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2026-10-15T19:26:53Z

Updated by push_wiki.py

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:26, 15 October 2026
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	* [[Intermec IPL Label]] – the same label for an Intermec printer.		* [[Intermec IPL Label]] – the same label for an Intermec printer.
	* [[Label Printers]] – defining network barcode printers.		* [[Label Printers]] – defining network barcode printers.
	* [[Printer Queues]] – ~~why~~ a label ~~template needs~~ a raw print queue.		* [[Printer Queues]] – how a label reaches the printer: through a raw print queue, or by Direct Print to the printer's IP address.
	* [[ZPLRenderer\|ZPL Renderer]] – see a Zebra label on screen without a printer.		* [[ZPLRenderer\|ZPL Renderer]] – see a Zebra label on screen without a printer.

	[[Category:Commander4j]]		[[Category:Commander4j]]
	[[Category:AutoLab4j]]		[[Category:AutoLab4j]]

Dgarratt: Updated by push_wiki.py

2026-10-15T09:08:29Z

Updated by push_wiki.py

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:08, 15 October 2026
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	\| '''Label template''' \|\| A text file in the <code>labels</code> folder, written in the printer's own command language with Commander4j placeholders for the values. \|\| Industrial barcode printers (Zebra, Intermec, Printronix). Faster, and the barcodes are sharper. \|\| No. Use [[ZPLRenderer\|ZPL Renderer]] instead.		\| '''Label template''' \|\| A text file in the <code>labels</code> folder, written in the printer's own command language with Commander4j placeholders for the values. \|\| Industrial barcode printers (Zebra, Intermec, Printronix). Faster, and the barcodes are sharper. \|\| No. Use [[ZPLRenderer\|ZPL Renderer]] instead.
	\|-		\|-
	\| '''External labeller''' \|\| ~~The same label template file, but printed by~~ [[AutoLab4j]] on an automatic print-and-apply machine on the line. \|\| Lines where the labeller fires itself when a pallet is complete. \|\| No		\| '''External labeller''' \|\| [[AutoLab4j]] prints the same template file on an automatic print-and-apply machine on the line. [[LabelServer4j]] drives case and secondary labellers from its own copy of the label files, kept in its own folders. \|\| Lines where the labeller fires itself when a pallet or case is complete. \|\| No
	\|}		\|}

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	\| Printronix \|\| IGP/PGL \|\| shipped in the <code>labels</code> folder \|\| none		\| Printronix \|\| IGP/PGL \|\| shipped in the <code>labels</code> folder \|\| none
	\|-		\|-
	\| Logopak \|\| LEAP \|\| driven ~~through~~ [[LabelServer4j]] ~~rather than~~ a ~~template file~~ \|\| [[LogoRenderer]]		\| Logopak \|\| LEAP \|\| usually driven by [[LabelServer4j]] from its own label files; can also be defined as a direct printer in [[Label Printers]] \|\| [[LogoRenderer]]
	\|-		\|-
	\| Videojet \|\| Zipher \|\| driven ~~through~~ [[LabelServer4j]] \|\| none		\| Videojet \|\| Zipher \|\| usually driven by [[LabelServer4j]]; can also be defined as a direct printer in [[Label Printers]] \|\| none
	\|}		\|}

Dgarratt: Updated by push_wiki.py

2026-10-15T09:03:31Z

Updated by push_wiki.py

New page

<div style="max-width:900px; padding:0.9em 1.2em; margin:0 0 1em 0; border:1px solid #c8d1e0; border-left:5px solid #1e40c8; border-radius:0 8px 8px 0; background:#f4f6fb;">
'''This page is the starting point for anyone who wants to know what is printed on a Commander4j label, or who needs to change it.''' You do not need to be a programmer to read it. Where a change does need technical help, the page says so.
</div>

== What a pallet label looks like ==

Every pallet that Commander4j records gets a label like the ones below. The left-hand label was printed on a Zebra printer, the right-hand one on an Intermec printer. Both carry the same information in the layout the [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes/sscc GS1] standard expects, so a customer's warehouse can scan it on arrival.

[[file:Zebra_Intermec_Pallet.png|link=|800px]]

{| class="wikitable"
! What you see !! What it means !! Where the value comes from
|-
| '''My Company''' || Your company or customer name. || The [[Customers]] record attached to the process order.
|-
| '''L1''' || Label number. When two labels are printed per pallet the second one says L2. || Counted automatically as labels are printed.
|-
| '''MATERIAL''' || Your product code. || [[Materials]].
|-
| '''Your Label Header Text''' || An optional line of free text, the same on every label. || The '''LABEL_HEADER_COMMENT''' setting in [[System Keys]].
|-
| '''SSCC''' || The 18-digit Serial Shipping Container Code. This number is unique to the pallet and is what the customer scans. || Generated by Commander4j from the number range in [[System Keys]].
|-
| '''CONTENT''' || The GTIN (EAN) of the case or unit on the pallet. || The unit of measure on the [[Materials]] record.
|-
| '''VARIANT''' || Two-digit GS1 variant for the case. || [[Materials]] unit of measure.
|-
| '''COUNT''' || How many cases are on the pallet. || Entered on the [[Pallet Label]] screen, defaulting to a full pallet.
|-
| '''LAYERS''' || How many layers of cases. || Calculated from the pallet quantity and the per-layer unit of measure on the [[Materials]] record.
|-
| '''DESCRIPTION''' || Product description. || [[Materials]].
|-
| '''BATCH/LOT''' || The batch number. || Built from the batch format in [[System Keys]], or overridden on the [[Customers]] record.
|-
| '''BEST BEFORE''' || The expiry date. || Date of manufacture plus the shelf life held on the [[Materials]] record.
|-
| '''Top barcode''' || A GS1-128 barcode containing the content (02), variant (20), best before (15), count (37) and batch (10). || Built from the values above.
|-
| '''Bottom barcode''' || A GS1-128 barcode containing only the SSCC (00). || The pallet number.
|}

Case and tray labels work the same way but carry no SSCC. See [[Case Label]].

