That may have been related to me finding that the OBS settings I had were wrong...But only when I started editing. Didn't notice the audio but the video was rubbish too...I'll be more vigilant next time, and apologies.
Thanks for the video! I don't use a label printer but immediately thought about some other hardware that I always fear will not be supported on linux forever. Never thought about Docker images to preserve old os versions though. Cool idea!👍
Good idea to use older tech on current systems, couple of things that I thought of when watching. Could be expanded in so many ways like watching a shared folder for incoming files, turn them into a Postscript file and printing. If you push the created image to Docker or Github container registry you don't have to worry about building it again later when libraries etc have moved on, it will always be available at the versions available during the build. Building image with Python 3.12, you don't need to do that on the target Pi Zero, you could build the image on a more powerful Pi, push it to a registry and then pull it down to the Pi Zero.
First, there's a lot of really good info here - Thank you for making this video! I learned a couple of Docker tricks I hadn't known. But, as you mentioned, that was harder than it needed to be UNLESS you need to use that specific QL Designer software. To simply use the QL-700 itself, no specific driver is needed. Here's what I did with my QL-700: Installed the current version of Raspberry Pi OS on my Pi4, plugged in the printer, opened Libre Office. Created a label. Done. That said, my method does require a monitor etc. However, one could just as easily set up a Pi as a generic print server, and share the QL-700 that way.
Thanks so much!!! I didn't have so much luck with mine. I did try hooking the QL-700 straight into a PI5 running PI OS 64-bit...Ran up GIMP in my case and tried to print but same deal. Said it printed successfully but nothing happened on the device itself. Must say I didn't try LibreOffice so I will give that a go!
Great, easily digestable, video using Docker. As you say the really valuable bit here is being able to make the docker image now whilst all the repos and source code is easily avalible then simply only needing to store the docker image (and backups etc) and without fail you will always be able to get it to work no matter if the Sd card fails, the pi hardware is replaced etc.. Its all well and good being able to build a legacy environment now, but not so much a given in 12 months or 24 months time. Also as you only expose the exact ports you need to do get an element of 'isolation' from the old environment so you dont have the risk of super old OSes running on your network (albeit less of a 'risk' to a normal home user with an ISP modem that by and large defualts to blocking all inbound traffic - although these days malware aimed at 'random joe' is more likely with an eye to adding devices to a botnet, so again isolation of an old OS environment rather than running it from Sd card does somewhat assist)
Networking is awesome and something I've been involved with for decades now - though of course it's a landscape that's moving so rapidly that it's tricky to keep up!!! One thing I want to do is upgrade me home network to 2.5 or maybe 10Gbps but it'd be both very expensive and tons of work needing tons of time!!! 🤣
Great video! I would love to see more action with Docker and older hardware. I think there is a big calling for businesses, not to mention keeping things out of the landfill!
Yup, exactly!!! Even if Docker wont work there are options like VM's with PCI pass through where you can build environments to drive old devices that work perfectly well!
Nice one, Jeff. So you could presumably use this technique to build and deploy the container onto a NAS or other Docker supporting device. Thanks for sharing in such an easy to follow way.
Y'know, this gave me ideas for other specific purpose things to be done with Docker I didn't really understand when I was working on other projects. Docker has a couple of languages all its own and can seem pretty intimidating if you don't know how it all works. I sort of have some ideas now, just enough that I'm starting to be comfortable with it, and … yeah, it would've done a lot to make life easier dealing with some retro hardware. Not even just old devices, but like you're lucky if you have 8 color graphics on your computer old. Docker would be a great way to get a vintage Appletalk server running, for example.
What I don't fully grasp is why you run a docker pi image, on a pi. Why not just configure the pi itself? I know you said to freeze the software versions but that seems to me to be something one can overcome. What am I missing? I love docker to have a 'contained' and 'tamed' environment.
My big thing with containers is that once you have your image, you can save it, store it somewhere or upload it to a registry...in other words, there are easy ways to keep that specific image available and safe...As you quite rightly say, you could just install straight on the pi bare metal and that's fine. But you're then dependent on the SD card lasting forever and the s/w you installed always being available - assuming at some point you have to reinstall it.
I can't personally as I have no xerox equipment to test against. However, assuming the driver package is available as a .Deb package for ARM architectures then you should be able to install it via the dockerfile no problem.
I have this exact label printer and have been looking for a way to put it back in use. I also want to network my non-networkable HP 1020 laserjet that I don't want to keep an old win7 laptop running as a print server...
You can always set up a pi zero as an inexpensive print server, so long as there are suitable drivers for Linux...but HP are normally pretty good with Linux support.
