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How to configure and use Alma with BIAF to print labels

Contents Installation preparation ....................................................................................................... 2

PC Environment .............................................................................................................. 2

Software download ......................................................................................................... 2

Alma setup ...................................................................................................................... 4

API Label Printing Read Role .................................................................................... 4

urm_label_printer software ......................................................................................... 4

Software install ................................................................................................................... 6

BIAF Label ..................................................................................................................... 6

urm_label_printer ............................................................................................................ 7

Configure software.............................................................................................................. 8

BIAF Label ..................................................................................................................... 8

Create label template................................................................................................... 8

BIAFLabel configuration file ................................................................................... 17

urm_label_printer .......................................................................................................... 18

urm_label_printer configuration file ......................................................................... 19

Test software ..................................................................................................................... 20

Bulk label printing (BIAF Label) ................................................................................. 20

Individual label printing (urm_label_printer) ............................................................... 20

Appendix A ....................................................................................................................... 22

Installing Java ............................................................................................................... 22

Update PATH................................................................................................................ 26

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Installation preparation

PC Environment The urm_label_printer software requires a specific version of java. If java needs to be

updated, then the user updating java needs to be an administrator on the machine. Please

check the version of java as follows:

1. Open a command window

2. Type in the command java –version

3. The output will look similar to: java version "1.7.0_05"

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_05-b05)

Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 23.1-b03, mixed mode, sharing)

4. In the output look for the string: java version "1.7.0_05"

If the version is lower than 1.7.0_04 please see Appendix A for instructions on

installing/updating java as an administrator on your local PC.

Software download

1. Obtain the current login credentials for the BIAFLabel software from your local

Ex Libris implementation or support staff

2. Download the BIAFLabel software

a. FTP server: ftp.exlibris.co.il

b. User: public

c. Password: Atg!nG55s

d. Directory: Yoel/BIAF_Alma

e. Filename: BIAFLABEL-2012.EXE

The following are screen shots showing a download session using WS FTP. Any FTP

program can be used.

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Alma setup

API Label Printing Read Role The Alma user that will be printing labels through the urm_label_printer requires the

role:

API Label Printing Read

To add/check the role:

1. Navigate from Alma to User Management and Find and Manage Users

2. Enter the username needing API Label Printing Read Role and click Go.

3. Select Edit

4. Make sure the API Label Printing Read role is added and active. If necessary add

and/or activate the role.

urm_label_printer software

Download the urm_label_printer software from within Alma

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1. Navigate from Alma Menu to Resource Configuration and Configuration Menu

2. Navigate from General to Label Printing Tool

3. Select Download

4. Move urm_label_printer.zip from your browser’s downloads directory to the

directory of your choice, for example C:\Alma Label Program

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Software install

BIAF Label 1. Navigate to the directory where BIAFLABEL-2012.EXE was downloaded (e.g.

C:\tmp)

2. Double click BIAFLABEL-2012.EXE and install – accept all of the defaults. The

BIAF label program will be installed by default under C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL

3. Navigate to C:\BIAF

4. In C:\BIAF create an empty file called BiafLabel.dat

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urm_label_printer

1. Navigate to the directory where urm_label_printer.zip was downloaded (e.g.

C:\Alma Label Program)

2. Right click on urm_label_printer.zip and select Extract All to extract the zip file

3. Extract to C:\Alma Label Program\ and accept other suggested defaults.

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Configure software

BIAF Label

Create label template

Both the bulk and individual creation of labels require at least one template. The

following describes creating a basic template using BIAFLabel that will produce an

item’s barcode.

1. Navigate to C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL

2. Double click the file label32.exe to open BIAFLabel

3. Create a new label. Select the “new” icon on top left or from the menu “file > new”

4. Define the label

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a. Right click the label in the middle of the screen and choose “page wizard” (or

click “style” icon on top)

b. Click the + next to label type and then select your page size and label size.

Once selected click “update/save”

5. Define fields for your label

a. Click “DataBase” (fifth icon on bottom left)

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b. Select the “DB Service” tab

i. In “input data” field choose “Database&XML”

ii. In “database type” field choose XML

iii. In “xml source” field choose the xml file “spine_label_file.xml”. You

can type the filename if it doesn’t exist.

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iv. If spine_label_file.xml doesn’t exist, click Yes.

v. In “xml fields” field choose

..\BIAFLABEL\Templates\XmlTableAlma.dat

vi. In the “XML Root” field choose:

printout/section-01/physical_item_display_for_printing

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c. The final result will be:

d. Close DataBase window

6. Add an object such as “paragraph text”

a. Click “paragraph text” icon on left

b. Click on the new barcode to place the paragraph text frame.

c. Right click the “paragraph text”

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d. Select “Data Member”

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e. Choose type “Dynamic”

f. Click the + “add new field” icon in the “field” row.

g. Select the desired field

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h. In tab “Object Draw Property” type the name of the field

i. Close window

j. Right click “Paragraph Text” and choose “text editor”

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k. Write the object label you want and click “refresh”

l. Right click the object now labeled “Barcode”

Choose “Text editor”

Select the Character tab

Check “Unicode Print” and close window

7. Add the actual barcode

a. Click the barcode icon on left

b. Click and drag in the barcode in center of label

c. Drag to size and place you want it

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d. Select it and choose data member (as above starting at step d through g) for

the barcode

8. Save template and exit from BIAFLabel

Note: to add a picture (logo) do as follows

a. Click picture icon on left and then drag it into label

b. Select picture in label with mouse

c. Click the 9th

icon from the left on the bottom (it has no pop up text)

d. Choose desired picture via “file” button, and then click “change”

