ticketmax
Print markdown files to a thermal receipt printer. Write a .md file with standard markdown and ticketmax renders it on any ESC/POS printer over TCP, USB, or serial.
Setup
Set PRINTER_ADDR to your printer's address:
# TCP:
export PRINTER_ADDR=192.168.1.100:9100
# USB:
export PRINTER_ADDR=/dev/usb/lp0
# Serial:
export PRINTER_ADDR=/dev/ttyUSB0
Usage
# Print a markdown file
ticketmax report.md
# Pipe from stdin
echo "# Hello World" | ticketmax -
# Check printer connectivity
ticketmax -status
# Print a test receipt
ticketmax -test
Flags
| Flag | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
-addr |
127.0.0.1:9100 |
Printer host:port or device path (env: PRINTER_ADDR) |
-baud |
9600 |
Baud rate for serial connections |
-timeout |
5s |
Network connection timeout |
-width |
46 |
Paper width in characters (1–120) |
-spacing |
20 |
Line spacing in printer units (0–255) |
-test |
Print test receipt and exit | |
-status |
Check connectivity and exit |
Markdown Syntax
| Markdown | Printer Output |
|---|---|
# Heading |
Bold, double-size, centered |
## Heading |
Bold, double-width, centered |
### Heading |
Bold |
**bold text** |
Bold line |
<u>text</u> |
Underlined line |
--- |
Separator line |
| A | B | |
Two columns (right-aligned values) |
| A | B | C | |
Three columns |
 |
Print image (PNG, JPEG, GIF) |
```qr |
QR code block |
<!-- cut --> |
Cut paper |
<!-- beep --> |
Buzzer (1 beep) |
<!-- beep N --> |
Buzzer (N beeps) |
Example
To print a report, write markdown to a temp file and pipe it to ticketmax:
cat <<'EOF' > /tmp/report.md
# Morning Report
## Sales
| Item | Revenue |
| --- | --- |
| Widget A | $1,234 |
| Gadget B | $567 |
---
**Low stock: Widget A (3 units)**
```qr
https://dashboard.example.com
EOF
ticketmax /tmp/report.md
Or pipe directly from stdin:
```bash
echo "# Alert\n\n**Server down at $(date)**\n\n<!-- beep 3 -->" | ticketmax -