HMIS Chrome Desktop App

Simple Chrome-based desktop wrapper for HMIS web application with optimized print settings for zero-margin, header-free printing.

Features

✅ Independent Sessions - Each launch creates a new session with separate logins

✅ Template-Based Print Settings - Configure once, use forever (no margins, no headers/footers)

✅ Configurable Print Modes - Preview, Direct, or Silent printing

✅ Cache Control - Enable/disable for fresh data

✅ No Framework Overhead - Pure Chrome, no Electron/Tauri

✅ Multi-Instance Support - Run unlimited simultaneous sessions

✅ Clean Interface - App mode (no address bar)

✅ Lightweight - Just batch files and a print extension

Files

• config.bat - Configuration file (URL, session mode, print settings)
• Launch-HMIS.bat - Normal window mode launcher
• Launch-HMIS-Fullscreen.bat - Fullscreen/kiosk mode launcher
• Setup-Print-Settings.bat - One-time print configuration wizard
• Test-Print-Settings.bat - Verify current print settings
• Cleanup-Sessions.bat - Remove old session data
• print-extension/ - Chrome extension for print CSS optimization

Initial Setup (New Computer)

Step 1: Copy Files

1. Copy the entire HMIS folder to the new computer
2. Ensure all files are present (config.bat, Launch-HMIS.bat, print-extension folder, etc.)

Step 2: Configure Application URL

Edit config.bat and set your HMIS server URL:

set HMIS_URL=https://stg.carecode.org/coopprod/

Step 3: Configure Print Settings (One-Time Setup)

This is crucial for zero-margin, header-free printing:

1. Close all Chrome windows
2. Run Cleanup-Sessions.bat (clears any old data)
3. Run Launch-HMIS.bat
   • First launch will show: "First launch - creating template profile..."
4. Press Ctrl+P to open print dialog
5. Configure print settings:
   • Click "More settings" to expand all options
   • Margins: Select "None" from dropdown
   • Headers and footers: UNCHECK this checkbox
   • Background graphics: Check if needed
6. Click "Cancel" to close print dialog (settings are saved)
7. Close Chrome completely
8. Run Launch-HMIS.bat again to verify settings are preserved

Note: These settings are saved in the template and will be copied to every new session automatically.

Step 4: Test Printing

1. Launch the app
2. Press Ctrl+P
3. Verify: Margins = "None", Headers/footers = unchecked
4. Each new session will inherit these settings

Configuration Options

Edit config.bat to customize:

set HMIS_URL=https://your-server.com/path    # Your HMIS server URL
set SESSION_MODE=TEMPLATE                    # UNIQUE, PERSISTENT, or TEMPLATE
set PRINT_MODE=PREVIEW                       # PREVIEW, DIRECT, or SILENT
set PRINT_MARGINS=0                          # 0=none, 1=default, 2=minimum
set PRINT_HEADERS=DISABLED                   # ENABLED or DISABLED
set CACHE_MODE=DISABLED                      # DISABLED or ENABLED
set WINDOW_SIZE=1400,1000                    # Width,Height in pixels
set ZOOM_LEVEL=0.8                           # 0.8=80%, 1.0=100%, empty=default

Session Modes Explained

TEMPLATE (Recommended for multi-user with print settings)

• Each launch creates a NEW session (separate logins)
• Printer settings are PRESERVED from template
• Best for: Multiple users, kiosks, shared computers
• Print settings configured once in template, used by all sessions

PERSISTENT (Single-user mode)

• Same session every launch
• All windows share the same login
• Settings preserved between launches
• Best for: Single-user dedicated workstation

UNIQUE (Clean slate every time)

• New session each launch
• NO settings preserved (including print settings)
• Best for: Testing, development
• Not recommended if you need consistent print settings

Print Modes Explained

PREVIEW (Recommended)

• Shows print dialog before printing
• User can verify settings and choose printer
• Best for most scenarios

DIRECT

• Skips preview dialog
• Uses last printer and settings
• Best for: Receipt printers, label printers

SILENT

• Automatic printing to default printer
• No user interaction required
• Best for: Kiosk mode with dedicated printer
• Requires TEMPLATE or PERSISTENT mode for settings to work

