Install the SynkriaOps print agent on Windows

The print agent is a small program (synkriaops-print.exe) that runs on the PC connected to the printer. It is installed once, in a few minutes.

After that, there is nothing left to do: the agent starts on its own with the computer, without anyone needing to open a session, runs without any window, and restarts by itself if it ever stops. A POS machine you switch on in the morning is ready to print before the cashier even signs in.

Allow 10 minutes, once and for all

The install requires the PC’s administrator rights (that’s what lets the agent start with the computer instead of depending on an open session). If you are not the administrator of this machine, ask the person who is to do this step with you — it only happens once.

Step 1 — Download the agent

1. In SynkriaOps, open Settings → Printing.

2. Click “Download the Windows agent”. The synkriaops-print.exe file lands in your Downloads folder.

SmartScreen warning

On first launch, Windows may show an “unknown publisher” warning (SmartScreen). This is normal: the agent is distributed to you directly from your SynkriaOps workspace, without going through a third-party app store. Click “More info” → “Run anyway”.

Step 2 — Open an administrator Command Prompt

All the commands on this page are typed in a Command Prompt opened as administrator:

1. Press the Windows key and type cmd.

2. Right-click “Command Prompt” → “Run as administrator”.

3. Windows asks for confirmation: click Yes.

4. Move to the Downloads folder, where the file is:

   cd "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads"

How to tell the window really is an administrator one

The window title starts with “Administrator:”. If it doesn’t, close it and start again with the right-click — the install will politely refuse to continue otherwise.

Step 3 — Pair the machine

Pairing links this PC to your SynkriaOps account once, using a short single-use code.

1. In SynkriaOps: Settings → Printing → “Pair a machine”. A code in the XXXX-XXXX format is shown (valid for 10 minutes).

2. In the Command Prompt, type the command, replacing the code with yours:

   synkriaops-print pair --code XXXX-XXXX

3. The message “Pairing successful” confirms the machine is registered. The connection is remembered: you will never have to re-pair, even after an agent update.

Tip

A single account can have several machines paired (multiple points of sale). But for the automatic printing of an invoice, ideally keep a single active machine per PC — see the Troubleshooting page for the routing rule.

Step 4 — Put the agent into service

This is the step that makes printing permanently self-sufficient.

1. Still in the same window, type:

   synkriaops-print install

2. The install takes care of everything and confirms each point on screen:

   • the program is copied to C:\Program Files\SynkriaOps\ (it is now safe: emptying the Downloads folder no longer breaks anything);
   • the agent is registered to start with the computer, without any session opening and without a window;
   • Windows restarts it automatically in case of an incident;
   • a watchdog checks every 5 minutes that it is running, and restarts it otherwise.

3. The message “Installation complete” closes the operation. There is nothing left to do on this machine.

If you print on a printer shared by another PC

At the end of the install, a message may report a network-shared printer (a name starting with \\, for example \\POS-PC\EPSON). This type of printer belongs to your Windows session: the agent, which runs at the machine level, cannot see it.

The fix is simple: reinstall this printer as a local printer (“Add a printer” → USB or TCP/IP port), then run synkriaops-print install again. See Choose & set up your printer.

The common case is not affected: a dot-matrix printer plugged in over USB on the POS machine — the normal configuration — works directly.

Step 5 — Check everything is in order

A single command gives you the full state of the machine: pairing, agent, detected printers.

cd "C:\Program Files\SynkriaOps"
synkriaops-print status

Then go back to SynkriaOps → Settings → Printing: your machine should appear with the “Online” badge (green).

• Online = the agent is running and communicating with the server. You can print.
• Offline = see the Troubleshooting page.

All that remains is to associate your dot-matrix invoice template with this machine and printer — which brings us to setting up the printer.

Update the agent

When a new version is available, updating takes 30 seconds. Pairing is kept — no need to re-pair.

1. Re-download the agent from Settings → Printing.

2. Open an administrator Command Prompt (see step 2), then:

   cd "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads"
   synkriaops-print install

3. That’s it: the new version replaces the old one and the agent starts up again on its own.

Remove the agent from a machine

If you change POS machine, in an administrator Command Prompt:

cd "C:\Program Files\SynkriaOps"
synkriaops-print uninstall

Pairing is kept: if you reinstall later on this same PC, no new code is needed.

The agent’s commands

Unless stated otherwise, these commands are typed from the install folder (cd "C:\Program Files\SynkriaOps").

Purpose	Command
Check everything at once (pairing, agent, printers)	synkriaops-print status
See the installed version	synkriaops-print version
List printers (exact names)	synkriaops-print printers
Pair the machine	synkriaops-print pair --code XXXX-XXXX
Print a test page	synkriaops-print test --printer "NAME"
Printing diagnostic (4 test blocks)	synkriaops-print diag --printer "NAME"
Put into service (administrator)	synkriaops-print install
Remove the agent from the machine (administrator)	synkriaops-print uninstall

The one command to remember

When in doubt, synkriaops-print status answers almost everything: is the machine paired, is the agent running, which printers does it see. It’s the first reflex — and the first piece of information to send to support.