Description
To Set up Tasklet PrintNode to print Standard Label Reports (Report Print) requires a detailed configuration.
This guide is made for the Tasklet PrintNode connector, but most topics can be relevant for other connectors as well.
Typical issues
How do I change the settings for my PrintNode printers?
Please see Set up Tasklet PrintNode
Incorrect settings (like height or width) retrieved from PrintNode on the Tasklet PrintNode Printer Setting page?
Using lookup in the Paper Size field and selecting a paper size results in retrieving the Height and Width from PrintNode.
If the Height or Width doesn't match the used label, you will need to ensure the PrintNode service on the print server gets the correct settings.
The PrintNode service is normally logging in as LocalSystem. To change the printer settings for LocalSystem we suggest one of these solutions:
Change the Printing Default for all users on the printer server (the server with the PrintNode service installed):
Click Start → Settings → Printers & Scanners
Click your printer, then click Manage
Click Printer properties
Go to the Advanced tab
Click Printing Defaults
Change your settings
- Click Ok
Change the "Log on as" for the PrintNode service to a normal account and change the settings for this account
- Log into Windows using the desired account
Open Start → Settings → Printers & Scanners
Click your printer, then click Manage
Click Printing Preferences
Change your settings
Click Start → Settings → Services
Right-click the PrintNode service and, then click Properties
- Go to Log On tab , then click This account
Fill the account name and password (twice)
Click Ok
After having changed the service or printer settings, you will need to restart the PrintNode service for the changes to take effect.
Please lookup the paper size again in the Tasklet PrintNode Printer Setting window and ensure the values are correct.
It might take a few minutes for PrintNode to refresh the printer settings if you have a lot of printers.
Why does my Zebra Printer have different settings after having tried Report Print?
Printing via a Windows driver (e.g. using a PrintNode connector) can overwrite the printer's own settings. You must therefore ensure the settings in the printer and Windows printer driver are identical. For Zebra label printers, please see details here: https://supportcommunity.zebra.com/s/article/Printer-Settings-Change-When-I-Print-a-Label
How are the Paper Size and the Height and Width fields used?
When a report is printed to a Tasklet PrintNode printer BC is instructed to create an internal PDF file with the Height and Width defined in Printer Settings. These are the only parameters from the printer settings that are used for the PDF creation and are placed in the Page section of the Printer Settings page.
Next, the PDF is sent to PrintNode with additional printer settings. This includes the Printer ID but also the Paper Type, Paper Tray, and Paper Rotation (if not automatic). These fields are all placed in the Paper section. The width and height are never sent to PrintNode but are indirectly specified in the PDF file.
If for instance, you increase the height and width directly without changing the Paper Size field the result depends on the printer. Some printers scale the PDF to the actual paper size, resulting in a smaller output on the paper. Other printers might try to print the full-size PDF using multiple pages.
If for instance, the paper tray does not match the paper size, some printers ask the user at the printer which tray to use but other printers ignore the paper tray and other printers ignore the paper size.
Similarly, the Paper Rotation setting can be interpreted differently. Many printers treat 270 degrees as 90 degrees and 180 degrees as 0 degrees.
This hopefully explains why you might experience unexpected behavior when changing printer settings and why it might require some trial and error before the printer settings result in the desired output.