# Recticel Direct Print Service - Installation Guide

## 🎯 Overview

This service enables direct printing from web browsers to thermal label printers (Epson TM-T20, Citizen CTS-310, etc.) without requiring PDF generation or manual printer dialogs.

## 🔧 Installation Steps

### 1. **Build the C# Application**

**Requirements:**
- Visual Studio 2019 or later
- .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later
- Windows 10/11

**Build Steps:**
1. Open `RecticelPrintService.sln` in Visual Studio
2. Restore NuGet packages (Newtonsoft.Json)
3. Build in Release mode
4. Copy the entire `bin\Release` folder to `C:\RecticelPrintService\`

### 2. **Register the Custom Protocol**

**Option A: Double-click the registry file**
1. Right-click `recticel-print-protocol.reg`
2. Select "Run as administrator"
3. Confirm the registry import

**Option B: Manual registry import**
1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Run: `reg import "recticel-print-protocol.reg"`

### 3. **Install Printer Drivers**

**For Epson TM-T20:**
- Download and install Epson TM-T20 drivers from Epson website
- Configure printer as "Epson TM-T20" in Windows

**For Citizen CTS-310:**
- Download and install Citizen CTS-310 drivers
- Configure printer as "Citizen CTS-310" in Windows

### 4. **Configure Printer Settings**

1. Open Windows "Printers & scanners"
2. Set paper size to **80mm x 110mm** (or closest available)
3. Set print quality to **300 DPI** for thermal printers
4. Disable margins (set to 0 if possible)

### 5. **Test the Installation**

1. Open your web browser
2. Navigate to the print module page
3. Select an order
4. Choose "Direct Print" option
5. Select your thermal printer
6. Click "Print Labels"

## 🖨️ Printer Configuration

### Label Size Settings
- **Width**: 80mm
- **Height**: 110mm
- **Margins**: 0mm (all sides)
- **Print Quality**: 300 DPI

### Thermal Printer Specific Settings

**Epson TM-T20:**
- Paper Type: Continuous label
- Print Speed: Normal
- Print Density: Adjust based on label stock

**Citizen CTS-310:**
- Media Type: Label
- Print Method: Thermal Transfer or Direct Thermal
- Print Speed: Medium

## 🔄 How It Works

1. **Web Interface**: User selects order and clicks "Direct Print"
2. **Data Encoding**: Order data is encoded as Base64 JSON
3. **Custom Protocol**: Browser calls `recticel-print://printer/data`
4. **Service Activation**: Windows launches RecticelPrintService.exe
5. **Data Processing**: Service decodes and formats label data
6. **Direct Printing**: Label is sent directly to the thermal printer
7. **Status Update**: Database is updated to mark order as printed

## 🚀 URL Format

```
recticel-print://[printer_name]/[base64_encoded_json]
```

**Example:**
```
recticel-print://Epson%20TM-T20/eyJvcmRlcl9pZCI6MTIzLCJjb21hbmRhX3Byb2R1Y3RpZSI6IkNQMDAwMDA3MTEifQ==
```

## ⚠️ Troubleshooting

### Service Not Starting
1. Check if the service is installed in `C:\RecticelPrintService\`
2. Verify registry entries are correct
3. Run as Administrator if needed

### Printer Not Found
1. Check printer name in Windows exactly matches selection
2. Ensure printer drivers are installed
3. Test print from Windows to verify printer works

### Labels Not Printing
1. Verify paper size is set to 80x110mm
2. Check printer margins are set to 0
3. Ensure thermal paper is loaded correctly

### Browser Security
- Some browsers may block custom protocols
- Add site to trusted sites if needed
- Chrome may show a confirmation dialog

## 🔧 Advanced Configuration

### Custom Printer Names
Users can add custom printer names by selecting "Other Printer..." and entering the exact Windows printer name.

### Multiple Label Quantities
The service automatically prints the quantity specified in the order, with sequential numbering (CP00000711-001, CP00000711-002, etc.).

### Fallback to PDF
If direct printing fails, users can switch to "Generate PDF" mode for manual printing.

## 📞 Support

For technical support:
1. Check Windows Event Viewer for service errors
2. Verify printer connectivity and driver installation
3. Test with PDF generation mode as fallback
4. Contact IT support with specific error messages

## 🔒 Security Notes

- The service only processes label data from trusted sources
- Registry changes require Administrator privileges
- Service runs with current user permissions
- No network connections are made by the service