Cash Drawers

[emre]

Today we tested it with a cash drawer and fixed all of these little issues. It should work fine as 2.75, thanks.

[mozhi]

Is there some way i can test the cash drawer without a Cash Drawer. I configured the demo(notead rinter.

I have configure Oen Drawer onlyfor Csh and Voucher Transaction. SO it rints a blank age in case of cash/ voucher transaction and in case of Credit card it retains the rint Bill temlate. Should I consider as a success scenario?

Actually i dont have a cash drawer i will be getting it only by  next week. Sorry for such questions

[JohnS]

From what you have described, it sounds like its working. There is no better test then with the actual equipment.

For printers, you need to make sure they are ESC/POS compatible and have a Cash Drawer Kick port (RJ11). In the specs for the printer it should list this and specify the voltage - most are 24VDC (some can be 12VDC). You need to make sure the cash drawer is the same voltage.

I have used 2 different receipt printers with two different cash drawers and all have worked fine.

[mozhi]

I have a query about the printers. FB the link for the thermal  printer I am planning to purchase.

http://www.tvs-e.in/product.aspx?pid=5 - Rp -3160 Model

Does our Samba works on Windows/DOS mode printing? The reason behind asking this question is the technician was telling that if it is DOS mode printing then it cannot be shared on the network.

He also was saying that the cash Drawer will open automatically either before/after printing the receipt based on the configuration. Can we not send <DRAWER> command to open the drawer only when required. He said that the cash Drawer will be connected to the printer through RJ11 jack. Let me know if samba can print on a networked computer through this printer.


I have asked this question to John, posted here so that others can as well benefit from his replies.

[emre]

Mozhi it looks like that tech guy confused you a little. All similar equipment supports most used standards and I don't think your equipment will need any special software feature. Almost every restaurants uses shared printers for kitchen printing and AFAIK that works fine.

Also I don't think that printer will forcibly open cash drawer on every print because it will be useless for most people. I never saw that kind of printer feature before but if such feature exists you should be able to disable it. You can configure SambaPOS for sending cash drawer signal under specific conditions (for example on cash payment) or you can do it manually by adding "Open Drawer" button on payment screen. More information about configuration exists on first page of this topic.

[JohnS]

I have a query about the printers. FB the link for the thermal  printer I am planning to purchase.

http://www.tvs-e.in/product.aspx?pid=5 - Rp -3160 Model

Does our Samba works on Windows/DOS mode printing? The reason behind asking this question is the technician was telling that if it is DOS mode printing then it cannot be shared on the network.

SambaPOS does work with DOS mode printers as you can set the printer to PORT PRINTER like we use for the Pole Displays and print directly to LPT1. The printer you are looking at is also USB, so it is a Windows printer. FYI - you can network share DOS printers.

He also was saying that the cash Drawer will open automatically either before/after printing the receipt based on the configuration. Can we not send <DRAWER> command to open the drawer only when required. He said that the cash Drawer will be connected to the printer through RJ11 jack. Let me know if samba can print on a networked computer through this printer.

I have asked this question to John, posted here so that others can as well benefit from his replies.

The cash drawer kick is programmable in most of the ESC/POS printers I have seen, but if your not sure - research it. You can set the printer to kick the cash drawer every time it prints, or manually using the <DRAWER> command.

Network printing is easy, just share the printer in Printer Properties - but Win7 can difficult at times dues to it's security - if you have issues with Win7 goto Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Advanced sharing settings and turn off Password Protected Sharing for Home/Work Profile. If all else fails, set the same Username & Password on all of your POS terminals.

[JohnS]

Just one more thing in general.

Most suppliers have little knowledge about the POS equipment they sell which makes it hard for people new to this area.

Unfortunately, not all equipment brands and models are available in all countries. This is where the power of the forum can help. If you need help selecting equipment, ask here and we will all try to help to find a local supplier.

Rule #1 - Cheap is not always good.

