Videojet Technologies, Inc.

Field Service Bulletin

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Subject: VJ6210 Software 403034.r05 No FS-T2009005

Product(s): VJ6210 Date: 12/11/2009

Page: 1 of 12

Overview:

New Features

Printer Cloning

CLARiTY Parameter Archiving

USB Backup and Restore All Jobs

CLARiTY Data File Support

CLARiTY Configuration Manager Parameter Changes

Binary Communications Improvements I

Binary Communications Improvements II

Single Digit Year

New Calculated Date Options

User Entered Fields

Power Saving Modes

New Julian Date Type

Additional Menu Languages

Increased Maximum Intermittent Print Speed

Increased Print Area

Videojet Technologies, Inc.

The information contained in this document is proprietary to Videojet and should be used for its benefit solely and not disclosed in any form
outside the Company without the prior written consent of Videojet.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Bug Fixes

Product Limits with Image Separators

Job Parameters Issues

Counter Problem

Candidates Window Displayed Permanently

Auto Running Problem

New Features
Printer Cloning
This release adds support for backing up and restoring a complete image of the printer’s
configuration and job database to and from a USB device.

A new menu option is available on the CLARiTY user interface when a USB device is installed.
This appears in the Tools -> Setup -> Control menu and is called "CLARiTY Printer Clones". When
selected, this will show a list of all the clone files that are compatible with the printer and in
addition will allow the operator to create a new clone of the printer.

The printer clone file contains all of the jobs, fonts and graphics in the printer’s database;
along with all the configuration settings of the printer. Restoring a clone file to a printer will
create an exact replica of the printer that was cloned, all jobs and settings that are currently in
the printer will be deleted.

A new parameter has been added to CLARiTY Configuration Manager in the System / USB folder
called PromptOnCLARiTYPrinterCloneDetect. When set to 1:Yes this will pop up a message when
a USB key is inserted with a compatible clone file asking whether the user wishes to install a
compatible clone file. This parameter defaults to 0:No.

Note that creating and restoring clones can take considerable periods of time depending on the
number and nature of the jobs in the printer’s database i.e. jobs which large bitmaps,
numerous different fonts or just a large number of jobs will take time.

CLARiTY Parameter Archiving

This release adds support to the printers user interface to create and restore parameter archive
files. The archive files can be used to restore the printer to an earlier configuration state, or
can be edited in CLARiTY Configuration Manager and then restored at the printer to configure it
for a new application (CLARiTY Configuration Manager Release 13 or higher is required for this
feature).

A new menu option is available on the CLARiTY user interface when a USB device is installed.
This appears in the Tools -> Setup -> Control menu and is called "CLARiTY Parameter Archives".
When selected, this will show a list of all the Archive files that are compatible with the printer,
and allow the operator to create a new parameter archive.

A new parameter has been added to CLARiTY Configuration Manager in the System / USB folder
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
called PromptOnCLARiTYParameterArchiveDetect. When set to 1:Yes this will pop up a message
when a USB key is inserted with a compatible archive file asking whether the user wishes to
install a compatible archive file. This parameter defaults to 0:No.

USB Backup and Restore All Jobs

This release adds the option to backup all job files to a USB device, and restore all job files
from a USB device.

This feature is an addition to the existing backup and restore of individual job files. To use it,
the operator needs to go to Tools -> Databases and either the Internal or External screen.
Pressing the Backup or Restore button on either of these screen with no job highlighted will
offer the option to backup all files.

Note that backing up and restoring all the jobs in the Jobs Database can take considerable
periods of time depending on the number and nature of the jobs present i.e. jobs which large
bitmaps, numerous different fonts or just a large number of jobs will take time.
CLARiTY Data File Support
This release adds support for CLARiTY Data files. This allows the printer to print a sequence of
images where part or all of the data to be printed for each print is sourced from a text file. This
allows unique traceability information to be printed at high throughputs.

