.BWS Files versus .PRN Files & Saving BWS Files to Printers

Saving a Brady Workstation file (.BWS) onto a USB flash drive or hard drive

What is a .BWS file type?

• .bws files are the regular files that you create in Brady Workstation (BWS) and can be opened on a computer in BWS for editing and printing.
• They are NOT the type of BWS file you "store onto the printer" for stand-alone printing.
• If you want to "store a BWS file onto the printer" for stand-alone printing see the .prn section below for options.

How to create a normal BWS .bws file:

• Create a BWS file on the computer. 
• When you save the file, select the following:
  • Save As
  • USB Flash Drive or hard drive
  • Save

What can you do with it?  

• Save a .bws file to your hard drive: Open the file on your computer in BWS to edit or print (or store onto printer from the computer).
• Email a .bws file to someone else:They can open it on their computer in BWS to edit or print (or store it onto a printer from the computer).
• Save a .bws file to a USB flash drive:This allows you to insert the flash drive into different computer, then open the file in BWS to edit or print (or store onto printer from the computer).

Storing a BWS file (.prn) onto printer

What is a .prn file type?

• .prn files are regular BWS .bws files that get auto-converted to non-editable .prn print job format only when you select "store on printer" from the BWS print screen.
• The files are a non-editable file format for stand-alone printing from a printer.
• They are NOT the type of BWS .bws format from above that you email someone so they can open it on their laptop in BWS for editing or printing.

How to create a BWS .prn file:  

• Create a BWS file on the computer as you normally would.
  • When you print the file, select Print.
  • Select the PRINT button dropdown.
  • Select STORE ON PRINTER.
  • Enter the name of the file.
  • Select STORE.
• The file is converted to .prn format and stored on the printer non-editable w/ your specified qty. 

To store a .prn file onto multiple printers:  

• Connect the computer to each printer and follow "how created" steps above for each printer.

Important: This cannot be done via flash drive.

What can you do with it once stored on the printer?

• You can open and print the file from stand-alone printer (FILES icon > select file > PRINT icon).
• You cannot export a print job file from a printer to a flash drive.
• You cannot edit the print job file or change qty.

What about using a flash drive with a .prn file?

• You can store a .prn file "onto a flash drive" instead of "onto printer".  This allows:  
  • You can print from multiple printers using the .prn on the flash drive.
  • You cannot store onto multiple printers using the .prn on the flash drive
  • How do you "store .prn onto flash drive"?  -- see next section.

 

Storing a BWS file (.prn file type) onto a flash drive

How to do it:  

1. Select the following on the home screen of the printer:

• Settings
• System Configuration
• Storage Location
• External Storage

2. Insert flash drive into the printer.
3. Create a BWS file on the computer as you normally would:

• Select Print.
• Select PRINT button dropdown.
• Select STORE ON PRINTER.

Now that flash that drive can be taken to multiple printers:

• You can print from multiple printers using the flash drive.
• You cannot store onto multiple printers using the flash drive.

 

Saving Software Label Files to Local Printer Memory

This functionality is available for the A6500, A5500, A6200, i5300, and J7300:

• How to Use Print to File with the A6500 in Brady Workstation
• Wraptor A6500 - Labelmark 6 - Print to File Feature
• How to Use Print to File With the A6200 in Brady Workstation
• How to Save Print Jobs to the i5300 Internal Memory
• J7300 - Store Files on the Printer

Brady Workstation Files for M610, M611 Label Printer and M710:

• M610 - Store and Delete Label Files on the Printer
• M611 Label Printer - Store and Delete Files on the Printer
• M710 - Save Files Created with Brady Workstation to the Printer

Mobile Apps

Brady's free Express Labels mobile application allows saving files created in Brady Workstation to an Apple or Android device. Users can then connect to their printers via Wifi or Bluetooth and print from a mobile device. Express Labels Mobile is compatible with the BMP51, BMP53, BMP61, M610, M611 and M710 printer models. 

Transferring Workstation Files from PC to Express Labels Mobile App


Transferring Files Between Printers

Label files created standalone on the BMP51, BMP61, BBP31, S3100, BBP35/37, and BBP85 can be saved to USB storage for backup or transfer to another printer of the same model.

Related information

• S3100 / BBP31 / BBP35 / BBP37 / BBP85 - How to Save a File to External USB Memory
• BMP41- How to save files to an external thumb driver or internal memory