BIAFLabel configuration file

Configure the file C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\PrintQueueConfig.ini to state which

template will be used

1. There should be a line with the following in this order:

a. Form name then comma

b. Form language then comma

c. Form format number then @

d. Template name with full path

2. For example the following will print form “Default”, in English, format 00, using the

template “ylk_library.lbs”. Default,eng,00@C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\Templates\ylk_library.lbs

3. If positions 35-37 of the 008 contain languages other than English, then additional

lines are required in PrintQueueConfig.ini, for example: Default,eng,00@C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\Templates\ylk_library.lbs

Default,ger,00@C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\Templates\ylk_library.lbs

Default,fre,00@C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\Templates\ylk_library.lbs

Default,ita,00@C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\Templates\ylk_library.lbs

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urm_label_printer

1. Activate the program by double-clicking the file run.bat in bin directory C:\Alma Label Program\urm_label_printer\bin

2. If prompted run the program:

3. Go to the configuration tab, fill it in and save

a. Fields “User”, “Password”, and “Institution” are self-explanatory

b. Field “Alma URL” must be entered without the institution code, for example:

http://demo.alma.exlibrisgroup.com:1801/ c. In the “Program Location” field put the location of AddToQueue.exe using

the full path: C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\AddToQueue.exe

d. In the “program parameters” path

i. Put “preview” if you want to see the file before printing

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ii. Leave blank if you want it to directly print

Note that when you fill the configuration and save it updates a file named label-printer.properties

in directory C:\Alma Label Program\urm_label_printer\conf

urm_label_printer configuration file

The XML output file always has form-name, form-language and form-format: <form-name>Default</form-name>

<form-language>eng</form-language>

<form-format>00</form-format>

You should have already configured the file C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\PrintQueueConfig.ini to state which template will be used

1. There should be a line with the following in this order:

a. Form name then comma

b. Form language then comma

c. Form format number then @

d. Template name with full path

2. For example the following will print form “Default”, in English, format 00, using the

template “ylk_library.lbs”. Default,eng,00@C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\Templates\ylk_library.lbs

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Test software

Bulk label printing (BIAF Label) 1. Within Alma, make an input file as follows:

a. Create a set which is type "logical" or "itemized" with content type "physical

items"

i. For example do a physical items search and then save query

ii. You will then have a set which is “type logical” and “contents type

physical items”

b. Do "run processes"

c. choose “Export Physical Items Labels”

d. Choose desired set

i. For example the one made above

e. Select format xml

f. Get file by doing "manage exports"

2. A way to test printing it is to do start > run > cmd and then:

C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\AddToQueue.exe [file name] –preview

a. For example (all one line): C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\AddToQueue.exe C:\spine_label_file.xml –preview (note above when copy/paste the – before preview may not be copied

properly)

b. Another example (all one line): C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\AddToQueue.exe

C:\barcodes\PHYSICAL_ITEM_908730990001021_1.xml –preview

c. Another example (all on one line): C:\BIAF\BIAFLABEL\AddToQueue.exe C:\Documents and Settings\auser\My

Documents\Downloads\PHYSICAL_ITEM_44455340000951_1.xml -preview

Individual label printing (urm_label_printer)

1. Activate the program by double-clicking the file run.bat in bin directory C:\Alma Label Program\urm_label_printer\bin

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2. If prompted run the program:

3. To print a barcode switch to the “Item Details” screen, enter a barcode and click

“send”

Note:

When you print a barcode the xml file is saved in the work directory and is

called [barcode].xml

For example: C:\Alma Label Program\urm_label_printer\work\16880.xml

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Appendix A

First determine if only the PATH environment variable needs to be updated or if the

latest version of Java is needed as well.

Check in Windows Explorer for this path:

C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin

If that path exists then you only need to update the PATH environment variable and if

not, then you need to install the latest version of Java as well.

Installing Java

Obtain the Java installer appropriate for your operating system from:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/java-se-jre-7-download-

432155.html

The screen shots that follow show using jre-7-windows-i586-iftw.exe, the online installer

to install Java.

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1. Accept the license agreement to activate the download links

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2. Double click the link for your operating system

3. When prompted save the file to your PC.

4. Open your downloads folder

5. Double click the online installer

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6. If prompted, accept launching an executable file

7. Agree to run the file

8. Click the Install button

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9. Wait for the complete program to download

10. Acknowledge the completion of the installation and click the Close button.

Update PATH

To change the PATH system variable please follow the instructions for your operating

system at:

http://java.com/en/download/help/path.xml

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Note that you'll need to:

be an administrator on the PC to update PATH

reboot your system after you update PATH.

The screen shots that follow show updating the PATH variable on a Windows XP

machine.

1. Right click “My Computer” on your desktop and select Properties.

2. Click the Advanced tab, followed by the Environment Variables button.

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3. Click the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button.

4. Click in the Variable value text box and at the beginning of the text box type in

the path to the bin directory of Java followed by a semi-colon. For example: C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin;

5. Click the OK button to save the changes. The Path now displays:

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6. Click the OK button to close the Environment variables dialog box and the OK

button to close the System Properties dialog box.

7. Reboot the system so the changes to the PATH variable take effect.