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MaxCode Direct Print

Desktop app and Odoo setup manual

Connect the desktop print client, register printers in Odoo, activate printers, configure reports and optional automation, and troubleshoot common issues.

Desktop app overview

Before you start

Required

  • Odoo user with access to the Print Direct app.
  • Desktop computer that can see the target printer locally or through the network.
  • MaxCode Print Client installed on that desktop computer.
  • Odoo URL, database name, user email, and either password or API key.

Recommended

  • Use an API key when the Odoo user has 2FA enabled.
  • Keep Odoo Auth Mode set to Both during rollout.
  • Use a stable Host ID, normally the device name.
  • Test with one printer before enabling automation rules.

Desktop app setup

  1. Open MaxCode Print Client on the computer connected to the printer.
  2. Open the Connection tab.
  3. Enter Host ID. Use Use device name unless you need a custom stable identifier. The same Host ID is used by Odoo to match this desktop app with its host machine record.
  4. Enter Odoo URL, Database, and Email.
  5. Enter password for websocket mode, or an Odoo API key for bearer polling.
  6. Set Connection Mode to auto for normal use.
  7. Click Save, then click Start.

Expected result: the status bar shows a connected state, and Odoo can receive host machine status from this desktop app.

Desktop app connection screen
The Connection tab contains profile selection, startup settings, Host ID, Odoo URL, database, email, Connection Mode, and Password / API Key.

Desktop screen guide

Connection status

The message above the tabs shows the active profile or connection result. A successful bearer connection shows Connected with bearer. The bottom status bar should also show the connected Odoo URL.

Profile controls

Use New, Save, Save As, and Delete to manage different Odoo environments. Save changes before pressing Start.

Startup controls

Enable on startup starts the app with the operating system. Hide to tray on close keeps the app running when the window is closed.

Connection Mode

Keep this field on auto unless support asks you to force bearer or websocket. Auto lets the app follow the Odoo module configuration.

Password / API Key

For bearer polling, enter the Odoo API key. For websocket mode, enter the user password. Use Show only when you need to verify the value.

Diagnostics

Use Copy diagnostics, Open log file, and Clear logs from the bottom bar when troubleshooting a connection or print issue.

Desktop app printers tab
The Printers tab shows the printers detected on the desktop computer. These are the printers Odoo can request with Fetch and Add Printers.

Connection modes

Auto is recommended. The desktop app asks Odoo which modes are supported and chooses the best option.

Mode Use when
Auto Default choice. Keeps setup simple and follows the Odoo module configuration.
Bearer polling Best for users with 2FA enabled. Uses an API key and does not depend on browser session login.
Websocket Use for older desktop apps or when an installation is still using the legacy session-based flow.
Connection mode selector
Connection Mode can be left on auto or forced for support cases.

Odoo setup

1. Configure Auth Mode

  1. Open Print Direct / Configuration / Settings.
  2. Set Auth Mode to Both during migration or first rollout.
  3. Use Bearer Polling only if you want to disable legacy websocket/session endpoints.
  4. Use Websocket only if you do not want API-key polling.

2. Register or open a Host Machine

  1. Open Print Direct / Host Machine.
  2. Start the desktop app so it can register or update the host machine.
  3. Open the host machine record and confirm Host ID, platform, companies, and granted users.
  4. Click Refresh Status when you need to request fresh system information.

3. Fetch printers

  1. Keep the desktop app running and connected.
  2. Open the matching host machine in Odoo.
  3. Click Fetch and Add Printers.
  4. Wait for the desktop app to return the local printer list.
Odoo Print Direct Auth Mode setting
Print Direct settings include Auth Mode. Both keeps websocket compatibility and enables bearer polling for API-key based desktop clients.
Odoo host machine screen
The Host Machine form shows Fetch and Add Printers, Refresh Status, online/offline state, granted users, companies, platform, app version, and the fetched printer list.

Odoo screen guide

Host Machine kanban

The Host Machine page shows every registered desktop app as a card. Use the online/offline badge to identify which desktop apps are currently available for printer fetches and print jobs.

