Printing labels and barcodes: setting up templates, fields, and the printer

Setting up label printing in Torgsoft covers several levels at once: correct installation of the printer driver in Windows, selecting the printer in the program, calibrating the media, and configuring the label template in FastReport. If at least one of these stages is completed incorrectly, labels may print shifted, blank, with hieroglyphs, or with an unclear barcode, so the setup must be done step by step — from the printer and driver to the template and test print.

1. Preparing and setting up the label printer

Before configuring the program, make sure that the printer is correctly installed in the Windows system.

• Driver installation: For any label printer: Xprinter, Zebra, TSC, or another brand, you need to install a compatible driver. The driver should be searched by the exact printer model.

• Important: for some Xprinter models, new driver versions may work unstably (this depends on the model and firmware; sometimes this appears in 2024.x releases). If the printer prints blank labels or skips them, it is recommended to use a stable driver version (previous releases or Seagull/BarTender drivers — provided they are compatible with your model, for example, 2018.3 or Seagull).

• Setting the paper size in the driver:

• Go to Windows “Devices and Printers” -> Printer Properties -> Printing Preferences / Settings (the tab name depends on the driver).

• Set the exact size of your label (for example, 30x20 mm, 40x25 mm, 58x40 mm). This is critically important, otherwise the print will shift or part of the layout will go beyond the label boundaries and look like “blank printing”.

• Calibration:

• If the printer prints with an offset or skips labels, perform calibration.

• Using the Feed button (power-on calibration):
  Turn off the printer → press and hold the Feed button → turn on the printer without releasing the button → the indicator will start blinking blue → purple → red). → release the button on red.
  The printer will feed the labels and calibrate itself. If you released the button at the wrong moment and the printer switched to another mode (another color/another sequence), turn off the printer and repeat the procedure from the beginning.

• Using the official utility (Diagnostic Tool / Test Tool):
  Download the utility from the official Xprinter website or from the support page of your model → install and run it → connect the printer via USB → select the interface/port (USB) → go to Printer Configuration / Calibrate Sensor → choose the media type: Gap or Black Mark → click Auto Calibration / Calibrate — the printer will calibrate automatically.

• After any method, press Feed once: exactly one label should come out without shifting. If that does not happen — check that the roll is loaded correctly, the sensor position (if adjustable), clean the sensor, and check the media type (Gap/Black Mark) in the driver/utility settings.

2. Selecting the printer in Torgsoft

After installing the driver, you need to tell the program where to send the labels.

1. Go to the menu Settings — Printer Selection.
   In the Labels block (product tags), in the “Print to printer” field, select the installed label printer from the list (for example, Zebra LP2824, Xprinter XP-420B, etc.).
   Click Save.

Note. This setting is local for each workstation. If you have several computers, the procedure must be repeated on each one where printing is planned. If printing goes to a network printer, make sure it is installed in Windows on this PC and available to the current user.

3. Configuring label templates (FastReport)

Torgsoft allows you to flexibly configure the appearance of the label: add a logo, change the barcode size, display the price, name, article number, and more.

Selecting and creating a template:

1. Go to the menu Settings — Tag Print Settings.

2. You can select a ready-made template from the list (for example, “30x20”, “40x25”, “58x40”) and click the Make current button.

3. To edit, select the template and click Edit, then on the “Template” tab click the Settings button. The FastReport report editor will open.

Editing fields in FastReport:

• Changing the page size. In the editor, double-click on the white area (not on the label) or go to «File» -> «Page Settings». Set the width and height according to your roll of labels. The page size in the template must match the label size in the Windows driver.

• Adding fields. On the right, in the «Data» panel, you will find a list of available fields (Product Name, Price, Article Number, Barcode, etc.). Drag the required field into the label area.

• Barcode. To change the size, select the barcode object, double-click it (or right-click -> Edit). In the Zoom field, change the scale (for example, from 1.0 to 0.8 so that it fits).
  The barcode type is usually set to EAN13. If you use a scanner, make sure the barcode on the label is readable and is not "cut off" by the margins. Also leave a “quiet zone” (margins) around the barcode, otherwise the scanner may fail to read it.

• Text and fonts. Select the text field (for example, Product Name). On the top panel, you can change the font, size (Font Size), and bold style. For small labels, use line wrapping or a shortened name so that the text does not go beyond the layout boundaries.

• Saving. After finishing the editing, click «File» -> «Save» (or «Save As» to create a copy) and close the editor. After saving, do a test print of 1–2 labels and check the alignment and readability.

4. Printing labels: where and how

You can print labels from different program modes depending on the situation:

• Goods receipt:

• During receipt posting, click the Print labels button (printer icon).

• Options: «Print labels (quantity in the invoice)» — will print as many labels as goods were received; «One by one» — one for each item type.

• Warehouse status:

• Go to the menu Warehouse — Warehouse Status. Select the required goods (you can use Ctrl+A or Ctrl+click).

• Click the Print -> «Print tags for goods one by one» button or «In warehouse quantity».

• Reprint a label:

• Menu Merchandise Management — Reprint label. Here you can scan the product and instantly print a label (useful for repricing on the sales floor). If scanning does not find the product, check which barcode is being used: factory EAN or internal one.

5. Typical problems and solutions (Troubleshooting)

Below are the causes that most often recur in support requests.

Cause. Mismatch between the label size in the driver and in the FastReport template, or a calibration failure.

Solution. Check the paper size settings in the Windows driver (see section 1). Check the page size in the Torgsoft template. Calibrate the printer. Additionally, check the media type (Gap/Black Mark) and print density in the driver.

Printing hieroglyphs or endless printing

Cause. An incompatible driver or a port conflict. Another common reason is that the “wrong driver class” is installed: the printer may be universal, but the user is trying to print labels through a receipt printer driver, or vice versa — trying to print receipts through a label printer driver.

Solution. Remove the device, restart the PC, and install a verified driver that is compatible specifically with your model. Check that a label printer driver is used for labels (TSPL/ZPL — depending on the model), and a receipt driver is used for receipts (ESC/POS or another one supported by this specific model). After installation, check the connection port (USB/COM/LAN) and perform a test print from the driver.

Poor print quality, barcode does not scan

Cause. A small barcode scale or "dead" pixels on the thermal head.

Solution. Increase the barcode scale (Zoom) in the template or change the font to a clearer one (for example, Arial). Wipe the thermal head with alcohol. If there are white vertical stripes — this is mechanical damage to the head. Also check the quality of the thermal ribbon: low quality gives weak contrast and scans worse.

Printing when working through Remote Desktop (RDP)

If the printer is connected to a local PC and Torgsoft is on the server, a problem with port redirection may occur. 

Solution. The most stable way is to connect the printer via LAN (if there is a network port) or through a print server/router with USB. Then Torgsoft sees it as a regular network printer.

RDP redirection often works poorly with label printers.

For internet access:

• A public (“white”) static IP address + port forwarding to the printer or print server.

• Or a VPN tunnel (OpenVPN, WireGuard, etc.) — the network looks like a local one.

Recommendations for consumables

• Thermal Eco. Cheap, fade in the sun within 3-6 months. Suitable for fast-moving goods (food products).

• Thermal TOP. Have a protective layer, are more resistant to moisture and friction. Suitable for clothes, footwear, and electronics.

• Sizes. For placing the name, price, and barcode, the optimal size is 40x25 mm. On smaller ones (30x20 mm), it is difficult to place a readable description together with a barcode.