Brother P-touch PT-9800PCN User manual

©Copyright 2011 BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Version 1.03
Model Name: PT-9800PCN/PT-9700PC
Created by: Brother Industries, Ltd.
P-touch Template Manual

Machine Model: PT-9800PCN/PT-9700PC
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
This documentation (“Documentation”) gives you information that will assist you in controlling
your Machine Model.
You may use the Documentation only if you first agree to the following conditions.
If you do not agree to the following conditions, you may not use the Documentation.
Condition of Use
You may use and reproduce the Documentation to the extent necessary for your own use of your
Machine Model (“Purpose”). Unless expressly permitted in the Documentation, you may not;
(i) copy or reproduce the Documentation for any purpose other than the Purpose,
(ii) modify, translate or adapt the Documentation, and/or redistribution to any third party,
(iii) rent or lease the Documentation to any third party, or,
(iv) remove or alter any copyright notices or proprietary rights legends included within the
Documentation.
No Warranty
a. Any updates, upgrades or alteration of the Documentation or Machine Model will be
performed at the sole discretion of Brother. Brother may not respond to any request or
inquiry about the Documentation.
b. THIS DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. BROTHER DOES
NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT THIS DOCUMENTATION IS FREE FROM
ERRORS OR DEFECTS.
c. IN NO EVENT SHALL BROTHER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE,
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
WHATSOEVER, ARISING OUT OF THE USE, INABILITY TO USE, OR THE RESULTS OF
USE OF THE DOCUMENTATION OR ANY SOFTWARE PROGRAM OR APPLICATION
YOU DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DOCUMENTATION.

Contents
Introduction 4
What is P-touch Template? 4
Using P-touch Template 5
P-touch Template limitations 14
Precautions 26

Introduction
This material provides the necessary information for directly controlling the templates
transferred to PT-9800PCN/PT-9700PC.
We accept no responsibility for any problems caused by programs that you develop using the
information provided in this material, affecting software, data or hardware, including the
PT-9800PCN/PT-9700PC, and any problems resulting directly or indirectly from them. Use
this material only if you accept these terms.
This material shall not be reproduced, in part or in full, without prior approval. In addition, this
material shall not be used as evidence in a lawsuit or dispute in a way that is unfavorable
towards our company.
1. Set up the printer from
the computer according
to configuration of the
host device.
What is P-touch Template?
P-touch Template is a tool for transferring ASCII
text and binary data from a host device to a
template transferred to the printer. This
transferred data is inserted into text objects or bar
code objects in the template.
3. Transfer the data
(text) from the host
device, and then
print it in the
template.
2. Design the template
in P-touch Editor, and
then transfer it to the
printer.
This allows the user to develop a printing system that connects directly from the host
device. Compatible host devices are listed below.
Scale/measurement devices
Medical devices
Bar code readers
Control devices in any system environment
Note:
*The host device should be equipped with a connector for a serial cable (RS-232C) or
USB-A cable in order to transfer the data.

Using P-touch Template
1. Set up the printer.
With the P-touch Template Settings tool, specify the initial printer
settings according to the host system environment or the host
device that PT-9800PCN/PT-9700PC is connected to.
(Refer to “P-touch Template Settings tool” on page 7.)
The printer driver must first be installed via a USB connection.
2. Design the template.
With P-touch Editor, design the template to be
transferred.
(Refer to “P-touch Template limitations” on page 14.)
3. Transfer the template.
With P-touch Transfer Manager, transfer the
templates to the printer.
(Refer to the PT-9800PCN/PT-9700PC User’s Guide.)
4. Program using P-touch Template commands.
If any special commands are required to control the
printer, change the host program as described in
the P-touch Template Command Reference.
(Refer to the P-touch Template Command Reference.)

5. Connect the printer to the host device, and print labels.
Connect the printer to the host device by using a serial
cable (RS-232C) or USB-A cable.
Transfer the data, such as ASCII text, from the host
device to templates on the machine, and print the labels.
*Refer to the sample code for details on using P-touch Template.

