Printer Adjustments

README.md

@@ -179,10 +179,16 @@ the widest roll it will accept — the console warns you if you enter anything w
 | DK-11208 | 38 × 90 mm die-cut | Narrower; turn the photo off |
 | DK-11209 | 29 × 62 mm die-cut | Name and host only |
 
+**Tell it which roll is loaded.** *Roll loaded in the printer* under **Sites → Edit → Printer**
+must match what is physically in the machine. A two-colour job sent to a plain roll is refused
+outright: the printer shows **Wrong Roll Type** and nothing comes out. The setting is separate
+from the red styling option on purpose — a design choice should not silently change the media
+type the printer is told to expect.
+
 **The red option.** Tick *Print the heading and the no-check warning in red* and the site name
 and the **No WWCC / VIT** box print red instead of black, which makes a visitor without a check
-obvious across a room. It only works on a DK-22251 roll — on any other roll the printer renders
+obvious across a room. It needs the roll setting above to be the DK-22251; with a plain roll
-it as grey. Two-colour printing is also far slower than black alone (Brother rate it at roughly
+selected the badge is drawn in black instead and the console says so. Two-colour printing is also far slower than black alone (Brother rate it at roughly
 15 labels a minute against 110), which is irrelevant for one badge at a time but worth knowing.
 
 ### Printing from the server
@@ -271,9 +277,25 @@ HOST_PORT=8443
 HTTPS_PUBLIC_PORT=8443
 ```
 
-An address that isn't listed produces a browser warning. Change the list and restart; the
+An address that isn't listed produces a browser warning.
-certificate reissues itself automatically, and devices that already trust the authority accept
+
-it without any further work.
+After changing anything in `.env`, bring the container back with **`docker compose up -d`**, not
+`docker compose restart`. Restart reuses the running container along with the environment it
+started with, so the edit appears to do nothing; `up -d` recreates it and picks the new values
+up. Confirm with:
+
+```bash
+docker compose exec visitor-signin printenv HTTPS_HOSTNAMES
+docker compose logs --tail=20 visitor-signin | grep tls
+```
+
+The log should say `renewing the server certificate: HTTPS_HOSTNAMES changed` and then list every
+name it now covers. If it lists only `localhost`, `visitors.local` and a `172.x` address, the
+variable never reached the container — those are the defaults plus the container's own docker
+bridge address.
+
+Reissuing does **not** touch the certificate authority, so devices that already trust it keep
+working and no MDM profile needs redeploying.
 
 The kiosk is then at `https://visitors.local:8443`, admin at `https://visitors.local:8443/admin`.
 

public/js/admin.js

@@ -702,9 +702,9 @@ async function loadSites() {
           <dt>Printer</dt>
           <dd>${
             s.printer.enabled && s.printer.host
-              ? `${esc(s.printer.model)} at ${esc(s.printer.host)}:${s.printer.port}${
+              ? `${esc(s.printer.model)} at ${esc(s.printer.host)}:${s.printer.port}, ${
-                  s.printer.rotate ? `, rotated ${s.printer.rotate}°` : ''
+                  s.printer.label === '62red' ? 'black and red roll' : 'black roll'
-                }${
+                }${s.printer.rotate ? `, rotated ${s.printer.rotate}°` : ''}${
                   s.printerStatus
                     ? s.printerStatus.ok
                       ? ` <span class="pill">last print ok, ${stamp(s.printerStatus.at)}</span>`
@@ -799,14 +799,21 @@ function openSiteModal(site) {
      <p class="hint" id="badge-warning" hidden></p>
      <label class="inline"><input type="checkbox" name="showPhoto" id="badge-photo" ${site.badge.showPhoto ? 'checked' : ''}> Include the visitor's photo</label>
      <label class="inline"><input type="checkbox" name="accent" id="badge-accent" ${site.badge.accent ? 'checked' : ''}> Print the heading and the no-check warning in red</label>
-     <p class="hint">Red needs a two-colour roll such as the Brother DK-22251. On any other
+     <p class="hint" id="accent-note"></p>
-     roll it prints as grey. Two-colour printing is also much slower than black alone.</p>
+     <p class="hint">Two-colour printing is much slower than black alone.</p>
      <h4 class="modal-section">Printer</h4>
      <label class="inline"><input type="checkbox" name="printerEnabled" ${site.printer.enabled ? 'checked' : ''}> Print from the server, straight to a network printer</label>
      <div class="modal-row">
        ${field('Printer IP address', 'printerHost', site.printer.host, 'text')}
        ${field('Port', 'printerPort', site.printer.port, 'number')}
      </div>
+     <label class="modal-field"><span>Roll loaded in the printer</span>
