Dymo Label Printing for Windows

[DanBrill]

Hey,

I wanted to integrate label printing with a Dymo label printer into my solutions for things like bar codes, address labels, shipping, badges, etc. But I found out that this was a real pain because you need to make special layouts, and switching between printers is a nightmare when Applescripting is not an option.

So I dug around the Dymo site and found that they provide a software developers kit. I was able to build a command line interface to my Dymo printer. I can issue commands to it directly with the FM Send Message script step now. No additional layouts, no user intervention to switch printers, no plug ins.

Attached is an FM demo file, the interface program (hblabel.exe), and the visual basic source code. I don't do much at all in VB, so I'm sure there are more sophisticated ways of doing it. Suggestions are appreciated.

Note that since this is a stand alone program, you can use it with all sorts of apps, scripts, and batch files.

It works with the Dymo Label Software (DLS) 6.0. You'll need to have that installed for this to work.

Feel free to use it around the house or shop. If you want to make it part of a solution you sell, please make a $25 contribution to Habitat for Humanity. You can donate on line at https://www.habitat.org/donation/default.aspx?ProjectID=1 . Let me know if you do. ('Cause I just like to know.)

I'd like future versions to be able to direct output to one of multiple connected printers, and I want to integrate their address checking if possible. Ideas on this are appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

HB Label.zip

[SassyTexan]

Way cool! I just implemented dymo label printers in a solution. I am looking forward to trying this.

[DanBrill]

Just a quick follow up: I found that if the resulting command line gets to be too long (256 characters I'm betting) it breaks and won't print everything. (It worked at about 150 and didn't work at about 300. So I'll assume there's a 256 limit.) This probably wouldn't happen for an address label, but it wouldn't work for shipping labels that had a full return address, and an address, and a graphic.

To get around this, export the command line as a text file with a .bat extension, and execute the batch file with the send message step. Works like a charm.

By the way, its possible that none of this is a problem with ver. 7. Don't have it yet.

Cheers,

Dan

[Charles Delfs]

Good contribution Dan

Charles

[JP2004]

Is this solution available anywhere as i am experimenting with dymo printers for an inventory solution. the link to the origional file is dead, anyone got any ideas.

JP2004

[Conartist]

This is the first time I've read this post....it would be nice to have the program described in the first post. But I don't have any leads. I wanted to add that there is a relatively easy way to incorporate dymo printing into FM. I use a dymo label printer to print folder labels for my files. My solution to incorporate the dymo printer into FM 7 was to dedicate a layout and use AutoIt to script in setting up the printer automatically. It isn't perfect but AutoIt works alot like Applescript (I assume) and makes seamless dymo label printing possible.

[Lee Smith]

The original link was broken when we changed to the new site because of the space in the name of the file. Ocean West if looking into fixing this problem, in the meantime here is the file you requested.

HTH

Lee

HB_Label.zip

[Divegeek]

ok, so maybe I'm missing something, but how do I link this app to my filemaker db?

[Divegeek]

ok, so I'm still pretty new at this, but I do have a quick question. I have the label app running on my version of fm8 advanced. Now, whenever a record is created in a database, I'd like a corresponding label to print. (I wish I could have afforded to hire a consultant or take some training, but as it is, I'm just lucky to have the filemaker application in the first place!)

Basicly, I pull contact information (NameFirst and last, st1 st2, city, st, zip 1, zip 2) from one table (called VPS_vessels), when a record is created in a second solution I use for creating letters. I'm in the fish business, so when I enter a fishing permit number, it populates a letter with the related address data. Ideally, I'd like a way to get my dynamo printer spit out a bunch of labels for the letters I just created and make life much more simple for me. If anyone has any suggestions, I would be ever so grateful. I'll go make a paypal donation now to grease the wheels! Thanks folks.

PS:This is exactly the type of solution I've been trying to figure out forever, thanks so much for posting it!

Edited May 3, 2006 by Guest