The Zebra Cloud Connect channel enables users to register Zebra Cloud Connect printers in Movilitas.Cloud and to check the connection status from Movilitas.Cloud.
The user can also test printing or activate sending the content of the printing job to a file instead of sending it to the printer.
Prerequisite to This Article
The Zebra Cloud Connect channel communicates with the Zebra devices that are connected to the Zebra Cloud Connect server (endpoint) of Movilitas.Cloud. To have a working connection to a printer from Movilitas.Cloud, you first need to configure your Zebra device to connect to the Zebra Cloud Connect server of Movilitas.Cloud. For more information, see Connecting Zebra Cloud Connect Printers to Movilitas.Cloud.
Next Steps After Setting the Zebra Cloud Connect Channel (After This Article)
After setting the printing channel, you can define printing destinations in the specific Movilitas.Cloud application, and then you can submit printing orders to these destinations.
Currently, the Zebra Cloud Connect channel can be used in the following applications:
- Serialized Manufacturing
- Serialized Logistics
List of Procedures
- Configuring a Zebra Cloud Connect Channel
- Adding a Zebra Cloud Connect Printer
- Viewing and Editing Zebra Cloud Connect Printers
- Sending ZPL Code to Printer
- Deleting a Zebra Cloud Connect Printer
For more information on the general channel actions, see Managing Channels for a Tenant (Overview).
Configuring a Zebra Cloud Connect Channel
Before registering your Zebra printers in Movilitas.Cloud, you need to set up a printing channel.
Procedure
1. Go to Movilitas.Cloud Console --> My tenants.
2. Select the tenant or click Open tenant next to it.
3. On the Tenant Dashboard, select the Channels tab. The application displays the list of channels assigned to the tenant.
4. Click the + icon (Create channel). The application displays the Create channel dialog.
5. Select Printing channel as the type and click Create. The application displays the Create Channel page with an empty form to give the basic parameters of the channel.
6. Enter a name for the channel and select Zebra Cloud Connect as the source.
7. Click Create Channel.
The application informs you about the additional costs. After confirming the creation, the application displays the Edit Channel page with the Zebra devices panel and the Add new Zebra device form.
Optionally, you can change the name of the channel and then click Save Channel to update the settings.
Example:
Next Steps
Add the Zebra Cloud Connect printers to the channel. For more information, see Adding a Zebra Cloud Connect Printer.
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Adding a Zebra Cloud Connect Printer
When adding a Zebra Cloud Connect printer to the channel, you provide the name, the device ID, and the printer status. Optionally, you can activate sending the content of the printing jobs to a file instead of sending them to the printer.
Before You Begin
Make sure that:
- The printers are connected to the Zebra Cloud Connect server of Movilitas.Cloud. For more information, see Connecting Zebra Cloud Connect Printers to Movilitas.Cloud.
- You have the Zebra device ID. Find the label on the physical device and use the serial number.
Procedure
1. Go to Movilitas.Cloud Console --> My tenants.
2. Select the tenant or click Open tenant next to it.
3. On the Tenant Dashboard, select the Channels tab. The application displays the list of channels assigned to the tenant.
4. To search for a Zebra Cloud Connect printing channel, use the search field and the filters:
- Enter the channel name in the search field.
- Select the status.
- Select Zebra Cloud Connect as the source.
- Select Printing channel as the type.
5. Click on the channel name or the edit icon (Edit channel) next to the channel. The application displays the channel settings, the Zebra devices panel, and the Add new Zebra device form.
Note: You can also open the Add new Zebra device form by clicking Add more + button on the Zebra devices panel.
6. Fill in the Add new Zebra device form as described in the table below. The required fields are marked with an asterisk (*) in the form.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Device name | Enter the name of the device. |
| Device ID | Check the label on the printer and find the serial number. Enter the serial number in this field. |
| Status | Set the status of the device (Active or Inactive). |
| Print the content to file instead of printer | If you want to print the content of the printing jobs to a file, select the checkbox and then specify the email address in the field displayed after the checkbox. |
| Enter the email address when printing to a file. Only applicable, when the Print the content to file instead of printer checkbox is selected. Note: You must add an email address to receive the file. You cannot retrieve the file from Movilitas.Cloud. |
7. Click Add New Device. The device is added to the list.
8. Click on the Refresh icon in the Zebra devices panel header to refresh the connection status and to verify that the device is connected to Movilitas.Cloud.
Printers that are connected to Movilitas.Cloud have an active Wi-Fi icon displayed, while the disconnected ones have an inactive (strike-through) Wi-Fi icon displayed.
