Printing in colour to a networked printer

[kaphc]

We have a few iPads in a school now and I have set up AirPrint so that they can print to our Sharp MFD. I was quite chuffed with that.

 

Unfortunately, the print options provided by iOS are very basic and only seem to allow changing the number of copies. So we can't change to be able to print in colour. As staff are using the iPads to take photos, printing them off in colour is essential and they don't want to have to connect the iPad to a computer to download and print them.

 

I'm trying to decide which way to go next - whether to contact Sharp and see if they can provide something or whether to look at printing apps which would provide more functionality.

 

I've seen a few apps mentioned in this thread http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-7/134412-print-ipad-network-printer.html but could really do with some recommendations on which ones provide the option to change the printout from black-and-white to colour.

 

Any ideas?

[fairm010]

Is the copier set to print in B&W as default?

[kaphc]

Yeah, for budget reasons everything starts of in black-and-white and double-sided unless the user changes it. It's the only printer in the school apart from one used by office staff.

 

Whoops - just seen I've put this in the wrong forum? I meant it to be in the tablets / iPads forum - if it needs moving, could a mod please do this for me? TIA

[fairm010]

Can you try changing the MFD to colour by default and see if the iPad will print in colour then?

[sted]

set up a second printer on the airprint server exactly the same as the main one but with default set to colour. Send to copier1 it prints b&w by default send to copier1col it comes out in colour (assuming its the print driver set to mono not hard set on the printer itself though if its code based you could possible make the print server remember the code on the new printer

[kaphc]

That sounds like a possibility - I've seen in another school where Sharp have set up two separate printer options, one for colour and one for black-and-white to control colour printing. There is also a code to enter to authorise colour printing, so if I can get that working on the print driver on the Airprint server then that would be great.

[kaphc]

Hmmmm ...

I've added another printer on the server (had to do it as a local printer and then via TCP/IP as Windows Server didn't allow two copies of the same printer as a message).

I've set the printer up so that it prints in colour and has the code to permit colour printing. I've printed a test page from the server and it comes out fine, in colour just as it should.

The iPads can see the colour version of the printer when selecting to print, but once I press Print nothing happens - the job doesn't go into the print queue and it's as if nothing happens.

I've checked permissions on the new "colour" version of the printer and they are exactly the same as the "black-and-white" one.

 

I must be missing something??

[fairm010]

Do you use job accounting on the MFD?

[kaphc]

No, we have a few separate accounts for putting confidential printing on hold, but the rest is just standard without any separate user codes for job accounting.

[MatthewL]

Try this, login to the web interafce of the copier, go to user control and find the other user at the top which is an in built account, change the authority level from guest to user and it should solve your issue. You will need to submit this, if the machine is not in copy mode you may not be able to submit, you will get an error about processing in motion.

[kaphc]

Thanks I'll take a look at that next time I get the chance - annoyingly because it's a bank holiday next Monday I won't be at that school for a fortnight now, but it's good to have something to go on.

[MatthewL]

If you get stuck ping me a PM, I work with the Sharp kit all day long.

[dancham]

Does anyone know if there is a script command that you can use to change printer defaults? eg: set printer to print black and white

[fairm010]

I'd assume you cannot, as it is driver based. Don't quote me on that though!

[sted]

Does anyone know if there is a script command that you can use to change printer defaults? eg: set printer to print black and white

 

you can probably pull the info from the registry but not sure its a good solution