pip3 install -r requirements.txt

source venv/bin/activate nohup python3 main.py &

Printer Task Server

This project sets up a simple web server on a Raspberry Pi to allow submitting tasks for printing on a thermal receipt printer.

lsusb

Setup

1. Dependencies: Ensure you have Python 3 and pip installed. The required Python packages are listed in requirements.txt.

   source venv/bin/activate
   pip3 install -r requirements.txt

2. Hardware: Make sure your ESC/POS printer is connected and configured correctly for escpos.printer.Usb to function.

Running the Server

To start the web server, navigate to the project directory and run:

nohup python3 bot.py 
nohup python3 app.py &

This command will start the Flask application in the background. The nohup command prevents the process from being terminated when you log out of your SSH session, and & runs the command in the background.

Accessing the Server

The server will be accessible on your LAN at http://192.168.x.x:8333 (replace 192.168.x.x with your Raspberry Pi's actual IP address).

Apple Shortcuts Integration

You can send tasks to the printer using Apple Shortcuts by making a POST request to the /apple-shortcut-task endpoint.

Endpoint: http://192.168.x.x:8333/apple-shortcut-task (replace 192.168.x.x with your Raspberry Pi's actual IP address)

Method: POST

Content-Type: application/json

Example Request Body:

{
  "task": "Remember to buy milk and eggs."
}

More Robust Persistent Execution (Optional - Systemd)

For a more robust and manageable persistent service, especially for production environments, it is recommended to set up a systemd service. Here's a basic outline:

1. Create a service file (e.g., /etc/systemd/system/printer_task.service):

   [Unit]
   Description=Printer Task Server
   After=network.target
   
   [Service]
   User=pi  # Replace with your Raspberry Pi username
   WorkingDirectory=/home/pi/printer # Replace with your project directory
   ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/printer/app.py
   Restart=always
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

   • Adjust User and WorkingDirectory to match your setup.
   • Ensure the ExecStart path to python3 and app.py is correct.

2. Reload systemd and enable the service:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl enable printer_task.service
   sudo systemctl start printer_task.service

3. Check status (optional):

   sudo systemctl status printer_task.service
   
   
    ps aux | grep
    kill
   

problems to solve: dynamic pdf-html size