zebra_day Overview v0.3.6
| * auto discovery * of networked printers | ui configurable printer fleet details | zpl template drafting & live ui preview |
| monitor printer fleet status in one dashboard | simple and powerful python package offers ability to include barcode label printing in other s/w systems | fast and straight forward deployment and maintaince |
| directly access each printers admin console | integrate with other systems (Salesforce, AWS) | simple print API endpoints (commercial alternatives are quite expensive, and often offer less) |
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* Verify there are zebra printers connected & powered up to the same network that the PC you are installing this s/w to is connected.
- An Identify Generating Authority
- you will need to produce your own UID/GUID/etc. This can be manual, spreadsheets, custom code, various RDBMS, LIMS systems, Salesforce... but should not be tangled in this package.
- also, METADATA regaring your UID is important as these metadata can be presented on the labels in addition to the human readable and scannable representation of the provided UID. Unique Identifier Maxims.
- you will need to produce your own UID/GUID/etc. This can be manual, spreadsheets, custom code, various RDBMS, LIMS systems, Salesforce... but should not be tangled in this package.
python --version # should be 3.10* # advisable to run in some kind of venv
pip install zebra_day
# you should load a fresh env / open a fresh terminal so the package is available
# Run the UI w/out probing the network for printers to configure
zday_start
# It will block returning the shell, and while runnig is available on 0.0.0.0:8118
# This one does the same thing, but spends a few min determining if it can see zebra printers on your network, and pre-configures them if detected (you can run this scan at a latter time, and using other interfaces)
zday_quickstart
# It will block returning the shell, and while runnig is available on 0.0.0.0:8118
(1) Zebra Printer Management & Configuration
(2) ZPL Label Template Tools
(3) A Python Library To Manage Formulating & Sending Label Print Requests
(bonuses) * a web gui to make some of the above more approachable && expose (3) as a http API. * Documentation sufficent for organization to successfuly assemble & deploy a reasonalbly sized barcoding system in your operational environment in potentially weeks. * ... and cheaply! a 10 printer install could cost ~$5,000.00 in purchases. With ongoing operational expenses of ~$150/mo (depends on label stock consumption mostly).
- Daylily is available to lead or contribute to the building and deployment of universal barcoding systems to your organizations operations. Daylily offers expertise with the entire process from evaluating existing operations systems, proposing integration options, securing all hardware, deploying hardware and software, and importantly: connecting newly deployed barcoding services to other LIS systems.
- Tested and runs on MAC and Ubuntu (but other flavors of Linux should be no problem). Windows would be a rather large hassle, though presumably possible.
- conda and mamba installed. This is not, in fact, a blocking requirement, but other env setups have not been tested yet. for MAC users, it may be advisable to install conda with homebrew.
- create conda environment
ZDAY, which will be used to run the UImamba create -n ZDAY -c conda-forge python==3.10 pip ipython
- create conda environment
- For MAC address discovery,
arpshould be installed (both for MAC and Linux). - Should be pre-installed by default.
- reload your environment/shell.
zebra_dayis now installed in your current python environment.- reload your environment/shell.
sudo apt-get install net-toolsyou can pip install zebra_day to any python environment running 3.10.*. If you plan to run the web UI or use the HTTP API functionality, run this in the above described ZDAY conda env. To install with pip:
pip install zebra_daygit clone git@github.com:Daylily-Informatics/zebra_day.git
cd zebra_day
conda activate ZDAY # ZDAY was built with mamba earlier
python setup.py sdist
pip install dist/PATH_TO_HIGHEST_VERSIONED_FILE.tar.gz- Connect all zebra printers to the same network as the machine you'll be running
zebra_dayis connected to. Load labels, power on printers , confirm status lights are green, etc.
- Info on hardware and consumables known to work with
zebra_day. User guides, notes, part#s and costs for:- Printers
- Label Stock
- Barcode Scanners
- zebra printers -> power on and connect via cable or wifi to the same network the machine you installed
zebra_dayis on. - activate the environment you have
zebra_dayinstalled into. - If you have just pip installed
zebra_dayin the shell you are in, start a new shell. - run
zday_quickstart, which will detect you IP address, scan the detected network for zebra printers, build a printer fleet config for printers detected, and launch thezebra_dayweb gui (the IP:port will be printed for you if the launch succeeds, open the IP:port in a web browser with visibility to the IP).
zday_quickstart
(ip addr show | grep -Eo 'inet (addr:)?([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -Eo '([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -v '127.0.0.1' || ifconfig | grep -Eo 'inet (addr:)?([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -Eo '([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -v '127.0.0.1') 2> /dev/null
IP detected: 192.168.1.12 ... using IP root: 192.168.1
..... now scanning for zebra printers on this network (which may take a few minutes...
