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Laravel Electron Printing

🖨️ Silent background printing for Laravel - Print HTML, Blade views, URLs, and PDFs directly to any printer without user interaction.

Perfect for POS systems, restaurants, warehouses, e-commerce, and any application requiring automated printing.

⚡ Quick Start

Print in your Laravel app:

📦 Installation

Step 1: Install Package

Step 2: Run Install Command

This command will:

• Publish the config file to config/electron-printing.php
• Publish the Electron app to electron-print-service/
• Show you the required .env configuration

Step 3: Configure Environment

Add these to your .env file:

Step 4: Install Printer Drivers

⚠️ Important: You must install the genuine printer drivers on the machine running the Electron service.

• Thermal Printers: Install manufacturer drivers (EPSON, Star, etc.)
• Standard Printers: Install from manufacturer website
• Network Printers: Configure network connection first

Step 5: Start the Electron Service

Option A: Run from Source (Development)

The service will:

• Start on http://localhost:3000
• Run in the background with a system tray icon
• Auto-start on system boot (optional)

Option B: Build Standalone App (Production)

If you want to distribute a ready-to-use application without requiring Node.js:

Build for your platform:

Built apps will be in: electron-print-service/dist/

Installation:

• macOS:

  • Open 6amTech Printing Service-1.0.0-mac.dmg
  • Drag app to Applications folder
  • Open from Applications (right-click → Open first time)

• Windows:

  • Run 6amTech Printing Service Setup 1.0.0.exe
  • Follow installer wizard
  • App will auto-start on system boot
• Linux:
  • Install .deb: sudo dpkg -i 6amTech-Printing-Service-1.0.0.deb
  • Or run .AppImage directly (no installation needed)

Note: Built apps don't require Node.js or npm to be installed on the target machine.

Remote/Network Setup (Different Machine)

On the machine with printers connected:

1. Edit config (electron-print-service/config.json):

2. Start the service:

3. Note the machine's IP address:

On your Laravel server:

Update .env with the remote machine's IP:

Firewall Configuration:

• Allow incoming connections on port 3000
• Windows: Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app
• macOS: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Firewall
• Linux: sudo ufw allow 3000

🚀 Usage

Basic Printing

Using Print Profiles

Pre-configured profiles in config/electron-printing.php:

Custom Print Options

PDF Printing

Print from URL

Get Available Printers

Check Service Health

⚙️ Configuration

Environment Variables

Custom Print Profiles

Edit config/electron-printing.php:

Use it:

Electron Service Configuration

Edit electron-print-service/config.json:

🌐 Network Printing Setup

Scenario 1: Laravel + Electron on Same Machine

Scenario 2: Laravel on Server, Electron on Workstation

Workstation (with printers):

• IP: 192.168.1.100

• Edit electron-print-service/config.json:

• Start service: npm start

Laravel Server:

Scenario 3: Multiple Workstations

Each workstation runs its own Electron service:

Workstation 1 (Kitchen):

Workstation 2 (Counter):

Laravel:

📚 API Reference

🧪 Testing

🐛 Troubleshooting

Service Not Connecting

Error: Print service error: Connection refused

Solutions:

1. Check if Electron service is running:

2. Verify PRINT_SERVICE_URL in .env
3. Check firewall settings
4. For network printing, ensure listenIP is 0.0.0.0

Printer Not Found

Error: Printer name not recognized

Solutions:

1. Get available printers:

2. Use exact printer name from the list
3. Install printer drivers on the machine running Electron service
4. Use null for system default printer

Payload Too Large

Error: 413 Payload Too Large

Solution:

Restart both Laravel and Electron service.

Print Quality Issues

Solutions:

1. Use correct profile for your printer type
2. Adjust scaleFactor (default: 100)
3. Enable printBackground: true for colored content
4. Check printer driver settings

Port Already in Use

Error: Port 3000 is already in use

Solution - Find and kill the process:

macOS/Linux:

Windows:

Change Port: Edit electron-print-service/config.json:

Then update Laravel .env:

Network Printing Not Working

Solutions:

1. Verify IP address: ping 192.168.1.100
2. Check firewall allows port 3000
3. Ensure listenIP: "0.0.0.0" in Electron config
4. Test locally first: http://localhost:3000/health

Electron App Won't Open

macOS

Problem: "App can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer"

Solution:

Problem: App crashes on startup

Solution:

1. Check Console.app for error logs
2. Ensure printer drivers are installed
3. Try running from source: cd electron-print-service && npm start

Windows

Problem: "Windows protected your PC" warning

Solution:

1. Click "More info"
2. Click "Run anyway"
3. Or: Right-click installer → Properties → Unblock → Apply

Problem: App won't start after installation

Solution:

1. Check if port 3000 is already in use:

2. Run as Administrator
3. Check Windows Defender logs
4. Reinstall with antivirus temporarily disabled

Linux

Problem: AppImage won't run

Solution:

Problem: .deb installation fails

Solution:

Problem: App runs but no system tray icon

Solution:

🎯 Features

✅ Silent Printing - No print dialogs
✅ Multiple Formats - HTML, Blade, URL, PDF
✅ Print Profiles - Pre-configured settings
✅ Network Support - Print from any device
✅ Thermal Printers - 80mm, 58mm receipts
✅ Standard Printers - A4, Letter, Labels
✅ Cross-Platform - Windows, macOS, Linux
✅ Large Files - Configurable payload size

📖 Resources

• Complete Documentation - Advanced features and guides
• GitHub Repository - Source code
• Packagist - Package releases

📝 License

MIT License - see LICENSE.md

👨‍💻 Credits

Developed by: Mainul Islam
Organization: 6amTech
GitHub: @mainulBUBT
Email: [email protected]

⭐ Support

If this package helps your project, give it a ⭐ on GitHub!

Made with ❤️ for the Laravel community