When there is a print option within an Evergreen function, there is a corresponding print template that dictates the format, content, and printer used for that print request. In most cases, the screen display does NOT match the printed out.
Import all basic customizations
Download this file to import ALL basic customizations into your Evergreen templates.
Click the link - a page of code text will open in the browser
In the Save As menu the File Name will automfill, and Save As Type JSON File will autofill, click Save
In Administration > Workstation > Print Templates, click Import and navigate to the location where this file is saved
After files are imported, click Save Locally
Set any local preferences for Default or Receipt printer for individual templates
NOTE: Templates will need to be imported into each web client browser. This file can be downloaded and saved to a flash drive for easier import to additional web clients.
Printer Context
When using Hatch printing, different types of print requests can be configured for different printers. The Printer Contexts include Default, Receipt, Label, Mail, and Offline. The two most commonly used with be Default - your standard printer, and Receipt - your Star printer.
When editing your templates, set the printer context to match the tyype of printer you plan to use.
Then open the Administration > Workstation > Printer Settings interface to set printer defaults for the contexts used.
The most common printer settings to specify are:
Printer - Evergreen will automatically populate the list with available printers
Paper type - particularly important if you use a thermal printer
Margins - use "Equal" for narrow margins that maximize the width of text per line, particularly when printing bulleted lists. NOTE: Some printers do not accept the "Equal" setting - in these situations, receipts will not print. Try "Device Minimum" or "Equal Opposite" instead, and use the "Test Print" feature to check which option will work with your printer.
Force Printer Context
For each print template, you must specify the printer/print context. For example, checkout receipts will usually be printed by the receipt printer; set that template's "Force Printer Conext" value to Receipt.
If no printer context is set, receipts will print to the default printer.
Edit templates
From the Administration Menu, select Workstation
Click Print Templates
From the Template Name list, select a template; example: Checkout
The current template print view displays in the Preview Pane, the editable template code appears in the Template pane
The top part of the template pane includes explanatory text about the template and includes Evergreen code that can be inserted into the template to pull in pieces of Evergreen data. This explanatory text is marked by
<!-- [text block] -->
tags.
Changes made in the Template pane will appear in the Preview pane, but are not saved until the "Save Locally" button is clicked
The "Reset to Default" button will undo ALL changes, saved or unsaved, and return the template to the default
General notes about editing templates
Print templates are created using a combination of basic HTML, CSS, and Evergreen code. Submit a help request for assistance with customizing your templates.
Examples of common customizations are provided in this document, with a preview image of the receipt and a text file that can be copied and pasted into the template edit window.
Templates must be saved for every web client where printing will occur. PLS recommends configuring templates on one workstation, then exporting a template file to a flash drive. The templates can then be imported from the flash drive to every other client.
Common edits
Images
Images to be added to a print template must be submitted to PLS to be stored on a secure server. The image can be added to the slip using the URL and an "" tag. Submit your image file using this form.
Example code format: <div><img src="https://images.pls-net.org/mpl_logo_small_dither5.jpg"></div>
Format text
Font size
<div style="font-size:150%">Welcome to {{current_location.name}}</div>
Font emphasis
PLS recommends using CSS to make text bold, italic, etc., using the font-weight element:
<div style="font-weight:bold">Welcome to {{current_location.name}}</div>
HTML tags can also be used, but the tags must be closed:
<div> <b>Title: {{title}}</b></div>
Font face/family
Specify a font family
<div><span style="font-size:600%;font-family:'Comic Sans MS', cursive, sans-serif">{{dest_location.shortname}}</span></div>
List of fonts/font families: https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/css_websafe_fonts.asp NOTE! These examples format multi-word font names within double quotes ("Comic Sans MS") but Evergreen does not support the double quotes. If you wish to use a multi-word font, enclose the name in single quotes ('Comic Sans MS')
Combine styles
<div style="font-weight:bold;font-size:150%;text-align:center;">Welcome to {{current_location.name}}</div>
Header and footer text
In the desktop client, default receipt headers and footers were included in all receipts. The text was set in the Evergreen configuration for each library, and a code was used to populate the receipt. In the web client, the code for headers and footers is not included in the receipt templates.
If libraries want to have address, contact information, URL, Facebook links, etc. included in their templates this information can be added using HTML to each relevant template.
Example:
<div>
Library Name <br/>
Address line 1 <br/>
City, State, ZIP <br/>
<br/>
Phone Number<br/>
</div>
Print limited characters
Print only the first # characters - i.e.: Nybody prints as Nybo
{{patron.family_name | limitTo:4}}
Print only the last # characters - i.e.: 22111000148960 prints as 48960
{{patron.card.barcode | limitTo:-5}}
Save Locally
Be sure to save any local customizations. Print templates are saved per computer. Use the Export and Import functions to save templates to a flash drive to install consistent templates on multiple workstations.
Import and Export Customized Templates
These options allow staff to import and export sets of customized templates. If you are starting with a new web client browser, you can import the PLS-created basic custom templates (see: "Import all basic customizations" section), or, you can create, export, and then import in new browsers your local customized templates.
To import:
Click Import
In the Open File dialog, navigate to the saved template file; this will be a .JSON file
Open the File
The templates will import, and a confirmation pop-up will appear stating "Imported one or more print template(s)"
Click Save Locally
Video walkthrough for exporting print templates
To export:
Create and save custom templates
Click Export
The download file will appear in the lower corner of the browser - "print_templates.json"
Open your computer's Downloads folder, rename the file somehting more descriptive and save it to a flash drive and/or a file location you will remember later
PLS strongly recommends exporting backup copies of your library's customized templates.
Available Templates - examples and customization text
Hold Shelf Slip - includes code that will print Hold Alias if present, or Preferred Name if present, or Primary Name - text to copy and paste
FRE3OF9X.TTF - Download and install the "Free 3 of 9 Extended Regular" font. It must be installed with an administrative login for all users, not just the local user.
Bills, Current Text - text to copy and paste
FRE3OF9X.TTF - Download and install the "Free 3 of 9 Extended Regular" font. It must be installed with an administrative login for all users, not just the local user.
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