^JW - Set Ribbon Tension
Sets how tightly the thermal-transfer ribbon is held.
^JW sets how much drag the ribbon spindle applies. On thermal-transfer stock the
ribbon must stay taut enough not to wrinkle and loose enough not to tear, and the
ribbon decides which of the three settings achieves that. The guide restricts the
command to PAX series printers.
Syntax
^JWtSupport
Accepted and skipped, because it configures the printer rather than the label. It cannot change the rendered output, and Labelary skips it too.
Ribbon tension changes how evenly the ink transfers on real stock. The renderer draws a monochrome raster with no ribbon to tune. The renderer does not parse this command. It reports IGNORED_COMMAND at info severity, which does not reach X-Warnings. Labelary is also silent, so the rendered label is identical in both engines. — not pinned by a test
Labelary renders this command.
Parameters
tTensionrequired · one of a setHow much drag the ribbon spindle applies.
- Invalid value
- not documented, and we have not measured it. The renderer does not parse or measure this command. The reference gives no default.
- Test coverage
- No documented value is exercised by a test (L, M, H).
L- Low tension
M- Medium tension
H- High tension
Behavior
^JW needs a ribbon, so it belongs with ^MTT. Direct thermal stock has nothing to
tension.
The guide requires a value and gives no default.
Tension is a print-quality control, and a rendered label does not have print quality.
The output is a monochrome raster with no ribbon and no ink transfer, so nothing here
responds to the setting. The renderer does not parse this command. It reports
IGNORED_COMMAND at info severity, which does not reach X-Warnings. Labelary is
also silent, so the rendered label is identical in both engines.
Example
Medium ribbon tension declared ahead of a label:
^XA
^JWM
^FO50,50^A0N,40,40^FDMedium tension^FS
^XZ
Related commands
^MTMedia TypeThis command declares whether the stock is direct thermal or needs a ribbon.~SDSet DarknessSets the base print darkness level.^MDMedia DarknessAdjusts print darkness up or down from the level `~SD` set.