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App to allow users to choose and install printers from server

dazza007

By dazza007
in Windows 7

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dazza007

dazza007

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Hi!

I am looking for a solution to allow users with laptop to be able to select and install a printer from a list of printers available on the server.

 

This powershell script is great with 64 bit and I have tweaked it to work with 32 bit system however it still needs tweating to work on a 32 bit system.

See here Felipe Binotto's Blog: Add Printer Tool

 

Does anyone have any other suggestions for an app to allow users to choose and

install printers from a network print server (that is papercut friendly!)

 

THanks

 

Darren

Duke5A

Duke5A

Posted
Posted
Why the need for something third party? Can't they just add a new printer in Windows by searching the directory, or if you want something extremely simple I guess you could just add an icon on their desktops that points to the UNC path of the print server to bring up a list of all shared printers.
gtg93

gtg93

Posted
Posted (edited)

I put something together for my last school - it's not pretty but did the job:

 

Printers.png

 

Is that the kind of thing you was meaning? Because I can send you the VBS files if you like, all you need to do is change the printer paths

 

 

 

Why the need for something third party? Can't they just add a new printer in Windows by searching the directory, or if you want something extremely simple I guess you could just add an icon on their desktops that points to the UNC path of the print server to bring up a list of all shared printers.

 

That was my question when I wanted the same tool, but some staff for some reason really struggled with adding printers :S

Edited by gtg93
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dazza007

dazza007

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I agree some staff find it difficult and some get nervous adding devices !

 

That would be great I can have a look at the script and see which SLT like the look of.

I have finally got the powershell script to work by updating powershell and .net to 4.5.1 tweaking a child object to 64 bit too.

It is a little unstable but definitely worth putting though testing!

gtg93

gtg93

Posted
Posted (edited)
This is simply a big VB script with a GUI - Nothing fancy - made in Visual Studio. I'll upload the project files soon for you. Edited by gtg93
gtg93

gtg93

Posted
Posted
That would be great I can have a look at the script and see which SLT like the look of

 

PM'd... Let me know if you have any issues with it.

 

If it's of interest to anyone else, I'll happily sit and remove all the personal info from it, and make it easier to see what needs changing and just make it downloadable here, so let me know.

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spd_demon

spd_demon

Posted
Posted (edited)
Another option that I have used is to enable "IPP" or Internet Printing Protocol on your print server (if it is a Windows box). This enables users to open a webpage that lists all printers on the server and gives them the ability to install them by choice. What I do is install the service and publish a desktop shortcut or internet favorite that points to http://servername/printers (default location). This only works in IE but it is super easy. If you have multiple print servers, you can target servers to users by using environment variables (%printserver% = servername) so that each users shortcut is tailored to the location they are at. The link would then look like http://%printserver%/printers. Edited by spd_demon
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
gtg93

gtg93

Posted
Posted
You sir, are a gent!

Haven't forgotten about you, just not had a chance... will sort it for you when I'm next at the site with the software.

elliot-w

elliot-w

Posted
Posted
PM'd... Let me know if you have any issues with it.

 

If it's of interest to anyone else, I'll happily sit and remove all the personal info from it, and make it easier to see what needs changing and just make it downloadable here, so let me know.

 

 

Im interested aswell, looks like exactly what we need!

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