Guys
This information for Named Printers might help.
What is the best method of setting up Named Printers on a Terminal Server?
Things to note:
1) Named Printers is machine based. It stores a Machine ID in the DEX.INI for each workstation and all settings are for the current workstation only. In a Terminal Server environment it means that all users share the same settings because the are all using the same workstation.
2) It is not recommended to use Wokstation Printers with Named Printers as they can change depending on which machine is used to login to a terminal server session. It is best to only select printers which are permanently visible to the terminal server.
3) Printers can be set up on a user basis which allows different users to have different configurations on the single workstation.
4) If using multiple application folders on the one terminal server or multiple terminal servers, please ensure that each has its own Machine ID. You might need to manually edit the ST_MachineID setting in the DEX.INI. You would then need to configure Named Printers on each each instance individually.
Situation 1: Single Location Access to Server
For a simple site where all users have their printers defined the same, just set up Named Printers as though it is a single workstation, using System or Company class printers.
Situation 2: Multiple Location Access to Server
For the more complex site where there are a number of remote locations accessing the server, you should use User class printers so that each user can have their own configuration defined. However, when you use a user class printer you will find that is MUST be defined for all users and that can be time consuming. Usually, all of the users from a single remote location will want the same configuration. Named Printers has a way of setting this up simply and quickly.
The feature you need to use is Named Printers' Template Users, below is an example with the steps to set this up:
I have 3 remote locations using my terminal Server in Sydney. There are based in London, Paris and Fargo. Each remote location has 30 users.
1) Create a New User ID for each remote location, and assign them access to the lesson company or a test company. These User ID's will not be used to login.
2) Select Setup >> System >> Named Printers. If this is first time you have used Named Printers, you will be asked to set up the Machine ID (normally the Computer's Network Name as this is unique). You would also need to set up the Default Printer ID, this should point to a printer based in Sydney. The Default Printer ID is automatically assigned to the System Default Printer Task.
3) From the Assign Named Printers window, click on the Setup Button and then on the Advanced Button. Using the bottom half of the window enter in the Template User ID as the remote location User ID and using the checkboxes, assign to it all the users from that location. Repeat for each remote location. You now have created your 3 Template Users.
4) From the Setup Named Printers window create all the Printer ID's needed for each location as User Class Printers assigned to the Template User for that location. Repeat for each remote location.
5) Then from the Assign Named Printers window, change the User and Company to one of the Template Users and the assigned company. Set the Company Default Printer to Printer Class: User and select the default Printer ID to be used for that location.
6) Assign other user class printers to other Printer Tasks as required. Repeat 5 and 6 for each location.
In this example, it was possible to complete the Named Printers setup by configuring 3 template users instead of the 90 individual users.
David Musgrave
Senior Development Consultant
Asia Pacific Professional Services
Microsoft Business Solutions
mailto:dmusgrav@nospam-microsoft.com
Any views contained within are my personal views and
not necessarily Microsoft Business Solutions policy.
