Before the hardware arrives

If you ordered a Star thermal receipt printer (TSP600), you will need to buy receipt paper for the printer - it is not included.  Thermal receipt paper (comes in rolls) is 3 1/8" wide and available in most office supply stores.  Be sure it is "thermal" paper.

If you ordered our Zebra thermal tag printer, call Forms Plus Inc. to order 2-across thermal tags - product code LBTH (tag) or LBTHLBL (sticker).  Their number is 800.241.2319.  Tags are not shipped with the thermal tag printer.  Forms Plus also sells tags or labels for your InkJet or LaserJet printer and they both come 20 per sheet.

Setting up the special printers

Once the printers are connected to your computer, you need to install and configure the correct printer drivers and tell ConsignPro what printers you are using on our Customize CP screen (off the Maintain Store screen).  The instructions below will help you setup the receipt printer and/or the thermal tag printer on your system.

Star Receipt Printers (SP200, SP2000, TSP600)

The Star receipt printer can be plugged into either a parallel printer port (LPT1) or an open USB port on the back of your computer.

Step 1 – Connect the Star receipt printer:

1. Using either a standard parallel printer cable or USB cable, connect the Star receipt printer to the desired port on the back of your computer.
2. Plug the power cable that comes with the printer into the wall.
3. Open the printer and insert a roll of paper into the printer (see below for specs).
4. The green power light should appear. If you are using an SP200 or SP2000, the green online light should also appear. If you are using a TSP600 and the paper roll is low, the red error light will blink warning you the roll is low.

All Star receipt printers require that the "Generic / Text Only" printer driver to be installed in the Windows printers folder. You do NOT need to install any Star drivers to use this printer with ConsignPro.

1. In Windows XP, click Start / Control Panel / Printers and Other Hardware / View installed printers (or in Windows 95/98, Click Start / Settings / Printers).
2. Double-click "Add a printer" to open the "Add printer wizard".
3. Click "Next" until you see a list of Manufacturers.
4. Click "Generic" in the list and select "Text Only".
5. Select the correct port (LPT1 or USB) when prompted.
6. Continue with "Next" until this printer driver is installed. Do NOT rename this printer when prompted!

Note: If Windows cannot find the Generic / Text Only driver file, you can download it from our Support web page. The name of the file you need is "generic.exe". It contains all the files necessary to install the Generic printer driver.

Step 3 – Configure ConsignPro:

1. On the Main Menu, go to Maintain Store and click "CustomizeCP".
2. Change the "Print receipts on" box to your specific printer model.
3. Click Update, then Menu.

You can test this printer by printing a sales receipt from the Make Sale screen when you complete a sale. If you do not get a receipt, make sure the printer is "online" and the "Print sales receipt" box is checked on the Amount Due screen.

If you are using the SP200 or SP2000, purchase 3" paper rolls from any office supply store. If you are using the TSP600, purchase 3 1/8" thermal paper rolls from any office supply store. If you have trouble finding receipt paper, try www.staples.com or www.officemax.com  

Connecting the electronic cash drawer

The electronic cash drawer simply connects to the bottom of the Star receipt printer using the cable provided by the manufacturer. You may need to remove a small piece of plastic on the bottom of the receipt printer to expose the cash drawer port. The drawer will open automatically when the "Open drawer" button on the Main Menu is clicked OR whenever you complete a sale.

Keys are included with every cash drawer shipped and are often taped to the Styrofoam that the drawer ships in. Inspect all packaging carefully before discarding.

Once the drawer is connected, go into the Maintain Store screen in ConsignPro and then into Customize CP. Change the "Auto cash drawer" selection box to "Attached to receipt printer". An "Open drawer" button will appear back on the Main Menu.

Note: The Star receipt printer must be turned on, online, and have paper in it for the cash drawer to work correctly!

Zebra (and Eltron) Ticket Printers (2622, 2722, 2824, 2443)

The Zebra thermal tag/label printer can connect to any available port on your computer – we suggest either parallel or USB. A cable to connect the printer is included from our distributor.

Step 1 – Connect the Zebra ticket printer:

1. Using the included parallel or USB printer cable, connect the ticket printer to an open port on the back of your computer.
2. Plug the power cable that comes with the printer into the wall.
3. Open the printer and insert a roll of tags or labels into the printer. Thread the tags according to the instructions that accompany the printer.  Close the lid securely.
4. Turn the printer on using the power switch on the side (or back) of the printer.

