need advice on assigning printers based on classroom

[projector1]

i would be greatful if you could help me out here.
I have created a few vb scripts that map networked printers.

I have 12 of these scripts for the different classrooms. How would i assign these so that if a pupil logs on in a particular room they get the networked printers installed in that room.
Would i have to create gpos and assign them to the various classroom ou's ( i have all over pc's organised in seperate ou's based on the room they are in)

many thanks

[Jake]

We use a logon script that checks the name of the PC in the room (say for example 101A), and then it installs the printers allocated to that room number. This way wherever a pupil logs in they get the relevant printers for that room.

There have been a few threads similar to this on the forums, a few of the threads have example scripts, best to do a forum search and root them out

[ICTNUT]

It depends on how you have your PC's named.

For example our PCs are named as <school number>-<room number>-<PC number>

So the simplest thing would be to create a single VB script the gets the PC name and then by looping through a select statement match the PC namr to the printer specified for that PC/Room.

I have then added this script to our Student GPO so at logon the script runs and the printers are added on a room by room basis.

[Geoff]

Yes, there's a script posted by Ric in the scripts forum that does room based printer assignment based on PC hostnames.

http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...iewtopic&t=404

[robert.mabbutt]

At my place we place an Environmental Variable called location on the pcs and as the value we put the room name/number. During login the logon batch file calls a seperate printers one, checks the variable and installs the correct printer or printers and sets the default one for us.

Robert

[bossman]

Get yerself a CC3 network does all this with just a few clicks of the mouse.

[k-strider]

I haven't tried this, but if you have W2k3 R2 you can push printers either to Computers or Users...

we use a VB scripts that look at the computer name if its room43Somthing they get the 43 printers etc... one on login and one on logout.. and they work well so I haven't bothered exploring using R2s Printer push option.. I believe you need to deploy and have running an EXE on the PCs from the brief gander I had at it…

[webman]

As bossman says, it's this easy.

[djm968]

This script maps printers based on group membership.

' printermap.vbs
' VBScript to map different groups to different printer shares.
' Author Darren Mussenden
' Version 1.2.0 - September 27 2006
' -----------------------------------------------------------------'
Option Explicit
Dim objNetwork, objUser, CurrentUser
Dim strGroup

Const hu5_Group = "cn=hu5"
Const enwr_Group = "cn=enwr"
Const scgf_group = "cn=scgf"
Const ss_group = "cn=ss"
Const maof_group = "cn=maof"


Set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")

Set objUser = CreateObject("ADSystemInfo")
Set CurrentUser = GetObject("LDAP://" & objUser.UserName)
strGroup = LCase(Join(CurrentUser.MemberOf))

If InStr(strGroup, hu5_Group) Then
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\HU 5 Black Laser")
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\HU 5 Colour Laser")
objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\NAS01\HU5 Black Laser"


ElseIf InStr(strGroup, enwr_Group) Then
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\EN WR Black Laser")
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\EN WR Colour Laser")
objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\NAS01\ENWR Black Laser"

ElseIf InStr(strGroup, scgf_Group) Then
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\SC GF Black Laser")
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\SC GF Colour Laser")
objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\NAS01\SCGF Black Laser"

ElseIf InStr(strGroup, ss_Group) Then
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\SS Black Laser")
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\SS Colour Laser")
objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\NAS01\SS Black Laser"

ElseIf InStr(strGroup, maof_Group) Then
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\MA OF Black Laser")
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection("\\NAS01\MA OF Colour Laser")
objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\NAS01\MAOF Black Laser"

End If
WScript.Quit

[djm968]

Get yerself a CC3 network does all this with just a few clicks of the mouse.

I would rather hit my left te$%&cle with a large blunt object but each to their own.

How many new PC's would the cost of your RM support bought last year?

[webman]

We don't pay RM for support. Let me turn that round ... how many computers can you buy for the time spent hacking batch files together and paying through the nose for 3rd party software to do what RM CC3 does?

[djm968]

“hacking batch files" is an occupational hazard of a "real" network manager.

I am all for making your life as easy as possible but scripting is an valuable skill to learn, especially if your career path takes you into the “real world” where there is no RM to hold your hand.

[webman]

“hacking batch files" is an occupational hazard of a "real" network manager.

Sorry? You're saying all Network Managers who run CC3 networks aren't "real"? (Whatever your definition of that is). I find that remark quite insulting (even though I am not a Network Manager), as would a few others on here I imagine.

I am all for making your life as easy as possible but scripting is an valuable skill to learn, especially if your career path takes you into the “real world” where there is no RM to hold your hand.

I quite agree. Personally speaking I'm perfectly capable of scripting (in several languages), and have been doing so for 7 years. That doesn't mean we shouldn't run a CC3 network; why re-invent the wheel?

[NetworkGeezer]

Yeah careful djm968 or RussDev might just zap you. He runs RM CCx, I think.

[Joedetic]

We'd used to do it with environment variables and batch files at logons. But everytime we re-imaged a machine we'd get called away to go and do another job and forget to set an environment variable and then a week later we'd get complaints about printers not working, so it got moved over to VB script.