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How to Print Codes for TipToi Audio Pens

With SoniqPen Studio, you can create your own interactive children's books, learning worksheets, games, or printable stickers that work with TipToi audio pens.

Audio pens work through an optical sensor located at the pen tip. When a child taps a page or sticker, the pen reads a microscopic pattern of black dots called OID (Optical Identification) codes. The pen translates that pattern into a code number and plays the corresponding audio track or triggers interactive game logic from the project file (.gme) loaded onto the pen.

Because these micro-dots are extremely small, achieving reliable pen detection requires specific printer technology and precise print settings.

Step 1: Generate Your Codes or Print-Ready PDFs

You have two main methods to generate the printable materials:

Option A: SoniqPen Studio (Recommended)

SoniqPen Studio handles all dot matrix calculations, layout placement, and page rendering automatically:

  1. Open your project in SoniqPen Studio.
  2. Choose your project type: Photo/Book Project for complete books and cards, or Sticker Project to create sheets of round or rectangular stickers for existing physical books and toys.
  3. Click Print to PDF in the top bar.
  4. Select your preferred print mode:
    • One-Step Printing: Prints your artwork and OID codes together in a single pass. For 100% reliability on home printers, enable Action Rings in project settings.
    • Two-Step Printing: Generates two separate PDF files: one containing your color artwork (which can be printed on any color printer), and a second file containing only the black OID dots to be printed on top with a laser printer.
  5. Download the generated high-resolution PDF.

Option B: Individual Codes with tttool (Command Line / Advanced)

If you are building custom layouts in design software (like Inkscape, Illustrator, or LaTeX) or writing your own scripts, you can generate individual OID code image tiles using the open-source CLI utility tttool:

# Generate a high-resolution OID pattern tile for a specific code ID
tttool oid-code --dpi 1200 --pixel-size 2 <productId> <codeId> code.png

You can then place these PNG tiles over your artwork. Keep in mind that tiles must remain unscaled and undistorted in your layout software to ensure proper recognition.

Step 2: Printer Hardware Requirements

Laser Printer Required (600 or 1200 DPI)

  • Laser Printer Mandatory: You must print the OID dot layer with a laser printer. Standard inkjet printers spray liquid ink that bleeds into the paper fibers, blurring the micro-dots and preventing the pen's optical sensor from reading them.
  • Resolution: A printer with 1200 DPI native resolution is recommended for the sharpest dots. Many 600 DPI laser printers also work well.
  • No Laser Printer at Home? Use a Copy Shop: If you do not own a 1200 DPI laser printer, export your print-ready PDF from SoniqPen Studio and have it printed at a local copy shop, print center, or library. Commercial copy shop laser printers produce crisp, dense toner dots that provide optimal pen recognition.

Step 3: Critical Printer Settings Checklist

When printing your PDF (from Adobe Acrobat, your PDF viewer, or the copy shop print station), you must apply the following settings:

Setting Required Value Why It Matters
Print Resolution 1200 DPI (or highest available; 600 DPI minimum) Produces sharp, well-separated micro-dots without blurring.
Page Scaling 100% / Actual Size (Strictly disable scaling) Critical! Turn off "Fit to page", "Fit to printable area", "Shrink oversized pages", or auto-scale. Any resizing distorts the dot spacing and renders codes unreadable.
Eco / Toner Saving Disabled (Off) Turn off "Toner Save", "Eco Mode", or "Draft Mode". The optical sensor requires bold, dense, high-contrast black toner dots.
Anti-Aliasing / Smoothing Disabled (Off) Turn off image smoothing, edge smoothing, or font smoothing in the driver properties. Smoothing introduces gray halos around dots that confuse the sensor.
Paper Type Standard Plain Paper / Matte Labels Use regular smooth white paper (80–120 gsm) or matte laser sticker sheets.

[!WARNING] Avoid Glossy Paper: Do not print codes on glossy photo paper or glossy sticker sheets. Glossy finishes reflect the pen's infrared illumination directly into its camera, blinding the sensor. Always use matte finishes.

Step 4: Making Stickers vs. Full Books

Creating Interactive Stickers

Printable stickers are the quickest way to turn any existing children's book, flashcard set, or bedroom object into an audio experience:

  • In SoniqPen Studio, select Sticker Project and choose a template (such as standard Avery round or rectangular sticker sheets).
  • Print on laser-compatible matte sticker paper using the settings checklist above.
  • Peel and stick each code sticker onto the corresponding book page or object.

Printing Full Books and Booklets

  • SoniqPen Studio supports single pages, 2-per-page spreads, and Booklet Mode (saddle-stitch folding).
  • If your printer supports automatic duplex (two-sided printing), select Flip on short edge for booklet layouts.
  • Always print a single test sheet first to verify alignment and pen readability before running a large batch.

Step 5: Ensuring 100% Reading Reliability

  1. Use Action Rings on Dark Artwork:
    Home laser printers lay down colored toners that can interfere with the infrared camera's contrast when printing directly over dark illustrations or photographs. SoniqPen's Action Rings feature places a crisp white circular ring under each touch zone, guaranteeing 100% reading accuracy on any artwork.
  2. Load the .gme File Onto Your Pen:
    Connect your TipToi pen via USB and copy your project's compiled .gme file into the pen's root directory.
  3. Activate the Book:
    Turn on the pen and tap the project's Start/Activation icon on your page or sticker sheet to load the audio pack before tapping individual content regions.