DatecsFPrint for macOS

Run Windows FPrint.exe on macOS using Wine for Datecs fiscal printers. Complete solution with automated file management and real-time monitoring.

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✨ Features

What's Included ✅

• Wine + FPrint.exe: Run Windows FPrint software directly on macOS
• Resident Mode: Automatic file-based command processing
• Chrome Extension: Auto-organize downloaded kasa*.txt files
• Monitor App: Real-time status tracking with menu bar integration
• Full Compatibility: 100% of FPrint features available
• Complete Documentation: Step-by-step setup guide with troubleshooting

Components

1. FPrint Software - Windows fiscal printer driver (runs via Wine)
2. Chrome Extension - Automatically moves downloaded kasa files to the correct folder
3. Monitor App - macOS menu bar app showing FPrint and printer status
4. Configuration Tools - Settings Manager for easy printer setup

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🚀 Quick Start

IMPORTANT: Clone this repository to your Downloads folder for the Chrome extension to work properly:

cd ~/Downloads
git clone https://github.com/bulgariamitko/datecs-fprint-macos.git
cd datecs-fprint-macos

Step 1: Install Wine

# Install Homebrew if you don't have it
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Wine
brew install wine-stable

# Verify installation
wine --version
# Should show: wine-8.0 or newer

Step 2: FPrint Software (Included!)

Good news: FPrint software is already included in this repository! 📦

The FPrintWIN/ folder contains all necessary files:

• FPrint_SettingsManager.exe - Configuration tool (run this FIRST)
• FPrint.exe - Main printer service (run this SECOND in background)
• All required DLLs and support files

No need to download or install anything else!

Step 3: Configure FPrint (Settings Manager)

IMPORTANT: Run the Settings Manager FIRST to configure your printer.

# Navigate to repository folder
cd datecs-fprint-macos

# Run FPrint Settings Manager with Wine
wine FPrintWIN/FPrint_SettingsManager.exe

In the Settings Manager window:

1. Enter your printer's IP Address (e.g., 192.168.1.155)
2. Enter Port (usually 4999)
3. Enter Device Model (e.g., DP-25MX)
4. Enter Serial Number (from printer info menu)
5. Enter Fiscal Memory Number (from printer info menu)
6. Set Execution Folder (where to watch for commands)
   • IMPORTANT: Set this to the execute folder inside FPrintWIN
   • Path: C:\users\{username}\Dropbox\github\datecs-fprint-macos\FPrintWIN\execute
   • Wine will map this to: FPrintWIN/execute/
7. Set Answer Folder (where results will be saved)
   • IMPORTANT: Set this to the execute-answer folder inside FPrintWIN
   • Path: C:\users\{username}\Dropbox\github\datecs-fprint-macos\FPrintWIN\execute-answer
   • Wine will map this to: FPrintWIN/execute-answer/
8. Click Save to save configuration
9. Close the Settings Manager

The settings will be saved to FPrintWIN/FPrint.ini and FPrintWIN/Settings.dat.

Why these folders are important:

• execute/: FPrint monitors this folder for .txt command files to process
• execute-answer/: FPrint saves response files here after processing commands
• Error handling: If there are errors during printing, you'll find error details in the answer files in execute-answer/

Step 4: Verify Folder Structure

The necessary folders are already included in the repository:

# Verify the folders exist
ls -la FPrintWIN/execute/
ls -la FPrintWIN/execute-answer/

Note: These folders should match what you configured in Settings Manager (Step 3). FPrint will monitor execute/ for command files and save responses in execute-answer/.

Step 5: Run FPrint in Resident Mode

Now that configuration is complete, run FPrint.exe in the background:

# Navigate to repository folder
cd datecs-fprint-macos

# Start FPrint in background (recommended)
nohup wine FPrintWIN/FPrint.exe /resident > /tmp/fprint.log 2>&1 &

# Check if running
ps aux | grep FPrint.exe

# View logs (optional)
tail -f /tmp/fprint.log

Or run in foreground (to see output directly):

wine FPrintWIN/FPrint.exe /resident

FPrint is now running and monitoring for command files! 🚀

Step 6: Send Test Command

# Create a test command file in the execute folder
echo "I,1,______,_,__;0;80" > FPrintWIN/execute/test01.txt

# Wait a moment, then check result in execute-answer folder
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/test01.txt

If you see a response with printer information, it's working! 🎉

To stop FPrint:

pkill -f FPrint.exe

Step 7: Install Chrome Extension (Optional but Recommended)

The Chrome extension automatically organizes downloaded kasa*.txt files by moving them directly to the execute/ folder.

