etikettierer 0.0.1

Core label and QR generation utilities with built-in printer support.

🏷️ etikettierer – Label & QR Code Generator with Printer Support

⚠️ Disclaimer

This software is an independent product and is not developed, maintained, or endorsed by Zebra, Brother, or any other printer manufacturer.
All trademarks, brand names, and product names referenced in this software are the property of their respective owners.

The software is designed to interface with Zebra and Brother QL printers, but it is not affiliated with or supported by them.
Use of this software is at the user's own risk. The developers assume no liability for damages, malfunctions, or losses arising from its use.

By using this software, you acknowledge that the developers are not responsible for any damage, malfunction, or loss resulting from its use.

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🧩 Introduction

etikettierer is a Python package for generating print-ready labels containing QR codes and human-readable sample names.

Each label consists of:

• Sample name (text)
• Two QR codes:
  • One encoding the Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) link
  • One encoding the sample name

Features

• Generate QR labels programmatically
• Export labels as PNG images
• Print directly to:
  • 🖨️ Zebra ZD421 (ZPL protocol)
  • 🖨️ Brother QL-800 (USB)
  • 🖨️ Windows system printers

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📦 Installation

Install from PyPI (all printer dependencies included):

pip install etikettierer

⚙️ Printer Setup

All required libraries — including Brother QL and Windows printing support — are automatically installed.

💡 On non-Windows systems, pywin32 (Windows-only dependency) is skipped automatically.

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🧾 Zebra ZD421 (ZPL-compatible)

1. Install the official Zebra driver:
   👉 Zebra Setup Utilities
2. Verify the printer name in your system (e.g., ZDesigner ZD421-203dpi ZPL).
3. Printing is handled via the ZPL protocol using the built-in zpl Python library.

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🧾 Brother QL-800

• Uses the Python brother_ql library (included automatically).
• Recommended connection: USB

Setup Steps

1. On Windows, install the libusb-win32 filter driver (required for USB communication).
   You can install the Python interface with:

   pip install pyusb
   

2. Brother devices are typically identified by hardware IDs such as vid:04F9:XXXX.
3. After installing the USB filter, restart your computer.

📝 No official Brother drivers are required when using this package.

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🧠 QR Code Error Correction Levels

The QR code’s error correction level controls its redundancy and damage tolerance.

Level	Correction	Description
L (7%) - High Capacity	7% of codewords can be restored	Highest capacity, lowest redundancy
M (15%) - Standard	15% of codewords can be restored	Standard level (default)
Q (25%) - Higher Security	25% of codewords can be restored	Increased reliability
H (30%) - Very Robust	30% of codewords can be restored	Most robust against damage

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🔍 Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Font not found (arial.ttf)	Missing on Linux/macOS	Install Arial or modify to another font
Brother printer not detected	USB filter missing	Install libusb-win32 and restart
Zebra printer not responding	Incorrect printer name	Check printer name in system settings
pywin32 fails on macOS/Linux	Platform-specific dependency	Automatically skipped outside Windows

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📜 License

This package is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v3.
See the LICENSE file for full details.

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🧠 About

Developed at the
Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V. (IPF)

Originally created for internal use to streamline laboratory labeling and sample tracking workflows.

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📧 Contact

• [e-mail]
• [e-mail]