Docket Printers

CAPITAL Visual Builder is a visual form designer tool that requires a printer capable of supporting the Windows graphic device interface (GDI). Non-graphical printers are not supported by Visual Builder.

Many docket printers are not capable of supporting graphics or graphic related functions, such as incremental movement of the printer head. It is unlikely that such a printer can be made to work with Visual Builder even it comes supplied with a Windows printer driver.

A docket printer that supports the basic print functions of a dot-matrix printer (such as an Epson FX or LQ compatible printer) should work with Visual Builder. Dot-matrix printers are capable of printing graphics. Unfortunately, many docket printers, especially older types and models, do not even have this basic capability.

Opening The Till

If your printer is connected to a till interface and opens the till by means of an escape code sequence, this code can be sent through to Visual Builder using the SendEscapeCodes() function. For example, in the Form Properties|Questions|Preface section of the Visual Builder form, the following function could be added:

SendEscapeCodes(CHR(27) + "E")

The above instruction sends control code 27 followed by the capital letter "E" directly to the printer. Different brands and models of till interface tend to use different control code sequences for opening tills. You will need to find the correct code sequence by referring to the printer or till manual. For example, if the code to open the till is ASCII 27, 08, 00 then the code sequence would be:

SendEscapeCodes(CHR(27) + CHR(08) + CHR(00))