Auth Mode setting

The Settings page contains Auth Mode. Both is the safest production setting during rollout because old websocket clients and new bearer polling clients can work at the same time.

Host Machine form

Use Fetch and Add Printers to request local printers from the desktop app. Use Refresh Status to ask the desktop app for updated host information.

Printer tab

After fetching, the host machine printer table shows printer name, interface, state, and printer type. Any printer marked Inactive must be opened, configured, and activated.

Configuration menu

The Configuration menu contains Reports, Settings, Default Printer for Attachment, Printing Automation, Attachment Print Rules, and administrator cron entries.

Print Jobs list

Use Print Jobs to audit what Odoo sent to the desktop app. A successful job has state Sent or Done, depending on the module version and workflow.

Odoo host machine kanban
The Host Machine overview helps support quickly compare Host IDs and online/offline state.

Activate printers

Fetched printers are not ready until they are configured and activated. This prevents Odoo from sending jobs to an unknown or incorrectly typed printer.

  1. Open Print Direct / Printer.
  2. Open the printer created from the host machine fetch.
  3. Select the correct Printer Type. The screenshots show examples such as PDF and Image and ESCPOS.
  4. For Windows image printing, confirm paper width and height if needed.
  5. Use the Reports tab to link reports that should use this printer.
  6. Click Set Active.
  7. For ZPL or ESCPOS, click Test Printer before using it in production.

Expected result: the printer state is Active. Inactive printers should not be used for real print jobs.

Odoo inactive printer before activation
An inactive printer shows Set Active. An active printer shows Set Inactive and can be used by reports and print jobs.
Odoo active printer after activation
After activation, the printer has a selected Printer Type and can receive matching reports or print jobs.

Optional Odoo features

Reports

Open Print Direct / Configuration / Reports. Assign the correct printer type to each Odoo report. If a report is not visible on a printer, check the report printer type.

Default Printer for Attachment

Open Print Direct / Configuration / Default Printer for Attachment. Configure which printer should handle PDFs, images, ZPL, or other attachment types by company.

Auto Print Rules

Open Print Direct / Configuration / Printing Automation. Use these rules when Odoo should print automatically after actions such as sale confirmation, delivery validation, purchase confirmation, or invoice posting.

Attachment Print Rules

Open Print Direct / Configuration / Attachment Print Rules. Use filters to decide which attachments should print automatically when they are created.

Print Jobs

Open Print Direct / Print Jobs to inspect queued, done, or failed jobs. Use Retry after fixing printer or connection problems.

Scheduled Actions

Administrators can open hidden cron settings to refresh host info, re-notify queued jobs, or clean old print jobs. Leave defaults unchanged unless support asks for changes.

Odoo Print Direct configuration menu
The Configuration menu groups report setup, module settings, default attachment printers, printing automation, attachment print rules, and cron tools.

Test printing

  1. Confirm the desktop app is connected.
  2. Open the desktop app Printers tab and confirm the expected printer is listed.
  3. Confirm the printer is Active.
  4. For ZPL or ESCPOS printers, use Test Printer from the printer record.
  5. For reports, open a business record and run the configured report action.
  6. Open Print Direct / Print Jobs and confirm the job changes to Sent or Done.
Production checklist: test one manual print first, then one real report print, then enable auto print rules only after both work.
Odoo Print Jobs list
The Print Jobs list is the operational audit trail for generated jobs, selected printers, print type, and final state.

Troubleshooting

Problem What to check
2FA user cannot connect Use bearer polling with an Odoo API key. Keep Odoo Auth Mode on Both or Bearer Polling.
Fetch Printers does nothing Check desktop app status, Host ID, API key permissions, and whether the Odoo module was upgraded after installation.
Printer appears but does not print Open the printer record, set Printer Type, click Set Active, then test again.
Report is missing from printer configuration Open Configuration / Reports and assign the correct printer type to the report.
Print jobs stay queued Check that the selected printer belongs to the connected host machine and that the desktop app can reach Odoo.
Need support data Use Copy diagnostics and Open log file in the desktop app status bar.