Great demo, Brother providing python info, positive, the lazy me would have just used the provided old raspbian image, sdcard for it would be stored with the printer.
Nice! That's pretty neat to use docker with this printer. I looked on Amazon and noticed this model Brother QL-800 label maker (newer) is cheaper than the QL-700 so wondering if it'll work with it?
Honestly, I can't promise anything as I don't have that model. But the same concept really does apply to anything. If you can create the virtual environment the device needs, and you can still get the drivers etc, then you should be in good shape!
One possible way to slim down the container is to use a multistage build. Build-essentials and the dev libraries are installed into a builder. The Python lib can be zipped up and copied into a smaller container that only has your printer frontend.
I must say that I find Docker pretty complicated, but I think this seems like a good way to use containers. Can anyone recommend a good book on Docker?
I'm afraid I can't help you with books on Docker...But hopefully someone here can help you out. The docs on the Docker website are actually pretty good but the downside is I often find them short on examples so I find myself having to search around for those once I know the keywords etc I want to use. Anyway, if you do hear about any good materials, please share your experiences here!!!
Brother printers often have a setting to print or not to print when something is sent raw to them - maybe cups would have worked if you fiddle with the settings - or sometimes they only work from some drivers over network not USB
Thanks so much for the hint!!! I did spend quite a lot of time tinkering with both the config and drivers. Right now it seems like there's a directive in the driver that's simply not compatible with the version of CUPS shipped with Jessie so it's odd that they marked the driver for that release. But for sure I'll continue poking around!!
@@jeffs_piinthesky The audio throughout the entire video. Maybe it would be wise to play your videos with headphones on before you click the upload button. 😉
This one was a problem with the OBS settings. I'd had to rebuild my PC I use to record with and didn't realise all the settings had turned to garbage. Sounded ok in the editor so didn't notice till after it was rendered. Apols.
A great example of a good idea ruined by a complicated, clunky, terminal based interface in Linux. It's like a trip back in time to the '80s and '90s, when we all suffered with MSDOS and it's spin-offs, only worse. Typing in lines of arcane, error prone commands to achieve things that were quickly replaced by a few button clicks in early GUIs, is "quaint" at best. 35 years ago, after my 8 bit machines and a Commodore Amiga, I got well acquainted with the command line interface of DOS, because it was a necessity. But things have moved on, though apparently Linux fans didn't get the memo. 😉
All the GUIs in the world won't help you with creating a dockerfile which is inherently a textual document 🤣. But I do agree that the variety of Linux GUIs out there are still not where they should be. Though I'd also say that Windows is pretty lame these days too.
😃 Yeah, it's a bit cheesy but I'm like the world's worst artist and my little home office is such a mess that it would look dreadful if I didn't green screen it
@@jeffs_piinthesky all the nerd caves are messy. if you are too embarrassed, just go with a subtle pattern or gradient from a free wallpaper website. looks orders of magnitude more professional .)
Only left channel audio is coming thru. 👂
That may have been related to me finding that the OBS settings I had were wrong...But only when I started editing. Didn't notice the audio but the video was rubbish too...I'll be more vigilant next time, and apologies.
OH! That's what it is! I was listing with my headphones with only my right ear cup over my ear. I was so confused 😂
The content is very good though
@@jeffs_piinthesky It takes time, it's always funny to go back to old, more established channel's old videos and see the difference. Have fun!
@@dennisdecoene Indeed, just had to turn it up a bit.
Thank you. That was much easier than I would have expected You RoCk.
Thank you so much!!!!
Well done detective work getting all the pieces together..
Thanks Jim! Much appreciated
Thanks for the video! I don't use a label printer but immediately thought about some other hardware that I always fear will not be supported on linux forever. Never thought about Docker images to preserve old os versions though. Cool idea!👍
Thank you for the support!!! If you find yourself using this, share it with everyone here!! I'd certainly like to hear about it!!
Good idea to use older tech on current systems, couple of things that I thought of when watching.
Could be expanded in so many ways like watching a shared folder for incoming files, turn them into a Postscript file and printing.
If you push the created image to Docker or Github container registry you don't have to worry about building it again later when libraries etc have moved on, it will always be available at the versions available during the build.
Building image with Python 3.12, you don't need to do that on the target Pi Zero, you could build the image on a more powerful Pi, push it to a registry and then pull it down to the Pi Zero.
Love it!!! If you implement something like this, please share on here!!!