P-touch Template Settings tool
⑤Print start command text string setting
④Print start trigger setting
⑥Print start data amount setting
⑦Character code set setting
⑧International character setting
⑨Prefix character setting
⑩Non-printed character setting
⑭Auto cut setting
⑮Half cut setting
⑰Cut number setting
⑳Communication settings
Applies settings for ①through ⑳to the machine.
Returns ①through ⑲to
their default settings.
⑪Line feed character setting
⑬Number of copies setting
⑱Chain printing setting
⑫FNC1 replacement setting
⑲Mirror printing
setting
Closes the tool.
⑯Special tape setting
①Command mode setting
②Template number setting
③Delimiter setting

①Command mode setting
・ P-touch Template mode
To use P-touch Template, select the P-touch Template mode.
・ ESC/P mode
・ Raster mode
②Template number setting
Specify the template number selected as the default when the machine is turned on.
However, if any template has been set to not be transferred to the machine, the number of
that template cannot be specified.
③Delimiter setting
A delimiter is the symbol used to indicate when to move to the next object in data that is
being sent. Between 1 and 20 characters can be specified.
④Print start trigger setting
Select one of the following three options for the print start trigger.
・ Command Character
(Printing starts when the command character specified in ⑤is received.)
・ Data Insertion into All the Objects
(Printing starts when the delimiter for the last object is received.)
・ Received Data Size
(Printing starts when the number of characters specified in ⑥is received. However,
delimiters are not counted in the number of characters.)
⑤Print start command text string setting
Specify 1 to 20 characters.

⑥Print start data amount setting
The amount of data that must be received before printing can begin can be set between 1
and 999.
⑦Character code set setting
Select one of the following three character codes. For details on the character code tables,
refer to the character code tables in the P-touch Template Command Reference.
・ Windows 1252
・ Windows 1250
・ Brother standard
⑧International character setting
Select one of the following as the character set of the country.
・ USA
・ France
・ Germany
・ UK
・ Denmark
・ Sweden
・ Italy
・ Spain
・ Japan
・ Norway
・ Denmark II
・ Spain II
・ Latin America
・ Korea
・ Legal
The following 12 codes are changed depending on the country selected from those
mentioned above.
23h 24h 40h 5Bh 5Ch 5Dh 5Eh 60h 7Bh 7Ch 7Dh 7Eh
For the characters that are switched, refer to the international character set table in the

P-touch Template Command Reference.
⑨Prefix character setting
Change the prefix character code. Specify as a one-character character code.
The prefix character is the code for the first character that identifies commands that can
be used in P-touch Template mode.
⑩Non-printed character setting
The characters specified here are not printed when data is received. Specify 1 to 20
characters.
⑪Line feed character setting
The line feed code is used when feeding data to indicate that the following data should
be moved to the next line in a text object. One of the following four line feed codes can
be selected, or 1 to 20 characters can be specified as the line feed code.
1. ^CR
2. \0D\0A
3. \0A
4. \0D
⑫FNC1 replacement setting
This setting selects whether or not GS codes, which are included in bar code protocols
such as GS1-128 (UCC/EAN-128), are replaced with FNC1 codes.
If the check box is selected, a received GS code is replaced with the FNC1 code. If the
check box is cleared, a received GS code is outputted as is.
⑬Number of copies setting
Specify the number of copies. A number between 1 and 99 can be specified.

⑭Auto cut setting
If auto cutting is selected, the cut operation will be performed after the number of labels
specified in ⑰.
⑮Half cut setting
Specifies half cutting. If the check box is selected, half cuts are made. If the check box is
cleared, half cuts are not made.
⑯Special tape setting
Specifies the special tape (no cut) setting. If the check box is selected, the special tape
setting is enabled, and the auto cut and chain printing settings are disabled (same as
being turned off). If the check box is cleared, the special tape setting is disabled, and the
operations for the auto cut and chain printing settings are performed as specified.
⑰Cut number setting
A number between 1 and 99 can be specified.
⑱Chain printing setting
Specifies chain printing. If the check box is selected, chain printing is enabled, and the
tape is not fed or automatically cut after the last label is printed. If the check box is
cleared, chain printing is disabled, and the tape is fed and automatically cut after the last
label is printed.
⑲Mirror printing setting
Specifies mirror printing. If the check box is selected, mirror printing is enabled. If the
check box is cleared, mirror printing is disabled.

