ZPL Printer

A simple macOS application that associates with .zpl files and transmits them to configured network printers.

Features

• Automatically opens when double-clicking .zpl files
• Sends files to one or more configured printers via nc (netcat)
• Simple menu bar interface for configuration
• Stores printer configuration in ~/.zplprinters

Building

./build.sh

Installation

Quick install (recommended):

./install.sh

This will:

• Copy the app to /Applications/
• Register it with macOS Launch Services
• Refresh Finder

Manual installation:

1. Build using ./build.sh
2. Copy ZPLPrinter.app to /Applications/
3. Run: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -f /Applications/ZPLPrinter.app
4. Right-click any .zpl file → Get Info → Open with: ZPL Printer → Change All

Configuration

1. After installation, click the printer icon in the menu bar
2. Select "Configure Printers..."
3. Add printer IP addresses and ports (default: 9100)
4. Printers are saved to ~/.zplprinters

Usage

Simply double-click any .zpl file and it will be automatically sent to all configured printers.

Configuration File Format

The ~/.zplprinters file is a plain text file with one printer per line:

192.168.1.100:9100
192.168.1.101:9100
10.0.0.50:9100

You can edit this file manually if preferred.

How It Works

When you double-click a .zpl file, the application:

1. Reads the file contents
2. For each configured printer, executes: cat <file> | nc <ip> <port>
3. Shows a notification when complete