First, there's a lot of really good info here - Thank you for making this video! I learned a couple of Docker tricks I hadn't known. But, as you mentioned, that was harder than it needed to be UNLESS you need to use that specific QL Designer software. To simply use the QL-700 itself, no specific driver is needed. Here's what I did with my QL-700: Installed the current version of Raspberry Pi OS on my Pi4, plugged in the printer, opened Libre Office. Created a label. Done. That said, my method does require a monitor etc. However, one could just as easily set up a Pi as a generic print server, and share the QL-700 that way.
Thanks so much!!! I didn't have so much luck with mine. I did try hooking the QL-700 straight into a PI5 running PI OS 64-bit...Ran up GIMP in my case and tried to print but same deal. Said it printed successfully but nothing happened on the device itself. Must say I didn't try LibreOffice so I will give that a go!
I use glables installed with apt on debian.
Great, easily digestable, video using Docker.
As you say the really valuable bit here is being able to make the docker image now whilst all the repos and source code is easily avalible then simply only needing to store the docker image (and backups etc) and without fail you will always be able to get it to work no matter if the Sd card fails, the pi hardware is replaced etc..
Its all well and good being able to build a legacy environment now, but not so much a given in 12 months or 24 months time.
Also as you only expose the exact ports you need to do get an element of 'isolation' from the old environment so you dont have the risk of super old OSes running on your network (albeit less of a 'risk' to a normal home user with an ISP modem that by and large defualts to blocking all inbound traffic - although these days malware aimed at 'random joe' is more likely with an eye to adding devices to a botnet, so again isolation of an old OS environment rather than running it from Sd card does somewhat assist)
100% right. Docker is really valuable to be able to create immutable "time machines". Of course, the trick is then keeping those safe *lol*
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, IT Networking enthusiast here and dedicated SBC fan but first love was Raspberry Pi
Networking is awesome and something I've been involved with for decades now - though of course it's a landscape that's moving so rapidly that it's tricky to keep up!!! One thing I want to do is upgrade me home network to 2.5 or maybe 10Gbps but it'd be both very expensive and tons of work needing tons of time!!! 🤣
Great video! I would love to see more action with Docker and older hardware. I think there is a big calling for businesses, not to mention keeping things out of the landfill!
Yup, exactly!!! Even if Docker wont work there are options like VM's with PCI pass through where you can build environments to drive old devices that work perfectly well!
Nice one, Jeff. So you could presumably use this technique to build and deploy the container onto a NAS or other Docker supporting device. Thanks for sharing in such an easy to follow way.
Yup, that's the beautiful thing about containers, they're very portable!!!
Y'know, this gave me ideas for other specific purpose things to be done with Docker I didn't really understand when I was working on other projects. Docker has a couple of languages all its own and can seem pretty intimidating if you don't know how it all works. I sort of have some ideas now, just enough that I'm starting to be comfortable with it, and … yeah, it would've done a lot to make life easier dealing with some retro hardware. Not even just old devices, but like you're lucky if you have 8 color graphics on your computer old. Docker would be a great way to get a vintage Appletalk server running, for example.
For sure!!! A Docker-based AppleTalk server would be a great project!!!!
What I don't fully grasp is why you run a docker pi image, on a pi. Why not just configure the pi itself? I know you said to freeze the software versions but that seems to me to be something one can overcome. What am I missing? I love docker to have a 'contained' and 'tamed' environment.
My big thing with containers is that once you have your image, you can save it, store it somewhere or upload it to a registry...in other words, there are easy ways to keep that specific image available and safe...As you quite rightly say, you could just install straight on the pi bare metal and that's fine. But you're then dependent on the SD card lasting forever and the s/w you installed always being available - assuming at some point you have to reinstall it.
@@jeffs_piinthesky great conclusion. I've been swayed!
Can you try installing a driver for xerox printer in the docker image?
I can't personally as I have no xerox equipment to test against. However, assuming the driver package is available as a .Deb package for ARM architectures then you should be able to install it via the dockerfile no problem.
I have this exact label printer and have been looking for a way to put it back in use. I also want to network my non-networkable HP 1020 laserjet that I don't want to keep an old win7 laptop running as a print server...
You can always set up a pi zero as an inexpensive print server, so long as there are suitable drivers for Linux...but HP are normally pretty good with Linux support.
Great demo, Brother providing python info, positive, the lazy me would have just used the provided old raspbian image, sdcard for it would be stored with the printer.
Trust me, I was tempted to do the same thing!!! But storing a container image resiliently is a whole lot easier than an SD card!! 😃
Nice! That's pretty neat to use docker with this printer. I looked on Amazon and noticed this model Brother QL-800 label maker (newer) is cheaper than the QL-700 so wondering if it'll work with it?
