Difficulty Level

• No Linux or Raspberry Pi knowledge is required
• Some experience of connecting IT peripherals is beneficial
• Knowledge of your Wi-Fi settings is required

Time to Complete

• Considerable time is required to create the Micro SD card image
• Considerable time is required to download and install the required drivers

Who Should Read This Document

This guide is provided for newcomers to the Raspberry Pi and is intended to take a first-time user through all the necessary configuration steps for Pipsta functionality. At the end of this guide, your Pipsta will be ready to demonstrate stand-alone functions from simple printing to printing QR Codes, banners and more. Children may need adult supervision and occasional assistance during this process.  

Pre-Requisites

It is expected that you have already built your Pipsta in accordance with:

• Pi Model B+, Pi2 Model B and Pi3 Model B Assembly Instructions
• Pi Model A+ Assembly Instructions

Although some of the Standalone Pipsta NFC applications do not require keyboard, mouse and monitor, these are required during setup, and for all other examples. It is therefore expected that you have the following items:

• Your assembled, working Pipsta
• Power supply for Raspberry Pi (5v, ideally no less than 2.0A rated)
• USB A to Micro B cable assembly (if not integrated into Raspberry Pi power supply)
• Micro SD Card configured as per the Pipsta First-Time Setup tutorial
• Consider an additional, reserve Micro SD Card!
• Access to two mains sockets for powering the Raspberry Pi and Pipsta printer
• USB Keyboard
• USB Mouse
• A Wi-Fi connection as per the Pipsta First-Time Setup tutorial
• Video/Monitor lead:
  • HDMI lead or
  • 3.5mm 4 pole jack plug to RCA composite cable or
  • HDMI to VGA adaptor and VGA cable
• Computer monitor or television (with HDMI, component video or VGA input as above)
• Access to a Linux/Windows/Mac system with:
  • Micro SD card port (or Micro SD card USB adaptor)
  • Browser and internet connection
• An ESD Wrist-strap

TIP: For Pi1 variants, a 5v 1.2A USB power supply is adequate for systems with few or no connected USB devices. We recommend you use a 5v 2.0A supply for the Pi2B and a 5v 2.5A for the Pi3B. Keep in mind that systems with keyboards, mice and Wi-Fi dongles connected can exceed the amount of current your power supply can supply and that this can cause instabilities and even a corrupt your Micro SD card image!

Optional Components

The Pipsta NFC features are most readily demonstrated by means of an NFC enabled smart-phone. The Android app “Pipsta NFC Printer” has been developed to demonstrate these capabilities and can be downloaded from the Google Play store. NFC capabilities were introduced in Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread). Please ensure that your NFC enabled Android phone runs this or a later Android operating system.

ESD Warning

Both the Raspberry Pi and Pipsta thermal mini-printer are sensitive to damage by Electro-Static Discharge (ESD). You must ensure that you observe ESD handling precautions before handling any components. Please note that it is possible to damage these devices even by being in close proximity to them (i.e. without touching.) For best practice in ESD handling precautions, please visit http://www.esda.org/

Micro SD Card Operating System

There are three likely scenarios: 1. You have obtained a Micro SD card with NOOBS (New Out-Of-Box Software),

2. You have a new Micro SD card and want to use NOOBS to install Raspbian, or

3. You have a new Micro SD card and want to install Raspbian only.

Micro SD Card with NOOBS Preinstalled

Simply fit the Micro SD card into the front of the Raspberry Pi (heeding the orientation.) Proceed to ‘Powering the Unit for the First Time’

Installing NOOBS onto a new Micro SD Card

1. Using your PC/Mac, download the NOOBS image from the ‘downloads’ section of the Raspberry Pi website: http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/

2. Extract/Unzip all the files from the downloaded file

3. Connect the Micro SD card slot of the Linux/PC/Mac system (via USB adaptor if required)

4. Copy the files from the extracted NOOBs folder to the Micro SD card (note: there is no need to use disk imaging software.) DO NOT copy the folder itself: the files themselves should be copied to the root of the card.

5. Fit the Micro SD card into the Raspberry Pi's SD card slot (heeding the orientation.) Proceed to ‘Powering the Unit for the First Time’

Installing Raspbian onto a new Micro SD Card

1. Using your PC/Mac, download the Raspbian OS image from the ‘downloads section of the Raspberry Pi website

2. Extract/Unzip all the files from the downloaded file

3. Connect the Micro SD card slot of the Linux/PC/Mac system (via USB adaptor if required)

4. Follow the instructions given in the Raspberry Pi installing images page

5. Fit the Micro SD card into the front of the Raspberry Pi (heeding the orientation) before proceeding to ‘Powering the Unit for the First Time’

TIP: It is worth noting that –should your Raspberry Pi become unstable—you may have no option but to cycle the power (turn the Pi off and on again.) It is also possible that the power may be accidentally disconnected without having shut the system down properly. Such events can corrupt the image on the Micro SD card, making it either unstable or totally unusable. Aside from a regime of backing-up your own work and archiving of Micro SD card images, you may also want to consider preparing a reserve Micro SD card at this time. There is no necessity to do so, and you may be content with erasing the Micro SD card and re-applying the operating system in the event of such a corruption, but having a Micro SD Card in reserve would limit such down-time.

Powering the Unit for the First Time

Please read the following steps as they maximise the chances of successful first-time initialisation:

1. Connect keyboard, mouse, WiFi dongle (if required) and TV/monitor cables to your Pi.

2. Ensure your TV/monitor is powered and the correct input source is selected (i.e. HDMI, RCA or VGA)

3. Apply power to the Raspberry Pi

4. If you performed a NOOBs install, you will shortly be presented with a menu. Select Raspbian OS at this time and allow time for this to install.

5. The Raspberry Pi should now begin booting into Raspbian. If not, please refer to the following section on Troubleshooting First-Time Initialisation. The monitor/television (henceforth screen) should display at least one Raspberry Pi symbol at the top left of the screen whilst the rest of the display scrolls through hundreds of initialisation step text lines.

Troubleshooting First-Time Initialisation

If your problems are not resolved by the advice available at http://elinux.org/R-Pi_Troubleshooting, please see below:

Nothing appears on screen:

1. Check the Raspberry Pi is powered. There are LEDs located on the front left-hand side of the Raspberry Pi. You should see a permanently-powered red LED (power indicator). If not, check the power to the Raspberry Pi.

2. Check the Raspberry Pi has ‘disk’ access. In addition to the red power indicator, a green LED should be flickering to indicate ‘disk’ access. If not, check: * The Micro SD card is properly located and cycle the power to the Raspberry Pi * You have followed the above instructions correctly in terms of applying the disk image. * If not, suspect damage to the Raspberry Pi

3. Check the screen is powered.

4. Check the screen source is correct.

5. Check the lead is correctly connected.

6. Bypass any HDMI port switchers (if used.) Some HDMI switchers prevent HDMI connections being established.

7. Try an alternative USB Micro Power Adaptor. Some cheap power supplies introduce grounding issues which can prevent the establishment of HDMI connections.

8. Try a higher power rated USB power supply.

First Time Launch into Raspbian Jessie Operating System

The Raspbian Jessie desktop will be displayed when the unit has finished booting:

Joining the Network (Wi-Fi)

1. Click the network icon:
   

2. Pick your router from the list of access points presented:
   

3. Enter your WiFi password in the "Pre Shared Key" box:
   

4. If the key is correct, within a few seconds the network icon should change:
   

5. If you have installed Raspbian via NOOBS, skip ahead to Setting-up the USB Drivers and Other Libraries

6. If you didn't use NOOBS, you must expand the filesystem in order to allow access to the full capacity of your SD Card. From the menu, select Raspberry Pi Configuration:
   

7. Click the "Expand File System" button:
   

8. Now restart the system to allow your settings to be adopted. Skip the following section and continue from Setting-up the USB Drivers and Other Libraries

Joining the Network (Ethernet)

Consult your IT technician for assistance in joining the Ethernet network.

First Time Launch into Raspbian Wheezy Operating System

1. Once complete, you will be presented with the Raspberry Pi Software Configuration Tool.

   TIP: Note that whilst this menu is shown automatically only during first-time initialisation it can easily be brought-up at a later time (covered in a later tutorial). The menu will look something like this:

   

2. At this stage you should select options 1 and 3 to permit access to the full capacity of your Micro SD Card, and ensure that you are taken into the graphical user interface desktop environment. The latter option will bring up a second menu: you should select ‘Desktop log in as user ‘pi’ at the graphical desktop’

3. Once you have applied these options, press the right arrow to move to <Finish> and press [Return]. You will be asked if you wish to reboot: select <Yes> and press [Return].

4. The system will now reboot and you will be taken to the standard Raspberry Pi desktop environment:
   

Joining the Network (Wi-Fi)

1. Double-click 'Wi-Fi Config' on the desktop. You should be presented with the following screen:
   
   Note that –if there is nothing listed in the ‘Adaptor’ field—you should check your Wi-Fi dongle is correctly connected.

2. Click the 'Scan' button. A scan of local Wi-Fi networks will be performed:
   

3. On completion, select your preferred network:
   

4. Enter your network password in the PSK textbox and click 'Add'

5. The 'wpa_gui' should now update as the Raspberry Pi is connected to the network. Upon completion, close this window.

6. Test your connection by launching Epiphany Web Browser from the Raspberry Pi desktop.

Joining the Network (Ethernet)

Consult your IT technician for assistance in joining the Ethernet network.

Installing Pipsta Utilities and Demo's

Launch LXterminal from the Raspberry Pi desktop. Then at the $ prompt, enter:

$ sudo apt-get update

TIP: The '$' prompt is shown for reference do not enter this Note that Linux is case-sensitive.

The Raspberry Pi will automatically locate and update the resident software with the latest versions available on the internet.

Setting up the Pipsta Printer

1. Apply power to the printer

2. Press the ridged area at the back of the printer to open the paper compartment

3. Load paper roll into printer, observing the orientation of the paper roll as shown the embossed legend in the base of the paper compartment.

4. Remove a couple of turns of paper so the glue does not affect the print quality or printer mechanism

5. Close the lid

6. Check the printer’s LED is lit green and not flashing. If the LED is flashing, open the printer again and ensure the paper is aligned correctly in the printer mechanism

7. Check the printer is functioning by double-clicking the button on the printer. A self-test message should be printed.

Install Pipsta Printer Tools

NOTE: The installer and the tools need re-building for 'stretch'. Updates will be announced when the installer has been updated.

Download pipsta-printer-utilities-1.1.1-Linux.deb and then follow the example below.

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo dpkg -i pipsta-printer-utilities-1.1.1-Linux.deb
$ sudo apt-get -f install
$ fpu --version

Upgrade Firmware (if required)

This is only required if the firmware of the Pipsta printer is not the latest version. Download the latest firmware and then

$ sudo fpu V9_2_09.able

Installing the CUPS Driver

The CUPS driver can be installed independantly. This allows the Pipsta to be used as a basic printer. The CUPS driver can be installed over an existing Pipsta system, simply adding CUPS based printing but not affecting the users Pipsta set up. Download the CUPS driver then follow the instructions below.

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo dpkg -i pipsta-cups-driver-0.3.0-armhf.deb
$ sudo apt-get -f install

Testing the CUPS Driver

To check the printer is working connect the USB and the printer's power supply then send a plain text file to the printer. For example the following command should print out your bash profile.

$ lp ~/.profile

Installing the Pipsta Examples Package

After downloading the Pipsta Tutorials package follow the instructions below.

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo dpkg -i pipsta-0.3.0-armhf.deb
$ sudo apt-get -f install
$ cp -r /usr/share/pipsta ~

Testing the Pipsta Examples Setup

$ python /usr/share/pipsta/verify_pipsta_install.py

Downloading the Pipsta Repository (optional)

There are 2 ways to download the examples. For new users it is recommended that you download the source as a simple file archive (a zip file). Or. if you are used to using git then the source repository can be cloned.

Downloading the Pipsta Source File Archive

If you wish to have the latest example code then you can simply download the latest commit to the repository. It is recommended that you install the examples as detailed above before getting a copy of the repository.

1. Locate and double-click the ‘File Manager’ button on the task bar:
   
2. The File Manager should show something like the following:
   
3. From your Raspberry Pi, download the latest sources from the repository by following this link
4. Copy this file to /home/pi
5. Right click on the downloaded file and select'Extract Here'.

Cloning the git Repository

This example is from the Linux shell.

$ git clone https://bitbucket.org/ablesystems/pipsta.git

Testing the System

1. In the File Manager, go to the pipsta\Examples\1_Basic_Print folder
2. Open a terminal window by pressing [F4]
3. Run a simple Python script by entering the following at the $ prompt (note that Linux is case-sensitive):

   $ python /usr/share/pipsta/verify_pipsta_install.py
   

There will probably be some messages from the test script about optional components that are missing. These are not needed, hence being described as optional.

Congratulations: you are now printing with Pipsta! Now you can explore the tutorials available on the wiki.