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====== BarTender Printing Automation ======


__Task description__

Here is description on how we use the image attached in webmaster-mail in Bartender:

Current production procedure:

  - open thunderbird & bartender, set up bartender with standard templates;
  - select order mail;
  - save attachments/images to default location (double click each attachment - enter);
  - double click template in bartender, choose new image to replace with minor adjustments if necessary; ie enlarge small text, or move to center; Pure text aren't interchangeable with text + image, due to slightly different centering.
  - print correct amount & type.

We use different templates for pure text labels and for labels with motif due to center problems. I think this is not important if text is imported into text area.

We have 6 different printer. Two for each color (one self adhesive and one for iron-on).

This is how we hope it could be done.

  - When in thunderbird inbox we hit a hotkey to start Bartender script printing for the selected order. 
  - Bartender should start printing with right color and right type - all sets for the selected order. 
  - Then we select the next order in Thunderbird manually and start the script all over again.

By having this script we will be able to save some time but also increase quality if text is imported directly into bartender without being an image.

__Documented Integration Possibilities__

In addition to operating “stand-alone,” all versions of BarTender can be controlled from within your other applications. However, the Enterprise Edition adds advanced features especially designed for software integration. That means accounting, manufacturing, inventory, shipping and other supply-chain applications can easily access BarTender’s powerful label-printing features. In fact, your users don’t even have to know that it’s BarTender printing the labels.

**Command Line Interface Option**
\\ “Command Line” control of BarTender, available in all editions, uses less sophisticated software technology than ActiveX Automation. However, it still allows any program capable of issuing a “run program” command to load BarTender and launch print jobs.

**ActiveX Automation**
\\ Taking advantage of the latest in Microsoft’s ActiveX integration technology, the Enterprise Edition can easily be controlled by other software programs. Numerous functions are available, such as loading BarTender, specifying a label format, selecting data sources and specifying network printers. Your programs can also inquire about BarTender’s current status, including print jobs in progress.

**“Trigger” Based Integrations**
\\ The Enterprise editions’ Commander utility lets other programs control BarTender just by creating a file, sending an e-mail, or establishing a TCP/IP connection. Commander then detects the trigger and “wakes up” BarTender, which reads your label data and prints your labels. This is useful when:
  * You don’t have access to your other application’s source code.
  * You’re using a non-Windows platform (Linux, UNIX, AIX, AS/400, etc.) and standard Windows integration methods are not available.
  * It is otherwise inconvenient or impossible to issue ActiveX commands from your current application or environment.
  * You want to parse and manage an Oracle XML label request.

**Easy Control from non-Windows Systems**
\\ Although Commander and BarTender run on Windows, they don’t care where the triggers originate. This simplifies integration on large enterprise networks where a non-Windows system may be generating your label data but does not have direct access to your Windows applications.

**How Commander Works**
\\ Using Commander, your other application makes labels by first generating a text file. Commander detects the file’s arrival and then “wakes up” BarTender, which reads your data and prints your labels. This can be especially helpful on large, enterprise networks where a non-Windows system is generating your label data and doesn’t have direct access to your Windows applications.

**E-mail Integration**
\\ As an alternative to file-based triggers and label data, Commander can also detect triggers and receive label data via e-mail.

__Solution__

In order to realize this automation task we need Enterprize edition of BarTender and Commander utility. It seems, required BarTender features are exist only in this software combination. So the following things are required for this task implementation:

  - Enterprize edition of BarTender and Commander utility. //It will be best to obtain Commander utility documentation for possibilities exploration at first (if possible).//
  - Remote access to your Windows server with set up IIS and PHP + BarTender software (BarTender and Commander utility).

The specialy written web service (PHP based server) will be installed onto this server. This web service will process requests from merkalt sites on label preview generation. Such function should replace currently used GD library based design generation on merkalt sites.

  - Once merkalt site sends preview generation request, service forms request (via command line or ActiveX Automation) to BarTender to create preview image.
  - After image is generated, it returned back to merkalt site to be shown as design preview.

I'm not sure that it is possible to capture data for printing from mail selected in Thunderbird and pass this data to BarTender. So, printing automation itself could be realized with a help of Commander utility. 

As mentioned in documentation it could be done on file-based triggers. I suppose it could be created additional data file in special format and attached in webmaster email. This file contains design data and should be imported and processed by Commander utility. In order to send this file to printer it should be simply saved into special Commander directory. In this case you can decide if selected in Thunderbird order should be printed or not.

But it is should be explored if Commander import file format allows to define the name of the printer depending on design properties. Also it should allow to define template name, image and text to be inserted into this template, etc.

__Used BarTender Templates__

{{:merkalt:bartender_maler.zip|}}