Daily Usage

Quick Start

1. Double-click Launch-HMIS.bat
2. Each click creates a new window with:
   • Fresh login session (enter credentials)
   • Saved printer settings (margins, headers/footers)
3. Multiple users can run simultaneously with separate logins

Printing

Normal Printing:

1. Trigger print from HMIS application (or Ctrl+P)
2. Print dialog appears (if PRINT_MODE=PREVIEW)
3. Verify settings: Margins=None, Headers/footers=unchecked
4. Click "Print"

Auto-Printing (Kiosk Mode):

• Set PRINT_MODE=SILENT in config.bat
• Prints automatically to default printer
• No user interaction required

Fullscreen Mode

• Use Launch-HMIS-Fullscreen.bat for fullscreen kiosk mode
• Press Alt+F4 to close (F11 doesn't work in --kiosk mode)

Maintenance

Weekly Cleanup (Recommended):

• Run Cleanup-Sessions.bat to remove old session data
• Clears cached files from: %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\
• Frees up disk space
• Does NOT delete your template or print settings

How It Works

Session Isolation with Template Mode

1. First Launch (Template Creation):

   • Creates template profile at: %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\TemplateProfile\
   • You configure print settings in this template
   • Template is saved permanently

2. Subsequent Launches:

   • Copies template to new session: %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\Session_[TIMESTAMP]\
   • Each window gets:
     • Fresh login (separate cookies)
     • Same printer settings (from template)
   • Complete session isolation between windows

3. Print Extension:

   • Chrome extension loaded via --load-extension flag
   • Injects CSS to hide webpage headers/footers
   • Sets @page { margin: 0 } for zero-margin printing
   • Located in: print-extension/ folder

Deployment

Option 1: Desktop Shortcuts

• Right-click Launch-HMIS.bat → Send to → Desktop (create shortcut)
• Rename to "HMIS Desktop"

Option 2: Network Deployment

• Place these files on a network share
• Create shortcuts on user desktops pointing to the .bat file

Option 3: Custom Icon

1. Create a shortcut to Launch-HMIS.bat
2. Right-click shortcut → Properties
3. Click "Change Icon"
4. Browse to your icon file

Print Extension Details

The print-extension/ folder contains a Chrome extension that optimizes printing:

Files:

• manifest.json - Extension metadata and permissions
• print.css - CSS rules for print media (hides headers/footers)
• content.js - JavaScript to inject print styles

What it does:

1. Sets @page { margin: 0 } to remove page margins
2. Hides common header/footer HTML elements
3. Prevents unwanted page breaks
4. Ensures background graphics print correctly

Customization: Edit print.css to add custom print rules:

@media print {
  .your-custom-class {
    display: none !important;
  }
}

Different HMIS URL: If your HMIS is on a different domain, update manifest.json:

"host_permissions": [
  "https://your-domain.com/*"
]

Keyboard Shortcuts

• F11 - Toggle fullscreen
• Ctrl+W - Close current window
• Ctrl+Shift+I - Open DevTools

Troubleshooting

Print Settings Not Saved

Problem: Margins revert to "Default" and Headers/footers get re-enabled after closing Chrome.

Solution:

1. Check config.bat - ensure SESSION_MODE=TEMPLATE (not UNIQUE)
2. Close ALL Chrome windows completely
3. Run Cleanup-Sessions.bat
4. Follow the print setup steps again (see "Step 3: Configure Print Settings" above)
5. Verify template exists: %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\TemplateProfile\

Why this happens:

• UNIQUE mode doesn't save any settings
• Template must be configured on first launch
• Running Cleanup-Sessions.bat deletes the template (requires reconfiguration)

Print Shows Margins and Headers/Footers

Problem: Prints still have margins and show URL/date at top/bottom.

Diagnosis:

1. Press Ctrl+P and check:
   • Margins dropdown - should show "None"
   • Headers/footers checkbox - should be UNCHECKED
2. If settings show correctly but print still has margins:
   • These are Chrome's print headers (not webpage headers)
   • Browser settings override CSS

Solution:

1. Run Setup-Print-Settings.bat for guided configuration
2. Manually set in print dialog:
   • More settings → Margins → None
   • More settings → Headers and footers → UNCHECK
3. Close Chrome to save template
4. Test with next launch

Prints Create Extra Blank Pages

Problem: Two pages print when content fits on one page.

