4POS POS Hardware Configuration
The program is designed to work with most industry hardware. The following guidelines include settings for a variety of units but please note it is not practical to verify all information against actual hardware.
RECEIPT PRINTERS
Receipt printers typically connect either by USB or Com port (traditional POS).
The receipt printer is added as any Windows printer. It is recommended a test page is then printed (Start, Printers, Printer, Properties, Print Test Page).
It may then selected in 4POS Retail from the dropdown in Utilities | Configuration | Receipts.
Auto receipt is used to print a specified receipt type automatically after each transaction.
The Utilities | Custom receipt may be used to customize the design for the store.
CASH DRAWERS
Utilities | Configuration | Till configuration
A cash drawer is connected directly to a serial port (Com port) or daisy chained from a receipt printer (RJ11 type connector).
For direct connect drawers the 'Open character' is the character sent to the port (which pulses the solenoid latch and opens it).
Many till units will operate with any character, some require a specific code (a frequent one is 7).
For printer connected drawers:
Utilities, Configuration, Receipts
Select the printer
Utilities, Configuration, Till configuration
Enter the 'Receipt printer connect control sequence'.
The sequence is specific to the printer, see the list below. The Epson TM T88 is: 27,112,48,55,121
Note that most receipt printers have two RJ11 sockets on the back, one for the cash drawer, the other for a pole display. Ensure the one marked DK is used for the cash drawer.
The open till drawer shortcut on 4POS is the F8 key. The 'Inhibit manual open' box deactivates it.
Technical: Till units may have small DIP switches (usually on the bottom of the unit).
Typically there are three sets for DTR handshaking, open character and port settings.
From the command prompt (Start, Run, CMD) the following may be used to manual send the X and Y characters to the COM 1 port:
ECHO XY>COM1 (Enter key)
On very high speed serial ports in Windows, the Advanced Port Settings may have to be set to a lower rate. Control panel, System properties, Device manager, Communications port, Port settings, Advanced, reduce the Transmit buffer.
POLE DISPLAYS
Utilities | Configuration | Pole configuration
The pole display needs to be connected on a serial port (Com port).
The required settings are:
Passive text: The default greeting text, say 'Next customer'
Clear display message: The default setting for an Epson is 27,64
Set cursor first line: The default setting for an Epson is 11
Set cursor second line: The default setting for an Epson is 11,10
The Printer on off boxes are only used if the pole is daisy chained from a serial port receipt printer.
Do not use otherwise. The program uses them to switch off the printer then send to the display then reactivate the printer. The Epson DM-D110 codes are:
Switch printer on: 27,61,1
Switch printer off: 27,61,2
The pole display may have characters manually sent from the command line (Start, Run, CMD) with the ECHO command: ECHO hello>com1 (Enter key)
EPOS TROUBLESHOOTING
The recommended approach is to simplify. Disconnect everything but the receipt printer. Make sure the latest CORRECT printer driver is installed. Try a test page (Start, Printers, Printer, Properties). If there is still a problem make it print a self test (usually by holding the feed button when powered on). Swap the cable.
Note that USB to serial converters (if used) have been known to cause unreliability. Ensure the latest drivers for the converter are installed or if possible move the unit to a physical COM port and reinstall the driver. USB devices which do not have a seperate mains power supply may also not operate correctly if the computer is not capable of supplying an adequate current.
Uncheck the Use box on the pole display configuration. Reconnect the till drawer. If the printer produces unusual characters, an incorrect control code from the till setting may be forcing the receipt printer to an alternate mode.
The appearance of multiple question marks or unusual characters often indicates an incorrect serial port setting.
A serial port printer may have a default baud rate of 115200, the small DIP switches on the underneath may be used to set it to the common Windows default of 9600.
The Utilities menu, Configuration, Pole Configuration sheet may also be used to send characters to a Com port with specific port protocol settings. The passive text is the only required entry.
If used, barcode readers typically add the ENTER character after a scan (often referred to as the End Symbol). The character may be configured (on the scanner) to be CR+LF, CR, LF, Space or TAB.
Use the Windows default of CR+LF
USB drive reliability
Increasingly the choice for data backup, USB drives are susceptible, through incorrect use, to master boot record damage. For details of how to backup the MBR please see here
4POS Retail: Receipt printer till drawer codes
| Model | Open drawer |
| Citizen CBM-230 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen CBM-231 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen CBM-232 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen CBM-233 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen CBM-253 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen CBM-262 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen CBM-1000 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen iDP-3210 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen iDP-3240 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Citizen iDP-3310 | 7 |
| Citizen CBM-1000 / CBM-1000 II | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Epson M51PD | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-T80P | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson T88iii / TM-U200D | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson T88iiiP / TM-U200D | 27,112,0,64,240 |
| Epson TM-88IV | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| Epson TM-88V | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| Epson M188D | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| Epson TM-U200 | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U200B | 27,112,48,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U210PD | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U220A | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U295 | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| Epson ADP 300 | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U950P | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Epson LX-300+ | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U300PD | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson TM-U375 | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Epson M665A | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| Epson TM-T883P | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Epson TM-H6000 | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| IBM 4610 | 7 |
| IBM 4610 | 27,112,0,50,250 |
| Ithaca PcOS 51 | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Ithaca PcOS 52 | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Ithaca 150 | 27,120,1 |
| NCR 7167 | 27,112,0,55 |
| NCR 7167 | 27,112,1,55 |
| Samsung SRP 270 | 27,112,0,25,250 |
| Samsung SRP 270A | 27,112,0,64,240 |
| Samsung SRP 270AP | 27,112,48,55,121 |
| Samsung SRP 350 | 27,110,0,25,250 |
| Star | 27,7,11,55,7 |
| Star TSP-100 | 7 |
| Star TSP-600 | 7 |
| Star TSP-700 | 27,07,11,55,07 |
| TEC RKP300 | 27,112,0,100,250 |
| Toshiba SX2100 | 27,112,32,55,255 |
| Toshiba TEC DRJST-51 | 27,112,0,100,250 |
| Wasp WPT-100 | 27,112,49,48,48 |
| Receipt printer downloads
|
| Manufacturer | Description | Download |
| Epson | TM88iii manual | t88iiiu_eu_02.pdf |
| Epson | TM88iv manual | t88ivu_eu_3.pdf |
| Star Micronics | TSP100 manual | tsp100_en_hm.pdf |
| Star Micronics | SP500 manual | sp500nif_um.pdf |
The Epson download site may be found here