Configure or Modify Basic ZDesigner Driver Version 8 Settings

This article provides the steps to configure or modify the basic ZDesigner driver version 8 settings.

Issue / Question

How do I configure or modify the basic ZDesigner driver version 8 settings?

Applicable To

ZDesigner Driver version 8 (does not apply to ZP-Series, ZQ110, EM220, EM220II Printer Models)

Resolution / Answer

NOTE ZDesigner Driver does not apply to Card Printers and it is only for Zebra Label Printers.

NOTE Your printer may not support or show all fields displayed in these example screenshots. These screenshots show the ZDesigner driver version 8. If you have the ZDesigner driver version 5, refer to this article: Configure or Modify Basic ZDesigner Driver Version 5 Settings.

Procedure:

1. Find your printer in your Windows printer folder, select the printer, right-mouse-click, and select Printing Preferences.
2. Select the Page Setup.

NOTE  From this page you can print the printer test page using the blue button Print test page.

3. Set the Width and Height of your labels (the default setting is in inches). To change from inches to centimeters or millimeters, click Units, andselect the required unit.
4. Select Media Type. For more information regarding your media, refer to Identify Type of Media.

• Labels with gaps (if you are using media with gaps, notches, or holes between labels to detect the top of the form).
• Continuous labels (if you are using media without gaps, notches, and holes, or one continuous form).
• Labels with black marks (if you are using media that has black marks on the backside).
• Tags with side notches (if you are using media with notches on the side).

5. Click Rotation and select the image orientation (0° Portrait, 90° Landscape, 180° Portrait,  270° Landscape). You can check the image in the Print Preview in the right upper corner.
6. If you flag the Mirror label box, you can modify the formatted image as if viewed in a mirror.

7. If you flag Inverse, the label appears as white over black or black over white. 
8. To save the settings click Apply and OK buttons on the bottom.

 Select the Print Options:

1. Speed: The slowest speed at which the print quality is user acceptable is recommended. If you will want to set the speed using centimeters, or millimeters in a sec, you can click Unit again to select the required unit.
2.  Darkness: you can select between 0 and 30, recommended darkness for the new printer is 15.
3. Printing mode:

• Thermal Transfer: Printing with ribbon on the thermal transfer paper.
• Thermal Direct: Printing on heat-sensitive paper (no ribbon used). 

You can determine the right media option via the scratch test. The video demonstrates how to differentiate between Thermal Transfer and Direct Thermal labels:

4. Adjust Offsets:  

• Top: This modifies the default vertical image start position, to compensate for differences between the printer top of the form. 
• Left Position: This modifies the horizontal position of the image placement. (left or right position when viewing the label after printing).

5. Select the Advanced settings tab to set Backfeed, Pause, Control Characters, and RTC refresh (Real-Time Clock refresh).

Pause:

• No Pause: Normal default setting.
• After Label: The printer will go into a Pause state requiring users, or system intervention, to print the next label.
• After Job:  A Pause will occur after batch printing requiring users or system intervention to print the next label.
• After Interval: Sets the Pause state after the selected number of labels are printed.

Backfeed 

• Default: Backfeeds before printing the label. 
• No backfeed: Prevents backfeed after a label is printed. 
• Before printing: The label backfeeds before it starts the next print cycle.
• After printing: The printer will backfeed immediately after printing a label.

6. You can flag the box Cancel all current and queued printing documents to cancel the printing.
7. You can also Enable passthrough mode if you flag the box.
8. To save the settings click Apply and OK buttons on the bottom.

Select Operation Mode:
 

• Tear-Off: Gap or Notch will stop resting at the printer tear bar.
• Peel-Off: Used if the printer has a peel or label presentation sensor. The label will feed to the peel bar and hold the position until the label sensor detects the label was removed.
• Cutter: Sets the printer for the cut mode, cutting after each label is printed. Use the Group Quantity value along with Cutter to set the number of labels printed before the cut.
• Delayed cut: The printer waits for a delayed cut ZPL command (~JK) before it cuts the last printed label.
• Rewind: Eliminates the backfeed and is typically used when the printer has the Rewind Spindle Option.

Linerless media does not use the backing to keep the layers of labels on a roll from sticking to one another. It is wound like a roll of tape, with the sticky side of one layer in contact with the non-stick surface of the one below it. Individual labels may be separated by perforations, or they can be cut apart. Because there is no liner, more labels can potentially fit on a roll, cutting down the need to change media as often. Linerless media is considered an environmentally friendly option because no backing is wasted, and the cost per label can be considerably less than that of standard labels. The operational modes are:

• Linerless Peel: Additional to the Peel performance described above, the printer considers that the user has loaded Linerless Media (no wax backing paper) to the printer.
• Linerless Cut: Additional to the Cut performance, the printer considers that the user has loaded Linerless Media (no wax backing paper) to the printer.
• Linerless Delayed cut: Additional to the Delayed cut performance, the printer considers that the user has loaded Linerless Media (no wax backing paper) to the printer.
• Linerless Rewind: Additional to the Rewind performance, the printer considers that the user has loaded Linerless Media (no wax backing paper) to the printer.
• Linerless Tear: Additional to the Tear-Off performance, the printer considers that the user has loaded Linerless Media (no wax backing paper) to the printer.
• Applicator:  For printers equipped with an applicator board to synchronize printing with control device signaling.
• To save the settings click Apply and OK buttons on the bottom.

NOTE  The Linerless Media Tear-Off and Cutter options operate like the standard media printers. These options include an additional sensor to detect when a printed and presented label is taken from the printer.

Select Graphic Options:

• Dithering:  common use of dither is converting a grayscale image to black and white such that the density of black dots in the new image approximates the average gray level in the original.
• Clipart: eliminates dithering, the printed image is darker.
• To save the settings click Apply and OK buttons on the bottom.

Select Maintenance, if you need:

• To default the printer > click the Reset to default settings button.
• To calibrate > click Calibrate media button
• To set the printer to the computer’s clock > click Synchronize Real-Time Clock (RTC) button.
• To save the settings click Apply and OK buttons on the bottom.

• If you want to know the Driver Version, click the Help and About button
• After making your changes, select Apply.