.6.77.19 | Update Release Added the following printer models ZD500R-203dpi ZPL ZD500R-300dpi ZPL
10 Oct 2013 | 2.7.03.12 | Update Release Server 2012 is now supported. Users can now change languages settings if they have admin rights (applies to Windows 8 and Server 2012). Corrected an issue where Microsoft Access was reporting incorrect paper names when custom stocks were defined in the driver. User entered values are now validated against the fields range values. Corrected an issue in the ZM400 EPL driver that caused incorrect print positioning and font size printing. Corrected the maximum print width for the EZ320, MZ320 and iMZ320 printers. Added the following printer models ZE500R Series
07 Feb 2014 | 2.7.03.16 | Update Release Added the following printer models ZD500 ZT410 ZT410R ZT420 ZT420R Removed the following printer models that have past their Service & Support discontinuation date. 110 PAX3 170 PAX3 140 XiIII 170 XiIII 220 XiIII 2746e 90 XiIII 90 XiIII Plus 96 XiIII 96 XiIII Plus DA402 LP2824-Z R110 XiIII Plus R402 R4Mplus S400 S600 TA402 TLP2824-Z Z4M Z4Mplus Z6M Z6Mplus
24 Sep 2014 | 5.1.07.5146 | Update Release Corrected an issue where some labels in a batch did not print when printing via a network using the ZDesigner port monitor. Improved throughput performance when using USB and Link-OS printers. To improve throughput performance the 'Use ZIP Compression' setting is now enabled by default in all ZPL models. Corrected an issue where the spooler could resend firmware to the printer more than once during a firmware update. Corrected an issue where the driver was not installed in the selected language in the installation wizard. Corrected the maximum print speed settings for the ZT410 and ZT420 printers. Corrected the minimum label length for the ZT410 and ZT420 printers. The RFID option in the ZT410R and ZT420R is now enabled. Corrected an issue where no memory slot was available for selection in the Font Downloader when using ZD500, ZT410 or ZT420 printers. The PrnList.txt file has been removed from the distribution. Corrected the maximum print width in G-Series EPL and ZT-Series EPL drivers. To simplify Plug 'n' Play installations, the driver distribution now has a method to prepare the computer system by adding the driver to the computer's driver store. Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/end-support-help). This driver release aligns to that decision, with support for Windows XP having been removed. The prior version, 2.7.03.16, does support Windows XP and shall remain available on our website for download for an extended period of time. Version 2.7.03.16 is available ‘as is’. There is nothing implemented to prevent this driver from running on Windows XP. However, this and future versions are not tested on Windows XP. Added the following printer models: ZQ510 ZQ520 GT800 (300dpi)

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Technical Support

Worldwide Technical Support is available through your Reseller, or at: http://www.zebra.com/us/en/support-downloads.html
Zebra Technologies Corporation
International Headquarters
333 Corporate Woods Parkway
Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061-3109 USA
Phone: +1 847 913 2259
Fax: +1 847 913 2578

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Software Updates

ZDesigner Printer Drivers are frequently updated and modified to take advantage of new developments. Updated drivers will be available on our web site: http://www.zebra.com

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Zebra Technologies Corporation
© 2014 ZIH Corp. All rights reserved.