This guide is for If you have started experiencing printing issues that previously worked, or recently set up a printer that isn't configured correctly,
If you are adding a new PC/Printer, please follow this guide instead.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Nothing is printing
Ensure print client is open
To check if your print client is open, please follow this guide.
Make sure printer is turned on and plugged in
Please ensure that:
1. The printer is turned on
2. The printer is connected to the PC you are sending the print jobs to. If these steps are done, you should be able to see the printer in the print client on the "Printers" tab:
3. Ensure that the printer is ticked "Active" like the picture above.
Print Jobs stuck in Print Queue
If Print Jobs are getting stuck in the Print Queue, you will need to manually clear the Print Queue to allow labels to print again.
The first step is to stop the Print Spooler service. You can do this by going to the Start Menu and typing in Services.
Once the Services program is open, scroll down until you find "Print Spooler", then right-click on the service and click "Stop".
Once the service is stopped, open File Explorer. You can do this by pressing the Windows Key ⊞ and E on your keyboard.
From there, copy and paste the following path into the search box. "C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS"
1. Stop the print spooler
a. Go to the start menu and type in Services and open the program that shows.
b. Right-click on "Print Spooler"
c. Select "Stop"
2. Delete the print job(s)
a. Open file explorer
b. Navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
c. Delete all items located in this folder
3. Restart the print spooler
c. Open your running services (services.msc)
b. Right-click on "Print Spooler"
c. Select "Start"
Reinstalling printer drivers
Should the above steps not work - Head to this section below.
Label Misaligned when Printing / Printing Incorrectly / Blank Labels
If your Shipping Labels are printing misaligned / incorrectly, the first action should be to double-check the Paper Size that has been set within your Printing Preferences.
You can do this by clicking the Start Menu, and then type "Printers and Scanners" into the Search Box. You should get a result that looks like the below.
From there, find your printer and then click it, and go to "Manage" and then click on "Printing Preferences".
You should then be shown a panel where you can control the printing settings.
Before changing any printing settings, take a screenshot to ensure that you can revert them back at a later date if needed.
Ensure that the Page Width and Height is the same as the paper that you have in the printer. For example, if you have 4 x 6 Inch paper, set the Page Size accordingly. Alternatively, you can use the Label Size list below to choose the right size, depending on the courier that you are using.
Label Sizes & Orientation
Below are some common carriers with the accompanying Paper Sizes (Width x Height):
Royal Mail: 4 x 6 Inches.
DPD / DPD Local: 4 x 4 Inches.
Parcelforce: 4 x 6 Inches.
DHL Express (DHL on Shiptheory): 3.62 x 7.28 Inches.
DHL Parcel UK: 4 x 6 Inches.
UPS: 6 x 4 Inches.
Once the Paper Size has been changed, click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the setting. From there, try test printing a label within Shiptheory to see if this fixes the issue.
If this doesn't resolve the issue, change the Orientation to "Portrait 180" or "Rotate 180" and then try to re-print again.
If this still didn't fix the issue, go back to the printing preferences and then navigate to "Advanced Setup" for Zebra Printers or "Stock" on DPD Printers, and then attempt a print a label from Shiptheory using each of the sensing options to see if this resolves the issue:
Physical Calibration
To physically calibrate the printer, each printer varies on how you do this, but just find out the name/model of the printer and then google the calibration guide for it.
Common Printer Calibration guides:
TSC: https://help.resaleworld.com/libertyreact/recaltsc.html
Reinstalling Printer Drivers
If the printer is still printing incorrectly, reinstalling the drivers is the next step. This often resolves issues with Paper Sizing / Print Quality.
Below is a list of Driver Software for Commonly used Printers:
DPD Printer Drivers (Citizen CL-S521 / TSC DA210):
Official DPD Link: https://help.dpd.co.uk/mydpd/user_guides/printer_drivers/pc_printer_drivers.zip
Google Drive Mirror: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_OtKI2RP8LXmgz9pQF4rhM730pRDAn6a/view?usp=sharing
ZDesigner GK420d Drivers: https://www.zebra.com/gb/en/support-downloads/printers/desktop/gk420d.html?downloadId=ebcda1a6-5360-4a59-90e9-9e85c2c95ff1#Tab-item-35c5e20f9f-tab:~:text=for%20this%20version-,Windows%20Printer%20Driver%20V5,-1%20files
ZDesigner ZD421-203dpi Drivers: https://www.zebra.com/us/en/support-downloads/printers/desktop/zd421.html?downloadId=722a2b25-215e-4db3-9571-12ed8d51b219#Tab-item-61fee4a3fb-tab:~:text=Recommended-,Windows%20Printer%20Driver%20v10,-1%20files
ZDesigner ZD220 Drivers: https://www.zebra.com/us/en/support-downloads/printers/desktop/ZD200d.html?downloadId=722a2b25-215e-4db3-9571-12ed8d51b219#Tab-item-a782951298-tab:~:text=Recommended-,Windows%20Printer%20Driver%20v10,-1%20files
When re-installing the Printer Drivers, you will want to select "Upgrade" if possible. If not, just click on "Install Printer Drivers" and follow the installation steps.
Contact Support
If you are not able to resolve your issue, please contact Support at support@shiptheory.com.