Zebra Printer Scan Complete. Results:{'labs': {'scan-results': {'Download-Label-png': {'ip_address': 'dl_png', 'label_zpl_styles': ['test_2inX1in'], 'print_method': 'generate png', 'model': 'na', 'serial': 'na'}, '192.168.1.7': {'ip_address': '192.168.1.7', 'label_zpl_styles': ['blank_0inX0in', 'test_2inX1in', 'tube_2inX1in', 'plate_1inX0.25in', 'tube_2inX0.3in'], 'print_method': 'unk', 'model': 'ZTC GX420d', 'serial': 'ZBR7563510 '}}}}
Now starting zebra_day web GUI
**** THE ZDAY WEB GUI WILL BE ACCESSIBLE VIA THE URL: 192.168.1.12:8118
The zday web server will continue running, and not return this shell to a command prompt until it is shut down
.... you may shut down this web service by hitting ctrl+c.
(ip addr show | grep -Eo 'inet (addr:)?([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -Eo '([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -v '127.0.0.1' || ifconfig | grep -Eo 'inet (addr:)?([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -Eo '([0-9]*\.){3}[0-9]*' | grep -v '127.0.0.1') 2>/dev/null
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Listening for SIGTERM.
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Listening for SIGHUP.
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Listening for SIGUSR1.
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Bus STARTING
CherryPy Checker:
The Application mounted at '' has an empty config.
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Started monitor thread 'Autoreloader'.
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Serving on http://0.0.0.0:8118
[24/Oct/2023:00:45:51] ENGINE Bus STARTED
If
zday_quickstartends withENGINE Bus STARTEDand does not return the cursor, the web service is running (and will continue to do so until you ctrl+c in the shell it is running in. From a web browser, navigate to the URL printed in the quickstart STDOUT, in the above, this would be192.168.1.12:8118.
One printer configured.
Open an ipython shell.
import zebra_day.print_mgr as zdpm
zlab = zdpm.zpl()
zlab.probe_zebra_printers_add_to_printers_json('192.168.1') # REPLACE the IP stub with the correct value for your network. This may take a few min to run. !! This command is not required if you've sucessuflly run the quickstart already, also, won't hurt.
print(zlab.printers) # This should print out the json dict of all detected zebra printers. An empty dict, {}, is a failure of autodetection, and manual creation of the json file may be needed. If successful, the lab name assigned is 'scan-results', this may be edited latter.
# The json will loook something like this
## {'labs': {'scan-results': {'192.168.1.7': {'ip_address': '192.168.1.7', 'label_zpl_styles': ['test_2inX1in'], 'print_method': 'unk'}}}
## 'lab' name 'printer' name(can be edited latter) label_zpl_style
# Assuming a printer was detected, send a test print request. Using the 'lab', 'printer' and 'label_zpl_style' above (you'd have your own IP/Name, other values should remain the same for now. There are multiple label ZPL formats available, the test_2inX1in is for quick testing & only formats in the two UID values specified.
zlab.print_zpl(lab='scan-results', printer_name='192.168.1.7', label_zpl_style='test_2inX1in', uid_barcode="123aUID")
# ZPL code sent successfully to the printer!
# Out[13]: '^XA\n^FO235,20\n^BY1\n^B3N,N,40,N,N\n^FD123aUID^FS\n^FO235,70\n^ADN,30,20\n^FD123aUID^FS\n^FO235,115\n^ADN,25,12\n^FDalt_a^FS\n^FO235,145\n^ADN,25,12\n^FDalt_b^FS\n^FO70,180\n^FO235,170\n^ADN,30,20\n^FDalt_c^FS\n^FO490,180\n^ADN,25,12\n^FDalt_d^FS\n^XZ'- This will produce a label which looks like this (modulo printer config items needing attention).
The HTTP API is available via the web UI, and can be used programatically as well. The following is a quick example of how to send a print request via the HTTP API.
curl "http://localhost:8118/_print_label?lab=MA&printer=192.168.1.31&printer_ip=&label_zpl_style=tube_2inX1in&uid_barcode=BARCODE&alt_a=FIELDAAAA&alt_b=FIELDBBBB&alt_c=FIELDCCCC&alt_d=FIELDDDD&alt_e=FIELDEEEE&alt_f=FIELDFFFF"
# RETURNS 200 OK -or- 500 Internal Server Error (usually b/c the target printer is not reachable)
The above would send a print request to the specified printer, identified by it's network IP. Label style can be set, and some styles use more
alt_*fields than others. This reuest will return200or500.
- Start the
zebra_dayservice. The current network security for this service is minimal, as such, running this so it is fully visible to the public internet is no advised. Within a local network, or on a well configured AWS(etc) host is fine.
