Does any one provide me some information about how to connect a bluetooth printer from android platform (android tablet).
How do i achieve this?
Are you looking to print to a big desktop printer or a receipt printer?
If you're looking for a receipt printer, Star Micronics has an Android SDK that you can freely download here: http://www.starmicronics.com/support/SDKDocumentation.aspx.
It covers USB, bluetooth, and wifi/ethernet printing.
This SDK has a really nice sample app that lets you test and customize a lot of printer functions to see them in action. Each function is documented in the source code. The commands and their parameters are also available in the app itself as a quick on screen reference which is convenient. On top of all that, it's well documented.
If you use their SDK, you can send plain text to the printer along with commands. The API handles converting the data into what the printer can understand.
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i need to find a way to print file/content/.. programmatically from my application to blue-tooth printer (or) printer connected with USB.
Could anybody give me a idea? any reference will be helpful.
is there any open source api available for printing in android?
Are you looking to print to a big desktop printer or a receipt printer?
If you're looking for a receipt printer, Star Micronics has an Android SDK that you can freely download here: http://www.starmicronics.com/support/SDKDocumentation.aspx.
It covers USB, bluetooth, and ethernet printing.
This SDK has a really nice sample app that lets you test and customize a lot of printer functions to see them in action. Each function is documented in the source code. The commands and their parameters are also available in the app itself as a quick on screen reference which is convenient. On top of all that, it's well documented.
If you use their SDK, you can send plain text to the printer along with commands. The API handles converting the data into what the printer can understand.
You need to create Connection between your application & bluetooth printer.
Look at to my answer here.
I want to bring a functionality to my Android app, that users can connect from mobile device (mobile or tablet) via USB / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth and can take out the prints.
I search over the Internet but not finding any proper solution which is achieving results.
Looking for your help / guide further to decide our Android Application scope.
Thanks in advance !
Star Micronics has an SDK for Android printing via Bluetooth, WiFi, and USB. You can download it here: http://www.starmicronics.com/support/SDKDocumentation.aspx.
This SDK has a really nice sample app that lets you test and customize a lot of printer functions to see them in action. Each function is documented in the source code. The commands and their parameters are also available in the app itself as a quick on screen reference which is convenient. On top of all that, it's well documented.
Basically, you can send plain text to the printer along with commands. The API handles converting the data into what the printer can understand.
Mobile devices/tablets have usb ports so is there a way to send the print job directly via USB if connected to the printer?
Also, is it an ok solution in terms of simplicity and reliability to have the android device to create a 2d graphic of text, upload it to an application server via wifi, notify a desktop with a printer to do the job with the graphic.
Someone suggested to me to use a wireless (wifi) printer but really I need to set this up for a thermal printer to print receipts from my app.
If there are other better methods please share them. Thanks.
Here is the options for printing from the Android Device.
Thermal Printers - In market no of thermal printer are available like EPSON, Casio, STAR or Chinese printers. These printers have their own SDK. By simply import that sdk in project you can print from the application.
Connectivity is the main thing in using those printers. Every user have different kind of needs. So we can connect with thermal printers via USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, COM Port 232, Ethernet.
Also one more thing is you can install your printer drivers and CUPS on Server and directly send the printing request to the server and server send it to printer IP. This feature allow you to print form anywhere no issue of slow connection like we face in BT and WiFi.
Google Cloud Printers - In this case you have to registered your printer on Google printers and through Google Cloud printer API's we can print from the Android Device.
My personal opinion is to go for the Thermal printer as i have used the EPSON, Casio and some other and they are fairly easy to use and satisfy all our needs.
For the Developers here is one sample how to deal with thermal printer
How to print from the Thermal Printer in Android?
I think that you have two main approaches:
Google Cloud print system -> but there is no thermal printer that supports the protocol so the printer must be connected to some computer (win/mac)
Try to use some bluetooth thermal printer as discussed in this question.
Personally, I think the best way is doing by bluetooth printer...
I actually found out that STAR Micronics support android printing on certain models (there are quite a few models supported).
STAR give you the option of using the WiFi or Bluetooth to connect, I think Ethernet is also supported but you have to have certain models of the Ethernet adapter inserts that plug into the back of your thermal printer.
Here is the link:
http://www.star-m.jp/eng/dl/dl02_06_02spsd.htm
The reason this is so difficult to find is that it is not listed on the other star micronics websites (only this japanese one) and you have to manually go to the Downloads section to see it.
In case the link gets broken the Android SDK you want is called:
StarIO_Android_V1000a
If you do a google search you should find it.
The link posted above to the Japanese site is broken. The latest version of the Star Android printer SDK can be found here: http://www.starmicronics.com/support/SDKDocumentation.aspx
A lan/wifi printer should work.However you should handle data flow.If you have a desktop app then things change.Do you have a desktop app or not?
I am developing an application for Android Tablet,now in my application if i select print option then data should be print in the Bluetooth printer.to achieve this first i want to know how to recognize nearest Bluetooth devices and also how to print data in a Bluetooth printer.
Have you looked at any of the Android Bluetooth Documentation?
Star Micronics has an SDK for Android printing via Bluetooth (as well as ethernet and USB). You can download it here: http://www.starmicronics.com/support/SDKDocumentation.aspx.
At this point in time, the Android OS doesn't support native printing over Bluetooth.
In my experience, it's best to use an API and not an external application. The biggest reason is you get total control over printer behavior. It's easy too if the API is built intelligently. Using an external app is limiting because you can't customize your print outs the way you want to.
The Star SDK I linked you to has a really nice sample app that lets you test and customize a lot of printer functions to see them in action. Each function is documented in the source code. The commands and their parameters are also available in the app itself as a quick on screen reference which is convenient. On top of all that, it's well documented.
If you choose this way, you can send plain text to the printer along with commands. The API handles converting the data into what the printer can understand.
I need to connect printer with android based tablet using usb and i need to print from my android application using usb printer.My tablet has two usb port . how can i connect it ?
Are you looking to print to a big desktop printer or a receipt printer?
If you're looking for a receipt printer, Star Micronics has an Android SDK that you can freely download here: http://www.starmicronics.com/support/SDKDocumentation.aspx.
It covers USB printing. The printer can be connected directly to a tablet with USB ports. Your tablet needs to have Android V3.1 or higher for direct USB connection with a printer.
This SDK has a really nice sample app that lets you test and customize a lot of printer functions to see them in action. Each function is documented in the source code. The commands and their parameters are also available in the app itself as a quick on screen reference which is convenient. On top of all that, it's well documented.
I think that there is no normal way by which we can connect the android tablet to a USB printer, if the printer is a WiFi supporting one then there are numerous apps through which we can print.
eg:(http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/print-android-phone-printershare/)
For experiment ready guys follow this link : http://www.tombom.co.uk/blog/?p=124