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Applicable Model(s)
HMI530 Models
HMI550 Models
Title
What Kind of Screen Printing can the Silver Series Support?
Date
10/30/2023
Rev
02
P/N
0907-1073
Summary
The capability of the Silver Series to print differs on the type of printer used and the software method
used to start the print.
NOTE: Only the 530 and 505 products have printing capability.
Solution
The HMI5xx models equipped with printer ports can support Epson ESC/P2, Hewlett Packard PCL
Simple Page, and SP printers (Epson ESC/P). On all of the supported printers, no grayscale is
supported; therefore only black and white can be printed.
To Configure the HMI for a Printer
1.
From EasyBuilder’s Edit menu, select System Parameters and go to the General tab.
2.
In the Print area (near the bottom of the dialog box), select your printer. If None is selected,
no printing will occur.
3.
If each printed Event is to have a unique serial number or the current time printed with it,
check the appropriate box. Note that these options apply only to Event data.
4.
In the drop-down list, select how the HMI is to handle printer errors:
a.
No error detection: Printer errors are not detected, and data is lost.
b.
Error detection (show message): The HMI displays a printer error message, and the
data to print is buffered until the printer is ready.
c.
Error detection (set local bit): The HMI sets local bit LB9016, and the data to print
is buffered until the printer is ready. Bit LB9016 is cleared when the printer is ready.
To Send Events, Windows, and Reports to the Printer
1.
To print events:
a.
Create an Event Log object. Under settings/attributes/function select “print.”
2.
There are two ways to print a window:
a.
Using a Function Key:
i.
From the Parts menu, select Function Key. Under the General tab, select Hard Copy.
ii.
Select the Attributes button. The Attributes determine what part(s) of the Window are printed:
- Print Text & Meter & Trend – the printed Window contains only the window’s Text, Meter, & Trend objects.
- Print Text & Meter & Trend & All Shape but not including Pattern – the printed Window contains only the window’s Text, Meter, Trend, and Shape objects. All shapes on the Window are printed, whether they are part of another object (Bit Lamp, Function Key, etc.) or stand-alone Shape objects. However, the Patterns associated with the shapes are not printed.
- Print Text & Meter & Trend & All Bitmap – the printed Window contains only the window’s Text, Meter, Trend, and Bitmap objects. All bitmaps on the Window are printed, whether they are part of another object (Bit Lamp, Function Key, etc.) or standalone Bitmap objects.
- Print Text & Meter & Trend & All Bitmap & All Shape but not including Pattern – the printed Window contains only the window’s Text, Meter, Trend, Bitmap, and Shape objects. All shapes and bitmaps on the Window are printed, whether they are part of another object (Bit Lamp, Function Key, etc.) or stand-alone Shape and Bitmap objects. However, the Patterns associated with the shapes are not printed.
- Print Text & Meter & Trend & All Bitmap & All Shape – the printed Window contains only the window’s Text, Meter, Trend, Bitmap, and Shape objects. All shapes and bitmaps on the Window are printed, whether they are part of another object (Bit Lamp, Function Key, etc.) or stand-alone Shape and Bitmap objects.
- Next Page – advances the Printer to the next page.
b.
Using a PLC Control Object:
You can print a copy of the screen that is currently displayed on the HMI by using the PLC Control Object. This feature allows you to print a hardcopy of the current screen whenever the PLC directs.
i.
From the Parts menu, select PLC Control and click Add.
ii.
Select Screen hardcopy for Type of control in the Attribute box.
iii.
Select the Device type and Device Address for the actual PLC bit address you wish to use.
The HMI will now send the currently displayed screen contents to a printer when the PLC sets the specified PLC bit.
3.
To print a report:
This feature allows you to print a report that is preconfigured in the HMI whenever directed by the PLC.
Using the PLC Control Object to print a report
a.
From the Parts menu, select PLC Control, and click Add.
b.
Select Report printout for Type of control: in the Attribute box.
c.
Select the Device type and Device Address for the actual PLC address you wish to monitor.
d.
Select either BIN (binary) or BCD format.
The PLC can now signal the HMI to print a report. A report is a pre-configured screen in the HMI.
When the HMI reads the PLC Control Object: Report Printout PLC address, it will do the following:
a.
Determine if the screen requested is valid.
b.
If valid, it will update all data registers that are on the screen.
c.
Then the HMI will send a copy of the screen to the printer.
NOTE: The screen does not have to be showing on the HMI display.
Notes About Page Building in Order to Print Pages in Black & White
1.
Since a screen does not have to be showing to print another screen using the Print a Report
option (see above), it may be useful to create 2 pages: a colorful page that is viewed on the
screen, and a similar one, that captures the same data & can be printed in black & white.
2.
All shades of color print in black.
3.
Using the PLC Control manner of printing screens or writing to a report to print a screen, will
result in no shape or bitmaps printing at all (see below).
4.
When creating a function button, it can be configured to print shapes & bitmaps, but the
pattern printing option is irrelevant (see below).
Examples
When the screen below was showing on the HMI screen, the different printing options resulted in the
printing shown on the next page: (option used for printing is circled)
Creating a function key with the option of: “All BMP, all shape” results in all data being shown, with BMP’s in black.
When a function key was created with either the All Bitmap or All Bitmap + all shape (no pattern) resulted in all shapes being displayed without their fill in colors.
When using a PLC control object to either do a screen hardcopy or report printout, no bitmaps or shapes were displayed.
Protocol & Printer Information
Protocols Supported
Epson ESC/P2 (This is the ‘ESC/P2’ protocol)
SP Printer (same as ‘ESC/P’ protocol)
HP PCL (Hewlett-Packard – Simple Page mode protocol)
Supported Printer Models
Epson LQ- 570e, 680Pro, 870
Panasonic KX- P1131, P3123, P3124
Epson Stylus 300, 400, 480SXU, 800, 800+, 1000, 1500
Epson Stylus Color 200, 400, 500, 600, 740, 800, 850, 900, 950, 980, 980N
Epson Stylus Pro, ProXL
Epson Stylus Photo 750
HP DeskJet 450, 520, 640C, 656C, 845C, 920C, 930C, 1125C, 1220C, 5550, 6122
(Most HP inkjets & small Laser-jets work well)
Others are possible, but have not been tested.
*(These models have been tested by Maple Systems)
Non-supported Printer models
Any Epson 9-pin dot-matrix is NOT supported
Epson Stylus C40UX, C60, C80
Epson FX- 850, 880+, 980
Epson LQ- 200, 400, 450, 500, 550, 850, 860
Epson LX- 300, 300+
Epson SQ- 850
Okidata Microline 184, 395
Okidata Pacemark (all models)