Frequently Asked Questions

This page documents common issues that are mentioned by real users. The following list of issues will be updated each release and will only include current issues that are still relevant in the latest SDK versions. Issues that have been fixed will be removed from this list as they are resolved. It's also important to note that the issues below are ranked from most common to least common.

"Why can't I connect to my printer?"

  • NEVER pair a Brady Printer in your device's Bluetooth settings if the printer supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

    • This should only be done with Bluetooth Classic devices. The only legacy Brady printers that still support Bluetooth Classic are the old M611 and the i5300. More details can be found at https://sdk.bradyid.com/supported_components.
    • Most Brady printers will be connectable directly from the software without any further steps. This is the advantage of BLE. In fact, it's such an advantage that BLE is the new industry standard around the world. Pairing to a device, such as earbuds, in native Bluetooth settings is a thing of the past.

  • The M211 and M610 are unique printers when it comes to connection because of the concept of ownership.

    • They were designed to be 1 to 1. This means that each printer can only have one owner. Multiple devices cannot connect to these printers at the same time. This concept of ownership is documented throughout the API documentation and the provided example code.
    • The M211 has a Bluetooth light that stays solid blue when somebody has ownership. This does not necessarily mean somebody is connected to it! This simply means nobody else can connect to the M211 until the person with ownership "disconnect & forgets" the printer. If you are unsure who has ownership, the power button can be held for 5 seconds to release ownership allowing you to connect.
    • The M610 works a very similar way. However, to release ownership, you can navigate to the "Bluetooth" menu on the printer's screen and select "Forget" to release ownership.

  • Specific permissions are required by the Android and iOS operating systems to allow certains connections.

    • If you cannot discover your device or connect to it, there is a chance you don't have a required permission. Even if you do have the permission in your AndroidManifest.xml of Info.plist, you still need to request it from the user. If you still have issues, please download one of the SDK example apps from the Main Menu to inspect how to do this.

"Why is my image not centered on the label?"

  • Ensure that the image/bitmap you are sending the printer has the same aspect ratio of the printable zone on the label.
    • For example: Your label has a zone that is 1 inch by 0.5 inch. The bitmap sent to the printer should have a width twice as big as its height for the best results. Even if the content you want printed out is a square, it should have white space added to the left and right so that the aspect ratio matches the zone.
    • If you are already doing the step above correctly, the definition of the part may be incorrect. In other words, the printer might think the label is a different size than it actually is. To correct for this, please use the "setPartsDatabase" method that is provided in each API and pass it the official Brady Parts Database that is available for download. This will override the dimensions of the part that is installed. If your content still doesn't print centered, use the "print" API method allowing you to provide manual offsets. Otherwise, contact Brady tech support.