A CLARiTY Data file is a text file where each line of the text file represents the data for one
print. Empty lines in the text file will be skipped. The CLARiTY Data file is installed into printer
using a USB device.

By default the format of the data file is expected to be plain ASCII text. The printer also
supports Unicode and UTF-8 formatted text files. To change the file type the CLARiTY
Configuration Manager parameter Imaging / CLARiTY Data File / CharacterSet needs to be set
appropriately.

CLARiSOFT
CLARiSOFT version 4.315 or later this feature has this feature included. In order to use this
feature you must upgrade to 4.315 or later.

Start CLARiSOFT and create a new file:

Select a counter field and in Counter Properties change it to a Global Counter number 14 as
illustrated below.
The Restart on Rollover should be selected.
The maximum number of digits must be equal to the length of the data field that is being
inserted.
The Last Value property should be selected.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

 
In the General tab, drop down the Encryption box and chose CLARiTY.Encryption.Datafile.1 as
seen below.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
This counter field can be now used to be merged into other appropriate fields including a
barcode in the normal way.

The Data File

The Data File MUST be called CLARiTY Data File.txt – no other file names will be recognised by
the coder when the USB key is plugged in (if CLARiTY has DataFile auto detect enabled – see
below). The file MUST only be put into the root directory of the USB key as shown below.

The data file should only contain the data, with one record per row. Blank lines will be ignored.
There should be no header row or end row, just the data. The file can be as long as required,
however the system loads 128 rows at a time into the image buffer.

When the key is inserted the following screen is displayed:

 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Note that if a Data File has already been installed and has not been finished then you will be
notified (see below) and you can abort the install operation by pressing the NO button.

By choosing YES the data file will be loaded into the coder. IT WILL THEN BE ERASED FROM THE
USB KEY. This is to ensure that the same data file cannot be loaded into either the same or
another coder.

The data will then be accessed by the job file containing Global Counter 14. The position in the
Data File is maintained by the coder. On de-selection and re-selection the position is held. Only
by printing can the position be advanced.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

At the end of the data field an Error Message is displayed:

Load a new data file and re-select the job to start printing again as the coder has automatically
de-selected the job at this point.

The prompt when a USB key is inserted may be disabled via CLARiTY Configuration Manager; a
new parameter has been added to the folder System / USB called
PromptOnCLARiTYDataFileDetect which by default is set to 1:Yes to enable the prompt. Setting
this to 0:No will disable the prompt and prevent data files being installed.

CLARiTY Configuration Manager Parameter Changes

This release changes the name of the following parameters to bring them into line with the
equivalent CLARiSOFT names:
Printer Codes / Machine ID becomes Printer Codes / Equipment Reference
Printer Codes / Factory ID becomes Printer Codes / Factory Reference
Printer Codes / Line ID becomes Printer Codes / Line Reference

The existing values will be preserved on upgrade. CLARiSOFT 4.315 and later now supports
Factory Reference fields.

The PromptOnCLARiTYUpdateDetect parameter has been moved from UserInterfaces / CLARiTY

to System / USB where all new USB parameters have been added.

Binary Communications Improvements I

This release adds new functionality to the Binary Communications interface for random imaging
applications.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
A new JF_EXPIREDPRODLIMIT flag has been added to the Job Selection messages. This allows a
job to be selected with an exhausted product limit, meaning that the coder will fault if any
attempt is made to print. This is designed for applications where the print data is provided by
subsequent Job Data Update messages with product limits, and removes the possibility of prints
occurring with invalid data.

A new JF_RESETIMAGESEQUENCE flag has been added to the Job Data Update message. This
allows a host application to reset the print sequencing to the first image in the sequence when
the Jobs data is updated.

Some performance enhancements have been made to large packet transfers. Packets larger the
20KB in size will typically transfer faster than in previous versions. This will result in faster file
downloads to the printer.

