Nepali Slip Printer

A Node.js package and server for printing receipt slips with support for Nepali Unicode text. This package provides both a REST API server and a library for programmatic use, with proper handling of Devanagari characters and cross-platform printing.

Features

• ✅ Cross-platform printing - Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• ✅ Nepali Unicode support - Proper rendering of Devanagari characters
• ✅ Multiple print methods - Auto-detection, CUPS, Windows PowerShell, file output, and mock mode
• ✅ WiFi printer support - Print to network-connected printers
• ✅ Configurable formatting - Adjustable page width and organization details
• ✅ REST API - Easy integration with any application
• ✅ CLI tool - Command line interface for quick operations
• ✅ NPM package - Use as a library in your Node.js projects

Installation

As a global CLI tool:

npm install -g @roshanlimbu/nepali-slip-printer

As a dependency in your project:

npm install @roshanlimbu/nepali-slip-printer

For development (clone repository):

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/roshanlimbu/printServer.git
cd printServer

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Copy environment configuration
cp .env.example .env

# Edit .env file with your settings
nano .env

Configuration

Create a .env file in the project root:

# Server Configuration
PORT=3000

# Organization Settings
ORG_NAME=Your Store Name

# Printer Settings
PRINTER_NAME=YourPrinterName
PAGE_WIDTH=32

# Print Method: 'auto', 'windows', 'cups', 'file', 'mock'
PRINT_METHOD=auto

Print Methods

• auto - Automatically detects platform (Windows uses PowerShell, macOS/Linux uses CUPS)
• windows - Uses Windows PowerShell printing commands
• cups - Uses CUPS printing system (macOS/Linux)
• file - Saves output to a file for testing
• mock - Prints to console for development

Usage

CLI Usage (Global Installation)

# Initialize a project with .env file
nepali-slip-server init

# Start the server
nepali-slip-server start --port 3000 --org "My Store"

# Print directly from CLI
nepali-slip-server print --data '[[1,"चामल",5],[2,"दाल",10]]'

# List available printers
nepali-slip-server printers

# Help
nepali-slip-server --help

Library Usage (Programmatic)

const { NepaliSlipPrinter } = require('@roshanlimbu/nepali-slip-printer');

// Create printer instance
const printer = new NepaliSlipPrinter({
  orgName: 'My Store',
  pageWidth: 32,
  printer: 'HP LaserJet'
});

// Print data
const data = [
  [1, "चामल", 5],
  [2, "दाल", 10],
  [3, "तेल", 3]
];

async function printReceipt() {
  try {
    const result = await printer.print(data, {
      method: 'auto' // auto, windows, cups, file, mock
    });
    console.log('Printed:', result.jobId);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Print failed:', error.message);
  }
}

printReceipt();

Server Usage

const { createServer } = require('@roshanlimbu/nepali-slip-printer');

// Create and start server
const app = createServer({
  orgName: 'My Store',
  pageWidth: 32
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server running on port 3000');
});

REST API Usage

Start the Server

# Using CLI
nepali-slip-server start

# Or using npm (if cloned repository)
npm start

The server will start on http://localhost:3000 (or your configured PORT).

API Endpoints

1. Get Available Printers

GET /printers

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "printers": ["HP LaserJet", "Canon Printer"],
  "count": 2
}

2. Print Receipt

POST /print

Request Body:

{
  "data": [
    [1, "चामल", 5],
    [2, "दाल", 10],
    [3, "तेल", 3],
    [4, "चिनी", 15]
  ]
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "jobId": "job_1234567890",
  "message": "Print job sent successfully"
}

Example Usage

Basic Print Request

curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/print \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "data": [
      [1, "चामल", 5],
      [2, "दाल", 10],
      [3, "तेल", 3],
      [4, "चिनी", 15],
      [5, "नुन", 2],
      [6, "आटा", 25]
    ]
  }'

Check Available Printers

curl http://localhost:3000/printers

Sample Output

Your Store Name
2025-07-28 09:45:12

--------------------------------
SN  शीर्षक                     सं
1   चामल                       5
2   दाल                       10
3   तेल                        3
4   चिनी                      15
5   नुन                        2
6   आटा                       25
--------------------------------

Setup for Different Platforms

Windows

1. Add WiFi Printer:

   • Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners
   • Click "Add a printer or scanner"
   • Select your WiFi printer

2. Set Environment:

   PRINT_METHOD=auto  # or 'windows'
   PRINTER_NAME=YourWiFiPrinterName

macOS/Linux

1. Add Printer via CUPS:

   # List available printers
   lpstat -p
   
   # Add printer if needed
   sudo lpadmin -p PrinterName -E -v ipp://printer-ip:631/ipp/print

2. Set Environment:

   PRINT_METHOD=auto  # or 'cups'
   PRINTER_NAME=YourPrinterName

Development

Run in Development Mode

# Use mock printing (console output)
PRINT_METHOD=mock npm start

Save to File (Testing)

# Save print output to files
PRINT_METHOD=file npm start

Project Structure

slipServer/
├── server.js          # Main server file
├── printer.js         # Custom printer module
├── package.json       # Dependencies
├── .env.example       # Environment template
├── .env               # Your configuration (create this)
└── README.md          # This file

Dependencies

• express - Web server framework
• dotenv - Environment configuration
• dayjs - Date formatting

API Documentation

Data Format

Each item in the data array should be an array with 3 elements:

• [0] - Serial number (integer)
• [1] - Item title (string, supports Nepali Unicode)
• [2] - Quantity (integer)

Error Responses

{
  "success": false,
  "error": "Error message description"
}

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "No printers found"

   • Check if printer is properly installed
   • Try PRINT_METHOD=mock for testing
   • Verify printer name in environment

2. "Print command failed"

   • Ensure printer is online and accessible
   • Check printer permissions
   • Try printing a test page from system

3. Nepali text not displaying properly

   • Ensure your terminal/console supports Unicode
   • Check if printer supports Unicode fonts
   • Try PRINT_METHOD=file to save output and check in text editor

Testing Commands

# Test server is running
curl http://localhost:3000/printers

# Test with minimal data
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/print \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"data":[[1,"Test",1]]}'

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a Pull Request

Support

For issues and questions:

• Check the troubleshooting section
• Review the configuration settings
• Test with PRINT_METHOD=mock first