⑳Communication settings
Settings can be specified for the following parameters for serial communication.
・ Baud Rate
115200bps, 57600bps, 38400bps, 31250bps,
28800bps, 19200bps, 14400bps, 9600bps,
4800bps, 2400bps, 1200bps, 600bps
Returns the four parameters to
their default settin
g
s.
Applies the four settings to the machine.
Closes the Communication
Settings dialog box.
・ Bit Length (bits)
8 bits, 7 bits
・ Parity
None, Odd, Even
・ Busy Control
DTR, XON/XOFF

Others
・ini file
After the [Set] button (in the main dialog box or the Communications Settings dialog box) is
clicked, the settings are saved and the dialog box is closed.
(With PT-9800PCN)
C:\Documents and Settings\<user_account_name>\Application Data\Brother\Printer
Settings\Pts202E.ini
(With PT-9700PC)
C:\Documents and Settings\<user_account_name>\Application Data\Brother\Printer
Settings\Pts203C.ini
・Entering text in text boxes ③, ⑤, ⑨and ⑩
Characters that can be entered as text can be typed in, and control codes can be entered
as ASCII codes (00 to FF) with \ in front of them.
Example: PRINT: [PRINT]
TAB control code: [\09]
Return control code: [\0D]
\: [\\]

P-touch Template limitations
■Relating to text objects
・Fonts specified in P-touch Editor are converted to Helsinki, Letter Gothic or Brussels,
depending on the font shape, when the data is sent to the machine.
(The font is converted according to the following rules: fixed pitch: Letter Gothic; serif:
Brussels; san serif: Helsinki. Symbol fonts are converted to text objects if text input mode
has been entered, and fonts are divided into three categories, as described above. If the
text input mode has been exited, they are converted to image objects and the selected font
is not converted.)
・Character sizes specified in P-touch Editor are converted to the closest built-in character
size when the data is sent to the machine.
・Character sizes specified in P-touch Editor are all made the same size within an object.
・If “At Printing” is selected, a time stamp specified in P-touch Editor is not printed. If “At
Printing” is not selected, the time stamp is printed with the date and time that the data was
created in P-touch Editor.
・Depending on the language of the computer used for transferring, either the Western
European or the Eastern European character set is used for characters within text objects.

“At Printing” setting
(To cancel the “At Printing” setting for a date/time in P-touch Editor, display the Date and
Time Properties dialog box for the Date and Time object, and then clear the “At Printing”
check box.)
・Horizontal alignment settings (“Justify” or “Equal Length”) specified in P-touch Editor are
changed to the left alignment setting.
・The setting for line spacing with a line feed specified with the P-touch can be set between
0 and 255 dots.
(A negative line spacing setting cannot be used in P-touch Editor. In addition, since there is
an upper limit (about 21 mm) for the line width with the machine, a line spacing setting
larger than this limit specified in P-touch Editor will not be applied on the machine.)

Specifying the line spacing setting in P-touch Editor
・Character styles specified in P-touch Editor are all made the same style within an object.
・If the “Long Text” setting is selected under “Text Layout” in P-touch Editor, the vertical
alignment setting is normally set for top alignment.
・If "Long Text” is selected under “Text Layout” in P-touch Editor and continuous length tape
is used, the print length is increased to fit the text.
・If the “Fixed Frame Size (Wrap)” setting is selected under “Text Layout” in P-touch Editor,
the object size does not change, and the text size is reduced.
(“Fixed Frame Size (Wrap)” is a setting that was added for inserting long text. Since it is
possible that the text size may become extremely small if the wrapping feature is no longer
applied, we recommend that “Fixed Frame Size” be selected when die-cut labels are
specified in P-touch Editor or a fixed length is specified, or that “Automatic Length” be
selected when an automatic media length is specified.)
1. Shrink to Fit: The size of the text object is fixed, and the text size is changed depending on
the text length.
2. Clip Text: The size of the text object and the text size are fixed. If the text is too long, it is
not printed.
3. Long Text: The width of the text object and the text size are fixed. If the text is too long, a
line feed is automatically added, and the height of the text object is increased.
4. Automatic Length: The height of the text object and the text size are fixed. If the text is too

long, the width of the text object is increased.
5. Free Size: The text size is fixed. If the text is too long, the width of the text object is
increased. If a line feed is added, the height of the text object is increased.
Specifying a Text Layout setting
Click the button circled in red to display a drop-down list, and then select the desired
option.

