Introduction & Getting Started

Relevant source files

The following files were used as context for generating this wiki page:

• README.md
• main-caddy.js
• package.json
• php-install-guide.html
• app/controler/functions/init.php
• test-php-detection.sh

Duplicator is a cross-platform accounting and document management application designed for reproduction collectives using duplicators and photocopiers. It is built using Electron and integrates a Caddy web server and a PHP runtime to provide a portable, self-contained environment for managing printing costs, document imposition, and usage statistics.

Sources: README.md:3-5, package.json:2-6

The system architecture relies on Electron to manage the desktop window and life-cycle of background processes, including a Caddy server for handling HTTP requests and a PHP-SAPI (Server Application Programming Interface) for processing the application logic and interacting with an SQLite database.

Sources: main-caddy.js:58-65, README.md:46-51

Project Overview & Features

Duplicator provides a suite of tools categorized into accounting management and document processing.

Key Functional Categories

• Accounting Management: Calculates cost prices for machines, tracks printing volumes (ink, masters, drums), and generates profitability reports.
• Document Processing: Centralized PDF/PNG library with full-text search, automatic thumbnail generation, and advanced PDF imposition (8/16 pages A5/A6 on A3).
• Technical Stack: Uses an integrated Caddy server for portability and supports integrated PHP servers for Windows.

Sources: README.md:16-44

System Architecture

The application follows a hybrid architecture where Electron acts as a shell for a web-based PHP application.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before running the application in a development environment, ensure the following are installed:

• Node.js: Version 18 or newer is required.
• NPM/Yarn: Package managers for dependency installation.
• PHP: Required on Linux systems (version 7.4+ recommended with gd, sqlite3, mbstring, and xml extensions).

Sources: README.md:58-60, php-install-guide.html:138-144, test-php-detection.sh:34-40

Installation

1. Clone and Install:

   npm install
   

2. Download Binaries: The project requires platform-specific binaries for Caddy and PHP.

   npm run download-all
   

3. Run Development Mode:

   npm start
   

Sources: README.md:65-74, package.json:8-12

Process Management and Lifecycle

The main-caddy.js file is the entry point for the Electron application, responsible for initializing the environment and managing child processes.

Backend Initialization Sequence

The application follows a strict startup sequence to ensure the environment is ready before displaying the UI.

Core Components Table

Component	Responsibility	Relevant Files
Electron Main	Orchestrates OS-level integration, updates, and process spawning.	main-caddy.js, package.json
Caddy	Serves static assets and acts as a reverse proxy for PHP.	Caddyfile, caddy/README.md
PHP SAPI	Executes the business logic and manages the SQLite database.	app/controler/functions/init.php, php-fpm.conf
Auto-Updater	Manages GitHub-based releases and background updates.	main-caddy.js:1150-1180

Sources: main-caddy.js:58-65, package.json:54-65, app/controler/functions/init.php:11-20

Platform Specifics

The application handles various OS environments differently to maintain portability:

• Windows: Embeds php.exe and caddy.exe within the asar.unpacked directory. It uses a temporary Caddyfile to handle Windows-style file paths and dynamic port assignment to avoid conflicts.
• Linux (AppImage): Often relies on the system PHP. If PHP is missing, the application displays an installation guide (php-install-guide.html).
• macOS: Packaged as a .dmg with bundled binaries in the application bundle.

Sources: main-caddy.js:560-580, main-caddy.js:895-915, php-install-guide.html:120-135

PHP Requirements on Linux

If PHP is not detected, users must install the following packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install php php-cli php-gd php-sqlite3 php-mbstring php-xml

Sources: php-install-guide.html:122-124, test-php-detection.sh:38-42

Summary

The Duplicator project provides a robust, self-hosted accounting environment by leveraging Electron as a process manager for Caddy and PHP. By integrating these tools, it offers a portable solution that can be deployed as a single executable (AppImage, EXE, or DMG) while maintaining the flexibility of a web-based application. Developers can get started by installing Node.js dependencies and using the provided scripts to fetch required binaries.

Sources: README.md:12-14, main-caddy.js:1320-1330