11/14/2005
Eric Low

Installing Printers
Netware 6.5 uses IPP, but IPP is enabled in NDPS setup. I had to set up NDPS, then iPrint.

Each printer has a printer agent (object?), which performs the functions of printer server, queue, printer and spooler. All of our printers are "Controlled Acecss Printers," which means that they have an NDS printer object. The broker.nlm module, which manages printer resources and events, was not initially running on our server, but NDPS requires it to be active. This appears to be accomplished by adding a broker object. The NDPS Manager (ndpsm.nlm) also must be present on the network (one per server), as this communicates with the printer agents (each printer agent is assigned to an NDPS Manager). Most of our printers are HP, which means that we will want to run the hpgate module to act as a gateway between NDPS and the printers (apparently Xerox has one as well). We have a lot of DOS workstations as well, so I had to assign queues to the NDPS printers for compatibility.

Essentially, to create a printer (complete with queue-based printing for those non-NDPS clients), you do the following:
1) Create an NDPS Broker object
2) Create an NDPS Manager object? Multiple NDPSM Objects if different operator right levels?
3) Create an NDPS Printer Agent (PA) for each printer on the network

Assuming you already have a queue for a given printer, both the queue and the printer agent can send jobs to the device. Assign the Printer Agent to service the queue rather than a print server. Configure the printer through the PA.

If you try to create a broker through ConsoleOne, it will tell you that there is no snap-in to create this type of object. Instead, create a broker through iManager (from the left-hand menu, under iPrint). I named mine NDPS_Broker, in my Organization container. I made sure all three services were checked, and assigned the RMS service to the SYS volume (in our case, ..S3_SYS.DataStat.DSROOT). I immediately got the following error: Error: Create Broker Failure com.novell.service.jncp.NDSException: ccode = -610 (0xfffffd9e). I must've had the volume in there wrong, because when I put in S3_SYS.DataStat, it worked ok. Apparently you need to specify the container even though it's already selected above! The broker will then use the /ndps/resdir directory on that volume to store its stuff. You must then load the broker manually by typing LOAD BROKER NDPS_BROKER.DATASTAT. This will keep a status window open at the Server Console to view broker events. You should also add this line to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file (in SYS:/SYSTEM). I added it right near the end before it runs STARTX. In actuality, I thought that the Broker Screen was unnecessary, so I loaded it with the /NOUI option, causing it to display no screen.

Next, you must install an NDPS Manager. Again, there is no snap-in to do this from ConsoleOne, so open up iManager in your browser and select "Create Print Manager" under the iPrint menu on the left. I named mine NDPS_Manager, and again put it in our Organization container and assigned it to the SYS volume (S3_SYS.DataStat). You must load this manually as well, in our case by typing LOAD NDPSM NDPS_MANAGER (You don't need to put the container on the end of this command, because it automatically sticks it on for you. If you do put the container on there, put a period on the end to move you up from your current container first). Once again, stick this in the AUTOEXEC.NCF file after the LOAD BROKER line. The NDPS Broker will use a file under the /ndps directory for its database.

Now, you must create your printer(s). Once again, you can't do it through ConsoleOne, so select "Create Printer" through iManager. However, only the "Novell LPR gateway (LPR on IPP)" gateway option appeared for me (which sounds like a printer locally attached to the parallel port of the server). According to the Netware 6.5 Administrator's Handbook, "Only the Novell LPR gateway is available through iManager. Third-party gateways from specific printer manufacturers must be installed from the server console." Hhhmmm... I decided to go with it. I selected "Create Printer" under the iPrint menu in iManager. For printer name I put in HPLJ5SI-1, and for Manager name I put in NDPS_Manager.DataStat, then hit Next. The next screen asks for the IP or hostname, as well as the LPR Printer Name (such as RAW, PASSTHROUGH, etc.). Apparently, print servers use this name to modify how, or to where (what parallel port), the print job is sent. A list of names for for specific vendors can be found here. This print server was HP JetDirect, so I put in raw. At the next screen, you select drivers for the various versions of Windows. There were similar drivers for WNT and W95, but not for 2000 or XP. I would have to go back and add those later. Voila! The printer Agent was created.

From ConsoleOne, I went into the properties of that printer agent ojbect. Under the "other" tab, I noticed that the IPP URI became ipp://192.168.5.7/ipp/HPLJ5si-1. That IP is the address of NIC2 on the server, and the last part of the URI is of course the Common Name of the Printer Agent Object.

I needed to create a queue for this printer. I opened Netware Administrator, right clicked on our Organizational Unit, selected Create -> Print Queue. I kept "Directory Service Queue" selected and typed the same name for the print queue as for the NDPS Printer Agent. For Print Queue Volume, I selected the SYS drive (S3_SYS.DataStat). I left Define additional properties and clicked Create. Damnit, can't use the same name for the queue object as for the agent object! So, I went back and recreated my PA's with a "-ip" stuck on the end, then left it off for the queue object name. Click Create.

Next, from Netware Administrator, I double clicked on the Printer Agent that this queue should use, which brought up the "Printer Control" page. I clicked on "Jobs v" and selected Spooling configuration. I clicked Add next to "Service Jobs From Netware Queues," then selected the queue I had just created. I clicked OK, and voila! (at this point, if you go into the properties for the queue and select Assignments, you should see your NDPS Manager as an authorized printer server (although it won't list the PA)).

To install printer drivers for a particular operating system, open a browser (which means Internet Explorer, since it won't work in anything else) to iManager and go to iPrint->Manage Broker (from within the OS whose drivers you wish to install). Select your broker. Under Resource Management Service, select the OS that you are using. Click Add From System, select the driver, then click OK. You may also click Add from File, which requires you to have an .inf file (most likely stored in your c:\winnt\inf directory if you have a printer installed) and a corresponding .ppd file (most likely stored in c:\winnt\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3). You may then select iPrint->Manage Printer and select that driver for a particular PA/OS.

To install a printer in Windows, browse to https://servername/ipp and click on the printer you want. The first time you try to install a printer, it will ask if you want to install iPrint. When you click yes, it starts a download from your server, which you may have to run manually to install. You then must restart your browser session. The next time you click a printer from iPrint, it will ask you if you're sure. When you click yes, iPrint does the rest.

*** To upload Linux printer drivers through iManager, you must, believe it or not, use Internet Explorer. Go into iManager and select iPrint->Manage Broker->Resource Management Service>Linux and Mac Drivers. Click Add From File and browse to the .ppd file that you got from your Linux workstation (for example, the driver that I used for our HP8550N was found at /usr/share/cups/model/manufacturer-PPDs/hplip/HP-Color_LaserJet_8550GN-hpijs.ppd.gz. I ungzipped it to get my basic .ppd file to upload). The driver should get labelled exactly as it does in CUPS. You man then select it from Manage Printer. Voila! If you have your iPrint client installed in Linux, and the plugin installed in the appropriate place for your browser to find it, you should be able to click on a printer from your ipp page and install it just as if you were in Windows.

*** If you have any trouble clicking a printer in Linux and automatically installing the driver (especially if you get a "iPrint.lib - Could not open the file." error), try deleting the /tmp/iprint-username directory. I had to do this, and then it worked flawlessly. The printer showed up in CUPS no problem!

If you want to mess with creating a map of your printers, run SYS:\APACHE2\HTDOCS\IPPDOCS or go to http://servername:631/IPPDOCS/Maptool.htm.