Possible to choose a destination for print jobs from a web-based application?

sneakyimp

I considered putting this in the client-side forum because it seems like perhaps it is a client-side question, but it occurred to me that there might be other options to solve this problem. I also noticed this post which seems to be asking a similar problem, but my server is going to be running off-site.

I would like to know if it's possible to specify that a page to one's browser should be printed on a particular printer. For example, a user logs into my web application written in PHP, hosted via Apache running in Amazon cloud. They choose 'print labels' and the result is that data from the server (either HTML, PDF, DOC, whatever) is printed on a printer running in their retail store. I'm guessing that it is not possible to use Javascript to force a particular printer choice. Would I need to concoct some kind of client-side Java application or ActiveX control to act as a go-between from the web app to the appropriate printer? The basic idea is to send labels to the label printer (it has a spool of a particular type of label) and to send other reports and/or purchase orders to the laser printer. The client has made it clear that Avery labels are a non-starter.

Any help/thoughts/suggestions would be much appreciated. Unless I'm mistaken, it seems like I'll need Java, Adobe Air, or some other application to escape the browser and choose the printer directly.

bradgrafelman

Can't the user simply be instructed to select the label printer on the print pop-up dialog (e.g. window.print())? Or is this geared at the type of retail employees whose IQs have not yet reached double digits? 😉

sneakyimp

bradgrafelman;11037451 wrote:
Can't the user simply be instructed to select the label printer on the print pop-up dialog (e.g. window.print())? Or is this geared at the type of retail employees whose IQs have not yet reached double digits? 😉

I was wondering the same thing and the client emphatically assured me that having to choose a printer was a no-go. I think the concern on their part is partly reducing unnecessary keystrokes, partly cost issues (labels are pricey and printing on them by mistake would be costly) and partly to do with the IQ level of your typical employee. My days working in the ice cream store in college taught me that there are many less-than-brilliant people in the world and that many of them get jobs in retail.

johanafm

Adobe Air is able to handle it in package flash.printing. Works on desktops, but not mobile devices.

It should also be possible to handle by writing a browser plugin, but I wouldn't recommend it, because it might have to be updated now and then. Well from a sales perspective - perhaps this is to be recommended after all /pointy-haired boss
And you'd need one plugin per vendor.

The other option would be to post data to a server which would then create the jobs and relay them to the appropriate printer. I havn't used this myself, but PHP:😛RINT::IPP implements IPP.