Support Notes: MYOB Retail POS
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  • Setting up and troubleshooting docket printers in RetailBasics

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ANSWER ID:11149

This support note is aimed at simplifying the setup of docket printer within RetailBasics as well as providing some tips on overcoming printing issues and errors. Our support note Docket Printer Setup and Troubleshooting - printer setup in RetailManager has information on the setup and troubleshooting of Point of Sale (POS) hardware in RetailManager.

 

UI Expand
title1. Check your printer's connection type

The first step in setting up your docket printer is to establish how it connects to your computer; that is, does it use a Serial (COM), Parallel (LPT) or USB connection? Your computer will have ports laid out in a similar fashion to what is shown below:

 

Note the connection type of your printer and the port number that it will plug into. If you are using a USB connected docket printer, our support note Setting up a USB docket printer has information on how to setup these types of printers.

If your docket printer is connected to a Serial (COM) or Parallel (LPT) port, you do not need to install a printer driver; RetailBasics will communicate with the printer without it. Printer drivers for these types of printers can often conflict with RetailBasics and cause the printer not to work.

UI Expand
title2. Set your docket printer hardware options
  1. In RetailBasics, go to the Admin menu and choose Setup and Maintenance.
  2. Select Hardware Maintenance then choose the docket printer option. The following window will be displayed:
  3. Select the Model of your docket printer and choose the Port which it is connected to. These two options will often be enough to get a response from the printer. Depending on the printer model selected the Hex Commands in the Advanced Settings for the Paper Cutter and Printing Colour fields may be void. These Hex Commands tell your printer to perform a certain function. If these fields are void or your printer model is not listed, you will need to consult your printer documentation for the correct Commands.
  4. Click Test docket printer.
  5. If the printer does not respond or test properly, follow through with the setup tips below:

Perform a printer self-test

You can get your printer to perform a self-test as follows:

  1. Turn the docket printer off then press and hold the printers' paper feed key.
  2. While your finger is still on the feed key, switch the docket printer back on. A test page should print out.

A successful printer self-test will print the printers specific settings such as the connection type, buffer level and other details. Take note of these details. If the self test did not print or printed unreadable / garbled text, the printer is likely to be faulty; consult your printer vendor for repair or replacement. 

Check the Serial (COM) Port Settings in RetailBasics

If your printer is a Serial (COM) Printer, the Advanced Settings window will display serial docket printer settings:

  1. Match these settings to that which printed on the printer self-test (they are also likely to be specified within your printer's documentation).
  2. The last option in this screen, the Flow Control, should be set to Hardware for most printers and the Hardware Control set to DSR. A small number of printers will use the Xon/Xoff Flow Control setting. See your printers documentation for correct settings for your docket printer.
  3. Test the changes by clicking Test docket printer or printing a Sale. 

Check the Serial (COM) Port Settings in Windows Device Manager

A similar set of Serial (COM) port options can be found in your windows Device Manager. These also should match the correct settings for your printer.

  1. Open the Device Manager window:
    1. Simultaneously press the Windows and Pause keys on your keyboard (the Windows key is between the Ctrl and Alt keys).
    2. Click Device Manager in the left-hand panel.
  2.  Locate the Ports (COM & LPT) option, then double-click the port number your printer is connected to. The Communications Port (COMx) Properties window appears.
  3. Click the Port Settings tab. The serial port settings are displayed.
  4. Match the settings to the correct settings for your printer, then click OK. The correct Serial Port settings for your printer can be found within your printer's documentation or by performing a printer self-test (see above).
  5. Test the printer once again in RetailBasics. 

Install and test a Generic Printer Driver

Our support note Setting up RetailManager on a Windows XP network has detailed instructions on setting up and testing a Generic / Text only printer driver in Windows XP. Our support note Installing a generic text only printer driver (Windows 7 or Vista) may also help.

UI Expand
title3. Set your printing options

In addition to the docket printer hardware options, there are printing options which can also affect what transactions you print and how which printer they are printed to.

To check these options:

  1. Go to the Admin menu and choose Customise Settings then Printing.
  2. Depending on your individual preference, set the options in this screen to prompt or print accordingly.
UI Expand
titleDocket printer troubleshooting
IssueSolution
My printer responds to a test in the Hardware options, but won't print a sales docket. How can I fix this?

This may be due to either Hardware or Printing options not being effected by the program. Often refreshing one or more of these settings will get the printer working.

Some simple setting refresh tips include:

  1. Switch the printer off, then on again.
  2. Set the printer model in RetailBasics to nothing (that is the blank field which appears at the top of the model selection list).
  3. Click OK, then reselect your printer model.
  4. Restart your computer.
My printer is printing garbled/unreadable text. How do I fix this?

This is an indication that the printer may be faulty.

To determine whether the problem is with the printer or elsewhere, follow these suggestions:

  1. Perform a printer self-test (see above). If the self-test is ok, then try the next step. If the printer still prints in garbled/unreadable text, then it is likely to be faulty; please consult your printer vendor.
  2. Print a test page in Windows. If the test page prints ok, then try the next step. If the test prints garbled/unreadable text, then it may be a problem with the printer, the port that it is connected to or the cable used to connect it. Connect the printer to an alternate Port (perhaps even on another computer) and if possible using an alternate cable. If the printer still won't print properly, then it is likely to be faulty; please consult your printer vendor.
  3. If you are using a Serial (COM) Port docket printer, check your port settings in RetailBasics and in the Windows Device Manager (see above).
  4. Refresh the docket printer options (see above).

If the printer does not print successfully after all of these suggestions have been tried, then the printer is likely to be faulty; please consult your printer vendor.

My printer is not automatically cutting off dockets after they print. How can I fix this?

The Hex Command to enable the printer's Paper Cutter feature may not be enabled. In order for this feature to work, it requires that the printer actually have a Paper Cutter built into it.

  1. Select the option to Activate the Paper Cutter. You can, if you wish, also adjust the Lines to advance before cut option (increasing the number of lines will feed more paper after a sale is printed).
  2. The Hex Commands to activate this feature may appear in the Half Cut or Full Cut fields or both. If no Hex Commands are displayed, then consult your printer's documentation for the correct commands.
  3. Select the appropriate cut option for your printer then click Test docket printer.

If your printer does not cut the paper after setting these options, the Paper Cutter Hex Command entered may not be the correct one for your printer. Consult your printer's documentation for the correct cut commands.


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titleRelated topics
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Retail user guides

Docket Printer Setup and Troubleshooting - RetailManager

Setting up RetailManager on a Windows XP network

Installing a generic text only printer driver (Windows 7 or Vista)

 

 

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