CompuServe Thread

#Printing Labels

7 messages in this thread
#182589From: Dana O'ConnorJan 20, 1995 6:16 PM
I need some information about printing labels and envelopes. I have an A3000 with a HP LaserJet 4MP printer. The softeware that came with the printer is PC based. Do I need this software and is it available for the Amiga? Is it possible to print one lable at a time? Can you run a sheet of labels through the printer more than one time? What is the best way to set up to print labels? I have PageStream3 and FinalWriter3, but neither seem to give any information on these subjects. Hopefully someone can give me some suggestions. Thanks Dana on AutoPilot from Los Angeles
#182624From: Carson TylerJan 21, 1995 1:15 AM
Dana, I have an A2000 and an HP4MP that I have some experience with, so perhaps I can be of some help. The software that came with your printer won't be of much use, and as far as I know there isn't the equivalent for the Amiga with this printer. Fortunately, you don't need it. Amigas don't speak the right language for HP printers but it doesn't matter. The Amiga outputs everything to the printer in a graphic file, whether it's text or pictures or whatever. The printer thinks it's getting a graphic, and outputs what it gets, perfectly. Just set your default printer prefs from Workbench to Postscript.printer (assuming your printer includes the postscript option), or select HPLJ4 or other HP Laser Jet driver instead. I use PageStream2.2, and downloaded the HPLJ4 driver off of a BBS somewhere. PS3.0 may well include it. Have a look in your drivers drawer and find out. I have my HP set to the defaults it came out of the box with, and it works great, although it prints somewhat slowly if you feed it large files. Of course, you'll need to hook it up to your parallel port, and specify the printer prefs in PageStream. As for labels, lots of DataBase-type programs available commercially and in the libraries here on CIS and on BBS's have built-in templates for label output. There's also several files here you can DL that are PageStream templates for labels that someone was thoughtful enough to upload. Just DL the catalog from the DTP library and browse it. I'll bet you find one that will suit you. Careful with labels and the 4MP though. This printer gets a bit fussy if you feed it strange things. Make sure the labels (Avery are good) are designed for laser printers, and set the printer from within PageStream for MANUAL feed. Don't fill the tray with labels and try to auto feed them. The right label template will let you print 3-up or 4-up sheets (three or four labels across) all in one go. Bit why you'd want to run the sheets through more than once is beyond me. I wouldn't try it, since the heat the printer generates can do funny things to label stickum. As I said, Dbase programs (TeleBASE for one) usually include label and envelope printing routines and set ups. Get a good one and go for it! Besta Luck, CarsonT
#182696From: Dana O'ConnorJan 21, 1995 4:29 PM
Carson, Thanks for all your information. I'll try your suggestions this week. The reason I wanted to put the sheets through more than once is because I am likely to only need one label to one address at a time. I can print out sheets of labels with my address on them but I will still need to hand address them, which is no big deal but I just wanted to know if it was possible to it all in the printer. Thanks again. Dana on AutoPilot from Los Angeles
#182660From: Don BrownJan 21, 1995 10:05 AM
PageStream3 has templates for more than 50 styles of Avery label sheets. Run PageStream, choose execute Arexx macro from the Macros menu, choose Open Template.rexx. Then choose Avery Labels from the list that appears. You will get a list of Avery label styles. Pick the one you want, and a document will open with the labels displayed. Fill in the info, and print as usual. Don …via AutoPilot
#182716From: Dana O'ConnorJan 21, 1995 9:27 PM
Don, I followed your advice as follows: >>PageStream3 has templates for more than 50 styles of Avery label sheets. Run PageStream, choose execute Arexx macro from the Macros menu, choose Open Template.rexx. Then choose Avery Labels from the list that appears. You will get a list of Avery label styles. Pick the one you want, and a document will open with the labels displayed. Fill in the info, and print as usual.<< Everything goes fine until I get to the part about "template.rexx". I don't have that file. I have a drawer called "TemplateData". When I open that drawer there is a list of data files. One of them is called "AveryLabels.data". When I click on that file the screen flashes and that is all that happens. I believe that I have the most up to date version of PS3.0 but who knows. I've installed 3.0d but I may have missed one of the 3.0b files. It is difficult to know. Ofcourse it wouldn't be if SoftLogik would have released a finished version of 3.0 instead of a half assed version. Do you have any more suggestions? Thanks Dana on AutoPilot from Los Angeles
#182854From: Christopher TolmieJan 23, 1995 12:54 AM
Dana, "Everything goes fine until I get to the part about "template.rexx". I don't have that file." That's because it isn't called "template.rexx". It is called OpenTemplate.rexx. 🙂 I tried it out and there are quite a few Avery templates in the list. You don't have to select execute ARexx macro either. The menu item is right there under the macro menu. OPEN TEMPLATE. It brings up the same requester as template.rexx. Christopher
#182712From: Terry GriderJan 21, 1995 8:24 PM
Hi Dana, I have an HP 4M+ which I believe is very similar. I print both labels and envelopes on my printer from the single sheet feeder although the labels are for VHS tape faces which I get from UAL and there are 10 to a sheet. I just set up 10 labels on a page but they are all the same. I realize you may be doing mailing labels and would want data merged from a file. I have no experience with this, sorry. You can feed sheets though multiple times, at least I haven't had any problems doing it. The envelopes work ok except for some reason I have to adjust everything to the right about an inch and a half to get the addresses in the right place. I only have Final Writer 3 so I can't comment on PageStream's capabilities, but I would be interested in hearing from anyone who have used it for these purposes and what their experiences are. Hope this helps! Terry Grider