Binary Communications Improvements II

This release contains version 10 of the Zipher Binary Communications protocol. Changes in this
release are fully documented in the Zipher Binary Communication Specification document
revision 10.0.

Addition of the JF_AUTOCLEARLIMITFAULT to the SEL and JDU messages. This allows a remote
application to automatically clear the print limit reached fault and place the printer back
online as part of a new job selection or job data update.

Addition of an Error code to the FNF message for improved diagnostics.

Single Digit Year

The year code 'y' listed in CLARiSOFT is a non-zero padded 2 digit year.
However there is no indication that this is the case and most users have assumed that it is a
single digit year code.

CLARiTY has been changed to make 'y' a single digit year with this release, and a new year code
has been added to provide a non-zero, padded 2 digit year code. For applications where the
non-zero padded 2 digit year code is required after this release is installed, CLARiSOFT should
be updated to 4.315 or later and the Job file should updated to select the new year code.

New Calculated Date Options

This release adds support for a new mode of operation of calculated dates.
A new option has been added to CLARiSOFT to instruct the printer to not automatically update
a calculated date when the date rolls over. The printer will automatically calculate the correct
offset date when the Job is selected using the calculation rules, but will not update when the
current date changes, or when the printer is powered off and on.

User Entered Fields

This release adds support for a new option for User Entered fields. A new check box has been
added to CLARiSOFT on the user entered text field called 'Prompt At Coder'. When checked the
field will not be prompted for at the printers user interface.

However the field will be prompted for in CLARiSOFT and CLARiNET if the select after download
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL
option is used. The field data can also be updated via the binary and text communications
protocols as normal.

Power Saving Modes

This release adds a range of power saving modes to the CLARiTY user interface. These can be
configured via CLARiTY Configuration Manager and can be found in the System - PowerSaving
section. The options now work as follows:

Power Saving Mode = 0: None

User interface is never dimmed or turned off.

Power Saving Mode = 1: Minimal

User interface is dimmed after 1 minute of inactivity.
Activity is considered to be:
- User touching the screen
- Raising of an warning (e.g. the moment the printer transitions from No Error into Warning)
- Presence of an error

Power Saving Mode = 2: High

User interface is dimmed after 1 minute of inactivity.
User interface is turned off after a further 14 minutes of inactivity.
Activity is considered to be:
- User touching the screen
- Printing
- Raising of a warning (e.g. the moment the printer transitions from No Error into Warning)
- Presence of an error

Power Saving Mode = 2: Full

User interface is dimmed after 1 minute of inactivity.
User interface is turned off after a further 14 minutes of inactivity.
Activity is considered to be:
- User touching the screen
- Raising of a warning (e.g. the moment the printer transitions from No Error into Warning)
- Presence of an error

Notes:
When an error is present the screen will be at full brightness.
When a warning occurs the printer treats this as an activity event and will dim and switch off
after 15 minutes if the warning is ignored.
Printing is only treated as an activity event in High power saving mode.
The dimming of the backlight is not supported in the current (as of November 2009) level of
hardware but is included for future hardware support.

New Julian Date Type

This release adds a new Julian Date type (the current Julian date with the value 401 added).

This can be selected in CLARiSOFT by adding a date, selecting the Advance button in the
properties dialog and then selecting Claricom.JulianDate401 in the bottom combo box and
adding this to the date format.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Additional Menu Languages

This release adds a range of new user interface translations. Supported languages are now:

English
French
German
Dutch
Italian
Spanish
Brazilian Portuguese
Danish
Swedish
Norwegian
Turkish
Hungarian
Polish
Russian
Greek
Japanese
Chinese
Arabic
Korean
Czech
Finnish

Increased Maximum Intermittent Print Speed

This release increases the maximum Intermittent print speed to 400mm/s.

Increased Print Area

This release increases the maximum print area supported by the printer. The maximum print
area is dependent upon the PrinterType and the PrinterHand parameter settings.

