[UniMacTech] Printing to Novell/PCounter queues

[Mark Szota]

Hi Steven

We don't have iPrint here either (yet) - I am told it is under 
development but there are no guarantees they will provide support for OS 
X... 

I'll have a look at your other suggestion about NDPS queues and see if 
that sheds any joy :)

I've looked at PaperCut and it seems like a pretty good alternative, but 
adds other logistical (non-technical) issues that we are not really set 
up well to deal with.

There is a workable alternative using a print release system developed 
by Unicard (which is also used in our libraries) but it is expensive to 
run for a small department like ours - so I'd like to try and avoid it 
unless absolutely necessary.

Cheers
Mark

Steven Stanley wrote:
> Hi Mark,
>
> We use PCounter and iPrint client (the web client you mention) - while 
> I run it using the iPrint client, from some of the poking about I've 
> done I believe it's basically an ipp implimentation - so checking the 
> doc'n...
> --------------
>
> Using the Default Printer Lists Generated by iPrint
>
> To enable users to use iPrint, you must give them the iPrint URL, 
> which is http://server_IP_ address_or_dns_name:631/IPP.
>
> For example, if the DNS name is printing.mycompany.com, then the user 
> would access IPP from the following URL:
>
> http://printing.mycompany.com:631/ipp
>
> If users need to print through a secure port using SSL, they should 
> use port 443. This requires users to authenticate using their 
> eDirectoryTM usernames and passwords. Using the above example, this 
> URL would be the following:
>
> https://printing.mycompany.com:443/ipp
>
> -------------------------
>
> I'd try the :631 URL which implies it doesn't need to authenticate. 
> But then you want authentication don't you? There may be some way of 
> authenticating via a Novell Web Manager login to a web page first, 
> which may then authorise the print job on the basis of the connection
>
> Alternately what about simply using the default NDPS queue for your 
> windows clients? Shared printers are of the form 
>
> *\\TREE-NAME\printerObjectName.context.context* 
>
> - this is the older method of windows printing to NDPS queues - I use 
> this in my GIS Lab to avoid the iPrint authentication popup nightmare 
> - for instance* \\JCU-FSE\GISLAB_A.CNS - *no iPrint needed, is 
> Novell's native support for windows printer sharing, as long as they 
> are logged in to a valid Novell account then PCounter picks them up fine.
>
> I'm in the process of moving away from iPrint for two reasons...
>
> 1. The really annoying separate login for the iPrint client which 
> requires the long context form of the user's login, which they always 
> forget, and it doesn't go away if they cancel it
>
> 2. AND Technologies who do the PControl software could not confirm 
> they were going to support Novell OE Server on Linux, which is where 
> I'm going to take our Novell server at some stage
>
> I've moved to using PaperCut <http://www.papercut.com/> on OS X, which 
> is far superior, especially in terms of user communication and cost 
> control/flexibility. All the controls are web based so there's no need 
> for client admin software like PControl. Also the live support is 
> truly impressive as you are talking to the developers directly, and it 
> shows...
>
> Good luck
>
> .:S:.
>
> On 27/11/2007, at 2:32 PM, Mark Szota wrote:
>
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> Has anyone had any success with printing to Novell printer queues 
>> that run the Pcounter billing software? I know that it can be done if 
>> the Pcounter Web Client is running, but unfortunately our ITS 
>> department is unwilling to install it. So I am looking for a way to 
>> print (and authorize the job) that doesn't involve using the Web 
>> Client, if such an option exists.
>>
>> Any help much appreciated.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Mark
>>
>> -- 
>> Mark Szota
>>
>> Campus IT Co-ordinator
>> Berwick School of IT
>> Monash University
>> Clyde Road, Berwick, Victoria, Australia, 3806
>>
>> Tel: +61 3 9904 7122
>> email: Mark.Szota at infotech.monash.edu.au 
>> <mailto:Mark.Szota at infotech.monash.edu.au>
>>
>>
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>
> Regards
>
> .:S:.
>
> Steven G Stanley
> Senior IT Technical Officer
> Faculty of Science and Engineering
> James Cook University Cairns, Qld, Australia 4870
> Ph: +61 7 40421016 (xtn is 1016)
> Support requests : http://tesla.jcu.edu.au/FSETech
>
> "Cultivate money and you grow rich, Cultivate mind and you raise culture"
>
>
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-- 
Mark Szota

Campus IT Co-ordinator
Berwick School of IT
Monash University
Clyde Road, Berwick, Victoria, Australia, 3806

Tel: +61 3 9904 7122
email: Mark.Szota at infotech.monash.edu.au