How to Print a Web Page (HTML) to a Dot-Matrix Printer (e.g., Epson LQ-2180) in Text Mode?

[filbertumbawa]

I have a web-based application (like an inventory system or a point-of-sale) that generates invoices and reports as HTML pages. I need to print these onto multi-part carbon copy paper using our reliable old Epson LQ-2180 dot-matrix printer.

The Problem:

Printing directly from the browser (e.g., Chrome's Ctrl+P) is problematic:

It's slow: The browser tries to render the full graphical page, which is very slow on a dot-matrix printer.
It looks wrong: Fonts, layouts, and margins don't translate well. The output is often garbled or poorly aligned.
It's wasteful: It uses a lot of ribbon trying to print graphics and rich formatting.
I don't want the graphics, colors, or fancy CSS layouts. I just want the core text content (headings, paragraphs, and especially data from tables) printed in the printer's native, fast "Text Mode" or "Draft Mode".

If I save the HTML file and try to send it to the printer from the command line, it just prints all the raw HTML tags like <h1>, <table>, <td>, etc.

How can I take a URL, extract its meaningful text content, and send it directly to an LQ-2180 printer in raw text mode, bypassing the graphical print driver?

[Lech Kulikowski]

Hello,

From the web, there is no access to system drivers and similar components, so the only way is if you write an application yourself that runs on Windows and has access to the printer.

> > ... extract its meaningful text content ....
To extract meaningful text content, you can export to TXT. There are various settings available, and you can even add ESC sequences:
https://www.stimulsoft.com/en/documenta ... x_mode.htm

Thank you.

[filbertumbawa]

So, there's no way out to print what is viewed in HTML print to TextMode/DraftMode using Epson LQ-2180?

Although i'm using Stimulsoft Report PHP or JS?
Because i'm already up this issues from 2021 and until now don't have a conclusion?

I hope this will be a conclusion for my case, because we're very need print HTML view or your report (.mrt) file using DraftMode/TextMode using Epson LQ-2180. Not using .NET package, but using PHP or JS package
Thanks

[Lech Kulikowski]

Hello,

Unfortunately, it is not supported in JS/PHP.
You can export reports to TXT and then print them.

Thank you.