I started with equipment from de-installed supermarkets that a friend gave me, and equipment from some of our service contracts. So at the least I can prove that you do not need all the same brand of equipment, but check on compatibilities and research the equipment as much as you can that is available to you in your country. And don't be afraid to use eBay for research and purchasing equipment.

[CafeCuppio]

Can you try replacing <DRAWER> command with <XCT 27,112,48,55,121> command?

Thanks, this command sorted my drawer.

[tonypc1000]

Yes you can configure SambaPOS to do it by creating an automated Print Job.

First of all you'll need to create an empty printer template for sending only <DRAWER> command to printer:

• Create new "Printer Template"
• Name it as "Open Drawer"
• Enter <DRAWER> to Header Template.

Now we'll create a Print Job to send this template to printer when payments contains Cash.

• Create new "Print Job"
• Name it as "Open Cash Drawer Job"
• Auto Print After: will be Ticket Paid
• Auto Print for Payment Types: check only Cash
• Add a Print Mapping, leave every columns (*). Choose the printer from Printer Column and Choose Printer Template as Open Drawer. The printer should be the printer connected to the drawer.
• Save it, open Terminals, open Server and add this print job to the Print Jobs list.

Thats all. Now SambaPOS should open cash drawer automatically when a payment includes cash payment.


Instead of doing automatically you can create a "Open Drawer" button. Do everything the same but while creating the Print Job:

• Enter "Button Name" as "Open Drawer".
• Auto Print After: will be Manual
• Uncheck Display at POS Screen
• Leave Display at Payment Screen checked.

Now you'll have a "Open Drawer" button in the payment screen. When clicked it should open Cash Drawer.


If drawer connected directly to a COM port, you can create a new Printer, change printer type to Port Printer, name it with Port Name, add required port commands to a printer template and send this printer template to the Port Printer. We operate COM port connected "cash register" devices through port printers but  required port commands to open drawer might vary by Cash Drawer model. So operating it with a thermal printer is easiest way.

hi, my cash drawer opens every time i print the bill, it there anyway to make to not open?

[evail]

well sometimes the printer preferences has a feature which makes the cashdrawer to open whenever anything is printed.

so check there first. if it doesnt pose a problem then i assume its a problem with the printjob.

[robi62]

Hi i just ordered a drawer and it arrived today
Unfortunately the open till does not work
I just checked that printer and drawer they are sae 24volts
Printer is a metapace T1
Prints tickets ok but open drawer does not do anything I followed first post on topic
I even replaced <DRAWER> with <xtc etcetc> stil does not work
Any ideas?
I am running pos 2.99

[robi62]

Hello willibcn;
I added a little feature to 2.70 release for your issue.

You'll configure an Action and a Rule for triggering Print Job on clicking Cash.

First of all if you have any automatically triggered (When To Print = Ticket Paid) Print Job, change "When to Print" setting to Manual.

For creating the action:

• From "Actions" screen create an Action
• Name it as something like Execute Open Drawer Job
• Set "Action Type" to "Execute Print Job".
• Under Parameters label "Print Job Name" parameter should appear. Select the print job you configured for opening drawer.
• Save it.

Now we configured an action for executing that print job. Let's configure when it will trigger.

• From "Rules" screen create a Rule.
• Name it as you wish. (For example Trigger Cash Drawer Command)
• From "Event Name" list choose "Payment Received"
• Set "PaymentType" parameter to "Cash" so it will trigger only when payment type is Cash.
• Click Select Actions.
• Choose Execute Open Drawer Job (or whatever you named it as) action from Actions list by double clicking on it.
• Save and Close

Now it should open cash drawer as soon as you click on Cash button.

I just did that as well still does not open draw.....

Help please

PS now when i press open draw button it prints a bill

[robi62]

hi can i ask you do you need both instrucions to open the cash draw or either the first or the second one???
Can someone tell me???

I think I found out where problem is
I have a 64bit operating system 32 bit driver wont load and from printer specs it only support 32bit
there is a utility in printer which says opendrawer but when i tick it it won't save it