Causes:

1. Margins pushing content to second page
2. Page breaks in HTML/CSS
3. Hidden content extending beyond page

Solution:

1. Set margins to "None" (see above)
2. The print-extension should prevent page breaks
3. Check if webpage has explicit page-break CSS
4. Verify print-extension is loaded (check Chrome extensions)

Chrome Not Found

Problem: Batch file says Chrome is not found.

Solution: Edit Launch-HMIS.bat and update Chrome path:

set CHROME_CMD="C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"

Common alternative paths:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

Sessions Not Isolated

Problem: All windows share the same login.

Diagnosis:

• Check if SESSION_MODE=PERSISTENT (this is normal behavior)
• Look at batch window - each launch should show different SESSION_ID

Solution:

• Use SESSION_MODE=TEMPLATE for isolated sessions
• Each launch creates new Session_[TIMESTAMP] folder

Print Extension Not Loading

Problem: Extension warnings or print CSS not working.

Solution:

1. Verify print-extension/ folder exists in HMIS directory
2. Check folder contains:
   • manifest.json
   • print.css
   • content.js
3. Chrome may show extension warnings - this is normal for development extensions
4. Extension must match your HMIS URL in manifest.json

Slow Performance

Problem: App becomes slow over time.

Solution:

1. Run Cleanup-Sessions.bat weekly
2. This removes old session data from %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\
3. Keep 5-10 sessions max, delete older ones
4. Template profile is preserved automatically

Settings Reset After Windows Update

Problem: Print settings lost after Windows updates or restarts.

Cause: Template profile stored in %TEMP% folder may be cleared.

Solution:

1. Change template location in both launcher scripts
2. Edit Launch-HMIS.bat line 37:

   set SESSION_DIR=%APPDATA%\HMIS-Chrome

3. This moves template to permanent location
4. Reconfigure print settings (one time)

Advantages Over Electron

✅ Native performance - Uses system Chrome

✅ Auto-updates - Chrome updates automatically

✅ Smaller size - Just KB instead of hundreds of MB

✅ No build process - Deploy immediately

✅ Better compatibility - Full Chrome feature set

Server URL

Default URL: https://your-hmis-server.com/application

To change, edit the HMIS_URL parameter in config.bat.

Quick Reference

New Computer Setup Checklist

• Copy entire HMIS folder to new computer
• Edit config.bat - set HMIS_URL
• Close all Chrome windows
• Run Cleanup-Sessions.bat
• Run Launch-HMIS.bat (creates template)
• Press Ctrl+P → Set Margins=None, uncheck Headers/footers
• Close Chrome
• Test: Run Launch-HMIS.bat again, verify Ctrl+P shows correct settings

Common Commands

Launch-HMIS.bat              # Normal window mode
Launch-HMIS-Fullscreen.bat   # Fullscreen kiosk mode
Setup-Print-Settings.bat     # Configure print settings wizard
Test-Print-Settings.bat      # Check current settings
Cleanup-Sessions.bat         # Remove old session data

Recommended Settings

SESSION_MODE=TEMPLATE        # Multi-user with saved print settings
PRINT_MODE=PREVIEW          # Show print dialog
PRINT_MARGINS=0             # No margins
PRINT_HEADERS=DISABLED      # No headers/footers
CACHE_MODE=DISABLED         # Always fresh data

File Locations

• Template Profile: %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\TemplateProfile\
• Session Data: %TEMP%\HMIS-Chrome\Session_*\
• Config File: config.bat
• Print Extension: print-extension\

Key Concepts

• Template Mode: First launch creates template → subsequent launches copy it to new sessions
• Print Settings: Configured once in template → inherited by all new sessions
• Session Isolation: Each launch = separate login, but same printer settings
• Extension: Injects CSS for zero-margin printing

Support

For issues or questions:

• Check the Troubleshooting section above
• Review Chrome command-line switches: https://peter.sh/experiments/chromium-command-line-switches/
• Verify print-extension files are present and valid