Dollar StarXpand

Seamlessly Integrate Star Micronics Hardware with Dollar POS

Overview

Dollar StarXpand is a Flutter plugin designed to integrate Star Micronics printers and cash drawers into the Dollar POS system. This plugin provides platform-specific implementations for iOS and Android, enabling smooth communication with Star Micronics devices for printing receipts, opening cash drawers, and more.

Features

• Discover and connect to Star Micronics printers.
• Print receipts with customizable templates.
• Open cash drawers programmatically.
• Stream printer discovery events.

Installation

Add the plugin to your Flutter project by including it in your pubspec.yaml:

dependencies: 
	dollar_starxpand: latest

Run flutter pub get to fetch the package.

iOS Setup

To use the plugin on iOS, update your Info.plist file to include the required permissions:

<key>NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription</key>
<string>Use Bluetooth for communication with the printer.</string>
<key>NSBluetoothAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
<string>Use Bluetooth for communication with the printer.</string>
<key>NSLocalNetworkUsageDescription</key>
<string>Use Local Network for communication with the printer or discovery the printers.</string>
<key>UISupportedExternalAccessoryProtocols</key>
<array>
  <string>jp.star-m.starpro</string>
</array>

Android Setup

Ensure the following permissions are added to your AndroidManifest.xml file for Bluetooth:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_SCAN" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT" />

Example Usage

Import the Plugin

import 'package:dollar_starxpand/dollar_starxpand.dart';

Discover Printers

final plugin = DollarStarxpand();

await plugin.startDiscovery();
plugin.onPrinterDiscovered((identifier, interfaceType, model) {
  print("Printer found: $model ($interfaceType)");
});

Connect to a Printer

await plugin.connectPrinter(identifier: "printer_identifier", interface: "bluetooth");

Print a Receipt

await plugin.printReceipt(
  identifier: "printer_identifier",
  interface: "bluetooth",
  printData: {
    "id": "12345",
    "date": "DEC 17, 2024 12:31 AM",
    "store": {"name": "Store Name", "address": "123 Main St", "phone": "123-456-7890"},
    // Additional receipt data here
  },
);

Open Cash Drawer

await plugin.openCashDrawer(identifier: "printer_identifier", interface: "bluetooth");

Method Channels

The plugin uses the following method channels for platform communication:

• Method Channel: dollar_starxpand
  Handles printer connection, printing, and drawer operations.

• Event Channel: printerDiscovered
  Streams discovered printer details to Flutter.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Printer Not Found: Ensure the printer is powered on and discoverable.
2. Connection Failed: Verify the identifier and interface match the discovered printer details.

Contributors

We'd like to thank the following contributors for their support in developing this plugin:

• Jay Panchal

License

This plugin is licensed under the MIT License.