Honestly, I can't promise anything as I don't have that model. But the same concept really does apply to anything. If you can create the virtual environment the device needs, and you can still get the drivers etc, then you should be in good shape!
One possible way to slim down the container is to use a multistage build. Build-essentials and the dev libraries are installed into a builder. The Python lib can be zipped up and copied into a smaller container that only has your printer frontend.
Totally agree...That was a complete oversight on my part!!!
That's pretty awesome!
Thank you!!! And yeah, sometimes rather than bringing the device to the OS, you need to bring the OS to the device 😃
I must say that I find Docker pretty complicated, but I think this seems like a good way to use containers. Can anyone recommend a good book on Docker?
I'm afraid I can't help you with books on Docker...But hopefully someone here can help you out. The docs on the Docker website are actually pretty good but the downside is I often find them short on examples so I find myself having to search around for those once I know the keywords etc I want to use. Anyway, if you do hear about any good materials, please share your experiences here!!!
Thanks mate!
You're very welcome!!
Brother printers often have a setting to print or not to print when something is sent raw to them - maybe cups would have worked if you fiddle with the settings - or sometimes they only work from some drivers over network not USB
Thanks so much for the hint!!! I did spend quite a lot of time tinkering with both the config and drivers. Right now it seems like there's a directive in the driver that's simply not compatible with the version of CUPS shipped with Jessie so it's odd that they marked the driver for that release. But for sure I'll continue poking around!!
Great video
Lots to learn here
Every day is a learning opportunity!!! Thanks for the support!!!
How did Jeff not spot the obvious flaw in the video?
Ok, I'll bite...what is the flaw??? Aside from Docker or USB not working any more....Or I guess the paper for the printer not being sold any more 🤣
@@jeffs_piinthesky The audio throughout the entire video. Maybe it would be wise to play your videos with headphones on before you click the upload button. 😉
This one was a problem with the OBS settings. I'd had to rebuild my PC I use to record with and didn't realise all the settings had turned to garbage. Sounded ok in the editor so didn't notice till after it was rendered. Apols.
Nice AI bro... Thought it was only gonna be the thumbnail 💀
AI backgrounds FTW!!! 🤣
Your fake lab in the background looks very Hollywood high tech
It's very ChatGPT low tech 🤣
I think better reupload this good informative video because audio so horrible low. 😢
Sorry for the bad audio (& video)...It'll be better in the next video.
A great example of a good idea ruined by a complicated, clunky, terminal based interface in Linux. It's like a trip back in time to the '80s and '90s, when we all suffered with MSDOS and it's spin-offs, only worse. Typing in lines of arcane, error prone commands to achieve things that were quickly replaced by a few button clicks in early GUIs, is "quaint" at best. 35 years ago, after my 8 bit machines and a Commodore Amiga, I got well acquainted with the command line interface of DOS, because it was a necessity. But things have moved on, though apparently Linux fans didn't get the memo. 😉
All the GUIs in the world won't help you with creating a dockerfile which is inherently a textual document 🤣. But I do agree that the variety of Linux GUIs out there are still not where they should be. Though I'd also say that Windows is pretty lame these days too.
Im not sure I can get past the AI face....
It may be an AI background. But it's my face
Linux helps reduce e-waste!!!
Yup!!! Who knew I was becoming an eco warrior!?!?!
Well I started watching, but about 2 minutes in I was listening to a different language. Sorry. 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Was it too in depth or just confusing? Let me know how I can improve!!
First time coming across this channel... is the audio usually so terrible? And doe they always use an AI avatar to present?!
It that why his face is twitching
I promise I'm genuine!! 😃
I hadn't noticed my face twitching...I hope I'm not getting sick!!!
And yeah, the audio was bad this time. As per the description, I had bad settings in OBS that I only discovered in edit. Apols
that ai generated background does not do you any favours.
😃 Yeah, it's a bit cheesy but I'm like the world's worst artist and my little home office is such a mess that it would look dreadful if I didn't green screen it
@@jeffs_piinthesky all the nerd caves are messy. if you are too embarrassed, just go with a subtle pattern or gradient from a free wallpaper website. looks orders of magnitude more professional .)
Great Work! We'd love to offer you some boards if you might need them in the upcoming content. (PCBWayDaisy)
Hi Daisy! Thank you so much!!! There is a project for early 2025 that I'm targeting some custom PCB's for. Let me know how I can get in touch!!!
Great video 👍 Immediately subscribed 😊 Per (DK)
Thanks so much for the support!!!