Download Document

How do I add and configure printers for OCS?

Answer:

Managing the printers used with OCS requires an understanding of how the software performs.    Print jobs from the workstations are sent to virtual “shared” print queues on the server.  These virtual print queues, which are monitored by the software, are captured and then stored at the server.  Depending on the set up, the jobs are then released to actual print queues set up on the server or the local print queues set up on the Print Release Stations (PRS).

Scenario 1: Print Jobs Released From PRS to Server Print Queues

Step 1 – Create the Necessary Print Queues

Typically, most printing environments have more than one printer, each serving a different purpose.  After installing the OCS Server, it is important to create the necessary print queues.  For each printer being used, it is required that two types of print queues be created; the virtual print queue and the actual print queue. 
 

Step 2 – Add/Configure the server queues within OCS

Once all the print queues have been created, the next step is to add/configure them within OCS.  In this scenario, print jobs are going to be released to the print queues on the server.  Therefore, it is necessary to build a relationship between the monitored virtual queues and the final destination queues. This is accomplished through the use of OCS Manager. To do this, do the following: 

1. Open OCSMGE.EXE (OCSPROG\CDUSR)

2. Click MANAGE PRINTERS ON THIS SERVER

3. From the left list box, select the “Virtual Queue” to be monitored.

4. From the list boxes on the right, select the Primary and Secondary (optional) printers.

5. Click OK

6. For the BW\COLOR DEFAULT costs enter the desired value.

7. Click REPLICATE COSTS FOR ALL TYPES

8. Click SAVE COSTS and then EXIT

9. Repeat steps 1 – 8 for each virtual monitored and destination relationship.

Step 3 – Choose Between Color and Black & White Pricing

It is necessary to configure how printer queues derive their costs.  To set the method used, do the following from the main printer configuration screen:

1. Click to select the printer.

2. Click on the button CHANGE COLOR/BW to choose the desired method.

Step 4 – Configuring Printers at the PRS

The next step is to add the printers via the PRS administration utility (i.e. VENDADM.EXE).  To accomplish this task, do the following:

Add Server Queues to monitor:

1. Click SELECT SERVER QUEUES TO VEND

2. Select Server from list and click DONE

3. Select monitored virtual queue.

4. Repeat steps 1- 3 for each server queue to be monitored by the PRS

With this scenario, a single PRS will be assigned one virtual queue that exists on the OCS server as shown below.  Hence, print jobs released from the PRS will output to the destination printer on the server.
 

Step 5 – Configuring to Release Print Jobs to the Printers set up on the Server

When using a Print Release Station, the final step is to configure the PRS so that print jobs will get released to the printers’ set-up on the server.  The following steps need to be taken: 

1. Run the OCS Manager from the Print Release Station

2. Click Utilities Menu, then Installs - Configurations, Configure PRS

3. Select your Print Release Station from the list and hit Proceed

4. Click the CONFIGURATION button

5. Where it states PRINT JOBS ARE SENT TO, click the CHANGE PRINT TO button.

6. Select TO OCS PRINTER ON SERVER and click OK

7. Click SAVE AND EXIT

 
Scenario 2: Print Jobs Released to Print Release Station Printer

Step 1 – Create the Necessary Print Queues

For each printer being used, it is required that two types of print queues be created; the virtual print queue on the OCS server and the actual print queue on the Print Release Station.  A “Dummy Q” on the server can be created to indicate a non-functioning printer when adding printers on the OCS server. 

Step 2 – Add/Configure the server queues within OCS

Once all the print queues have been created, the next step is to add/configure them within OCS.  In this scenario, print jobs are going to be released to the print queues on the print release station.  Therefore, it is necessary to build a relationship between the monitored virtual queues on the server and the final destination queues on the clients. This is accomplished through the use of OCS Manager and the PRS administration program. Do the following: 

1. Open OCSMGE.EXE (OCSPROG\CDUSR)

2. Click MANAGE PRINTERS ON THIS SERVER

3. From the left list box, select the “Virtual Queue” to be monitored.

4. From the list boxes on the right, select the “Dummy Queue” for Primary and Secondary (optional) printers.

5. Click OK

6. For the BW\COLOR DEFAULT costs enter the desired value.

7. Click REPLICATE COSTS FOR ALL TYPES

8. Click SAVE COSTS and then EXIT

9. Repeat steps 1 – 8 for each virtual monitored printer.

Step 3 – Choose Between Color and Black & White Pricing

It is necessary to configure how printer queues derive their costs. 

To set the method used, do the following from the main printer configuration screen. 

1. Click to select the printer.

2. Click on the button CHANGE COLOR/BW to choose the desired method.

Step 4 – Configuring Printers at the PRS

Up until this point, the necessary printers have been created on both the OCS Server and the PRS.  However, most of the printer configuration has been done only at the server.  The next step is to add the printer via the OCS Manager/Configure PRS.  To accomplish this task, do the following: 

Add Server Queues to monitor.

1. Open the OCS Manager from the PRS (OCSPROG/CDUSR)

2. Utilities Menu, Installs - Configurations, Configure PRS - Follow prompts

3. Click Set Server Queues

4. Select Server from list and click DONE

5. Select monitored virtual queue.

6. Repeat steps 1- 3 for each server queue to be monitored by the PRS

Add Local Printer:

1. Click ADD LOCAL PRINTER

2. Select printer from list by double-clicking.

3. For the BW\COLOR DEFAULT costs enter the desired value.

4. Click REPLICATE COSTS FOR ALL TYPES

5. Click SAVE COSTS and then EXIT

Step 6 – Designate Local Printer as BW or Color

When dealing with multiple PRS printers with different capabilities, the next step is to designate whether the printer is color or black\white.  The reason for this is to ensure that the print job being released from a particular monitored printer gets sent to the local PRS printer with the same capabilities.  A job sent to the color virtual printer (specified as color on the server), will get released to the local PRS printer capable of printing in color.

 To designate the printer as either BW or Color, do the following:  

1. From the OCS Manager, Utilities Menu, Installs - Configurations, Configure PRS - Follow prompts

2. Click Setup Server Queues

3. Click to select the printer.

4. Click on the button CHANGE COLOR/BW to specify BW or Color.

Step 7 – Configuring to Release Print Jobs to the Printers set up on the PRS

The final step is to configure the PRS so that print jobs will be released to the locally set-up printers vs. the printers on the server.  The following steps need to be taken: 

1. Run the Configure PRS from the OCS Manager

2. Click the CONFIGURATION button

3. Where it states PRINT JOBS ARE SENT TO, click the CHANGE PRINT TO button.

4. Select TO VEND STATION PRINTER and click OK

5. Click SAVE AND EXIT