Installation

Install

npm install @rdlabo/capacitor-brotherprint

The published plugin package declares an SPM dependency on a local Brother kit at your app root:

ios/LocalPackages/BRLMPrinterKit

That path is relative from node_modules/@rdlabo/capacitor-brotherprint (../../../ios/LocalPackages/BRLMPrinterKit). Place the Brother iOS SDK under your Capacitor app’s ios tree as shown below, then run npx cap sync. This plugin requires iOS 15 and Swift Package Manager only (no CocoaPods / Podfile steps).

This plugin does not redistribute the Brother SDK. Download it from Brother’s official pages for your platform.

Initialize the Brother SDK

Android configuration

Place the following files in the android folder of your Capacitor project:

android/BrotherPrintLibrary/BrotherPrintLibrary.aar
android/BrotherPrintLibrary/build.gradle

Download the Android SDK from Brother: https://support.brother.co.jp/j/s/es/dev/ja/mobilesdk/android/index.html?c=jp&lang=ja&navi=offall&comple=on&redirect=on#ver4

In android/BrotherPrintLibrary/build.gradle, include:

configurations.maybeCreate("default")
artifacts.add("default", file('BrotherPrintLibrary.aar'))

Open android/settings.gradle and add:

include ':BrotherPrintLibrary'
project(':BrotherPrintLibrary').projectDir = new File('./BrotherPrintLibrary/')

iOS configuration

Under your Capacitor app (not inside node_modules), place:

ios/LocalPackages/BRLMPrinterKit/Sources/BRLMPrinterKit.xcframework
ios/LocalPackages/BRLMPrinterKit/Package.swift

Download the iOS SDK from Brother: https://support.brother.com/g/s/es/dev/en/mobilesdk/ios/index.html

Create ios/LocalPackages/BRLMPrinterKit/Package.swift for that local binary package (minimum iOS 15 to match the plugin):

// swift-tools-version: 5.9
import PackageDescription

let package = Package(
    name: "BRLMPrinterKit",
    platforms: [
        .iOS(.v15)
    ],
    products: [
        .library(name: "BRLMPrinterKit", targets: ["BRLMPrinterKit"])
    ],
    targets: [
        .binaryTarget(
            name: "BRLMPrinterKit",
            path: "Sources/BRLMPrinterKit.xcframework"
        )
    ]
)

After the SDK files are in place, run npx cap sync so the app’s iOS project picks up the plugin and the local package path.

Permission configuration

Android configuration

Update AndroidManifest.xml to include the following permissions:

- <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
+ <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
...
+     <!-- For Bluetooth -->
+     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH" />
+     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN" />
+     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT" />

+     <!-- For Bluetooth Low Energy, Android 11 and earlier-->
+     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
+     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

+     <!-- For Bluetooth Low Energy, Android 12 and later -->
+     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_SCAN"
+         android:usesPermissionFlags="neverForLocation"
+         tools:targetApi="s" />

More information: https://support.brother.co.jp/j/s/support/html/mobilesdk/guide/getting-started/getting-started-android.html

iOS configuration

Update Info.plist to include the following keys. UISupportedExternalAccessoryProtocols must be an array of strings.

+ <key>NSBluetoothAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
+ <string>【Why use Bluetooth for your app.】</string>
+ <key>NSBluetoothPeripheralUsageDescription</key>
+ <string>【Why use Bluetooth for your app.】</string>
+ <key>NSBonjourServices</key>
+ <array>
+ 	<string>_pdl-datastream._tcp</string>
+ 	<string>_printer._tcp</string>
+ 	<string>_ipp._tcp</string>
+ </array>
+ <key>NSLocalNetworkUsageDescription</key>
+ <string>【Why use WiFi for your app.】</string>
+ <key>UISupportedExternalAccessoryProtocols</key>
+ <array>
+ 	<string>com.brother.ptcbp</string>
+ </array>

More information: https://support.brother.co.jp/j/s/support/html/mobilesdk/guide/getting-started/getting-started-ios.html

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