Setup a Printer Using TEKLYNX Printer Drivers and Windows Spooler / Print Subsystem – TEKLYNX CENTRAL Instructions

Summary

This instruction article describes for the SENTINEL, CENTRAL, or CODESOFT administrator how to setup a printer using a TEKLYNX driver and Windows Print Spooler / Print Subsystem. This is useful in cases when the direct port in SENTINEL or CODESOFT does not print correctly.

Instructions

Create a New Printer Port in Windows

You can choose from two methods to create a printer port:

Windows Print Management Console
Windows Control Panel (Add Printer)

Open Windows Print Management (on some servers it may need to be added as a role/feature) - see Related Article Add Printer Manager Console as a Server Role
Using the left hand navigation, browse to Custom Filters > Print Servers > Computer Name (local) > Ports
Right click on Ports and select Add Port... from the pop-up menu
On the Printer Ports window, select Standard TCP/IP Port
On the Add Standard TCP/IP Printer Port Wizard, press the Next button
On the Add port window, enter IP address of printer and give the printer a port name you will recognize later when you add the TEKLYNX printer and select Next
Wait for Windows to detect the TCP/IP Port
On the Additional port information required window, select the Standard radio button and the Generic Network Card selection and press the Next and Finish button
Select close on the Add port window
Close the Print Management window

In Windows Control Panel, open Devices and Printers
Select Add Printer
In the Choose a device or printer to add to this PC screen, click on The printer that I want is not listed
In the Find a printer by other options screen, select the Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings radio button
In the Choose a printer port screen, select the Create a new port radio button and select Standard TCP/IP Port from the drop down list
At the Type a printer hostname or IP address screen, enter the IP address of the print server (i.e. printer if using Ethernet direct to the printer or the printer server IP address if using an external print server)
For the Additional port information required screen, select the Standard radio button and select Generic Network Card from the drop down list
In the Install the printer driver screen, click on the Cancel button (we do not want to install the printer driver...we just want to create a port)

Add a Printer in CODESOFT or SENTINEL

Navigate to the Add Printer section of either CODESOFT or SENTINEL:

From the SENTINEL Manager, deactivate the SENTINEL you wish to update and open the Properties for the SENTINEL that needs the printer setup
On the Process tab, with CODESOFT Printing checked, select the Settings... button
After the CODESOFT Plug-in screen appears, make sure you are on the Printers tab (default) and select the Add button

Open CODESOFT
Click on Select Printer from the drop down file menu
Select the Add button

Identify the correct printer in the Add Printer Model pane
Select the newly created printer port created in step above
Select OK
Make sure the Port you want to use is using Windows Spooler (if it has a “->” before it, then it is printing direct to the printer and thus NOT using the Windows Spooler)

Verify TEKLYNX Software Created New Print Spooler / Printer Subsystem

Open Devices and Printer in the Windows Control Panel
Look for a new print spooler / printer subsystem with the name “THT_50” and port selected above
Right click and select Printer Properties from the pop-up menu
Click on the Port tab and verify correct port is selected
Click on the Advanced tab and verify the Driver is Printer THT_50 8.0
Select the OK button

Add Printer to TEKLYNX CENTRAL Browser Based User Interface

Login to web interface. Use URL “http://servername/tcadmin”
Navigate to Printers in the Data Configuration tab and select Browse
On the pop-up Printers list, select the desired printer and and click OK
Confirm printer add by selecting Add on the main Printers page

Outside Sources and Helpful Links

http://www.brianmadden.com/blogs/terminal_services_for_microsoft_windows_server_2003_advanced_technical_design_guide/pages/how-windows-printing-works.aspx

http://www.7tutorials.com/geek-way-managing-printers-print-management-console

http://sourcedaddy.com/windows-7/understanding-the-windows-printing-subsystem.html

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd759119(v=ws.11).aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731857.aspx

Additional Comments

Note: The same instructions are used in the “Setup a Printer Using TEKLYNX Printer Drivers and Windows Spooler / Print Subsystem – SENTINEL Instructions” (see Related Articles below). If changes are made here to the content before the TEKLYNX CENTRAL browser section, the content should be recopied and pasted into the other article too.

First Completed Using: Windows Server 2008R2 running SENTINEL 2012

Related Articles:

Problem Article – SENTINEL Will Not Print When Using TEKLYNX Printer Drivers – KBA-01104-S2J1V3
Instruction Article – Add Printer Manager as a Server Role – KBA-01507-T5G2M8