[ic] Linux label printers

[Jon]

> > > I'm planning on switching from Windows and its USPS and FedEx shipping
> > > software to Linux and IC for my shipping workstation.  I'm hoping to
> > > use some of the tags posted to the list to be able to print USPS and
> > > FedEx shipping labels, but I'm having trouble finding a thermal label
> > > printer that will work in Linux.  Does anyone have a recommendation?
> > >
> > > Also, if anyone is interested in a Zebra LP 2844 that works great in
> > > Windows but I can't get to work in Linux, let me know.  A few rolls of
> > > labels too.
> > >
> > > - Grant
> > >
> >
> >    If you really want to get rid of it I'll take it for sure, but that is
> > exactly what
> > I use for printing FedEx labels.  I have it connected via the serial port
> > and do
> > an open of file and printer, write file to printer and close.  The file is
> > a PNG
> > image returned from FedEx.  Here is the Perl code I have which I'm sure
> > can be improved upon
> >
> >   open (PNG, $labelFile) or die "Could not open PNG file $!";
> >   open (ZEBRA, ">/dev/ttyS0") or die "Could not open serial port $!";
> >     my $line = '';
> >     $line = <PNG>;
> >     while ($line) {
> >     print ZEBRA $line;
> >       # This will send it to the Zebra printer print ZEBRA $line;
> >       $line = <PNG>;
> >     }
> >
> >   close(PNG);
> >   close(ZEBRA);
> >
> > Does anyone use this printer for printing USPS labels and if so what
> > format
> > of file do you write to the printer ?
> >
> > Jon
>
> Hello Jon and Brian, I'm finally ready to test printing USPS labels to
> this Zebra on a Linux system.  The USPS docs:
>
> http://www.usps.com/webtools/htm/Delivery-Confirmation.htm
>
> tell me that the XML data I'm seeing USPS return for the label itself
> is Base64-encoded in TIF.  Jon, have you had any luck getting your
> Zebra to print one of these USPS labels?
>
> - Grant
>
> P.S. I was planning on setting up FedEx Ground printing like this
> also, but they can't get up my hill so pickups won't work.  I'll be
> opening a UPS account and setting up this type of shipping with them.
> Has anyone set up UPS/IC shipping before?

Grant I have not.  I sent an email to USPS requesting a sample image that I
could test printing to the Zebra but they have not sent me anything. If you
have a sample image you can send me I'll give it a try.  I'll be out next week
so wont be able to get to it until the following week if that is ok.

Unfortunate you can't use FedEx... The Business::FedEx::DirectConnect module
is great and made everything possible.  Not sure if the same is available for
either
UPS or USPS.

Jon