Print Release Station Installation and Configuration

Installing the Print Release Station (PRS)

From the computer that where the PRS is to be installed:

Step 1: Browse to the OCS server

Step 2: Run OCS Manager.

Step 3: Select the “Utilities Menu” button.

Step 4: Select the “Installs and Configurations” button.

Step 5: Select the button “Install Print Release to Desktop”.

Step 6: Select if this program is the primary Start up program.

Selecting ‘Yes’ will put a link in the all users startup folder to start this program each time the computer is re logged on.

Step 7: The station is installed and a shortcut will be placed on the desktop. Each time the program is started it is downloaded from the server. Thus easing the updating of the software.

Step 8: Administer/Configure the PRS, The Configuration files for all installed programs will be stored on the server and downloaded when the software restarts.

Configuring the Print Release Station

To configure the PRS:

Step 1: Browse to the OCS server

Step 2: Run OCS Manager.

Step 3: Select the “Utilities Menu” button.

Step 4: Select the “Installs and Configurations” button.

Step 5: Select the “Configure PRS” button.

Step 6: After entering the OCS admin name and password, the following screen will appear:

Configuration - Details

Is There a Card Reader?

This setting lets OCS PRS know if there is a payment device (i.e. card reader, coin box etc.) attached to the computer. If this setting is set to NO, the user will be prompted for their OCS account information after they select their job.

Language

This setting allows for the selection of the language that appears on buttons and screen headers. This is usually set through the OCS Manager.

Print Direct

Printing direct turns the requirement for payment ON or OFF at the PRS. If print direct is set to YES, selected print jobs will require no payment and the job cost is charged to the OCS Administration account. This feature overrides all other configuration of card readers and accounts. When the SHOW COSTING WINDOW is checked, users will see a window showing the costs of the job.

Vend Screen

The selection here determines how users will access their print jobs.

· Job List - All print jobs belonging to different users will be listed.

Owner Name - Users will be prompted to enter Owner Name on the print job. As a result, users will get a list of their jobs only.
Card Swipe – The user will be prompted to enter their OCS account name or Number and password (if required). Only their jobs will be displayed.
Let the User choose will allow the user to enter the name or account information

With any of the above selections the following choices can be made.

· Mask Account Name – Uses the ‘*’ to hide the users keystrokes

· Hide User Names On Job List - Will not display the names of users on any screens

Display Decimals

Enter the number of decimals places to show to users when money is displayed

Adjust Columns

Allows for the rearranging, resizing or hiding of columns on the job list window

Size

The PRS by default covers the whole desktop. This option allows the screen to be resized.

Auto Refresh

By default, the Job List window automatically refreshes every 60 seconds.

Note: The refresh rate cannot be lower than 12 seconds.

Startup delay

Enter the seconds to delay the start up of the PRS.

Page Counts

Hide 0 page jobs – Prohibits the listing of jobs with zero pages
Reduce page count by 1 – Reduces the page count of all jobs by 1 if the count is greater than one.

Enable\Disable Features

Check or uncheck as required

Enable Touch Screen – By setting this mode, an alpha/numeric keyboard will be shown on the screen for data entry.
Enable Admin Bypass – Enables OCS administrators to print a job listed on the PRS without prompting for payment.
Disable Delete – Removes the Delete button from the screen.
Disable Unique Number – Removes the PRINT BY # button.

· Show Check By Selection – Used for multi select jobs when the PRS is in touch screen mode.

Display All Servers – Displays all of the queues from all of the registered servers.
Enable Select All Button – Allows users to select all of the jobs in the list for printing.
Turn off listing of users – If this is turned off, the listing of all users with print jobs will not be shown.
Close Session After Vend – Closes the job list window after each print.
Show Minimize Button – Places a minimize button on the screen.

Toggles

· Enable Gate Keeper – Places a “Go To Gatekeeper” button on the screen. This should only be enabled if you have OCS Timed Access properly configured on the server, and Gate Keeper installed on the same computer as the PRS.

Enable Patron Kiosk – Places a “Go To Patron Kiosk” button on the screen. This will only work if Patron Kiosk is installed to the work station.

