Introduction

This document shows the global steps in the two methods of BarTender integrations in E-WMS.

Description

E-WMS has two ways of integrating BarTender labels:

1. Client-side: BarTender ActiveX integration was the original used method, and is used when label printing is required for a process step in a WMS Control Center or in a WMS RF service.  This method requires the BarTender Automation edition to be installed on the PC using the WMS Control Centers or running the WMS services, and can be used for almost all WMS process steps (send picking, read back, validate, process transactions) done in Control Centers.
     
   
2. Server-side: Using BarTender Commander was added later to E-WMS, and is used when label printing is started from E-WMS ASP hand terminals. This method requires the BarTender Enterprise Automation edition to be installed on a server (logically the IIS server) and can be used to print SKU labels for E-WMS SKU Management, Serial/batch labels for E-WMS S/B Generation, and SSCC labels during orderpicking.
   
   

From release 409, it is possible to use the 'BarTender Commander' method for labels printed from a WMS Control Centers or services, so for all E-WMS labels. This can be configured by the 'Bartender method' setting.

Using the 'server' method, or BarTender Commander, offers some advantages:

• BarTender (both Commander and BarTender itself) only has to be installed on one server or PC: the machine acting as BarTender server
• The label layouts are no longer database (company) specific, since the data to print is embedded as text data in the command file for the print job

Migrating from 'client' to 'server' method

Some points of attention, when you were using SQL-view based layouts, and want to use the 'Server' method for all labels:

• You need a server (or PC) in your network where BarTender Commander and BarTender are installed, based on this installation guide
• You need the BarTender Enterprise Automation edition from Seagull Scientific
• When migrating BarTender labels from a SQL view data source: the labels need to be changed to use a text file as data source;
  • Labels printed from Control Center or WMS service need to migrate from using a SQL view to using a text file
  • Labels printed from the hand terminal (SKU etc.) need to migrate from using a SQL view to using a text file
• It might be desirable to restrict access to the SQL views for the (previous) configured BarTender SQL user, to avoid printing labels using a SQL view, by mistake.
  The SQL views are still used by E-WMS for the embedded data in the XML file, but not by BarTender anymore.
• The account used to run the E-WMS Control Center or the E-WMS services requires 'write' access to the 'Bartender scan folder', but no longer needs access to the label layouts.
• Any local (label) printers used and configured, need to be configured on the BarTender Commander server. Printing is done from the server, not from the Exact Globe Next client PC or the WMS IIS server (unless this is the same server as the BarTender Commander server). 
• The printing of labels will be indirect (through the server), instead of direct. If there would be an error situation preventing the label from printing, the user will not see any errors. The label will just not be printed.
• The label layouts are no longer company-specific like when using a SQL view as data source. The data is now provided together with the command to print the label. The SQL views still have to exist in each database used for label printing.
• The BarTender scan folder needs to be configured in E-WMS and in BarTender Commander.

Related documents

• Troubleshooting label printing
• E-WMS BarTender integration: mandatory fields and sample layouts
• E-WMS system specifications: BarTender
• Product Update 409: Use BarTender Commander for all E-WMS labels
   
• E-WMS start page