How to capture a print code file in Windows for printers that use Windows driver
In order to reproduce your environment, it is always good to have the precise that data that is coming out of your system. There are few ways to capture a printfile under Windows OS, the result of all of them is the same, you capture the print file, however the approaches are a bit different, choose the one that is most suitable for you:
- The easiest way is to use the Seagull Drivers Function: Logging. Pleaser go to the Control Panel-> Devices and Printers, right click on the desired printer, select Properties:
Then select Tools Tab and click Logging Options:
Tick the box Record Printer Code and select the path where the captured files should be stored:
When this function is turned on, all the printjobs that will be printed via the driver, will be saved under the directory you selected, e.g.:
in the directory we selected: C:\Log Files\Godex RT230i, you will find text files (extension .prn), when you open the files with text editor (e.g. notepad) you will see similar to the below contents:
If the printjob contains graphical information, you will see some unclear information represented in symbols, this part is the bitmap graphics part.
2. Second possible way is to use the “File” port and when you press print, it will ask you to save the file somewhere in your PC.
Navigate to Control Panel -> Devices and Printers. Right click on the desired printer and select Printer properties:
In Printer Properties window, click on Ports tab, look for a port named FILE and select it (tick a box near the port name), press OK:
Initiate printing to needed printer from the application as usual, e.g. MS Word:
You will be prompted to save the file, input some file name and press OK:
After saving the file, please repeat the steps and select the previous port, that was selected before this change in order to continue using your device.
3. Third way is to capture the file from Windows Spooler, in order to do so, physically disconnect the data cable of the printer or use the option “Use Printer Offline” in the printing queue window. Then send the printjob to the printer form the SW as usual, it will issue an error that it can not be printed, then we go to: Run (Win + R) and type in this: %windir%/system32/Spool/printers :
Until the printjob will not be transferred to the printer, we will see it in the Spool Folder, please copy the file from it and save it in other folder:
Then please connect the cable back to the printer or disable the “Use printer offline” function, the printjob in few moments should be printed on the printer and files in the Spool folder will be automatically removed after transferring to the printer.
4. Use Godex Printer Monitor app (https://mega.nz/file/HGAQVD6T#aCi_zLYU_t0xRZP5G5ztd3_ufGhuYKu7jPXkK2tnjOw)
Connect the printer with USB to the PC, if the application uses network port, both of them should be connected at the same time. Send ~S,DUMP8 and it will record all data received by the printer to specified folder in the PC.
Open Tool(PrinterMonitor) and check printer is connected by USB.
Select command “~S,DUMP8” and click "Send"
Send printjobs to the printer and the printcode will be recorder,
To save data to file wait until the icon clears. (When the icon color is green, the tool is receiving data)
Click "Finish writing"
Captured data is saved in a text tile “..\ PrinterMonitor_V1.0.5 \Log"
5. How to get print file on USB stick:
Method 1. If the customer is using the printer with USB HOST:
1. Plug the printer into a USB flash drive.
2. Send the command ~S,DUMP255 to the printer.
3. Follow the customer’s procedure to print.
4. Remove the USB flash drive after 5 seconds.
Method 2. If the customer is not using the USB HOST:
1. Run the attached file (Printer Monitor) on the customer’s PC
2. Connect the printer with COM Port.
3. Send the command ~S,DUMP255 to the printer.
4. Follow the customer’s procedure to print.
5. Printer Monitor will catch the data via COM. Then send this information back to us.
You will get RAW files like this:
6.With Wireshark software :
Printer is receiving data over LAN or WIFI and you connect PC to same network and connect printer over USB.
So for example we are sending print job to IP 192.168.92.182
At Wireshark we are filtering IP adress:
Then we are sellecting line and checking content like this:
And we are getting printfile:
