Bläckfisk Desktop

A desktop interface bridging any website with standard USB Printers, Scales, & Scanners.

Download Bläckfisk Desktop

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can use Bläckfisk Desktop?

Anyone who has a Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system.

What websites are supported?

Any Secured SSL website supporting iFrames. Some websites have server configurations that block frames and currently, these sites are not supported.

How do I access USB Peripherals?

Thru the setting tab, you can choose the currently supported devices thru the dropdowns available.

How will the USB Peripheral communicate with my website?

All device communication is done thru Dispatched Events at the Browser Window layer. See window.postMessage for details on how this works.

Do you have any example code to help me get started?

Bläckfisk is available for basic free support via support@blackfisk.com and we always have paid support options available.

When getting started with Bläckfisk Desktop, its always best to start with code block below.

<script>window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
console.log('received message', event)
})
</script>

This basic script will output all activity from the Bläckfisk Desktop system. From this point, just tie into any event you want control over or interface with to better support your app.

How do I print documents to the printer?

Using the same logic as above, use the command window.postMessage. The printer expects an object to contain 4 keys. The type, printerName, the printerCommand, and the base64 document.

{type: 'print', printerName: 'my generic printer', printerCommand: 'raw', document: base64('my document here')}

How do I get USB Scale Weight?

Using the same logic as above with the command window.postMessage send a payload. The USB Scale expects an object to contain 2 keys. The type & the last known weight. Zero if you don't have a weight.

{type: 'scale', weight: 0}

And the scale if connected will respond with a valid weight via the addEventListener response.

Do you have support for Bluetooth or WiFi devices?

Currently, we only support USB scales, scanners, and printers however email us with your request and we will add it to our development timeline.