For a Continuous printer the maximum print area is 32mm x 40mm.

For a Right hand Intermittent printer the maximum print area is 32mm x 38mm.
For a Left hand Intermittent printer the maximum print area is 32mm x 34mm.

Note that in order to design images that are able to use this feature CLARiSOFT 4.402 or later
should be used (not available as at November 2009).

Bug Fixes
Product Limits with Image Separators
This release fixes a number of bugs relating to using product limits with Image Separators. The
printer will now correctly limit the number of prints. Allowing further prints by using a job data
update command with a new print limit will cause the printer to print from the next image in
sequence unless the new JF_RESETIMAGESEQUENCE is used.
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Job Parameters Issues

This release fixes a bug with the Job parameters feature. The Job Parameters are parameters
that are stored in the Job and that update the relevant printer parameter when the Job is
selected.

If a job is currently running in the printer, and a new version is downloaded to the printer with
new Job parameter values and then selected, the Job parameters should be set to the values
that were downloaded. This did not happen in the previous revision of the software but is fixed
in this release.

Counter Problem
This release changes the logic used in Job selection.

When a counter was set to "continue with current value" reselecting the same job would result
in counter continuing to count from where it left off. This would also occur if the Job was re-
printed from CLARiSOFT or CLARiNET and the job of same name was currently selected at the
printer.

This no longer occurs in this release. If a job is re-printed to the printer with a counter that is
set to "continue with the current value", the value will be reset to the value in the printed file.

Candidates Window Displayed Permanently

This release fixes a bug that could cause the IME candidates window to be permanently
displayed.

In the previous release, if a user interface language that used a IME was selected (e.g.
Japanese) and the user entered text, and got as far as the IME candidates window popping up,
then backed out of the screen by pressing the back or home button the candidates window
would not be properly dismissed. This would lead to this window appearing each and every time
that the user went into a screen that could use the IME. As the presence of the IME candidate’s
window causes the toolbar to disappear this could result in screens with no obvious way to
proceed.
Auto Running Problem
This release fixes a problem with the Auto Running feature that allows the printer to go
automatically online when it finishes calibrating its ribbon. In the previous release immediately
after power on the printer would go online but not respond to the print signal. Taking the
printer offline and then back into running would fix the problem and subsequent Auto Running
events would work.

Note that this feature is not standard in the VJ6210 and requires activating using an enabling
file.
An additional parameter in CLARiTY Configuration Manager under System/AutoRunning can be
used to disable this feature if required at a later date.

Known Issues with 403024.r05

None
 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL

Update Procedure
 
Method 1 – USB Key
Copy the CAB file into the clarityupdates folder on the root of the USB key. Plug the USB key
into the coder and then follow the on-screen instructions. If these do not automatically appear
after 15 seconds go to Tools/Setup/Control/CLARiTY Update and select the software update
that you wish to apply.

Method 2 – CLARiTY Configuration Manager

Start the CLARiTY Configuration Utility, and connect it to the printer you wish to update.
Ensure that the CLARiTY Configuration Utility has a valid connection to the printer; this can be
observed by the printer icon turning green, and the "Active Connection" message being
displayed in the status pane.

Right click on the name of the coder you wish to update and select the CLARiTY Update option.
Then locate the file with the same name as the part number above, and the CLARiTY Update
will then proceed automatically.
Once complete, go to the Tools/Diagnostics/Control/Versions screen in CLARiTY and check that
all of the software versions match those listed below.
 
Software Versions
 
Bootloader 1.00.01 (0127)
Operating System 5.00.02 (0026)
Printhead Firmware 04.00.00
Printhead Software 4.00.00 (0819)
Clarity 4.03.00 (6460)
 
CLARiTY is a registered trademark. 
Action Required:
It is recommended that all new coders have this upgrade applied before installation. If any currently installed coders 
are affected by any of the above bugs then it is also recommended that the software is upgraded.