Install the extension:

1. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions/
2. Enable Developer mode (toggle in top-right corner)
3. Click Load unpacked
4. Navigate to your Downloads folder and select: datecs-fprint-macos/chrome-extension/
5. The extension "Kasa Мениджър за Изтегляния" should now appear in your extensions list

Configure the extension:

1. Click the extension icon in Chrome toolbar (puzzle piece → pin the Kasa extension)
2. Click the Kasa extension icon
3. The default path should already be set to: datecs-fprint-macos/FPrintWIN/execute
4. Click "Запази настройките" (Save Settings)
5. Click "Тест изтегляне и дебъг" (Test Download) to verify it works

How it works:

• Any file matching the pattern kasa*.txt (e.g., kasa1.txt, kasa123.txt) will be automatically moved to ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/FPrintWIN/execute/
• FPrint monitors this folder and processes the files automatically
• Results appear in the execute-answer/ folder

Test the full workflow:

# Download a test file from a website, or simulate by:
# 1. Download any .txt file
# 2. Rename it to kasa1.txt before saving
# 3. The extension will automatically move it to execute/
# 4. FPrint will process it and create result in execute-answer/

# Check if file arrived in execute folder
ls -la ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/FPrintWIN/execute/

# Check the result
cat ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/FPrintWIN/execute-answer/kasa1.txt

Step 8: Install Monitor App (Highly Recommended)

The monitor app is a macOS menu bar application that provides real-time monitoring of both FPrint and the fiscal printer connection. This is the final and most important step for ensuring everything is working correctly.

What it monitors:

1. FPrint Status - Checks if FPrint.exe is running in the background
2. Printer Connection - Verifies network connectivity to the fiscal printer

Visual Status Indicators:

• 🟢 Green Circle = Both FPrint running AND printer connected = READY TO PRINT
• 🟡 Yellow Circle = Only one service is working (either FPrint OR printer)
• 🔴 Red Circle = Both services are down (FPrint not running AND printer disconnected)

Install the Monitor App:

# The pre-built app is included in the repository
# Simply copy it to your Applications folder
cp -r ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/monitor-app/dist/FPrintMonitor.app /Applications/

# Launch the app
open /Applications/FPrintMonitor.app

First-time Configuration:

1. Click the monitor icon in your menu bar (top-right, should show 🟢, 🟡, or 🔴)
2. Click "Settings"
3. Enter your printer's IP and port in format: IP:PORT
   • Example: 192.168.1.155:4999
4. Click "Save"

Using the Monitor:

The menu bar shows:

• FPrint: ✅ Running or ❌ Not Running
• Printer: ✅ Connected or ❌ Disconnected

Available actions:

• Start FPrint - Starts FPrint.exe in resident mode if not running
• Restart FPrint - Stops and restarts FPrint.exe
• Settings - Configure printer IP and port
• Quit All - Stops FPrint and closes the monitor app

Why this is essential:

• Visual confirmation that everything is working before printing
• Quick troubleshooting - instantly see which component has issues
• Easy FPrint management - start/restart from the menu bar
• Only print when you see the green circle 🟢 - this ensures both FPrint and the printer are ready

Auto-start on login (Optional):

1. Open System Settings → General → Login Items
2. Click the + button
3. Select FPrintMonitor.app from Applications
4. The monitor will now start automatically when you log in

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📖 Using FPrint via Wine

Monitor App - Real-Time Status Tracking

The FPrintMonitor app is a macOS menu bar utility that continuously monitors your printing system.

Features:

• Real-time monitoring every 5 seconds
• Visual status indicators (🟢/🟡/🔴)
• One-click FPrint start/restart
• Configurable printer IP/port settings
• System notifications for state changes
• Auto-start capability on login

How it works:

The monitor performs two checks:

1. FPrint Process Check - Uses pgrep to verify FPrint.exe is running
2. Printer Network Check - Attempts TCP connection to configured IP:PORT

Status Logic:

• Both checks pass → 🟢 Green (ready to print)
• One check passes → 🟡 Yellow (partial failure)
• Both checks fail → 🔴 Red (system down)

Configuration File: Settings are stored in: ~/.config/fprint_monitor/config.json

Rebuilding the app (if needed):

If you want to modify the monitor app:

cd ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/monitor-app

# Install dependencies
pip3 install rumps pyinstaller

# Rebuild the app
pyinstaller FPrintMonitor.spec

# The new app will be in dist/FPrintMonitor.app

Chrome Extension for Automated File Management

The included Chrome extension (chrome-extension/) automatically organizes downloaded kasa*.txt files:

Features:

• Monitors all Chrome downloads
• Detects files matching pattern kasa*.txt (e.g., kasa1.txt, kasa123.txt, kasa.txt)
• Automatically moves them to the configured folder (default: Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/FPrintWIN/execute/)
• Provides test download functionality
• Debug logging for troubleshooting

Why use it? Without the extension, you'd need to manually move each downloaded kasa*.txt file to the execute folder. The extension eliminates this manual step, creating a seamless workflow:

1. Website generates kasa1.txt → you download it
2. Extension automatically moves it to execute/
3. FPrint processes it immediately
4. Result appears in execute-answer/

Installation (see Step 7 above for detailed instructions):

• Load unpacked extension from chrome-extension/ folder
• Configure path in extension popup
• Test with the built-in test download button

Troubleshooting the extension:

• Ensure "Ask where to save each file" is disabled in Chrome settings
• Check extension has download permissions
• Use the debug logs in the extension popup to see what's happening
• Make sure the repository is in ~/Downloads/ folder

Starting FPrint

First time setup: Run Settings Manager first!

wine FPrintWIN/FPrint_SettingsManager.exe
# Configure printer, save, close

Then start FPrint:

# Foreground (see output)
wine FPrintWIN/FPrint.exe /resident

# Background (recommended)
nohup wine FPrintWIN/FPrint.exe /resident > /tmp/fprint.log 2>&1 &

Stopping FPrint

# Find and kill the process
pkill -f FPrint.exe

# Or find PID first
ps aux | grep FPrint.exe
kill <PID>

Sending Commands

FPrint works by monitoring a folder for command files. To send commands:

1. Create a command file in the execute/ folder:

   # Example: Get device info
   echo "I,1,______,_,__;0;80" > FPrintWIN/execute/cmd001.txt

2. FPrint processes it automatically and creates a result file in execute-answer/

3. Read the result:

   cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/cmd001.txt

Important Notes:

• Command files must be .txt files
• After processing, responses appear in execute-answer/ with the same filename
• If there are errors, error details will be in the answer file

Common Commands

# Get device information
echo "I,1,______,_,__;0;80" > FPrintWIN/execute/info.txt
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/info.txt

# Get last document number
echo "N,1,______,_,__;" > FPrintWIN/execute/lastdoc.txt
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/lastdoc.txt

# Open fiscal receipt
echo "48,1,______,_,__;1;1;1;0;OPERATOR001;" > FPrintWIN/execute/open.txt
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/open.txt

# Print text line
echo "54,1,______,_,__;Test Receipt;" > FPrintWIN/execute/print.txt
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/print.txt

# Close fiscal receipt
echo "56,1,______,_,__;" > FPrintWIN/execute/close.txt
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/close.txt

Automation Script

Create a helper script to send commands easily:

#!/bin/bash
# save as: fprint-send.sh

# Get the script's directory
SCRIPT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
COMMAND_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/FPrintWIN/execute"
RESULT_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/FPrintWIN/execute-answer"

# Generate unique filename
FILENAME="cmd_$(date +%s).txt"

# Write command
echo "$1" > "$COMMAND_DIR/$FILENAME"

echo "Command sent: $FILENAME"
echo "Waiting for response..."

# Wait for result
sleep 1

# Show result
if [ -f "$RESULT_DIR/$FILENAME" ]; then
    echo "Response:"
    cat "$RESULT_DIR/$FILENAME"
else
    echo "No result yet, check manually in $RESULT_DIR/$FILENAME"
fi

Usage:

chmod +x fprint-send.sh
./fprint-send.sh "I,1,______,_,__;0;80"

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🔧 Troubleshooting

Wine Issues

Wine not found:

# Check installation
which wine
wine --version

# Reinstall if needed
brew reinstall wine-stable

Wine configuration:

# Open Wine configuration
winecfg

# Set Windows version to Windows 10
# Check drive mappings (C: should exist)

FPrint Issues

FPrint won't start:

# Check for missing DLL errors
wine ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/Datecs/FPrint/FPrint.exe

# Install dependencies if needed
brew install winetricks
winetricks dotnet40
winetricks vcrun2019

FPrint not processing files:

• Verify ExecutionFolder in config matches created folder
• Check file permissions (should be readable/writable)
• Check FPrint logs (if any) in FPrint directory
• Ensure FPrint is actually running: ps aux | grep FPrint

Printer Issues

Can't connect to printer:

# Test network connection
nc -zv YOUR_PRINTER_IP 4999

# Or use telnet
telnet YOUR_PRINTER_IP 4999

Connection works but no response:

• Verify IP in config matches actual printer IP
• Check printer is powered on and in fiscal mode
• Verify printer network settings
• Check firewall (both macOS and printer)
• Confirm port 4999 is correct for your model

Monitor App Issues

App won't start:

# Check if you have Python dependencies
pip3 list | grep rumps

# If missing, install:
pip3 install rumps

Monitor shows red/yellow when everything should be working:

1. Verify FPrint is running:

   ps aux | grep FPrint.exe

2. Verify printer connection:

   nc -zv YOUR_PRINTER_IP 4999

3. Check monitor configuration:

   cat ~/.config/fprint_monitor/config.json

4. Ensure IP/port match your FPrint Settings Manager configuration

Monitor says "FPrint not found":