Relationship between the P-touch Editor setting and the printer image
Printer image
P-touch Editor setting
Text Option (Text Layout) Width Height
Text
Layout
Details-
Options
Wrap
Tex t
Frame Size Text
Size Frame Size Text
Size
Printed
image
Clip Text Fix
If the text is too
long, the overflow
text is not printed.
Fix
Fix
If the text is too
long, the overflow
text is not printed.
Fix
1
( See
below
)
Shrink to Fit
Clip Text check
Fixed
Frame
Size
Shrink to Fit check
Fixed
Frame
Size
(Wrap)
Fix
If the text is too
long, even with
the minimum
text size, the
overflow text is
printed outside
the frame.
Auto
The text is
automatically
maximized
to fit the
frame size.
Fix
If the text is too
long, even with
the minimum
text size, the
overflow text is
printed outside
the frame.
Auto
The text is
automatically
maximized
to fit the
frame size.
2
( See
below
)
Long
Text
Fix
The overflow text
is automatically
sent to the new
line.
Fix
Even the
overflow text is
printed outside
the frame.
Fix
3
( See
below
)
Automatic
Length
Even the
overflow text is
printed outside
the frame.
Fix
Fix
If the text is too
long, even with
the minimum
text size, the
overflow text is
printed outside
the frame.
Auto
The text is
automatically
maximized
to fit the
frame size.
4
( See
below
)
Free
Size
Even the overflow
text is printed
outside the frame.
Fix
Even the overflow
text is printed
outside the frame.
Fix
5
( See
below
)
Printed image
1 2 3 4 5

Making a template in order to save time before starting to print
●Perform the following operation to convert permanent objects into images.
· In the [Text Properties] dialog, select the [Expanded] tab and check “Text Cannot
Be Edited”.
· When the [Expanded] tab is not seen in the [Text Properties] dialog, click [Tools] –
[Options] – [General], and check [Display Expanded Tabs of Object Properties] in
the [Others] box.
●Specify the Text Options (Text Layout) settings so that the text size is fixed.

■Relating to bar codes
●Bar codes
・When trying to transfer a template containing a bar code that is not compatible with the
machine, an error will occur while transferring and the template cannot be transferred to
the machine.
The following bar codes are compatible with the machine.
1D bar codes
CODE39, ITF (I-2/5), UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-13, EAN-8, CODE128, GS1-128
(UCC/EAN-128), RSS, CODABAR
2D bar codes
PDF417, QR Code, Micro QR Code, DataMatrix, MaxiCode, Micro PDF417
・If data containing characters incompatible with the protocol are fed into a bar code object,
that bar code object is not printed.
・The bar code size may differ from that in the print result with P-touch Editor.
Since CODE128 and GS1-128 (UCC/EAN128) can easily be printed slightly larger, we
recommend leaving larger margins when creating templates in P-touch Editor.
・If data fed into a bar code in a template created with P-touch Editor causes an extremely
long bar code, the bar code may not be fully printed.
・Do not insert line feeds immediately before or immediately after the bar code data.
Otherwise, it will be considered as part of the bar code data. In that case, the bar code will
be created containing the line feed code, or the bar code will not be printed since data
incompatible with the bar code protocol is entered.
・A delimiter or print start text string should be entered immediately after the bar code data.
● 1D bar codes
・A bar code wider than 22.5 cm will not be printed.
・A one-dimensional bar code taller than 27 mm is converted to 27 mm.
・The number of characters that can be entered for each bar code protocol is listed below.
CODE39: 1 to 50 characters (not including “*” on both sides)
ITF (I-2/5): 1 to 64 characters
EAN-8: 7 characters
EAN-13: 12 characters
UPC-A: 11 characters