quality_recticel/windows_print_service/INSTALLATION_COMPLETE.md

Quality Print Service - Complete Installation Guide

🎯 Pre-Installation Checklist

System Requirements Verification:

• Windows 10 build 1903+ or Windows Server 2016+
• Administrator access to the system
• Google Chrome browser installed
• At least 100 MB free disk space
• Network/USB printer connected and configured

Python Requirements:

• Python 3.7+ installed OR use included portable Python
• Python accessible via command line (optional)

📦 Installation Methods

Method 1: Complete Automatic Installation (Recommended)

1. Download and Extract:

   • Extract the complete package to any folder (e.g., Desktop)
   • No need to keep the files permanently

2. Run Installer:

   Right-click: install_service_complete.bat
   Select: "Run as administrator"
   

3. Follow Installation Steps:

   [1/6] Administrator privileges confirmed ✓
   [2/6] Checking Python installation...
   [3/6] Creating installation directories...
   [4/6] Installing service files...
   [5/6] Installing Windows service...
   [6/6] Starting service...
   

4. Install Chrome Extension:

   • Chrome will open the extension folder automatically
   • Go to chrome://extensions/
   • Enable "Developer mode" (top right)
   • Click "Load unpacked"
   • Select the chrome_extension folder

5. Verify Installation:

   • Visit: http://localhost:8765/health
   • Expected response: {"status": "healthy"}

Method 2: Manual Installation

1. Create Directories:

   mkdir C:\QualityPrintService
   mkdir %USERPROFILE%\PrintService\logs
   

2. Copy Files:

   copy print_service_complete.py C:\QualityPrintService   ```
   
   

3. Install Service:

   sc create QualityPrintService binPath="python C:\QualityPrintService\print_service_complete.py"
   sc start QualityPrintService
   

🔧 Post-Installation Configuration

Service Verification:

# Check service status
sc query QualityPrintService

# Check service configuration
sc qc QualityPrintService

# View service logs (if using NSSM)
type "%USERPROFILE%\PrintService\logs\service_output.log"

Network Testing:

# Test health endpoint
Invoke-RestMethod -Uri http://localhost:8765/health

# Test printer endpoint  
Invoke-RestMethod -Uri http://localhost:8765/printers

# Test from browser
start http://localhost:8765/status

Chrome Extension Setup:

1. Open Chrome browser
2. Navigate to chrome://extensions/
3. Enable "Developer mode" toggle (top-right corner)
4. Click "Load unpacked" button
5. Browse and select the chrome_extension folder
6. Verify extension appears in the list with green toggle

🔍 Installation Verification

Health Check Procedure:

1. Service Status: Verify Windows service is running

   sc query QualityPrintService | find "RUNNING"
   

2. Network Connectivity: Test HTTP endpoints

   curl http://localhost:8765/health
   

3. Printer Detection: Check printer enumeration

   curl http://localhost:8765/printers
   

4. Extension Communication: Test from web page

   • Open the Quality app in Chrome
   • Go to print module
   • Verify "Extension ready" status

Expected Responses:

Health Check:

{
  "status": "healthy",
  "service": "Windows Print Service",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "timestamp": "2025-09-25T10:30:00"
}

Printer List:

{
  "success": true,
  "printers": [
    {"name": "HP LaserJet", "type": "Local", "status": "Available"}
  ],
  "count": 1
}

🚨 Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: "Administrator privileges required"

Solution:

• Right-click installer file
• Select "Run as administrator"
• Confirm UAC prompt

Issue: "Python not found"

Solutions:

1. Install Python from python.org
2. Use included portable Python
3. Add Python to system PATH

Issue: "Service failed to start"

Solutions:

1. Check Windows Event Viewer:
   • Windows Logs → Application
   • Filter by source: "Service Control Manager"
2. Verify port 8765 is not in use:

   netstat -an | find "8765"
   

3. Check service logs:

   type "%USERPROFILE%\PrintService\logs\print_service_*.log"
   

Issue: "Chrome extension not working"

Solutions:

1. Reload extension in chrome://extensions/
2. Check extension permissions
3. Verify service is responding at localhost:8765
4. Clear browser cache and cookies

Issue: "PDF printing fails"

Solutions:

1. Install Adobe Reader or SumatraPDF
2. Check printer permissions
3. Verify PDF file accessibility
4. Test with different printer

🔄 Maintenance and Updates

Regular Maintenance:

• Log Cleanup: Logs rotate automatically
• Service Monitoring: Check service status weekly
• Chrome Extension: Update when prompted

Manual Service Management:

# Stop service
sc stop QualityPrintService

# Start service  
sc start QualityPrintService

# Restart service
sc stop QualityPrintService && timeout /t 3 && sc start QualityPrintService

# Change startup type
sc config QualityPrintService start= auto

Log File Locations:

• Service logs: %USERPROFILE%\PrintService\logs\
• Windows Event Logs: Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application
• Chrome Extension: Chrome DevTools → Console

🔧 Advanced Configuration

Custom Port Configuration:

Edit print_service_complete.py:

server_address = ('localhost', 8765)  # Change 8765 to desired port

Custom Install Directory:

Edit install_service_complete.bat:

set INSTALL_DIR=C:\CustomPath\PrintService

Service Recovery Options:

sc failure QualityPrintService reset= 86400 actions= restart/5000/restart/10000/restart/30000

📋 Uninstallation

Complete Removal:

1. Run uninstall_service_complete.bat as Administrator
2. Remove Chrome extension manually
3. Optional: Delete log files

Manual Removal:

# Stop and remove service
sc stop QualityPrintService
sc delete QualityPrintService

# Remove files
rmdir /s /q C:\QualityPrintService
rmdir /s /q "%USERPROFILE%\PrintService"

📞 Getting Help

Before Contacting Support:

1. Check this installation guide
2. Review troubleshooting section
3. Check service logs for error messages
4. Test with simple printer (like Microsoft Print to PDF)

Information to Provide:

• Windows version (run winver)
• Python version (run python --version)
• Service status (run sc query QualityPrintService)
• Recent log entries
• Error messages or screenshots

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Installation Guide Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: September 2025
Support: Internal Quality System Team