All Zebra tag printers require the appropriate printer driver to be installed in the Windows Printers folder. To do this:

1. In Windows, click Start / Settings / Printers (or in Windows XP, Start / Control Panel / Printers and Other Hardware / View installed printers).
2. Double-click "Add a printer" to open the "Add printer wizard".
3. Click "Next" and select the port you are connecting the printer to (usually LPT1 or USB).
4. Click "Next" until you see a list of Manufacturers.
5. Insert the "Zebra" printer driver CD that came with the printer. Close any windows that may automatically appear when you insert the CD.
6. Click the "Have Disk" button and then click "Browse".
7. In the "Look In" box at the top of the window, select your CD drive. A file named "oemsetup" should appear in the Window below. Click on it and then click "Open", then click "OK".
8. In the Manufacturers list, select the correct Zebra printer driver for the printer you are using (ex. Zebra LP2824).
9. Continue to click NEXT until it asks about a Test Page (click NO) and then continue with Next until you Finish.
10. If you are using WinXP, you will be warned the driver file has not passed the Windows logo test, click "Continue anyway" – it won’t affect Windows in the least.

Note: If you do not have the Zebra printer driver CD, you can download the necessary driver file from our Support web page. The name of the file you need is "zebra.exe". The file contains all the necessary driver files to install any Zebra (or Eltron) printer.

After the printer driver is installed, you need to set the paper size correctly so that the printer knows what size tags or labels you have in it. To set the paper size:

Windows 95, 98, or ME

1. In the Windows Printers folder, right click on the Zebra ticket printer.
2. Click Properties.
3. Click the Paper tab (up top).
4. Change the Paper Size to "Custom".
5. Set the tag or label Width and Length and paper Orientation to the following:

Liberty style side-by-side tags or labels Width = 238, Length = 338, Landscape

2.25" by 1 3/8" tags or labels Width = 225, Length = 138, Portrait

Windows XP, NT, 2000

Newer Zebra printer driver setup steps:

1. In the Printers folder, right click the Zebra LP2824 printer.  Click Printing Preferences.
2. Click the + next to Paper/Output at the top.
3. Click on Paper Size, then the Customize button.
4. Click New at the bottom.
5. In the top box (Properties), type in "CP Tag".
6. Change the unit of measurement to "Inches".
7. Change the width to 2.38
8. Change the height to 3.38
9. Click OK to close the window.
10. Change the Orientation to "Landscape".  Click OK again.

Older Zebra printer driver setup steps:

1. In the Printers folder, click File at the top of the window and then click "Server properties".
2. Click "Create a new form".
3. Assign the Form Name as "CP Tag".
4. In the Form Description set the margins as follows:

• Liberty style side-by-side tags: Width = 2.38in, Height = 3.38in
• Single 2 ¼" by 1 3/8" tags: Width = 2.25in, Height = 1.38in

1. Click "Save Form" and then close the Server Properties window by clicking OK.
2. In the Printers folder, right-click on the Zebra ticket printer.
3. Click "Printing Preferences".
4. If using the Liberty style 2-part tags, change the Orientation to Landscape.
5. Click the Advanced button.
6. Change the Paper Size to "CP Tag".
7. Click OK and OK again to save your changes, close the printers folder, you’re done setting the paper size!

Step 4 – Configure ConsignPro to use the Zebra  ticket printer:

1. On the Main Menu go to Maintain Store then Customize CP screen.
2. Set the "My ticket printer is" box to the Zebra printer you installed (ex. Zebra LP2824).
3. Set the Tag / Label Style box to the correct tag style based on the tags you have purchased. Any entry that starts with 2622 or Orion is for those particular printers ONLY. The most common selection is "Zebra Tags, Liberty style, barcode".
4. Click Update, then Menu. Tags are printed from the Reports page.

Resetting the thermal tag printer:

This is sometimes required when the printer does not print correctly.

1. Turn the printer off using the switch on the side.
2. Hold down the green button on top and turn the printer back on.
3. When the light appears, immediately release the green button.

The printer should do a self-test and print a test page. Press and release the green button again when it is completed to exit dump mode. The test page should say, "Page mode" and NOT "Line mode" somewhere on the print out.

Using other printers with ConsignPro

In general, ConsignPro can print to any printer attached to your computer -- assuming that Windows can print to the printer.  Any printer that you connect requires the correct printer driver software installed into your Printers folder.  After you install any printer (using the Windows Add Printer wizard found in the Printers folder), you should try to print a Test Page from the driver file to ensure that Windows can use the printer.

