ptouch

README

ptouch

CLI tool to print labels on Brother P-Touch printers via network (TCP port 9100).

Reimplements the Brother ESC/P raster protocol in Go — no USB required, no drivers needed.

Quick Start

go install github.com/jaykay/ptouch/cmd/ptouch@latest

ptouch discover                                          # find & select printer (saved to config)
ptouch info                                              # show printer status
ptouch print --text "Hello World"                        # print a label
ptouch print --text "Hello" --preview label.png          # preview without printing
ptouch update                                            # self-update to latest

Features

• Text labels with auto-fit font sizing, multi-line, bold, custom fonts, inline icons
• Image labels from PNG, JPEG, GIF — scaled and converted to monochrome
• Fixed-width labels with alignment (left/center/right) and auto-shrink
• Preview mode — render to PNG without a printer
• Printer discovery — scan local network, select interactively, saved to config
• Tape auto-detection from the printer's web interface
• Multiple copies, chain printing, cut control

Supported Hardware

Tested with PT-P750W. Built-in database covers 27 Brother PT models. Supports tape widths: 3.5mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 18mm, 24mm, 36mm.

Documentation

See docs/ for the full documentation:

• Usage Guide — commands, flags, and examples
• Icons — inline icon reference with previews
• Architecture — how the code is structured
• Protocol — Brother ESC/P raster protocol details
• Troubleshooting — common issues and fixes

Build

go build -o ptouch ./cmd/ptouch/
go test ./...    # 106 tests

Acknowledgments

The protocol implementation is based on ptouch-print by Dominic Radermacher — a C reference implementation that was invaluable for understanding the Brother ESC/P raster protocol.

Disclaimer

Brother and P-Touch are trademarks of Brother Industries, Ltd. This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Brother Industries. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

License

MIT — see LICENSE.