• Ensure repository is at: ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/
• Verify FPrintWIN folder exists with FPrint.exe

Monitor can start FPrint but shows yellow:

• Printer connection issue - check IP/port in monitor Settings
• Printer may be powered off or network unreachable
• Try pinging printer: ping YOUR_PRINTER_IP

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📁 File Locations Reference

What	Location
Repository	~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/
FPrint executables	FPrintWIN/
Settings Manager	FPrintWIN/FPrint_SettingsManager.exe
FPrint main	FPrintWIN/FPrint.exe
FPrint config	FPrintWIN/FPrint.ini, FPrintWIN/Settings.dat
Command files	FPrintWIN/execute/
Result files	FPrintWIN/execute-answer/
Chrome extension	chrome-extension/
Monitor app (source)	monitor-app/unified_monitor.py
Monitor app (built)	monitor-app/dist/FPrintMonitor.app
Monitor app (installed)	/Applications/FPrintMonitor.app
Monitor config	~/.config/fprint_monitor/config.json
Setup screenshots	screenshots/
Electron app (experimental)	electron-app/ (not functional)
FPrint logs	/tmp/fprint.log (if using nohup)
Wine C: drive	~/.wine/drive_c/

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📦 Supported Datecs Printers

All Datecs fiscal printers supported by Windows FPrint work via Wine:

Model Series	Status	Notes
DP-25MX	✅ Tested	Fully working via Wine
DP-50X	✅ Compatible	Should work (untested)
FP-2000	✅ Compatible	Should work (untested)
All Models	✅ Compatible	If Windows FPrint supports it

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🔮 Experimental Work

Electron App

An incomplete Electron + React UI exists in the electron-app/ folder but is not functional and may never be completed. The current Wine-based solution with the monitor app provides all necessary functionality.

📁 See electron-app/README.md for details.

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📚 Documentation

All documentation is contained in this README. For Electron app development docs, see:

• electron-app/README.md - Electron app status and info
• electron-app/CONTRIBUTING.md - Contributing guidelines
• electron-app/docs/ - Technical protocol documentation

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🤝 Contributing

The Wine-based solution is complete and working. The only area open for contributions is:

Electron App (Experimental)

• The Electron app in electron-app/ is incomplete and experimental
• Contributions are welcome but not prioritized
• See electron-app/CONTRIBUTING.md for development guidelines
• Please discuss in GitHub issues before investing time

Note: The main Wine-based solution (FPrint + Chrome extension + Monitor app) is production-ready and does not require additional development.

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📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

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🙏 Acknowledgments

• Datecs for their fiscal printers and FPrint software
• Wine project for enabling Windows software on macOS
• Community for testing and contributions

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📞 Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues for bugs and problems
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions for questions
• Wine Help: WineHQ Forums
• Datecs Support: Contact Datecs for printer-specific issues

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🎯 TL;DR - Just Want to Print?

# 1. Install Wine
brew install wine-stable

# 2. Clone this repository to Downloads folder
cd ~/Downloads
git clone https://github.com/bulgariamitko/datecs-fprint-macos.git
cd datecs-fprint-macos

# 3. Run Settings Manager (configure your printer)
wine FPrintWIN/FPrint_SettingsManager.exe
# Enter IP, port, model, serial, etc.
# Set Execution Folder to: FPrintWIN/execute
# Set Answer Folder to: FPrintWIN/execute-answer
# Save → Close

# 4. Verify folders exist
ls -la FPrintWIN/execute/
ls -la FPrintWIN/execute-answer/

# 5. Start FPrint in background
nohup wine FPrintWIN/FPrint.exe /resident > /tmp/fprint.log 2>&1 &

# 6. Send test command
echo "I,1,______,_,__;0;80" > FPrintWIN/execute/test.txt

# 7. Check result
cat FPrintWIN/execute-answer/test.txt

Optional but Recommended - Chrome Extension:

1. Open Chrome → chrome://extensions/
2. Enable Developer mode
3. Load unpacked → select chrome-extension/ folder
4. Configure path: datecs-fprint-macos/FPrintWIN/execute
5. Now any downloaded kasa*.txt files auto-move to execute folder!

Highly Recommended - Monitor App:

1. Copy to Applications: cp -r ~/Downloads/datecs-fprint-macos/monitor-app/dist/FPrintMonitor.app /Applications/
2. Launch: open /Applications/FPrintMonitor.app
3. Configure printer IP:PORT in Settings
4. 🟢 = Ready to print | 🟡 = Partial failure | 🔴 = System down
5. Only print when you see green circle!

That's it! FPrint software, Chrome extension, and monitor app included - complete solution! 🎉

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Questions? Problems? Open an issue and we'll help!