Macola - Reset Printer

[JillofAllTrades]

Macola 7.6.200 running on a W2K3 SP1 server

SQL 2000 SP4 on another server

Clients connect via RDP
Some local and some network printers

The local printers are auto created by the server like "HP LaserJet 1100 (MS) (from 99BP214) in session 7".

Macola has been intermittently hanging onto that session number.

Clients log out, log back in, get a different session number, and then get an error when trying to print because Macola can't find their default printer.

Of course, they could hit Reset or Change Default every time, but ugh! Also, that doesn't help on those Macola processes that auto-print - there is nowhere to hit reset.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

Christine

 

[kscheeler]

One thing to look at is the naming convention of the printer. Macola remembers the name of the last printer for that user to print a specific report. If that printer name doesn't exist the next time you try to print that report, you'll get an error. The name "HP LaserJet 1100 (MS) (from 99BP214) in session 7" is very specific because your user may not be session 7 again. I would change how terminal server assigns the printer name because I don't normally see that at other sites that have terminal servers.

Kevin Scheeler

 

[JillofAllTrades]

I know - I don't pick that name - the terminal server creates it. I have never heard of being able to change how Terminal Services assigns printer names.

That would work if anyone knows how to do that.

Having said that, this is not a terminal server issue, per se, as if I print from Word in terminal services, it knows my current default printer is now "HP LaserJet 1100 (MS) (from 99BP214) in session 7" instead of "HP LaserJet 1100 (MS) (from 99BP214) in session 6". So this is definitely a Macola issue.

Off to Google...

Christine

 

[abaldwin]

I think kscheeler is correct but you may not be totally understanding his answer.

You are first correct in saying:

Having said that, this is not a terminal server issue, per se, as if I print from Word in terminal services, it knows my current default printer is now "HP LaserJet 1100 (MS) (from 99BP214) in session 7" instead of "HP LaserJet 1100 (MS) (from 99BP214) in session 6". So this is definitely a Macola issue.

The problem is that unlike Word (which interacts with your windows printer settings), Macola stores your printer settings in their database and calls it your "default printer" for that particular report or output.

Macola would be best served to interact with the windows printers and drop this storing of you printer settings. I think they "over-thought" this small ability to print and not have to choose a printer all the time when they could have concentrated on larger issues.

One solution for you would be to add the printers for the TS users to the terminal server and remove their ability to add printers at RDC connect time. Then choose the TS connection to their printer, then the MACOLA saved "Default printer" should be fine.

A second solution is for the user to simply bring up the report you want to print, choose the printer radio button, and check the "Use printer dialog box" then hit the save button at the top.

This should effectively bring up the windows print dialog and allow the user to choose their printer.

Andy Baldwin

"Testing is the most overlooked programming language on the books!

 

[JillofAllTrades]

Are you suggesting that I share out the local printers and add them as network printers on the terminal server?

I thought I went with local printers for these few users since using networked printers prevented them from saving settings, like landscape versus portrait. Maybe I am wrong about this though.

They absolutely do not want to have to choose the printer every time they print. They are ready to riot as it is.

I know I can fix it by initializing the PRINTDFT, but I can't do that every 10 minutes.

Christine

 

[abaldwin]

The problem with initializing the printdft is, that is where ALL users pref as stored for Macola.

I thought I went with local printers for these few users since using networked printers prevented them from saving settings, like landscape versus portrait. Maybe I am wrong about this though.

Are your users actually printing to their own printers on their desktop or are these networked printers?

If they are deskjets on their local desktops then yes, I would share them out and connect them to the TS, users can change the settings and it will only effect them since they are the only ones using it. If these are regular network printers coming from a print server or AD server then simply add them to the TS and have the users add them inside TS and print from there.

If all these printers are networked I see no need for the RDC client to be handling print request.

Andy Baldwin

"Testing is the most overlooked programming language on the books!

 

[JillofAllTrades]

We have both network printers (using Jet Direct cards) and local printers connected to PCs. I will try sharing the printer and adding it to the terminal server as a network printer and see what happens.

Thanks!

Christine

 

[JeffMachine]

Jill

I ran into the exact same problem here. It really is an annoying problem. I found some VB scripts out on the net that were written to rename the TS printers taking out the session info that did work. But I never was able to get it to run automatically and users have to be an admin to change printer names and it would have to be run everytime a user connected. I spent about a half day playing around with that before just moving on to something I could fix.

 

[JillofAllTrades]

Well, Jeff, it makes me feel better to know I am not alone.
So far, my main PITA user is working okay with her printer set up as a "network" printer. However, this is not a practical option for my *really* remote users who connect over a VPN since their printers are not often connected. (They don't use Macola very much.)

Christine