Printers

Any printer that has Windows drivers can be made compatible with the main DEACOM application and DEACOM’s Warehouse Management System. For DEACOM Mobile, Direct Store Delivery, WMS, and AutoFinisher, Zebra printers are recommended (specifically, models Zebra GK420 and Zebra ZT230). 

Barcodes may be printed on Report Layouts and Part Forms within DEACOM, both of which are designed in web versions using the Report Designer. Report Layouts are used to create various business documents such as invoices, batch tickets, bills of materials, and packing lists, whereas Part Forms are used to generate various sales, purchasing, and production labels.

Print Destinations allow companies to set the printers to which Part Forms and Report Layouts will print without requiring the user to select from a list. Print Destinations are also useful in situations where companies will have multiple printers associated to a production line or specific packaging area.

Because the DEACOM WMS application does not communicate directly with the printers but rather through the Operating System's Print Spooler Service, it is possible to use Bluetooth Printers with DEACOM. If the server or machine running the Automation Service has Bluetooth capability built in, and the printer is installed on this machine, then DEACOM should inherently be able to print to this device. If using mobile Bluetooth printers it is well advised to be within range of the host machine when attempting to print via a Bluetooth printer through the WMS application.

Configuration

  • Printers that will be accessed from the scanners or through web versions need to be installed on the machine that is running the WMS Automation Service or host console.
  • Printers that will be accessed from the classic application will need to be installed on the local machine running DEACOM.
  • The printer must be connected using a TCP port or LPR port if the LPD protocol has been enabled in Windows Features. 
  • Users must have ActiveX Controls registered to print to PDF and to e-mail.

Note: Beginning in version 17.02, and when printing to PDF, the system will select the PDF printer based on the below list, ordered by priority, with #1 being the top priority. Note that the names need to match exactly as indicated below as the application will look for the printer by name.

  • Microsoft Print to PDF
  • Deacom PDF Convertor 4
  • Deacom PDF Converter
  • Acrobat PDFWriter
  • Adobe PDF

Process

Configuring printers

Follow the steps listed, referencing the pages linked to install the desired printers.

Installing the PDF printer

DEACOM comes with a built-in PDF printer called the Deacom PDF Converter 4. Additionally, the Microsoft Print To PDF writer, Windows built-in PDF writer available to Windows 10 and Server 2016, is used by DEACOM versions released after 12/08/2017, if available on the computer. To use the Deacom PDF Converter 4 printer while using DEACOM classic or web versions, perform the following:

  1. Log in to the computer as an Admin user, preferably the Default Windows Admin.
  2. Close all applications on the computer.
  3. Register ActiveX Controls.
    • Ensure that all the OCX and BAT files are saved to both System32 and SysWOW64 before running the BAT files.
    • Make sure the BAT Files are right-clicked and installed as Admin.
  4. Install the PDF printer.
    1. Open the main DEACOM Production folder.
    2. Open the Controls folder.
    3. Locate and run the pdfinstall.bat file. An Amyuni Document Converter window will show the installation steps. There should be no errors. If there are errors, refer to the troubleshooting section below. Click OK.
      • Tip: If the pdfinstall.bat will not run, check to see if the user has administrative rights. Someone must log in as an admin and give the user temporary admin permissions. Then, log out and log back in as the user and re-run the PDF printer install program by right-clicking the pdfinstall.bat and selecting Run as administrator. Confirm that the user has the proper security settings (i.e. print, manage this printer, and manage documents) and that the printer is installed on the Null port. Lastly, log back in as the admin and remove the user’s temporary admin permissions.
  5. Once the installation is complete, a Deacom PDF Converter 4 printer will be available in the "Devices and Printers" on the computer. Make sure the PDF printer is not the default printer and check port settings if using a 64-bit computer. Important: Workstations that are 64-bit should install the printer on the Nul port.
    1. In "Devices and Printers", right-click on the Deacom PDF Converter 4 printer and select Printer Properties.
    2. Navigate to the Ports tab and ensure the NUL port is selected. If set to LTP1 port, change to Nul port.
  6. Install Ghostscript (https://ghostscript.com/releases/gsdnld.html), which is required in order to print PDF documents.
    • Note: The system contains error handling, informing users to download Ghostscript when printing PDFs, if they do not currently have it installed.
  7. Reboot the computer - this is essential to this entire process.
  8. Verify the process was successful - attempt to print to PDF and then to e-mail. If issues are still occurring, refer to the troubleshooting section below.
    • Note: There are known issues with 64-bit Outlook and the print to e-mail function in DEACOM. Since this function uses a 32-bit PDF driver, 64-Bit Outlook will have problems opening when printing to e-mail.