In general, your report printer should be the "default" printer in Windows and should also be selected in the "My report printer is" box on the Customize CP screen.

Connecting the CCD scanning gun

The CCD scanning gun is a keyboard wedge scan gun that plugs either directly into your keyboard port or into a free USB port on the back of your PC. To connect the gun, either:

• If the end of the scan gun cable is ROUND.  Follow the keyboard cable to the back of your computer and unplug it. Plug the male end of the scanning gun cable into the now empty keyboard port (using the pigtail adapter if you need to convert the cable from AT style to PS/2 style). Plug the end of the keyboard cord you unplugged from the PC into the female Y-cable at the end of the scan gun cable. Restart your computer.  OR
• If the end of the scan gun cable is thin RECTANGULAR.  Plug the USB end of the scan gun cable into a free USB port.

The scan gun should make a beeping tone as your computer starts. No special driver files or configuration is required with the scanner, it should work right out of the box. You can test the scan gun by going into the ConsignPro "Make Sale" screen and scanning any of the barcodes pictured in the back of the ConsignPro User Guide. The barcode should scan and the item number should appear on the screen (along with a "not found on database" message).

If the scan gun does not read the barcode:

• Make sure the scan gun is NOT plugged into the mouse port on the PC.
• Make sure the scan gun is connected securely to the keyboard port.
• Press the "trigger" on the scan gun to get the red scan light to appear.
• Look in the booklet that came with the scan gun and find a barcode in the configuration section that reads, "Reset default" or "Set default". Scan the "Start" barcode, then the Default barcode, and then the "End" barcode. Re-test.
• If the barcodes in the back of the User Guide scan but the ones that you print do not, the issue is print quality. Try to improve the print quality or density by looking at the options in your printers driver file in the Printers folder.

Note: The scan gun does not work with some wireless keyboards and laptop computers.

Turning on barcodes

If you do not have barcodes on your inventory tickets but have selected a tag style that has a barcode, do the following:

1. Click on the Windows "Start" button located at the bottom left hand corner of your computer screen.
2. Choose Settings / Control Panel (or just Control Panel if WinXP).
3. Double click on the Fonts folder. If you do not see the Fonts folder, you may need to first click "Switch to classic view".
4. Up top, click File, and then choose "Install New Font".
5. Double-click on the top folder in the lower left corner (C:\). Then find the Windows folder and double-click that. Then find the Fonts folder and double-click that.
6. Two Skandata barcode fonts should appear in the top window.  The fonts are in alphabetical order, scroll WAY down.
7. Click either of the two font files once with your mouse a single time to select it. Hold the "Ctrl" key down on your keyboard and single click the second file. Both will appear selected. Let the "Ctrl" key up and click the OK button.
8. Click OK on the two warning messages that appear and close all open windows.

Barcodes will now appear when you print inventory labels or tags to either the screen or printer. If the barcodes do not appear, try repeating the steps above and then restarting your computer. If they still do not appear, try restarting the computer a few more times – in time they will appear (as if by magic!).

Connecting the MagTek credit card swipe

The card swipe simply connects either to the keyboard port (round) or to a free USB port (rectangular) on the back of your PC.  If you used the keyboard port, the keyboard then connects to the card swipe Y-adapter.  If you used an open USB port, no other connections are necessary.  (If round, do not connect the card swipe to your MOUSE port by mistake.)

The card swipe should work right out of the box.  No special programming or software is required.  If you are connecting both the scan gun and the card swipe, you can "daisy chain" both to the single keyboard port.

Connecting the pole display

The pole display simply connects to either the COM1 or COM2 serial ports on the back of your PC and to a power outlet using the special transformer that is included.

No special software or driver files are needed to use the pole display.  Once the pole display is connected to your computer, go to the "Customize CP" screen and change the setting for "Pole display" to the correct COM port.  If done correctly, the display will immediately display your store name!

Configuring special 1 1/8" by 1 1/4" thermal labels with ConsignPro

The thermal (removable) 1 1/8" by 1 1/4" stickers that are used with ConsignPro are available from Forms Plus at (800) 241-2319.

