A look at auto-printing alternatives to the Hatch service
NOTE: This document does not cover the process to auto-print in Hatch, (a Chrome-specific service that can be used to store local settings and auto-print slips, receipts, etc directly to your printers.); for those instructions, see the document How to Use and Install Hatch.
The purpose of this document is to offer an alternative for auto-printing for those not using Hatch, whether that be by choice or necessity. Hatch requires 3 programs to work in conjunction, and there have been reports of the service not working as expected on some computers, (i.e. unable to get past the WSOD during set up).
Before you dive in further, note that the built-in auto-print options do not give you much control once they are initially set and work best when only printing to a single printer, (i.e. receipt printer). Hatch will still give you more control over multi-printer setups and printer-specific settings.
Table of Contents: Autoprint in Google Chrome 2 Determine How You’d Like Auto-Print Enabled 2 Set Up the Chrome Shortcut for Use with Auto-Print 2 Tips for Auto-Printing in Chrome 5 Using multiple printers 5 Adjusting taskbar icons 5 Removing auto-print 5
Autoprint in Mozilla Firefox 5
Set the Default System Printer 5 Prepare Firefox Print Settings for Auto-Print 6 Add/Turn On Auto-Print Setting 7 Tips for Auto-Printing in Firefox 8 Using multiple printers 8 Removing auto-print 8 CW MARS: Auto-Print Options in Chrome and Firefox July 09, 2018
Autoprint in Google Chrome
Determine How You’d Like Auto-Print Enabled
IMPORTANT: The autoprint setting in Chrome will only work by way of a (desktop) shortcut.
You will have to decide if you want all print jobs from Google Chrome automatically sent to a specified printer or if you need a little more control. This is important because the auto-print feature cannot be adjusted by URL/webpage.
If you plan on using Google Chrome for multiple workflows, (i.e. everyday browsing vs Evergreen use), it is highly recommended that you first create, (or use an existing), Google Chrome Profile for auto-printing. Having a Chrome profile will allow you to auto-print using one profile while having the other profile set to print with a dialog box.
TIP: If you’ve already created a Chrome profile for Evergreen, you may want to turn on auto-print just for that profile.
Set Up the Chrome Shortcut for Use with Auto-Print
1. Find the Chrome desktop shortcut you would like to use. ○ If you do not have chrome profiles set up, it will most likely look like this:
○ If you have profiles set up, the shortcut may look a little different. For example, here is a Google Chrome profile I have set up on my computer:
NOTE: If you do not have a desktop shortcut for Chrome, go to Chrome’s install folder: (for example, C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application), right click on chrome.exe and choose Create Shortcut.
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2. Next, double-click the shortcut to open up Chrome. From any page, hit CTRL+P on the keyboard. This will bring up the Print Dialog box.
3. Here we will set up the defaults the auto-print
feature will use. The following will walk you through the settings needed for receipt printing in the web client: ○ Destination: your receipt printer ○ Pages: All ○ Copies: 1 ○ Layout: Portrait
TIP: You may need to click
to view the following options.
○ Color: Black and white
○ Paper size: (we have tested the following with successful results) ■ Letter ■ 72mm x 200mm ■ 72mm x receipt ○ Margins: Minimum ○ Scale: 100 ○ Headers and footers: UNCHECKED ○ Background graphics: unchecked 4. After making your adjustments, click Cancel. Your changes will still be saved for the next time you choose to print. 5. Completely close all open instances of Google Chrome.
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6. Now on the desktop, right-click the shortcut you plan on using with auto-print and choose properties. (Note that someone with Administrative rights for the computer may be needed for this step). 7. Go to the Shortcut tab. 8. Add the term --kiosk-printing to the end of the Target box. ○ For example, if you are not using a profile, the target box may be similar to this after: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk-printing ○ If using kiosk-printing with a profile, the target box may be similar to this after: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --profile-directory="Profile 2" --kiosk-printing 9. Click Apply then OK to save the changes and exit.
You are now all set. The next time you print something using the adjusted shortcut, you will see a very quick flash of the print dialog screen, and the job will be automatically sent to the printer chosen in the steps above.
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Tips for Auto-Printing in Chrome
Using multiple printers
With auto-print, only one printer can be used. If you need to use more than one printer, you may want to create a secondary Google Chrome Profile that does not use kiosk-printing or has kiosk-printing set up with a different printer. (i.e. Create a secondary Chrome Profile for the Holds Pull List and/or other “normal” printer tasks).
Adjusting taskbar icons
Auto-printing only works through the targeted desktop shortcut. If you normally access the web client through a taskbar icon, the icon will have to be updated. To do this, first make sure all your Chrome windows are fully closed. Then right-click the currently used Chrome icon in the taskbar and choose “Unpin from taskbar”. Open up your auto-print-enabled Chrome desktop shortcut. A new chrome icon should appear in the taskbar. Right-click the icon and choose “Pin to taskbar”.
Removing auto-print To remove auto-print, simply remove --kiosk-printing from the Target box on the shortcut’s properties and save. Next time you access the shortcut, auto-print will be disabled. Note that you will also have to update your taskbar icons if they were adjusted previously, (see Adjusting Taskbar Icons above).
Autoprint in Mozilla Firefox
Set the Default System Printer
For auto-print to work in Firefox, your computer’s default printer needs to be printer you want to use with auto-print. Depending on your Windows edition, the workflow to set your default printer may differ. Here are the instructions for Windows 10: 1. Right click the Start icon and choose Settings. 2. In the search box, type Printers and choose the Printers & Scanners option that appears.
3. On the next page, click the printer you want to use and select Manage.
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4. On the screen that appears, select Set as Default.
Prepare Firefox Print Settings for Auto-Print
1. Open up Firefox. From any page, hit ALT on the keyboard. This will bring up a temporary menu at the top of the screen. Choose File>Page Setup. 2. Make sure the orientation is set to Portrait.
3. Click on the Margins & Header/Footer tab.
4. Set all margins to “0” and all headers/footers to “--blank--”
5. Click OK to save the settings
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Add/Turn On Auto-Print Setting
1. Open up Mozilla Firefox. 2. In the address bar, type about:config. 3. You will be greeted by the following screen. To continue, select I accept the risk! NOTE: Although it is possible to adjust settings that will affect your browsing experience, if you simply follow the instructions outlined below, the risk is very low.
4. On the next screen, right-click anywhere on
the page, and select New>Boolean.
5. On the pop-up that appears, type
print.always_print_silent. Click OK.
6. On the next pop-up, choose true and click
OK.
You are now all set. The next time you print something using Mozilla Firefox, the job will be automatically sent to the default printer.
7 CW MARS: Auto-Print Options in Chrome and Firefox July 09, 2018
Tips for Auto-Printing in Firefox
Using multiple printers
With auto-print, only one printer can be used. The setting can be temporarily removed by going to about:config, finding the setting print.always_print_silent, right-clicking, and choosing Toggle. This will turn it off until it is toggled on again.
Removing auto-print Auto-printing can be removed by simply toggling the setting off. Go to about:config, find the setting print.always_print_silent, right-click, and choose Toggle to turn the off the setting.