Installing ZPL printers

To print to Zebra printers, perform the following:

  1. Plug the printer into the computer. This action should automatically install the device on most Windows computers. This should be done on the server on which the Automation Service is running.
  2. Set the Printer to print by Mark or Black Mark (they mean the same thing) if using labels with black marks on the back, which most do.
  3. Download Zebra Setup Utilities - https://www.zebra.com/us/en/products/software/barcode-printers/zebralink/zebra-setup-utility.html.
  4. Enable ZPL print mode if using the ZPL language. Line print is for the Report Designer Part Forms and DSD printouts.

Notes regarding ZPL printers:

  • The Zebra QLN420 Mobile Printer is recommended.
  • Zebra printers may also be installed as DEACOM Local printers.
  • Useful sites and tips for designing ZPL labels are available via the Creating Barcodes page.
  • DEACOM does not support the printing of labels smaller then 4"x6"; Therefore, warehouse inventory labels should be no less than 4"x6". Please contact Deacom Support for additional information when labels smaller than 4"x6" are necessary, such as when labeling samples or test tubes.

Printing from the main DEACOM application

When using DEACOM web versions, to print to the printer on the server running the services, the printer must be visible under “Devices and Printers” on the machine running the services. To print to a local printer, install DEACOM Local. Additionally, the vcredist_2008_32.exe and/or the vcredist_2008_64.exe files must be installed from the main DEACOM Production folder. After installation, reboot the server or computer and users will be able to print Report Layouts and Part Forms while using web versions.

When using DEACOM classic versions, to view a list of available printers, click the Start button on the computer and open "Devices and Printers". If a printer is visible, DEACOM will be able to print to that printer.

Printing to E-mail

The Print to Email function works differently in classic and web versions.

In classic, when there is no OS/DEACOM conflict (refer to the Troubleshooting section below for more information), printing to e-mail should be seamless and accomplished by selecting the "Print to" of "Email" in DEACOM. When this is selected as the print destination, the print job is sent to the appropriate PDF writer where it then hands off the printed PDF to Outlook as an attachment on the e-mail. This means two things. The user must have Outlook installed on the PC they are printing to e-mail from and if they are using the Deacom PDF Converter 4, they must have Outlook installed as the 32-bit version. Amyuni drivers (used by the Deacom PDF Converter 4) cannot communicate to 64-bit programs and will not work with Outlook 64-bit installations.

In web, Outlook does not need to be installed on the PC from which e-mail is being sent; The PDF simply generates within the web application and attaches itself to the internal e-mail system within the web app and sends from there.

Printing from WMS scanners

Printers that will be accessed from the WMS scanners need to be installed on the machine that is running the Automation Service or host console. Printing labels from WMS requires Microsoft Office and necessary barcode fonts to be installed on the machine running the WMS service or host console.

Note: If running in Windows 2008 Server 64-bit, the following directories will have to be added in order to enable printing:

  • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop
  • C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

Printing from Mobile and Direct Store Delivery

To print from the Mobile and DSD applications, a Bluetooth printer must be paired with each device using the application via Bluetooth connection on the device setup.

Setting system printing defaults

Print Destinations allow companies to set the printers to which Report Layouts and Part Forms will print without requiring the user to select from a list. Print Destinations are also useful in situations where companies will have multiple printers associated to a production line or specific packaging area.

In the main application

For the main DEACOM application, certain printing aspects can be defined via DEACOM's System > Options > Documents tab.

  • Define the appropriate printer - The network printer that should be used when printing.
  • Specify desired "Doc Resolution" - DPI setting that will be used when rendering/printing documents.
  • Define PDF printing margins using the "PDF Printer X Margin" and "PDF Printer Y Margin" fields.