# The suggested way from an env zebra_day is installed in is (using tmux or whatnot):
zday_start
# Running it as a script (a bit more fragile)
conda activate ZDAY # or any python environment where you have pip installed zebra_day (from pypy or local pip)
python zebra_day/bin/zserve.py # This service will continue running until stopped or until it crashes. Access and error logs are printed to STDout/err.
# ctrl-c to shutdown the web service
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The web UI should now be accessible at
YOUR.HOST.IP.ADDR:8118, or if physically on the box you're running the service on,localhost:8118.- Unreachable? Are the ports open? Is the python cherrypy service started above still running, or has it exited?
-
You can send a label print request via the UI (the process is a little involved ATM)... also, you can send the service requests via HTTP, ie, the programatic print request from above, can be similarly accomplished with this URL
http://YOUR.HOST.IP.ADDR:8118/_print_label?lab=scan-results&printer=192.168.1.7&printer_ip=192.168.1.7&label_zpl_style=test_2inX1in&uid_barcode=123aUID&alt_a=&alt_b=&alt_c=&alt_d=&alt_e=&alt_f=or with the unused (in this ZPL template!) fields removed, this URL
http://YOUR.HOST.IP.ADDR:8118/_print_label?lab=scan-results&printer=192.168.1.7&label_zpl_style=test_2inX1in&uid_barcode=123aUID- There will be more details on the web tools available via this GUI in the
Web UI Guide.
No credentials of any kind are stored or used by zebra_day. It solely offers zebra printer management and label print request formatting and brokering services. It does not need to know how to connect to other systems, other systems will use the library code provided here, or the http api.
In it's present state, zebra_day is safe to run on a machine located in a properly configured & secure local network or cloud hosted instance residing in a secure VPN/VPC.
zebra_dayshould not be deployed in such a way the host is fully visible to the public internet.- a potential exception would be exposing the service via an encryped and secure open port. POC demonstrating this concept can be found below.
Using the python library in other python code poses no particularly unique new risk. zebra_day may be treated similarly to how other third party tools are handled in each users organization.
No PHI is needed by zebra_day to function. PHI may be sent in print rquests, each organization will have their own use cases. zebra_day does not store any of the print request metadata sent to it, the info is redirected to the appropriate zebra printer, and that is that. It is straightforward when setting up the host machine/environment this package will be running in to check off the various HIPAA and CAP/CLIA expectations where they apply.
really
Using NGROK To Present A Tunneled Port Connected To The zebra_day Host Port (up and running in <5 min!)
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Create a tunnel to connect to the zebra_day service running on a machine within your network on port 8118. This could be a cloud instance w/in a VPC you control, or a machine physically present w/in your network.
brew install ngrok/ngrok/ngrok
ngrok config add-authtoken MYTOKEN # you get this once registered (its free!)ngrok http 8118Which starts a tunnel and presents a monitoring dashboard. And it looks like this:
ngrok (Ctrl+C to quit)
Introducing Always-On Global Server Load Balancer: https://ngrok.com/r/gslb
Session Status online
Account USERNAME (Plan: Free)
Version 3.3.5
Region United States (California) (us-cal-1)
Latency 12ms
Web Interface http://127.0.0.1:4040
Forwarding https://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app -> http://localhost:8118
Connections ttl opn rt1 rt5 p50 p90
8 0 0.00 0.01 10.03 28.05
HTTP Requests
-------------
GET /_print_label 200 OK
GET /_print_label 200 OK
GET /build_print_request 200 OK
GET /send_print_request 200 OK
GET / 200 OK
GET /_print_label 200 OK
GET /_print_label 200 OK
GET /build_print_request 200 OK
GET /send_print_request 200 OK
GET /favicon.ico 200 OK ~
And looks like:
- If you leave the ngrok tunnel running, go to a different network, you can use the link named in the
Forwardingrow above to access the zebra_day UI, in the above example, this url would behttps://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app.
https://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app/_print_label?uid_barcode=UID33344455&alt_a=altTEXTAA&alt_b=altTEXTBB&alt_c=altTEXTCC&alt_d=&alt_e=&alt_f=&lab=scan-results&printer=192.168.1.20&printer_ip=192.168.1.20&label_zpl_style=tube_2inX1in
wget "https://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app/_print_label?uid_barcode=UID33344455&alt_a=altTEXTAA&alt_b=altTEXTBB&alt_c=altTEXTCC&alt_d=&alt_e=&alt_f=&lab=scan-results&printer=192.168.1.20&printer_ip=192.168.1.20&label_zpl_style=tube_2inX1in"- There are several ways to do this, but they all boil down to somehow formulating a URL for each print request, ie:
https://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app/_print_label?uid_barcode=UID33344455&lab=scan-results&printer=192.168.1.20&label_zpl_style=tube_2inX1in, and hitting the URL via Apex, Flow, etc.- To send a print request, you will need to know the API url, and the
lab,printer_name, andlabel_zpl_styleyou wish to print the salesforceNameakaUIDas a label. This example explains how to pass just one variable to print from salesforce, adding additional metadata to print involves adding additional params to the url being constructed.
