How do I make star TSP100LAN receipt printer work with Android?

Question

I have found an API here

However, when I run the AndroidSample test app I get errors.

When I press on the "Get Printer Status" button I get "Printer is online". This button works it seems.

However:

• Pressing "Read data from printer" yields "Failure. could not read in the firmware name."

• Pressing "Print Receipt" cause the application to hang for 3 seconds. Then nothing.

• Pressing "Print Checked Block Receipt" yields either "printing succeeded" or a big hang (sometimes force close). In any case, nothing is printed.

Answer 1

It took me forever to figure out how to get it to work. I'll give you what I can to get you started. I'm fairly new to android, so feel free to point out things I am be doing incorrectly. It does occasionally incorrectly print by moving the content up, thus cutting off the top and adds a lot space at the bottom. If anyone can figure that out I would be much appreciated.

Here you go:

Requires these files from the APK: Don't believe i modified them anyway: 1. RasterDocument.java 2. StarBitmap.java

Main printing method:

    public static void PrintReceipt(Context context, RelativeLayout layout){

        String portName = "tcp:10.1.250.20"; //ip address of your printer
        String portSettings = "";

//have to measure the layout for it to print correctly, otherwise sizes are zero
        layout.measure(View.MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(layout.getLayoutParams().width, View.MeasureSpec.EXACTLY),
                View.MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(layout.getLayoutParams().height, View.MeasureSpec.EXACTLY));
        layout.layout(0, 0, layout.getMeasuredWidth(), layout.getMeasuredHeight());

        Bitmap bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(layout.getWidth(),layout.getHeight(), Bitmap.Config.RGB_565);
        Canvas canvas = new Canvas(bitmap);
        canvas.drawColor(Color.WHITE);
        layout.draw(canvas);


        int maxWidth = 576; //default width of tsp100 receipt
        RasterDocument rasterDoc = new RasterDocument(RasterDocument.RasSpeed.Full, RasterDocument.RasPageEndMode.FeedAndFullCut, RasterDocument.RasPageEndMode.FeedAndFullCut, RasterDocument.RasTopMargin.Standard, 0, 0, 0);
        StarBitmap starbitmap = new StarBitmap(bitmap, false, maxWidth);

        StarIOPort port = null;
        try
        {
            /*
                   using StarIOPort3.1.jar (support USB Port)
                   Android OS Version: upper 2.2
               */
            port = StarIOPort.getPort(portName, portSettings, 10000, context);
            /*
                   using StarIOPort.jar
                   Android OS Version: under 2.1
                   port = StarIOPort.getPort(portName, portSettings, 10000);
               */

            try
            {
                Thread.sleep(500);
            }
            catch(InterruptedException e) {}

            byte[] command = rasterDoc.BeginDocumentCommandData();
            port.writePort(command, 0, command.length);
            command = starbitmap.getImageRasterDataForPrinting();
            port.writePort(command, 0, command.length);
            command = rasterDoc.EndDocumentCommandData();
            port.writePort(command, 0, command.length);

            try
            {
                Thread.sleep(1000);
            }
            catch(InterruptedException e) {}
        }
        catch (StarIOPortException e)
        {
            ShowAlertMessage(context, "Failure", "Failed to connect to printer. " + e.getMessage());
        }
        finally
        {
            if(port != null)
            {
                try {
                    StarIOPort.releasePort(port);
                } catch (StarIOPortException e) {}
            }
        }

    }

    private static void ShowAlertMessage(final Context context, final String alertTitle, final String message){
        try {
            ((Activity)context).runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {

                @Override
                public void run() {
                    AlertDialog.Builder dialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(context);
                    dialog.setNegativeButton("Ok", null);
                    AlertDialog alert = dialog.create();
                    alert.setTitle(alertTitle);
                    alert.setMessage(message);
                    alert.show();
                }});
        } catch (final Exception e) {
            Log.e(PrinterFunctions.class.getName(), e.getMessage());
        }
    }

THEN: In another method, send PrintReceipt a relativelayout. Set the current context in the constructor of the class.

  Context currentContext;
    RelativeLayout relativeLayout;
    private final int receiptWidth = 576;
    private Typeface typeFace = Typeface.DEFAULT;
    private int normalFontSize = 23;
    private int largeFontSize = 28;

public SetupReceiptClass(Context context){
    currentContext = context;
}
public void SetupReceipt(String customerName){
       //Create layout for receipt
        relativeLayout = new RelativeLayout(currentContext);
        RelativeLayout.LayoutParams params;
        params = new RelativeLayout.LayoutParams(receiptWidth,     ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT);
        relativeLayout.setLayoutParams(params);
        relativeLayout.setId(R.id.ReceiptLayout);

//Create whatever views you want here and add them to the RelativeLayout to make up your receipt
relativeLayout.addView(whateverViewsYouCreate);

//Finally, Print the receipt.
        new Thread(new Runnable() {

            @Override
            public void run() {
                PrintReceipt(currentContext, relativeLayout);
            }
        }).start();

}

Again, I'm new to the android thing, and this may not be the best way, but it is printing. Anything cool you find out I'd love to hear them.