Additionally, users may choose to set the default printer for their current DEACOM session. This is done in File > Settings using the "Print To" and "Printer" fields. If their User profile has the "Retain Printer Selection After Logout" flag checked, the system will save the selected printer settings in a cookie and reload it on their next login, as long as they are using the same browser.

Lastly, specific Print Destinations can be set based on document (on individual Report Layouts and/or Part Forms) and/or based on location (on Facilities and Shop Areas). Then, when printing Part Forms or Reports Layouts the system will check to see if the "Print Destination" field for these forms and records are populated and use the appropriate hierarchy to determine the printer to which documents will be sent.

On WMS scanners

The default printer on the workstation that is running the Automation Service will be the default printer on the scanner connected to the Service, however the scanner’s default printer can be changed using the “Change Printer” menu option when logged into the DEACOM Warehouse Management System. A member of the IT department should be able to provide a list of printers available to the scanners.

Additionally, default printers may be set on DEACOM User profiles via the "WMS Printer" pick list. The "None" option may be used to allow users to move to different locations in a warehouse or plant and select different printers on the scanner without being restricted to the printer set on their user record in the system.

On the AutoFinisher

To print from the AutoFinisher application, define the desired "Lot Label Printer" and "Pallet Label Printer" on the System Setup tab of the application.

Troubleshooting printing issues

Troubleshooting PDF printing issues

Beginning in version 14.2.96 of DEACOM, w hen running on Windows 10 PCs, the Microsoft Print to PDF printer is now the preferred printer, when available, instead of the Deacom PDF Converter. Users will not need to make any changes. The system will check to see if the Microsoft Print to PDF printer is available when users attempt to print to PDF or e-mail in DEACOM.

The steps below are still applicable when using versions before 14.2.96 and in situations where certain versions of Windows 7 or 8 are used.

As a failsafe, or if errors were encountered when following the steps detailed in the "Installing the PDF printer" section above, perform the following:

  1. Log in to the computer as an Admin user, preferably the Default Windows Admin.
  2. Close all applications on the computer.
  3. Un-install any existing Deacom PDF printers.
    • From within the DEACOM Production\Controls folder, uninstall all Deacom PDF printers using the install –u “Deacom PDF Converter 4” command from an administrator command prompt. Tip for getting into the Production folder from command prompt: Use cd /D J: (Whatever your mapped DEACOM drive letter is, such as J:) to get into the mapped DEACOM drive.
  4. Confirm printer(s) are no longer listed in the computer's "Devices and Printers" - use F5 to refresh the screen if necessary. Repeat step 3 if there are more than one Deacom PDF printer or Amyuni printer in the "Devices and Printers" area.
  5. Register ActiveX Controls. If there are issues:
    1. Try running the mscomctl.bat and msmapi32.bat files through the File Explorer using the UNC patch such as \\Deacom rather than through the mapped drive such as M:
    2. If there are issues running the .bat files, run an administrator command prompt and type cd C:\windows\system32.
    3. Then type regsvr32 mscomctl.ocx and click Enter. Do this for the rest of the ActiveX files as well as for the SYSWOW64 folder on 64 bit machines.
    4. To get to the SYSWOW64 folder, type cd C:\windows\syswow64.
  6. Re-install the PDF printer.
    1. Open the main DEACOM Production folder.
    2. Copy the Controls folder to the computer's local C:\ drive.
    3. Install using a command prompt. Change directory to the new location for Controls C:\Controls (type cd C:\Controls)– run the command install “Deacom PDF Converter 4”.
  7. Once the installation is complete, a Deacom PDF Converter 4 printer will be available in the "Devices and Printers" on the computer. Make sure the PDF printer is not the default printer, check port settings if using a 64-bit computer (Important: Workstations that are 64-bit should install the printer on the Nul port.), and ensure the correct driver is installed. To perform these checks, right-click on the Deacom PDF Converter 4 printer and select Printer Properties.
    • Check printer default settings - Windows 10 has an option that sets the default printer to be the last printer used. This should be turned off. To turn it off, navigate to Printers and Scanners. Find the option "Let Windows manage my default printer" and slide it to off. Unset Deacom PDF Converter 4 as the default printer, if it is set as default.
    • Check port - Navigate to the Ports tab and ensure the NUL port is selected. If set to LTP1 port, change to Nul port.
    • Check driver - Navigate to the Advance tab and verify that the driver points to "Amyuni Document Converter 400".
  8. Confirm users have the proper security settings on the Deacom PDF Converter 4 printer, including "Manage this printer" and "Manage documents":
    1. Open the Registry by clicking Start and searching for Regedit, then right-click and run as Admin.
    2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\Software.
    3. Right-click the HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\Software\Deacom PDF Converter 4 key and select Permissions.
    4. Grant Full Control to all users in the list.
    5. Add a user of Everyone and grant full permissions.
  9. Reboot the computer - this is essential to this entire process.
  10. Verify the process was successful - attempt to print to PDF and then to e-mail. If issues are still occurring, please contact Deacom Support.

