How To Print From a Browser Without a Dialog Box?
This is a question that frequently gets asked, either by a developer seeking a technical solution or a company that has a business requirement to be able to print without the dialog box. Whatever your angle, there are solutions out there that may work for you.
It is a complicated issue, but the solution doesn’t have to be a hard one, you just need to know where to go to find the answer you’re looking for.
There are logical reasons why the print dialog box is an integral component when trying to print from your browser. You may want to change settings for accessibility purposes (making the text larger or darker for those with poor sight), adjusting margins to use maximum print area or stopping the printer being spammed where usage might be limited or cost to print is a consideration. You can imagine how annoying it would be if you visited a website and all of a sudden, your printer started printing out reams and reams of paper without you agreeing to it.
But, bypassing the print dialog box for those companies who need to make large amounts of printing will not only save time, therefore saving money, but depending on what’s being printed, save the environment due to less print wastage.
Why Print Without The Dialog Box?
If you need to print documents consistently without user intervention or across multiple devices in an organisation identically, you will want to avoid the print dialog.
When printing every OS, browser and printer combination will differ slightly in its printed output. The most common of which is the margin, print scale and page range. Controlling these parameters allows consistent printing of documents that would otherwise be impossible to accurately print, such as tickets, wristbands and shipping labels.
It’s a common misconception that this can be solved with PDFs, although the source PDF document can be locked to how the creator wants, an individual can still set its scale. It’s also possible to change the layout format or print only a selection of pages. Updating these parameters means that the printed result will differ.
If you are using an application on a kiosk system, you also wouldn’t want the end user to be able to change the settings each and every time someone wanted to print. So what are your current options for doing all this without using special software?
Chrome Print Without Dialog
Chrome Kiosk Mode is a feature in the Chrome browser that lets your device be used in a single-window/single-app kiosk mode, for uses such as digital signs or interactive displays. This setting is there to hide and lock away access to the rest of the device. Kiosk Mode isn’t specifically for Chrome devices either, with the addition of a launch command on Windows, Chrome can be used in full screen browser-only mode on any alternate device.
From this mode, you can run ‘kiosk printing’ (silent printing), which enables you to bypass the print dialog box without using JavaScript. The limiting factor is that this feature only works in Chrome and won’t work in other browsers such as IE or Firefox, limiting its use commercially but it could be the ideal solution for one off or smaller requirements.
To enable kiosk-printing in Chrome:
- Right-click on the Google Chrome icon from your machine Desktop.
- Click on Properties.
- From the Target box, after \chrome.exe”, add “(space)–kiosk-printing”
- click Apply.
- click Ok.
Silent Printing or Background Printing
Other options for silent printing (print directly without dialog) are possible through adjustment of the browser config. Generally limited to IE, this method is time consuming and can be difficult to get working. Moreover, the solution is only beneficial for a single machine and printer environment. If for example, you wanted everyone in an organisation to print without dialog and the outputted print to be the same across browser, device, and printer then you would need a different method to achieve this.
Free ScriptX Cloud Service
A free cloud printing service for `printing` to a PDF or XPS format file which is downloaded by the user. They may open, save or print the file – think of this as an easy way to provide “download this page as a PDF/XPS document” facility on your website. Try it here.
ScriptX.Services
Most of the solutions we have discussed so far allow you to bypass the print dialog box, but if you are looking for a professional solution to achieve consistent browser-based printing you’ll need a different approach.
If you are producing hundreds of documents each day across numerous devices, then you will need some way to keep your printing consistent. ScriptX can provide the level of control you need, whether at server or enterprise level putting you in control of the printing processes.
It includes powerful features such as enhanced formatting, raw printing and enhanced pdf working . What’s more it works in every browser and any mobile device equipped with a browser.
Each of the following settings are a one-time only process, your margins, orientation, and customised print attributes will then give you total control over your organisation’s printing for each and every user.
ScriptX.Services – Try it Now
Did you know we currently are offering a FREE TWO MONTH TRIAL, where you get no usage or feature limits? Any number of PCs, any number of users. Then, at the end of the two months, or even before, you can purchase a publishing license with additional domains.
Sign up for your FREE TRIAL today.
Round Up
In summary there are several options available to help you print without preview. The suitability of each will be dictated by your requirements. For one off individual requirement Chrome Kiosk mode or ScriptX free cloud service will work perfectly well, for all else ScriptX.Services.
