Is there a way to set up an automated printing in PHP?

[eldan88]

Hi,

 

I have a custom build online ordering website application, that lets people order food online. The order then get sent to the restaurants order managment web application, that I set on up on their computer. The only problem is that when a new food order comes in, they need to view the order and then manually print it.

 

Is there any possibility where I can write up a function, that will have the order manually print by it self when an order is sent? Something that will bypass the print window on a windows machine.

Edited January 26, 2013 by eldan88

[trq]

Did you look in the manual?

 

http://php.net/printer

[eldan88]

Did you look in the manual?

 

http://php.net/printer

 

No i haven't. But I will take a look at it right now. Thank you!

Edited January 27, 2013 by eldan88

[eldan88]

I have looked into the manuel and it said "These functions are only available under Windows 9.x, ME, NT4 and 2000"

 

Will they work for windows xp and above?

Did you look in the manual?

 

http://php.net/printer

[Psycho]

I'm fairly certain those functions only work on the server. So, unless you are hosting the site on a server in the restaurant they won't work. Trying to automatically print on a client browser would be a significant security risk. Could you imagine? Instead of all the popup advertising, all those internet advertisers would be trying to print to our printers.

[eldan88]

I'm fairly certain those functions only work on the server. So, unless you are hosting the site on a server in the restaurant they won't work. Trying to automatically print on a client browser would be a significant security risk. Could you imagine? Instead of all the popup advertising, all those internet advertisers would be trying to print to our printers.

 

You do make a point. Is there a way where I can set their machine up as a local host and do it that way?

[trq]

Sorry, I misread your post and assumed the application was hosted in house.

 

Is there a way where I can set their machine up as a local host and do it that way?

 

Of course there is. But if you need to ask that questions, it's not likely you are the person to do it.

[eldan88]

Sorry, I misread your post and assumed the application was hosted in house.

 

 

 

Of course there is. But if you need to ask that questions, it's not likely you are the person to do it.

 

What do you mean I don't follow?

[trq]

Setting up a publicly accessible server poses numerous security risks. If your not sure of what your doing, I'm not sure I would recommend doing it.

 

It's up to you though. But yeah, of course it's possible.

[Psycho]

You could set up the app in the remote server as it is now and set up a local server in the restaurant that will query the application every x minutes for new orders and, if any are found, print them out. But, it seems like a lot of complexity for something that can be easily resolved by a human simply checking for the orders

[PFMaBiSmAd]

I would have the server send the order to a fax machine at the restaurant through an Internet based fax service.

[trq]

People still use faxes?

[Jessica]

You could set up the app in the remote server as it is now and set up a local server in the restaurant that will query the application every x minutes for new orders and, if any are found, print them out. But, it seems like a lot of complexity for something that can be easily resolved by a human simply checking for the orders

 

I get free food occasionally by placing an order online and expecting that a human on the other end will do their job correctly.

(Hint: humans fail. A lot.)

[Barand]

... they need to view the order and then manually print it.

 

 

I guess clicking the "Print this email" button is a bit much to ask of anyone.

[Christian F.]

Or just mail the printer? That is, if the printer is new enough to support this.

[Jessica]

Or just mail the printer? That is, if the printer is new enough to support this.

That's a great option. And buying one that does support it would probably be the cheapest option in terms of time and money, if you want to automate it.

[totallytech]

I agree with buying a printer, I bought a HP 3050a printer and using HP E-Print you can set up an email address, then you can simply cc email the orders to the new printers email address.

 

I have my fax number forwarding to an email address, which then prints out.

 

The printer was around £40GBP ($70USD) ish

 

So easy, I'm using the technology for other businesses which need to generate orders etc.

[Psycho]

You could set up the app in the remote server as it is now and set up a local server in the restaurant that will query the application every x minutes for new orders and, if any are found, print them out. But, it seems like a lot of complexity for something that can be easily resolved by a human simply checking for the orders

I get free food occasionally by placing an order online and expecting that a human on the other end will do their job correctly.

(Hint: humans fail. A lot.)

 

Right, but ultimately a human is required to process the order (at least in the case of a food order). Even if the order is printed it still requires a person to check the printer. You could have a web page that routinely checks for new order and changes the color of the page if there are new, unprocessed orders. That doesn't require creating a second webserver or any way out solutions. At least that's my opinion.

[eldan88]

Right, but ultimately a human is required to process the order (at least in the case of a food order). Even if the order is printed it still requires a person to check the printer. You could have a web page that routinely checks for new order and changes the color of the page if there are new, unprocessed orders. That doesn't require creating a second webserver or any way out solutions. At least that's my opinion.

 

Hey Physco,

 

I already have a web management application that is on their computer, which notifies the restaurant when a new food order has arrived. But its really annoying when you have to manually print each food order when it comes in the order management. Espically when you get 20 orders a day, and you are in the middle of a lunch hours. I want it to have the food orders automatically print, and have them confirm it.

 

A competitor of mine already has this, where every order that comes through their order management gets printed automatically. All i want is to have a file to be sent the the printer. Not necessarily have the actual browser print what ever it is is seeing on the screen.

 

 

Is there anyway I can have a file get sent to the printer, and bypass the print dialogue box?

[eldan88]

I agree with buying a printer, I bought a HP 3050a printer and using HP E-Print you can set up an email address, then you can simply cc email the orders to the new printers email address.

 

I have my fax number forwarding to an email address, which then prints out.

 

The printer was around £40GBP ($70USD) ish

 

So easy, I'm using the technology for other businesses which need to generate orders etc.

 

I have over 100 clients. This would be out of the picture.

[eldan88]

Fax machienes are the least realiable. Busy signals, phone lines get cut off, and its slower.

I would have the server send the order to a fax machine at the restaurant through an Internet based fax service.

[Psycho]

I believe we've already given you an option. Build a web app that will run on an internal server. The app will check the status of orders and print them out as they are placed. The trick is that the printing has to be done from the server - not the client.