Troubleshooting WMS printing issues

  • If experiencing issues printing from the WMS Automation Service, run as a console to verify that printing works with that setup. If printing from the console works, the service needs to be run from a user with the correct permissions. 
  • Attempt to print the label through the WMS from the computer that is running the DEACOM Automation Service and see if the problem persists.
  • Try to print the Part Form to a PDF from the main application rather than a physical printer. This will determine if the problem is caused by the printer or is an issue that needs to be addressed by DEACOM.
  • Check the size of the temp folder on the computer running the DEACOM Automation Service to ensure that enough space is available to store the temporary MS Word document that is generated when printing Part Forms.
  • Validate that the Automation Service has not run away with memory by starting the Task Manager and checking the Processes tab.

Troubleshooting ZPL printing issues

Since there are several different Zebra models, drivers, and related printing software, the list below provides general guidelines. Users may have to try a few different settings to ensure the best match for their specific printer model/setup. On the computer, open "Devices and Printers", right-click on the Zebra printer, click Printer Properties, and check the following:

  • On the General tab, check "Printing Preferences" and ensure the paper size is set appropriately (2 x 3, 4 x 6, etc.) and that the page orientation is set to the best option for the specified printer (Landscape or Portrait).
  • On the Advanced tab, check "Printing Defaults" and ensure the paper size is set appropriately (2 x 3, 4 x 6, etc.) and that the page orientation is set to the best option for the specified printer (Landscape or Portrait).
  • On the Printer Settings tab, ensure the "Always use drivers settings" flag is unchecked. If this flag is checked, it may cause issues when attempting to print a quantity of labels greater than 1.
  • On the "DEACOM Automation Service.exe", right-click to display the Properties form, click the Log On tab and uncheck the "Allow service to interact with desktop" flag.

Troubleshooting various errors

Error

Troubleshooting Tips

Printer not activated, error code – 30

Check that the printer is online and try again.

These are the most common errors seen with the PDF writer and essentially mean the user cannot reach the printer. These errors will occur if everything was done right but one step was missed in installation, or if nothing was done whatsoever.

Error code - 30 will always occur when trying to print a test page to Deacom PDF Converter 4 or when printing from any other application to that printer – so these should not be taken as a sign of a specific issue.

If these errors occur, it is best to start from the beginning of the installation.

Printer not activated, error code – 41

Printer error - 1958

Fatal Error: Exception Code=C0000005 @ mm/dd/yyyy. Error log file.....

This error is generated by Windows and could stem from any number of issues.

If encountered while printing, ensure the latest printer drivers are installed.

Printer setup failed, Error Code: 1722

Ensure (1) RPC and Printer Spooler services are running and (2) there are no jobs stuck in the Print Spooler.If one or more jobs are stuck, delete the job(s) and try installing the printer.

Remove any existing PDF printers that could be preventing access to RPC service.

Please Note: Unable to set the printer to 'Deacom PDF converter' in Word.

Ensure the Deacom PDF Converter 4 is not set as the default printer (1) for DEACOM in File > Settings, (2) for the Part Form or Report Layout, or (3) for Windows.

PDFs are printing as Text files

Re-install the PDF writer entirely.

LSE Referencing that the PDF File is in use and will not print

This is a result of Windows 1709. The issue is caused by the Archive function on the report in DEACOM. This is currently only resolved in 14.10.128 (05/24/2018) and is set to be resolved in the next 14.9.99 as well.

Either there is no default mail client or the current mail client cannot fill the messaging request. Please run Microsoft Outlook and set is as the default mail client.