== How a label gets from the screen to the printer ==

There are three ways Commander4j can produce a label, and which one you use decides how the label is designed.

{| class="wikitable"
! Route !! Designed with !! Best for !! Preview on screen?
|-
| '''Standard report''' || [https://community.jaspersoft.com/download-jaspersoft/community-edition/ JasperSoft Studio], a free visual report designer. The label is a <code>.jrxml</code> file in the <code>reports</code> folder. || Any printer that has a normal Windows or Mac print queue, including office laser printers. This is how a fresh install is set up. || Yes
|-
| '''Label template''' || A text file in the <code>labels</code> folder, written in the printer's own command language with Commander4j placeholders for the values. || Industrial barcode printers (Zebra, Intermec, Printronix). Faster, and the barcodes are sharper. || No. Use [[ZPLRenderer|ZPL Renderer]] instead.
|-
| '''External labeller''' || The same label template file, but printed by [[AutoLab4j]] on an automatic print-and-apply machine on the line. || Lines where the labeller fires itself when a pallet is complete. || No
|}

Most sites start with the standard report and move to a label template when they install a barcode printer. The rest of this page is about label templates.

== Which label file is used ==

Commander4j decides which label to print in this order, and the last match wins:

# The '''DEFAULT_PALLET_REPORT''' setting in [[System Keys]] (the module '''RPT_PALLET_LABEL''' after installation). Case labels use '''DEFAULT_PACK_REPORT'''.
# An override on the [[Material Types|Material Type]].
# If the material type has no override, an override on the [[Materials|Material]] itself.
# An override on the [[Customers|Customer]] attached to the process order.

A module record in the [[Modules]] screen links a name such as RPT_PALLET_LABEL to a file, and says whether that file is a standard report or a label template. That is the screen you change when you want Commander4j to use a different label. [[Changing a Label]] walks through it.

== Which printer language do I have? ==

Label templates are written in the language the printer understands. Look at the make of your printer:

{| class="wikitable"
! Printer make !! Language !! Example template on this wiki !! Preview tool
|-
| Zebra || ZPL || [[Zebra ZPL Label]] || [[ZPLRenderer|ZPL Renderer]] or [https://labelary.com/viewer.html Labelary]
|-
| Intermec / Honeywell || IPL || [[Intermec IPL Label]] || none
|-
| Printronix || IGP/PGL || shipped in the <code>labels</code> folder || none
|-
| Logopak || LEAP || driven through [[LabelServer4j]] rather than a template file || [[LogoRenderer]]
|-
| Videojet || Zipher || driven through [[LabelServer4j]] || none
|}

If you are buying a printer and have a free choice, Zebra is the easiest to work with because the free ZPL Renderer shows you the label on screen without printing anything.

== How hard is the change you want to make? ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Change !! Difficulty !! What you need !! Start here
|-
| Change a caption, a date format, or the company name. Move a field a little. Make text bigger or smaller. || '''Easy.''' Half an hour with a text editor. || A copy of the existing template and the list of placeholders. || [[Changing a Label]]
|-
| Add a value that is already in Commander4j to the label, for example the customer's part number. || '''Moderate.''' You need to find the right placeholder and a free space on the label. || [[Label Fields]] and a preview tool. || [[Label Fields]], then [[Changing a Label]]
|-
| Change what goes into a barcode, add a new barcode, or design a label from a blank sheet. || '''Technical.''' Needs knowledge of the printer language and of the GS1 barcode rules. || The printer's programming guide and [[Label Template Syntax]]. || [[Label Template Syntax]] and [[Useful Information]]
|}

If you are on a support contract, the technical changes are the kind of thing to ask for. The easy and moderate ones are well within reach of a line supervisor or IT generalist.

== Pages in this section ==

* [[Changing a Label]] – a step-by-step walk-through of copying a template, changing one thing, previewing it and switching Commander4j over to it.
* [[Label Fields]] – every placeholder you can put on a label, with what it prints.
* [[Label Template Syntax]] – how a template file is put together.
* [[Label Function Syntax]] – the functions for formatting dates, padding numbers and trimming text.
* [[Zebra ZPL Label]] – the standard pallet label, explained block by block.
* [[Intermec IPL Label]] – the same label for an Intermec printer.
* [[Label Printers]] – defining network barcode printers.
* [[Printer Queues]] – why a label template needs a raw print queue.
* [[ZPLRenderer|ZPL Renderer]] – see a Zebra label on screen without a printer.

[[Category:Commander4j]]
[[Category:AutoLab4j]]

Label Layouts - Revision history

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Dgarratt: Updated by push_wiki.py