Direct Printing

Introduction

Silent PDF printing enables web applications to print documents directly to printers without user interaction or print dialogs. While web browsers typically require user confirmation for security reasons, Chrome Kiosk Mode provides a solution for controlled environments where automated printing is essential.

This documentation demonstrates silent printing implementation using ReportFactory within Oracle APEX, though the principles apply to any web application capable of generating PDF documents.

Watch Demo

Use Cases

• Point of Sale (POS) Systems - Automatic receipt and invoice printing

• Kiosk Applications - Self-service document printing in retail, healthcare, or government facilities

• Manufacturing Environments - Automated label and work order printing

• Warehouse Operations - Silent shipping label and packing slip generation

• Restaurant Systems - Kitchen order printing without staff intervention

• Ticketing Systems - Automatic ticket printing at entry points

Chrome Kiosk Mode Overview

Chrome Kiosk Mode launches the browser in a locked, full-screen state with enhanced permissions. The --kiosk-printing flag specifically enables silent printing capabilities, bypassing standard browser security restrictions that normally require user confirmation for print operations.

Key benefits:

• Eliminates print dialog interactions

• Provides full-screen application experience

• Enables automated printing workflows

• Maintains security through controlled environment deployment

Implementation Scripts

Windows Script

Save as start-kiosk-mode.bat:

Copy@echo off
"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" ^
  --kiosk ^
  --kiosk-printing ^
  --disable-web-security ^
  --user-data-dir="%TEMP%\chrome-kiosk-data" ^
  --disable-features=VizDisplayCompositor ^
  --disable-background-timer-throttling ^
  --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows ^
  --disable-renderer-backgrounding ^
  --disable-infobars ^
  --disable-extensions ^
  --no-first-run ^
  --no-default-browser-check ^
  --autoplay-policy=no-user-gesture-required ^
  "https://gc7408d12e6525b-mtc01apexdb.adb.ap-hyderabad-1.oraclecloudapps.com/ords/r/arfldemo/arf-lite/login"

macOS Script

Save as start-kiosk-mode.sh:

Copy/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome \
  --kiosk \
  --kiosk-printing \
  --disable-web-security \
  --user-data-dir="/tmp/chrome-kiosk-data" \
  --disable-features=VizDisplayCompositor \
  --disable-background-timer-throttling \
  --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows \
  --disable-renderer-backgrounding \
  --disable-infobars \
  --disable-extensions \
  --no-first-run \
  --no-default-browser-check \
  --autoplay-policy=no-user-gesture-required \
  "https://gc7408d12e6525b-mtc01apexdb.adb.ap-hyderabad-1.oraclecloudapps.com/ords/r/arfldemo/arf-lite/login"

Make executable: chmod +x start-kiosk-mode.sh

JavaScript Implementation (ReportFactory Example)

Copyjavascript:(function() {
    var reportName = 'INVOICE'; 
    var reportParam = '[{"parameter_name": "p_order_id","parameter_value": "' + apex.item('P22_ORDER_ID').getValue() + '"}]';
    var outputName = 'invoice';
    var renderMode = 'P';
    console.log(reportParam);
    var encodedReportParam = encodeURIComponent(reportParam);
  
    apex.server.process("ARF_LITE_PREPARE_URL", {
      x01: reportName,
      x02: encodedReportParam,
      x03: outputName,
      x04: renderMode
    }, {
      dataType: 'text',
      success: function(pData) {
          var iframe = document.createElement('iframe');
          iframe.style.display = 'none';
          iframe.src = pData;
          iframe.onload = function() {
              setTimeout(function() {
                  iframe.contentWindow.print();
                  apex.message.showPageSuccess('Print job submitted successfully');
              }, 1000);
          };
          document.body.appendChild(iframe);
      },
      error: function(jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown) {
        console.log("Error in APEX process: " + errorThrown);
        apex.message.alert("An error occurred while preparing the report URL."); 
      }
    });
})();