The invention concerns an arrangement for the automatic setting of printers, and more particularly the setting of printer parameters by means of code reading, and materials therefor. The parameters concern the printer work parameters, data communication, or printing layout. The code to be read may be applied directly onto the material to be used in the printer, or on separate sheets or labels. With the invention, an optimum setting of the printer (1) is automatically achieved, entailing high quality and making the printer easily usable also by unqualified personnel. The arrangement comprises a printing mechanism (2) and a control unit (3) for achieving a print-out on a printing material by means of a dye. According to the invention, a code reader (4, 5) is connected to the control unit (3) for reading a code for controlling at least one parameter of the printer means. The code may alternatively be associated with the receiver material, the dye, a peripheral device of the printer means, or a printing layout.