This guide covers the end-to-end setup of the GelatoConnect application to work with an Aeoon DTG printer via Kothari RIP software. It is intended for Print Service Providers (PSPs) and their IT teams who are onboarding onto GelatoConnect’s DTG printing workflow.

Action Required from PSP

🔴 PSP Must Complete These Actions

Complete the full setup described in this guide (Steps 1–7).
Provide the Windows folder path where DTG files are available on the system (e.g. C:\GelatoDTG).
Provide the XML example which contains RipProfile tag.

💡 Why We Need the Folder Path

The path must be hardcoded in the workflow XML <SourceImage> tag for the RIP software. This action is done by Gelato. This is a configuration step on Gelato’s side, that cannot proceed without the PSP’s confirmed path.
XML also contains RipProfile tag that defines the name of the Kothari ripping profile to use.
RIP processing happens before the user scans the job at the production station. This process occurs outside the GelatoConnect app, so we cannot pass the path dynamically at scan time — it must be pre-configured in the XML.

Prerequisites

A Windows computer connected to the same network as the Aeoon printer
GelatoConnect app installed on the Windows computer
Kothari RIP software installed on the Windows computer
Aeoon DTG printer accessible on the network

How Aeoon Integration Works

Workflow creates the image file and XML configuration that is uploaded to SFTP.
In the PSP facility, they have ripping software like Kothari Print Pro that is basically monitoring the folder where SFTP files arrive.
It takes the image file and the XML file. For Kothari, it creates a PRN file (the ripped image file) and updates the XML (which Gelato created in Workflow) with the ripped image path and its ripped status.
Then when users scan the job on the production station, we send this ripped image file to the jobs folder of the Aeoon machine and this XML to the orders folder of the Aeoon machine.
Both of those folders (the jobs folder and the orders folder) are exposed over network to our Gelato Connect station.

Here a representation of how it works:

ℹ️ Key Detail

Kothari RIP processing occurs automatically before the operator interacts with GelatoConnect. The file path must already be embedded in the XML at this stage.

Setup Steps — Summary

Step	Action	Who
1	Connect to Aeoon printer folders over the network	PSP IT Team
2	Create local folders for DTG file processing	PSP
3	Configure Kothari RIP software input/output	PSP
4	Configure GelatoConnect app DTG settings	PSP
5	Provide folder path to Gelato	PSP → Gelato
6	Clear the Aeoon manual print queue	PSP
7	Run an end-to-end test print	PSP + Gelato

Step 1: Connect to Aeoon Printer Folders

You need network access to two folders on the Aeoon printer from your Windows computer:

Jobs folder — where print files (.prn) are sent
Orders folder — where order description XML files are sent

Ask your IT team to:

Share the Aeoon printer folders over the local network

Use a gigabit network to ensure fast and reliable file transfers. .prn files are often several hundred megabytes, so a slow network will significantly increase transfer times.
For the best performance, connect the computer directly to the printer using a gigabit Ethernet cable to maximize transfer speed and stability.

2. Map network drives on your Windows computer pointing to these folders

Once configured, you should have two accessible network drives (e.g. Z:\ and Y:\).

ℹ️ Verify Access

Open File Explorer and click on each mapped drive to confirm they open without errors before proceeding.

Help article on how to map drives:

Store files from a Windows PC within the local network | Get Started With DSM - Synology Knowledge Center

Step 2: Create Local Folders

Create folders on your Windows computer (or network shared folders) where files will be stored during processing:

Input folder — where files from Gelato arrive via FTP
Ripped folder — where Kothari places processed output files

Example folder structure:

📁 C:\

└── 📁 GelatoDTG

└── 📁 ripped

ℹ️ Tip

You can name these folders anything you prefer. Just note the full paths — you’ll need them for Steps 3, 4, and 5. Depending on your Kothari version, you may need separate output folders for .prn and XML files.

Step 3: Configure Kothari RIP Software

Kothari processes print files to make them ready for the Aeoon printer. Configure the following:

Setting	Value
Input folder	Same as the input folder from Step 2 (this is also the path you’ll give to Gelato)
Output folder(s)	The ripped folder from Step 2
Auto Mode	Enabled — for automatic processing of incoming files

ℹ️ Note These settings may appear under labels like "Hot Folder", "Watch Folder", "Auto Mode", or "Batch Processing" depending on your Kothari version. Refer to Kothari documentation or contact Kothari support for detailed instructions.

Step 4: Configure GelatoConnect App

Open the GelatoConnect app and navigate to: Profile icon (top-right) → Work Settings → DTG textile printer settings.

Setting	Value
Default Printer	pdf to print
Machine	Select your Aeoon printer from the dropdown
DTG Files Folder	Your input folder path, e.g. C:\GelatoDTG
Ripped Files Folder	Your Kothari output folder, e.g. C:\GelatoDTG\ripped
Processed XML Folder	Same as ripped folder, or separate if Kothari uses different output locations
Aeoon Jobs Folder	Z:\ (or your mapped drive letter)
Aeoon Orders Folder	Y:\ (or your mapped drive letter)

Click Save to apply your settings.

If these are network-shared folders that require a username and password, they should first be mapped to a drive in Windows and authenticated. After that, the mapped drive path should be used in the work settings.

Use this article to learn how to do it:

Store files from a Windows PC within the local network | Get Started With DSM - Synology Knowledge Center

Step 5: Provide Folder Path to Gelato

⚠️ Critical Step — Requires PSP Action

Contact your Gelato representative and provide the folder path that RIP software is monitoring (from Step 2), for example: C:\GelatoDTG.

Gelato will hardcode this path into the <SourceImage> tag of the workflow XML so that Kothari RIP can locate the print files. This cannot be configured dynamically because RIP processing happens before the job is scanned at the production station and outside the GelatoConnect application.

Step 6: Clear Aeoon Manual Queue

🔴 Important

The Aeoon printer can only use automatic mode when the manual print queue is empty.

Go to your Aeoon printer’s touchscreen
Navigate to Print Queue or Manual Queue
Delete ALL jobs from the manual queue
Confirm the queue shows as empty
Switch to automatic print queue mode if not already active

Step 7: Test Print

Run an end-to-end test to verify the full workflow:

Place a test order through Gelato
Verify the file pipeline:

Check	Expected
File appears in DTG input folder	☐
Kothari shows active processing	☐
.prn and XML files appear in ripped/output folder	☐

At the production station — scan the job barcode. GelatoConnect sends files to the Aeoon printer and the job appears in the Aeoon print queue.
At the Aeoon printer — load a garment on the pallet and press print.

✅ Setup Complete

If the test print completes successfully, your Aeoon DTG integration is fully operational.

Troubleshooting

"I can’t connect to the Aeoon folders (Z: or Y: drive)"

Confirm your computer is connected to the local network
Verify the Aeoon printer is powered on
Try accessing the printer directly via UNC path: \\YOUR-AEOON-IP-ADDRESS
If the issue persists, contact your IT team to re-map the network drives

"Files are stuck in the input folder"

Is Kothari RIP software running?
Is Kothari set to Auto Mode?
Is the input folder path in Kothari configured correctly to match the folder from Step 2?

"Job doesn’t appear in Aeoon print queue"