- To send a print request, you will need to know the API url, and the
The following is a very quick prof of concept to see it work(success!). I fully expect there are more robust ways to reach this goal.
Create an Apex class to handle sending HTTP requests.
- Setup->Apex Classes, create new Apex Class, save the following as the Apex Class:
public class HttpRequestFlowAction {
public class RequestInput {
@InvocableVariable(label='Endpoint URL' required=true)
public String url;
// Add other variables as needed, e.g. headers, body, method, etc.
}
@InvocableMethod(label='Make HTTP Request' description='Makes an HTTP request from a Flow.')
public static List<String> makeHttpRequest(List<RequestInput> requests) {
List<String> responses = new List<String>();
for(RequestInput req : requests) {
Http http = new Http();
HttpRequest request = new HttpRequest();
request.setEndpoint(req.url);
request.setMethod('GET'); // Change method as needed: POST, PUT, etc.
// Add headers, body, etc. if needed.
HttpResponse response = http.send(request);
responses.add(response.getBody());
}
return responses;
}
}- click save, the apex class is now ready. Check the security settings and verify the profile associated with your user has access to see/use this class.
Next, create a flow which uses this Apex Class.
- setup->Flow & click
New Flow. I remained in theAuto Layoutview. - Choose
Record-Triggered Flow - Select the object type the flow will be triggered when an instance of this object type is created.
- Select 'A record is created` as the trigger.
- Set Entry Conditions (this might be unecessary),
Any Condition Is Met, FieldName, OperatorStarts with, ValueX(X being the first letter of the Name field UID salesforce creates for this object. Again, this is probably not needed, but I have not gone back to try w/out this step). - Choose
Actions and Related Records, and check the box at the bottom of the page toInclude a Run Asynchronously path...- upon clicking this box, the graphic representation of the flow to the left of the page will now have 2 branches at the bottom of the flow rule, one
Run Immediatelyand oneRun Asynchronously. TheRun Immediatelybranch was throwing errors, so I removed it to debug at a latter date. - Click the node just below the
Run Asynchoval. Add anAction. Select theMake HTTP Requestwe created via the Apex Class above. Give it aLabel, let the API Name auto generate. - In the
Endpoint URLfield, enter the urlhttps://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app/_print_label?uid_barcode={!$Record.Name}&lab=scan-results&printer=!!YOURPRINTERIP!!&label_zpl_style=tube_2inX1in, where Record.Name will be replaced with the Object.Name from the object triggering the flow. Replace !!YOURPRINTERIP!! with one of the printer IPs zebra_day detected above. If you are using the auto-generated zebra printers config json file, you may leavescan-resultsas the value forlab=as this will be the default name given when zebra_day autodetects printers. - add the same HTTPrequest action to the node just below
Run Immediately. - click
Savein the upper right corner of the page. Give it a name - Click
Debug Again, run theRun Immediatelybranch first. This will fail. - You need to whitelist the URL used by Apex in this flow with Salesforce. To do this: Setup->Remote Site Settings, click
New Remote Site. Give it a name, and enter your ngrok URL up to the.app, so:https://dfbf-23-93-175-197.ngrok-free.app. Click theactivecheckbox and then save. - CLick
Debug Again, run theAsyncronousbranch, this should succeed. - Click
Save As, new version. - Click
Activate - Go create one of the objects you made this flow for. This will fail!
- Go back to your flow, click
edit flow, switch fromAuto LayouttoFreeformview. - Click the connector labeled
Run Immediately, delete it (leave the Async branch intact) - Click
Save As, new version. - Click
Activate - Go create a new object of the type this trigger is built to respond to... it should print, and should do so each time a new object is created.
- upon clicking this box, the graphic representation of the flow to the left of the page will now have 2 branches at the bottom of the flow rule, one
- This toy example is intended to demonstrate this can work. Next, you should determine how you'd like to send print requests that best suits your needs.
This was all rather a PITA honestly.
You can construct the print URL in the formula, and this formula field can be presented on the object salesforce page. If the user clicks the URL on the page, a print request is sent containing the data inserted by the formula for the current object.
This is covered in the config and setup/install instructions above.
more info coming soon. The instructions for getting the package s/w up and running is largely the same as above. However, care must be taken when configuring the network and instances which will be used at amazon.
If it will work on AWS, it will work anyplace really (with some provider specific tweaks).
I'm not anti, but am not putting time towards this anytime soon.
- Set varios printer config via ZPL commands (presently this package only fetches config).
