steve
27d580e967
- Use GnuMICR.ttf instead of .otf (OTF converted from PS Type 1 may not embed in PDFKit) - Add renderLines() helper that splits on \n and places each line at explicit Y offset, so lineBreak:false is honored per-line and PDFKit cursor doesn't drift - Include bank_name as first line of Bank Information field
check-printing
Self-hosted web app for printing checks on blank check stock. A Dockerized Node.js web app accessible on the local network.
Stack
- Runtime: Node.js 20
- Framework: Express 4
- Database: SQLite via
better-sqlite3 - PDF generation: PDFKit with embedded GnuMICR E-13B font (GPL-2.0)
- Frontend: Vanilla JS, no framework
- Container: Docker Compose pulling from Docker Hub
Getting started
Production (Docker)
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d
On first launch, the app detects no account is configured and opens a setup wizard in the browser. Fill in three steps — checkwriter info, bank info, and account/routing numbers — then start entering checks.
If you have an existing ezCheckPrinting .mdb file, click Import .mdb instead.
Development (local)
npm install
npm run dev # nodemon src/app.js
Importing from ezCheckPrinting (.mdb)
Two ways to import:
Via the UI (recommended): Click Import .mdb in the toolbar, select the file, and click Import. The server runs the migration and shows the log output.
Via CLI (inside the container or locally with mdbtools installed):
docker exec -it check-printing node migrations/import-mdb.js \
--file "/app/data/YourAccount.mdb"
# Preview without writing:
node migrations/import-mdb.js --file YourAccount.mdb --dry-run
The script imports account config (T100), logo (Settings), check layout (T200), and check history (T104).
Printing
- Select 1–3 checks from the ledger (checkbox column)
- Click Generate PDF
- A 3-up 8.5"×11" PDF opens in a new tab — three 3.5" check slots per page
- Print from the browser; checks are marked as printed in the ledger
Use the Reprint button on printed checks to regenerate without re-marking them.
Check layout
- Page: 8.5" × 11", zero margins
- Three check slots of 3.5" each; remaining ~0.5" is tear-off strip
- MICR line at 0.267" from bottom of each slot
- MICR format:
A{routing}A {account}C {checkNo}A(GnuMICR E-13B encoding)
CI/CD
Push to main triggers a GitHub Actions workflow that builds a multi-arch Docker image (amd64/arm64) and pushes it to Docker Hub as dogiakos/check-printing:latest. An ntfy notification is sent on success or failure.
Environment variables
The app has no required configuration. These are set in docker-compose.yml:
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
PORT |
3000 |
HTTP port |
DB_PATH |
/app/data/check-printing.db |
SQLite database path |