+       <select name="printerLabel">
+         <option value="62" ${site.printer.label !== '62red' ? 'selected' : ''}>62 mm continuous, black only</option>
+         <option value="62red" ${site.printer.label === '62red' ? 'selected' : ''}>62 mm continuous, black and red (DK-22251)</option>
+       </select></label>
+     <p class="hint">This must match the roll actually in the machine. Send a two-colour job to a
+     plain roll and the printer answers <em>Wrong Roll Type</em> and prints nothing.</p>
      <div class="modal-row">
        ${field('Model', 'printerModel', site.printer.model)}
        <label class="modal-field"><span>Rotation</span>
@@ -883,6 +890,7 @@ function openSiteModal(site) {
               port: Number(data.printerPort) || 9100,
               model: data.printerModel,
               rotate: Number(data.printerRotate) || 0,
+              label: data.printerLabel,
             },
             branding: {
               brand: data.brand || null,
@@ -992,6 +1000,35 @@ function wireBannerEditor() {
   [pageInput, textInput].forEach((el) => el.addEventListener('input', showContrast));
   showContrast();
 
+  // Red is only possible on the two-colour roll, so say so as the two settings change.
+  const accentBox = $('#badge-accent');
+  const rollSelect = $('#modal-form [name="printerLabel"]');
+  const accentNote = $('#accent-note');
+
+  const showAccentNote = () => {
+    if (!accentNote) return;
+    if (!accentBox?.checked) {
+      accentNote.hidden = false;
+      accentNote.className = 'hint';
+      accentNote.textContent = 'Everything prints black.';
+      return;
+    }
+    if (rollSelect?.value === '62red') {
+      accentNote.hidden = false;
+      accentNote.className = 'hint';
+      accentNote.textContent = 'The heading and the no-check warning will print red.';
+    } else {
+      accentNote.hidden = false;
+      accentNote.className = 'hint warn';
+      accentNote.textContent =
+        'The roll selected below cannot print red, so these will come out black. Load a DK-22251 and change the roll setting to use colour.';
+    }
+  };
+
+  accentBox?.addEventListener('change', showAccentNote);
+  rollSelect?.addEventListener('change', showAccentNote);
+  showAccentNote();
+
   $('#banner-file').addEventListener('change', (event) => {
     const file = event.target.files[0];
     if (!file) return;

scripts/gen-cert.sh

@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ fi
 
 if docker compose ps --status running 2>/dev/null | grep -q visitor-signin; then
   docker compose exec -T visitor-signin node scripts/make-cert.mjs $FORCE
-  echo "Restarting so the new certificate is served..."
+  echo "Recreating the container so the new certificate is served..."
-  docker compose restart visitor-signin
+  # up -d rather than restart: restart keeps the environment the container was
+  # started with, so an edited .env would be ignored.
+  docker compose up -d visitor-signin
 else
   node scripts/make-cert.mjs $FORCE
 fi

src/db.js

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS sites (
   printer_port  INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 9100,
   printer_model TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'QL-820NWB',
   printer_rotate INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+  printer_label TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '62',
   banner_path   TEXT,
   banner_height INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 64,
   banner_align  TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'left',
@@ -183,6 +184,10 @@ addColumn('sites', 'printer_host', 'TEXT');
 addColumn('sites', 'printer_port', 'INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 9100');
 addColumn('sites', 'printer_model', "TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'QL-820NWB'");
 addColumn('sites', 'printer_rotate', 'INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0');
+// Which roll is physically loaded. Kept separate from the red styling option:
+// the printer refuses a two-colour job on a plain roll, so guessing the media
+// from a design setting means a wrong-roll error nobody can explain.
+addColumn('sites', 'printer_label', "TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '62'");
 addColumn('frequent_visitors', 'company', 'TEXT');
 
 db.exec('CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_visits_site ON visits(site_id, signed_out_at)');

src/printer.js

@@ -41,9 +41,26 @@ export function isConfigured(site) {
   return Boolean(site?.printer_enabled && site?.printer_host);
 }
 
-/** brother_ql's label id. The two-colour roll is a different label to the plain one. */
+/**
+ * brother_ql's media id for the roll that is actually loaded.
