Feed Button Modes

Feed Button Modes

Describes the functions of the
Feed
button.

Power Off Modes

With the printer power off, press and hold the
Feed
button while you turn on the power.
Power Off Modes
Flash Sequence
Action
Amber - Red Flashing
Firmware Download Mode—The printer starts rapidly flashing red to denote entry into the Firmware Download mode. Releasing the
Feed
button here will start initializing the printer for download.
The printer is ready to start downloading firmware when the status light begins to slowly flash between red and green.
See Sending Files to the Printer for more information on using the Firmware (and File) Download utility available for use with this printer. Firmware updates for your printer, if any, are posted on the Zebra website at zebra.com
Amber
Normal Operations Mode—The printer continues into a normal printer initialization. Releasing the
Feed
button here will allow the printer to start normally without firmware download or operating in Communications Diagnostic mode.
Green
Communications Diagnostic (Dump) Mode—Release the
Feed
button immediately after the printer status light turns green.
The printer will print
Now in DUMP
at the top of the label and then advance to the next label.
After printing the first label, the printer automatically enters diagnostic mode and prints out a literal representation of all data subsequently received.
To exit diagnostic mode and resume printing, turn off and then turn on the printer.
Another way to exit diagnostic mode is to press the
Feed
button as many times as it takes to clear the printer’s command buffer and print ‘Out of DUMP’ on the label.

Power On Modes

With the printer power on and the top cover closed, press and hold the
Feed
button for several seconds.
The green status LED will flash a number of times in sequence. The explanation at the right (Action column) shows what happens when you release the key after the start of the specific number of flashes and before the next flash sequence starts.
Power On Modes
Flash Sequence
Action
*
Configuration Status—The printer prints a detailed printer configuration status label.
You can use this label to:
  • verify proper print function
  • assist with configuring computer communications, maintenance, and troubleshooting
  • help our support team diagnose and address issues as needed
*
**
Standard Auto Media Calibration—The printer detects and sets media type and media length and adjusts the media sensors for optimal performance with the installed media (equivalent ZPL command
~JC
).
The printer will feed one to four labels while calibrating.
Users familiar with the Zebra EPL desktop printer can use this Feed mode to replace power-up AutoSensing calibration (equivalent EPL command
XA
).
*
**
***
Serial Port Configuration—Applies only to printers with serial interface ports.
To reset serial port communication parameters, except for Flow Control, press and release the
Feed
button while the LED rapidly flashes amber and green.
For autobaud synchronization, send the
^XA^XZ
command sequence to the printer while the LED rapidly flashes amber and green.
When the printer and host are synchronized, the LED changes to solid green.
No labels will print during autobaud synchronization.
*
**
***
****
Factory Defaults—Resets the printer to the factory default settings (equivalent to ZPL command
^JUN
). See ZPL Configuration  for a description of the primary configuration settings and their associated ZPL commands.
Some configuration settings are not returned to their initial ‘out of box’ settings. Other settings are exclusively set, viewed, and controlled by programming and are also reset.
This performs a standard media calibration and then a memory defragmentation routine.
When the printer has entered Factory Default mode, the status light will turn amber for three seconds. During that time you may do two things:
  • Do nothing and the printer will reset the factory defaults automatically as described above, OR
  • Press and hold the
    Feed
    button to enter Factory Default Reset mode for printers that have a network print option such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth (equivalent ZPL command
    ^JUF
    .)
Releasing the button after the first flash resets the network factory options only (equivalent ZPL command
^JUN
).
Releasing the button after the second flash sequence (two flashes) resets the printer defaults only.
Releasing the button after the third flash sequence (three flashes) will reset both printer and network settings (equivalent ZPL commands
^JUN
and
^JUF
)
*
**
***
****
*****
Print Width Adjustment—Prints a succession of boxes starting at the minimum print width and ending in the printer’s maximum print width in 4mm increments.
Press the
Feed
button once when the printer has reached the desired maximum print width.
The printer driver and applications can override this setting.
*
**
***
****
*****
******
Print Darkness (Density) Adjustment—Prints a succession of bar code simulation patterns starting at the minimum darkness (print density/heat) and ending in the printer’s maximum darkness in increments of four using the ZPL darkness setting range values.
Press the
Feed
button once the pattern is clear and legible. Do not continue to increase the darkness setting or bar code line widths may become distorted reducing readability.
The printer driver and applications can override this setting.
*
**
***
****
*****
******
*******
Manual Media Calibration—The printer runs extensive tests to detect and set media type and media length, and then it adjusts the media sensors for optimal performance with the installed media (equivalent ZPL command
~JG
).
Manual calibration is recommended whenever you are using pre-printed media, print on the liner or if the printer will not correctly auto-calibrate. A graphical profile of the media sensing will print.
See Manual Calibration for more details and considerations
To exit configuration mode, keep the
Feed
button pressed until after the seventh flash sequence cycle ends, then release the button.