This is a result of having a 64-bit Outlook installation on the PC where the Amyuni driver cannot communicate. Typically, when someone purchases Office, they are able to access both 32-bit and 64-bit installers. Re-install Outlook/Office as 32-bit. Even though the program is 32-bit, the computer does not have to have a 32-bit OS. 32-bit applications can be installed to 64-bit or 32-bit OS, so there should be no complaints.

File Load Error when printing from the web version

Install the vcredist_2008_32.exe and/or the vcredist_2008_64.exe from the DEACOM Production folder and reboot the server or computer.
When printing to a DEACOM Local printer:

Error while printing: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe', at System.IO._Error.WinIO(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullpath)....

Ensure Acrobat Reader is installed correctly. If it is installed correctly and users continue to receive the error, try re-installing Acrobat Reader.

FAQ & Diagnostic Tips

Tip: After installing the PDF printer, confirm you can Print to PDF before trying to print to Email.

Tip: If recipients of e-mail PDF documents cannot view the PDF, if there is garbage on the document, or if information is missing, this could be because most fonts are not embedded with the PDF until version 14.1.95. Make sure the client has the fonts used in the document installed on their machine. Workarounds for this issue include changing the fonts used in the Report Layouts to more common fonts like Arial or Veranda.

Tip: In web versions, when printing PDFs or to Email for Sales, Purchasing, or Job reports and labels, the order number is appended at the end of the file name.

When will I use Deacom PDF Converter 4 vs Microsoft Print To PDF?

Before 10/17/2017 there were no real differences between OS and how they handled the Deacom PDF Converter 4, every OS worked the same. On 10/17/2017 the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (KB4043961) happened. This update is an entirely new version of Windows 10 - version 1709. This version of Windows can no longer communicate with the Amyuni drivers which the Deacom PDF Converter 4 relies on and will not work. To correct this, builds of DEACOM cut after 12/08/2017 will utilize the ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’ printer when available.

  • DEACOM PDF Converter 4 will be used with Windows 7, Windows 8, Server 2008, 2008 R2, Server 2012 and will work with, but is not required for: Server 2016 (not 1709), Windows 10 (not 1709).
  • Microsoft Print to PDF will be used with Windows 10 (1709+) & Server 2016 (1709+).

What can I do if I am running Windows 1709 with an older version of DEACOM?

Since the Amyuni driver is only compatible with specific OS, you may run into a conflict where the user is on a build of Windows 10/Server 2016 Version 1709 but are not on a release of DEACOM from after 12/08/2017. If this is the case, then the user needs to use a manual workaround until they can update.

  • Printing a PDF: Print > Select: Printer > Microsoft Print to PDF
  • Printing to E-mail: Print > Select: Printer > Microsoft Print to PDF > Print your document > You then need to send an e-mail manually and attach this document.

How can I verify my Windows version?

On Windows 10, open Start Menu > Settings > System > About – At the bottom you will see the version.

Why can I not see my printer on the scanner?

Printers that the scanners use must be installed on the computer that is running the Automation Service or console. Confirm with your IT department that the printer is installed.

I just updated my printer settings and DEACOM prints correctly from the desktops, but my scanners do not print with the new printer settings.

If you are running the application host as a service, you need to stop the service and re-start it for the printer settings to take effect for the scanners to use the new printer settings.

My label printer is cutting off the top of my label.

Check printer default settings. If printer was moved, default printer settings must be reset on the new computer.

When printing labels on a Zebra printer I am receiving text fragments and incomplete information scrambled across the label.

Try the following:

  1. Download, install, and run Zebra Setup Utilities (Google Drive).
  2. Select Printer and choose Open Communication with printer.
  3. Enter the following text, ! U1 setvar "device.languages" "zpl", in the top window and then press the Enter key on keyboard.
  4. Click the "Send to Printer" button.
  5. Verify that the language is ZPL by entering the following text, ! U1 setvar "device.languages" "zpl", in the top window and then press Enter on keyboard.
  6. Test printing again.

An extra label is printing each time I print when using the Zebra Model Zebra QLn420 printer. What is causing this?

This occurs if the driver is the "ZDesigner QLn420 (ZPL)" driver. Switch the driver over to "ZDesigner QLn420 (CPCL)", and the issue seems to resolve.