pybrother

A Python CLI and helper library for printing labels on networked Brother P‑touch printers using their raster command set.

Quick Start

Run without installing

# Show help
uvx pybrother -- --help

# Print a label
uvx pybrother -- "Hello World" --printer 192.168.1.100

# Save PNG preview explicitly
uvx pybrother -- "Hello World" --printer 192.168.1.100 --output ~/Desktop/label.png

# Save debug artifacts (PNG + BIN) in temp directory
uvx pybrother -- "Hello World" --printer 192.168.1.100 --artifacts

uvx will download the package, create an isolated environment, and run the pybrother console entry point (an alias named brother-printer remains for compatibility).

Install from PyPI

pip install pybrother

# Then use the CLI directly
pybrother "Hello World" --printer 192.168.1.100

Command Options

The CLI supports the following useful switches:

• text – Label text (wrap in quotes for spaces)
• --font – Font size in dots (default: auto size per tape)
• --tape – Tape size (W3_5, W6, W9, W12, W18, W24)
• --margin – Left/right margin in pixels (default: 10)
• --copies – Number of copies to print (default: 1)
• --printer – Printer IP address (required unless discovered or from env var)
• --listen – Passively listen for printers via mDNS (requires zeroconf)
• --listen-timeout – Seconds to wait when listening (default: 70)
• --no-auto-detect – Skip automatic tape detection
• --output PATH – Save PNG preview to a specific file
• --artifacts [DIR] – Save debug PNG + BIN files (optional target directory)

By default, pybrother renders and prints fully in memory (no PNG/BIN files are written unless requested).

Set BROTHER_PRINTER_IP to avoid providing --printer each invocation.

Development

# Install dependencies (including dev extras)
uv sync --extra dev

# Run the test suite
uv run pytest

# Build a wheel and sdist
uv run hatch build