Change Printer For Large Jobs

This feature allows for the redirecting of large print jobs away from the regular printer. To use this feature, check the enable box, enter the page limit and select the destination printer for large jobs.

Restart Shutdown

This option allows for the configuration of the automatic restarting of the computer. The choices are restarting the PRS once a day and/or the shutting down of the computer at a certain time for a specified duration.

Account Vending

If accounts are being used in pay for printing, select the “Configure Accounts” button. This will display a screen that allows:

Enabling/Disabling use of accounts
Enable/Disable masking the account name (show ‘*’ for each character entered)
Enable/Disable the “Show Accounts” button
Enable/Disable the use of hotkeys for account access.

Enable Card Swipe Parsing

Will remove the leading character from an account entered via a card swipe.

Enable Mixed Payments

Allows for the patron to pay for the print jobs from both their account balance and cash box.

Enable Bill to Ledger

When this is enabled after the account information is validated the user will be prompted to select the bill to ledger as defined and configured on the OCS server.

Job List Test Mode

When selected, this feature will display all jobs from all queues on the default server.

Account Vending Mode

This feature is to be used when Account Vending has been turned on. Open Mode allows for new accounts to be created as they are entered. For most installations, it is recommended that the mode should be closed.

Device Configuration and Tests

Please see document “How to Configure Serial Devices”

Setup Default NT Server

The OCS PRS software needs to know the location of the OCS Server module. The first time this is run, a prompt will come up to enter the server name. Subsequent running of this program will show the same prompt, but with the most recently entered server name filled in.

Setup Collection Queues and Printers

From the main menu, select “Setup Collection Queues and Printers”. The monitored printers should have been set up in OCS Manager prior to installing OCS PRS.

This screen allows the administrator to add OCS queues, printers and associated costs for the print release station.

Printer Queue Association

To associate specific monitored queues with specific local printers, select the queue from the list of OCS monitored printers and press the button “Change Port”.

From the list of available local ports, select a destination for the chosen monitor queue.

Removing Printers

Highlight the printer to be removed from the list and click “Remove Printer”. The printer and all associated price lines are removed.

Entering page Costs

Selecting the “Edit Print Costs” button will bring up the following screen:

Note: Page costs entered at the client station will override the values entered at the server and vend station.

Page costs can be entered as follows:

· Individually for Each Page Type – To enter different prices for each paper type, select the type from the list on the right and enter the prices Black and White and Color next to the prompt “Defaults”. To apply this cost to Cash, Display Line, etc., choose the “Replicate Costs for this Type” button (on the left). Repeat for each paper type.

Set For All Page Types – Next to the prompt “Defaults”, enter in a default cost for both Black and White and Color print jobs, then select the “Replicate Costs for All Types” button (on the right).

Scenario 1: Print Jobs Released to the Printers set up on the Server

In this scenario, the client is configured to send print jobs to BW_VRTL_PRNTR on the server, and these jobs are released to BW_ACTL_PRNTR on the server. Multiple server printers can be monitored by each PRS.

The following steps need to be taken to monitor and release to server queues:

Step 1: From the main PRS Admin screen, click the “Configuration” button.

Step 2: Where it says “Print Jobs are Sent To”, click the “Change Print To” button.

Step 3: Select “To OCS Printer on Server” and click OK, then click Save and Exit to leave the configuration screen.

Step 4: From the PRS Admin screen, select the “Setup Collection Queues and Printers” button.

Step 5: Select the “Select Server Queues To Vend” button. A list of available server queues will be shown. Select the queue to be registered from the list. Prices are set at the server.

Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each server queue to display on this station.

Scenario 2: Print Jobs Released to Print Release Station Printer

In this scenario, the PRS monitors server queues, but releases the jobs to a printer connected to the Print Release Station.

To use this configuration, the following steps need to be taken:

Step 1: Add the Printers to the client through Windows.

Step 2: where it states “Print Jobs are Sent To”, click the “Change Print To” button.

Step 3: Select “To Vend Station Printer” and click OK, then click Save and Exit to leave the configuration screen.