The BarTender Software Professional Version includes all the features of the BarTender Software Standard Version plus Printer Drivers for most popular thermal printers. The benefits of these printer drivers follow.

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The Difference Between A Printer Driver And A Label Program
Some people, especially those newer to Windows, are a bit hazy about the difference between a Windows printer driver and a Windows program. Users converting over from DOS software programs may be particularly perplexed, since these DOS programs usually have the printer support built right into them. In contrast, a true Windows program does not contain built-in printer support and does not output data specific to any one brand of printer. Instead, true Windows programs output a single “universal” language that a separate Windows printer driver then converts into the commands for the corresponding printer. This means that any true Windows program can talk to any printer for which there is a Windows printer driver.

Functionality When Used With Standard Windows Programs
Seagull's printer drivers, included with the BarTender Software Pro, for thermal label printers work with all Windows programs that we know of, including all word processors, spreadsheets, databases, and graphics programs. When using a Seagull printer driver, Windows programs will be able to output the same type of graphic images and TrueType fonts on the thermal printer that they can print on laser printers. Any fonts built into the printer can also be printed. However, access to some of the printer's “intelligent” functions may only be available when using the BarTender Software.

General Bar Code Capabilities When Used With Standard Programs
When used with general purpose Windows programs, these drivers give the “Font” or “Type Specs” option of your programs access to most of the bar codes built into your label printer. This is the fastest way to output bar codes using your thermal printer. However, you will not necessarily have access to every single bar code symbology supported by the printer, or certain options, such as whether or not to use check digits. The drivers will also work with TrueType bar code fonts, although these will print as bitmaps and can therefore reduce performance. Also, if your program is one of the many that can import graphics, you can bring in a bar code exported from another program (such as the BarTender Software).

Capabilities When Used With the BarTender Software
When the BarTender Software Pro for Windows is used with a Seagull thermal printer driver, you will have access to just about every bar code built into the printer, as well as various advanced bar code options that may not necessarily be available when the driver is used with another program. The BarTender Software Pro will also give you access to your printers' built-in serialization capabilities, as well as the ability to automatically separate print jobs into changing and non-changing portions. Both of these capabilities can have significant performance benefits when printing certain label jobs. (See below for more information.)

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Identical Versus Changing Labels
Any program used with Seagull’s drivers can access the printers’ multiple copies commands. Therefore, regardless of the amount of graphics being printed, once the first label has printed out, all subsequent identical labels will print at the printer’s full speed. However, Windows programs other than the BarTender Software will not have access to the printers’ automatic incrementing or partial image storage capabilities. Therefore, if the labels are not identical from label to label, these programs will have to resend the entire contents of each label. In contrast, the BarTender Software Pro will only need to output the parts of the label that change from label to label. Depending on the complexity of the label and your type of communications port, this can significantly reduce the amount of information sent to the printer and therefore significantly increase label printing speed.

Details On Text Font Capabilities
When you select the type specs or font menu in any Windows program, you will have access to all fonts built into your printer, as well as any Windows TrueType fonts currently installed in Windows. The printer’s fonts can always be printed very rapidly. However, TrueType fonts are transmitted to the printer as bitmaps. For some printers, we take advantage of the ability of the printer to store and reuse TrueType fonts, so you only pay a performance penalty when the fonts are first downloaded. On other printers, however, we have to resend TrueType as graphics each time they are used. In this case, if your document uses a lot of TrueType fonts and any data changes from label to label, your printing performance will be reduced when using a general purpose Windows program. This can be compounded by the use of a serial port.

Printing Performance And Serial Ports
In the following situations, overall performance will not be reduced by the use of a serial port:

• When using a general purpose Windows program or the BarTender Software and outputting only your printer's built-in text or bar codes.
• When printing graphics or Windows TrueType fonts on identical labels. (Your first label will print more slowly, depending on the complexity of the image, but the rest of the labels will print out at the printer’s full speed.)

In the following situations, printing performance can be significantly reduced if you don’t use a parallel port instead of a serial port:

• When text is specified as Windows TrueType and the text will be changing from label to label (using any program).
• When using a program other than the BarTender Software to print labels containing any TrueType or graphics images (such as logos or pictures) where the labels will not be identical from label to label.

Graphics Data And Printer Memory
Most label printers include enough memory to allow the printing of graphics and TrueType text on at least medium size labels. (If you don’t need to print graphics images or Windows TrueType fonts, your printer’s factory-standard memory will suffice, unless your labels are unusually large.) However, when printing larger graphic images or large amounts of Windows TrueType text, some printers may require additional memory.

Since the Datamax Prodigy Plus comes factory-equipped with zero graphics memory, it requires the addition of a memory expansion module in order to print bitmap graphics of any kind (including TrueType fonts). All other Datamax printers come equipped with at least some graphics memory.

The 16-bit version works with Windows 3.1x and Windows 95. The 32-bit version works with Windows 95/98/2000 and NT 4.0 and higher.

See a list of the Printer Drivers that come with the BarTender Software Pro.

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BarTender Software Links

BarTender Software Main Page
BarTender Software Features and Benefits
BarTender Software's Latest Features
BarTender Software Tutorial (Design Your Next Level in 5 Minutes)
Supported Printers
BarTender Software Drivers
BarTender Software ODBC Support
BarTender Software Specifications
Software Comparison Chart
Year 2000 Compliance Statement

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