WebSphere brand IBM WebSphere Premises Server, Version 6.1.x

Creating properties files for print templates

To submit print jobs from the Print, Verify, and Ship Reference User Interface, you must create a corresponding properties file on WebSphere® Premises Server after you create a new print template.

About this task
Most print templates contain static information for the label stored in template properties files. However, you can create properties files using substitution variables. These properties files are stored on the premises server, and the information contained within them is retrieved when you submit a print job from the Print, Verify, and Ship Reference User Interface. For a list of substitution variables, see Substitution variables for template properties files.

The easiest way to create a new properties file is to modify one of the existing files located in the following directory:

This is the default directory for your properties files unless another directory is specified in the pvsapp.properties file.

Note: You can change the location of these files by modifying the pvsapp.properties file, which is located in the default properties file directory.
If you modify the pvsapp.properties file, you must stop and then restart either WebSphere Application Server server 1 or the IBM_Premises_PVSConsole enterprise application from the WebSphere Application Server administrative console. Use the following steps to stop and restart the IBM_Premises_PVSConsole enterprise application:
  1. Log on to the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.
  2. Click Applications > Enterprise Applications.
  3. Stop and restart IBM_Premises_PVSConsole.

Use the following steps to create properties files for print templates:

Procedure
  1. Open one of the existing template properties files from the premises\pvs\templates directory.
  2. Modify the static properties in the file to match the information needed for your print template:
    • If you are using a Loftware print template, use the Loftware software to examine the .lwl template file to see what properties it is expecting.
    • If you are using a Bartender print template, use the Bartender software to examine the .btw template file to see what properties it is expecting.
    • If you are using a physical print template, open the template_name.csv file located in the template .zip file. For example:
      0,TEMPLATE,$TEMPLATE_NAME 
      1,RFID,$TAG 
      3,STRING,productname 
      4,STRING,productdescription 
      5,STRING,productquantity 
      6,STRING,manufactureid 
      7,STRING,manufacturename 

      Variables with a "$" are dynamically inserted by the Print, Verify, and Ship Reference User Interface application during printing.

      Note: When printing tag labels that use substitution variables, be sure to limit the amount of data you enter in the Print, Verify, and Ship Reference User Interface to prevent printing more characters than can fit on the tag label.

      You must include the string variables in the properties file. For example:

      productname=Widgets
      productdescription=steel widgets
      productquantity=50
      manufacturerid=123456
      manufacturername=Widget Company  
  3. Save the properties file in the templates directory, using the same name as the print template file. For example, if the print template file is called zebra-SIMPLE-template.zip or Simple.lwl, name the properties file SIMPLE.properties.
  4. Restart the Data Transformation service on both the WebSphere Premises Server and the edge controller.
What to do next
Note: You must restart WebSphere Premises Server each time you make changes to these properties files.
To stop and restart the WebSphere Premises Server:
  • Run WAS_HOME\bin\stopServer server1 to stop.
  • Run WAS_HOME\bin\startServer server1 to start.
  • Windows stopServer.bat and startServer.bat
  • Linux stopServer.sh and startServer.sh

Important: When using a properties file in the Print, Verify, and Ship Reference User Interface that contains non-English-language characters, be sure to run the J2SE utility, native2ascii, against the properties file to convert the non-English-language characters to their Unicode ASCII equivalent. The properties files are required when adding print templates to the WebSphere Premises Server Administrative Console.

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