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Viewing and Editing Zebra Cloud Connect Printers
You can check the connection status and other details of the printers, activate or inactivate printers, and activate or deactivate sending the content of printing jobs to a file.
Before You Begin
Make sure that:
- The printers are connected to the Zebra Cloud Connect server of Movilitas.Cloud. For more information, see Connecting Zebra Cloud Connect Printers to Movilitas.Cloud.
- You have the Zebra device ID. Find the label on the physical device and use the serial number.
Procedure
1. Go to Movilitas.Cloud Console --> My tenants.
2. Select the tenant or click Open tenant next to it.
3. On the Tenant Dashboard, select the Channels tab. The application displays the list of channels assigned to the tenant.
4. To search for a Zebra Cloud Connect printing channel, use the search field and the filters:
- Enter the channel name in the search field.
- Select the status.
- Select Zebra Cloud Connect as the source.
- Select Printing channel as the type.
5. Click on the channel name or the edit icon (Edit channel) next to the channel. The application displays the channel settings, the Zebra devices panel with the list of devices, and the Add new Zebra device form.
Example:
6. Click on the Refresh icon in the Zebra devices panel header to refresh the connection status.
Printers that are connected to Movilitas.Cloud have an active Wi-Fi icon displayed, while the disconnected ones have an inactive (strike-through) Wi-Fi icon displayed.
7. Click on the edit icon next to a device to view and modify the settings.
8. Modify the device settings as required.
- Change the name of the device.
- Activate or inactivate the device by selecting Active or Inactive under Status drop-down, respectively. Before inactivating, make sure that the printer does not have assigned printing jobs in Movilitas.Cloud.
- If you want to print the content of the printing jobs to a file, select the checkbox and then specify the email address in the field displayed after the checkbox.
In the following example, we select the checkbox Print the content to file instead of printer and then we give the email address where the file will be sent:
9. Click Update Device.
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Sending ZPL Code to Printer
If you want to test printing on a device, you can paste the test ZPL code into the text field of a window and send it to the printer.
Before You Begin
Take any valid ZPL code that you can use for printing.
To send the ZPL code to the printer, the connection with the device must be up and running.
You must deactivate sending the content to a file, that is, you need to physically print the content on the device.
Procedure
1. Go to Movilitas.Cloud Console --> My tenants.
2. Select the tenant or click Open tenant next to it.
3. On the Tenant Dashboard, select the Channels tab. The application displays the list of channels assigned to the tenant.
4. To search for a Zebra Cloud Connect printing channel, use the search field and the filters:
- Enter the channel name in the search field.
- Select the status.
- Select Zebra Cloud Connect as the source.
- Select Printing channel as the type.
5. Click on the channel name or the edit icon (Edit channel) next to the channel. The application displays the channel settings, the Zebra devices panel with the list of devices, and the Add new Zebra device form.
6. Click on the Refresh icon in the Zebra devices panel header to refresh the connection status.
Printers that are connected to Movilitas.Cloud have an active Wi-Fi icon displayed, while the disconnected ones have an inactive (strike-through) Wi-Fi icon displayed.
7. On the Zebra devices panel, find the printer you want to test.
Note: The connection with the printer must be up and running. Also, the function of sending the content to a file must be deactivated.
Example:
8. Click on the printer icon next to the printer. The application displays a window where you can paste the ZPL code.
9. Paste the ZPL code in the text area.
Example:
10. Click Send to printer. The ZPL code is printed on the device.
If sending the ZPL code to the printer fails for any reason, the application displays an appropriate error message.
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Deleting a Zebra Cloud Connect Printer
If you do not want to use a printer, you can delete it from the list. It is recommended to delete only the printers that are inactivated.
Before You Begin
Make sure that the printer is in Inactive status before deleting it. Before inactivating a printer, make sure that the printer does not have assigned printing jobs in Movilitas.Cloud.
Procedure
1. Go to Movilitas.Cloud Console --> My tenants.
2. Select the tenant or click Open tenant next to it.
3. On the Tenant Dashboard, select the Channels tab. The application displays the list of channels assigned to the tenant.
4. To search for a Zebra Cloud Connect printing channel, use the search field and the filters:
- Enter the channel name in the search field.
- Select the status.
- Select Zebra Cloud Connect as the source.
- Select Printing channel as the type.
5. Click on the channel name or the edit icon (Edit channel) next to the channel. The application displays the channel settings, the Zebra devices panel with the list of devices, and the Add new Zebra device form.
6. On the Zebra devices panel, find the printer you want to delete.
Example:
7. Click on the delete icon next to the printer and confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.
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