+ *
+ * This is set explicitly rather than inferred from the red styling option. A
+ * two-colour job sent to a plain roll is rejected by the printer with "Wrong
+ * Roll Type", which gives no clue that a colour checkbox caused it.
+ */
+export const ROLL_TYPES = {
+  '62': '62 mm continuous, black only',
+  '62red': '62 mm continuous, black and red (DK-22251)',
+};
+
 export function labelFor(site) {
-  return site?.badge_accent ? '62red' : '62';
+  const label = site?.printer_label;
+  return Object.hasOwn(ROLL_TYPES, label) ? label : '62';
+}
+
+/** Red ink only exists on the two-colour roll; anywhere else it prints dark grey. */
+export function accentWillPrintRed(site) {
+  return Boolean(site?.badge_accent) && labelFor(site) === '62red';
 }
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------ rendering */
@@ -223,7 +240,8 @@ export async function renderBadgePng(visit, site) {
 
   const design = createCanvas(designW, designH);
   const ctx = design.getContext('2d');
-  const accent = Boolean(site.badge_accent);
+  // Only paint red when the loaded roll can actually print it.
+  const accent = accentWillPrintRed(site);
 
   // Measure first, then draw the block centred down the label. Without this the
   // content hugs the top and leaves a wide blank strip at the bottom of every badge.
@@ -273,6 +291,9 @@ function explainPrintError(output, host) {
   if (/Unknown label|label/i.test(last) && /identifier/i.test(last)) {
     return 'The printer rejected the label size. Check the roll loaded matches the badge settings.';
   }
+  if (/wrong roll|WrongMedia|media/i.test(last)) {
+    return 'The printer says the roll is wrong. Check "Roll loaded in the printer" matches what is actually in the machine — a black and red job is refused on a plain roll.';
+  }
   return last || 'The printer did not accept the job.';
 }
 

src/routes/admin.js

@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ router.patch('/sites/:id', (req, res) => {
       badge_height_mm = ?, badge_show_photo = ?, badge_accent = ?, badge_note = ?,
       colour_brand = ?, colour_signout = ?, colour_page = ?, colour_text = ?,
       banner_height = ?, banner_align = ?, printer_enabled = ?, printer_host = ?,
-      printer_port = ?, printer_model = ?, printer_rotate = ? WHERE id = ?`
+      printer_port = ?, printer_model = ?, printer_rotate = ?, printer_label = ? WHERE id = ?`
   ).run(
     clean(req.body?.name ?? site.name, 100) || site.name,
     req.body?.slug ? uniqueSlug(req.body.slug, site.id) : site.slug,
@@ -432,7 +432,10 @@ router.patch('/sites/:id', (req, res) => {
     printerCfg.model !== undefined ? clean(printerCfg.model, 40) || 'QL-820NWB' : site.printer_model,
     printerCfg.rotate !== undefined
       ? ([0, 90, 180, 270].includes(Number(printerCfg.rotate)) ? Number(printerCfg.rotate) : 0)
-      : site.printer_rotate
+      : site.printer_rotate,
+    printerCfg.label !== undefined
+      ? (Object.hasOwn(printer.ROLL_TYPES, printerCfg.label) ? printerCfg.label : '62')
+      : site.printer_label
   , site.id);
 
   res.json(shapeSite(db.prepare('SELECT * FROM sites WHERE id = ?').get(site.id)));

src/sites.js

@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export function shapeSite(site) {
       port: site.printer_port || 9100,
       model: site.printer_model || 'QL-820NWB',
       rotate: site.printer_rotate || 0,
+      label: site.printer_label || '62',
     },
     badge: {
       enabled: Boolean(site.badge_enabled),

src/tls.js

@@ -194,6 +194,18 @@ export function ensureCertificates({ force = false } = {}) {
     fs.writeFileSync(p.names, JSON.stringify(config.https.hostnames));
   }
 
+  // A very common mistake is editing .env and then using `docker compose restart`,
+  // which reuses the old environment. The symptom is a certificate covering only
+  // the defaults, so say so rather than letting it fail later in a browser.
+  const configured = config.https.hostnames;
+  if (configured.length === 1 && configured[0] === 'visitors.local') {
+    console.warn(
+      '[tls] HTTPS_HOSTNAMES is at its default. If you set it in .env, bring the container\n' +
+        '      back with "docker compose up -d" rather than "docker compose restart" — restart\n' +
+        '      keeps the environment the container started with.'
+    );
+  }
+
   return {
     key: fs.readFileSync(p.key),
     cert: fs.readFileSync(p.cert),