Once you have the labels, you must install another copy of the Zebra printer driver that you installed above.  To do this, follow these instructions exactly:

1. In Windows, click Start / Settings / Printers (or in Windows XP, Start / Control Panel / Printers and Other Hardware / View installed printers).
2. Double-click "Add a printer" to open the "Add printer wizard".
3. Click "Next" and select the port the Zebra printer is connected to (usually LPT1 or USB).
4. Click "Next" until you see a list of Manufacturers.
5. Select "Zebra" from the Manufacturers list and then "Zebra LP2824" (or your printer) from the Model list.  If you do not see Zebra, proceed to Step 6, otherwise, click Next and proceed to Step 10 below.
6. Insert the "Zebra" printer driver CD that came with the printer. Close any windows that may automatically appear when you insert the CD.
7. Click the "Have Disk" button and then click "Browse".
8. In the "Look In" box at the top of the window, select your CD drive. A file named "oemsetup" should appear in the Window below. Click on it and then click "Open", then click "OK".
9. In the Manufacturers list, select the correct Zebra printer driver for the printer you are using (ex. Zebra LP2824).
10. If prompted, select "Keep existing driver" and click Next.
11. When prompted, change the "Printer name" to exactly "Zebra Small".
12. Continue to click NEXT until it asks about a Test Page (click NO) and then continue with Next until you Finish.
13. If you are using WinXP, you will be warned the driver file has not passed the Windows logo test, click "Continue anyway" – it won’t affect Windows in the least.

After the new "Zebra Small" printer appears in your Printers folder, right-click on it and select Properties at the bottom of the list.

If using WinXP, 2000, or NT:  Click the "Printing preferences" button.  Then click the "Advanced" button.  Change the "Paper size" to "Label 1.125 x 1.25 (2 Across)".  Click OK.  Click OK again.  Next, close all windows and go to ConsignPro.

If using Win95, 98, or ME:  Click the "Paper" tab at the top.  Change the Paper Size to "Custom". Make the Width = 125 and Length = 112.  Click OK and OK again.

On the ConsignPro Main Menu, click Maintain Store, CustomizeCP.  In Version 5.2 and later, two new check boxes appear to the right of the screen.  Select "Also using 1" by 1" thermal labels".  Click Update, then Menu.  The next time you print tags/labels from the Reports page, you can check the box "Use 1" by 1" thermal labels" when that roll is in the thermal printer.

Configuring special thermal jewelry labels with ConsignPro

The thermal jewelry labels that are used with ConsignPro are available from Forms Plus at (800) 241-2319.

Once you have the labels, you must install another copy of the Zebra printer driver that you installed above.  To do this, follow these instructions exactly:

1. In Windows, click Start / Settings / Printers (or in Windows XP, Start / Control Panel / Printers and Other Hardware / View installed printers).
2. Double-click "Add a printer" to open the "Add printer wizard".
3. Click "Next" and select the port the Zebra printer is connected to (usually LPT1 or USB).
4. Click "Next" until you see a list of Manufacturers.
5. Select "Zebra" from the Manufacturers list and then "Zebra LP2824" (or your printer) from the Model list  If you do not see Zebra, proceed to Step 6, otherwise, click Next and proceed to Step 10 below.
6. Insert the "Zebra" printer driver CD that came with the printer. Close any windows that may automatically appear when you insert the CD.
7. Click the "Have Disk" button and then click "Browse".
8. In the "Look In" box at the top of the window, select your CD drive. A file named "oemsetup" should appear in the Window below. Click on it and then click "Open", then click "OK".
9. In the Manufacturers list, select the correct Zebra printer driver for the printer you are using (ex. Zebra LP2824).
10. If prompted, select "Keep existing driver" and click Next.
11. When prompted, change the "Printer name" to exactly "Zebra Jewelry".
12. Continue to click NEXT until it asks about a Test Page (click NO) and then continue with Next until you Finish.
13. If you are using WinXP, you will be warned the driver file has not passed the Windows logo test, click "Continue anyway" – it won’t affect Windows in the least.

After the new "Zebra Jewelry" printer appears in your Printers folder, right-click on it and select Properties at the bottom of the list.

If using WinXP, 2000, or NT:  Click the "Printing preferences" button.  Then click the "Advanced" button.  Change the "Paper size" to "Label 2.20 x 0.50 (Jewelry)".  Click OK.  Click OK again.  Next, close all windows and go to ConsignPro.

If using Win95, 98, or ME:  Click the "Paper" tab at the top.  Change the Paper Size to "Custom". Make the Width = 220 and Length = 50.  Click OK and OK again.

On the ConsignPro Main Menu, click Maintain Store, CustomizeCP.  In Version 5.2 and later, two new check boxes appear to the right of the screen.  Select "Also using thermal jewelry labels".  Click Update, then Menu.  The next time you print tags/labels from the Reports page, you can check the box "Use thermal jewelry labels" when that roll is in the thermal printer.