Receipt Printer Direct to Port Settings

This is an outdated way to configure a receipt printer, since most are USB now.  However if appropriate interface requirements are met (parallel or serial interface available), and assuming you don't need to share the printer over the network, then this method is actually preferred since it results in faster printing.  No printer driver needs to be installed when using Direct to Port.

Note: Once this option is enabled, an additional 3" receipt printer receipt style will be available for direct-to-port printing (e.g. in the drop-down list near the Print Reservation Receipt button, in Reservation Transactions dialogs.  You must select the receipt format that has "direct to port" in the name in order for it to print using these direct-to-port settings.  You may also want to select this format as the default through Maintenance / Printing Options.  This also applies to credit card slips, if you're processing credit cards through Campground Master.

IMPORTANT: If you have a Windows printer driver installed on the same port (through Control Panel / Printers), it may interfere with the direct-to-port function.  You should delete any printer from the Windows printer list that's on the same port you're using for the receipt printer direct-to-port setup.  However, Windows still needs at least one printer defined as a default printer, so you can set up a Generic / Text printer on some other port (even if another printer doesn't really exist, or perhaps set up a networked printer).

Configuring the printer in Campground Master

The function to enable Direct to Port printing is found under File / Printer Setup / Receipt Printer (3" paper) - Direct to Port (Serial or Parallel printer).

To enable this option, simply check the Direct-to-port printing enabled box on this dialog and select the interface type below.  

Interface port -- select the port that the printer is connected to.  If it uses a parallel port, that's usually "lpt1".

Baud, Parity, Data bits, Stop bits -- These only apply if a serial port is selected (com1 through com4).  Enter the appropriate values according to your receipt printer manual.  (Most are set up for 9600 baud, no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit.)

Additional Setup Information

Once the Direct to Port option is enabled, there are a few other items that may need to be configured:

•Default receipt selections -- if you want to use the receipt printer by default for reservations, unbound transactions, POS sales, or credit card receipts, then go to Maintenance / Printing Options.  Under the Receipts tab, and also under the P.O.S. Receipts tab (if you have the POS option), select the default format for the desired receipt types to be 3" Receipt Printer, direct to port.  Under the Credit Cards tab, select the credit card slip format to be Credit Card Slip, direct to port.

•Cash Drawer -- if you have a cash drawer connected to the printer, the Cash Drawer Setup settings should be set to Send command directly to the hardware port, with the appropriate interface selected (usually LPT1).  The Characters to send should be set appropriately for the printer model.. For Epson printers, this will be 27,112, 0, 60, 60.

•Preview / Printer Dialog -- once things are working as expected, you may prefer to disable the print preview and the extra printer dialog that opens when printing receipts. This is done through Maintenance / Printing Options, under the Receipts tab (and POS Receipts tab, if you have the POS option).

At this point it should be ready to use.  You can open a Transactions window (e.g. Reservation Transactions, Unbound Transactions, or POS Sales Entry), enter a test Charge & Payment (if there isn't something already there you can print), select the appropriate receipt format (from the drop-down list above the "Print All Transactions" button), and click the Print All transactions button.