Printing from a MAC to a PC using LPD

Printing from Mac OSX to a Queue installed on a Windows OS computer

Part A - Installing the Queue Printer from VPM

In Visual Production Manager, each queue tab can be used as a printer destination for other Windows applications. Further, Windows remote printer sharing can allow a queue to receive print jobs from a remote Mac computer.

  1. Andare su Coda > Gestisci code.
    The Queue Manager dialog displays the queues within VPM.
  2. For the desired queue, click Install.

This will install the queue as a printer destination within the Windows Control Panel, so other Windows applications can print to the queue via File > Print.

Note: If there is a Remove button, the queue has already been installed.

Part B - The Windows Control Panel

After the VPM queue has been installed, the queue name should be available with the other Devices and Printers that are listed within the Windows Control Panel.

  1. In the Control Panel, locate the queue you just installed.
    The queue will appear as if it were a printer, though printing to this printer will cause the print job to be received within the VPM queue.
  2. Make note of the queue name, which is referenced later.
  3. For the purpose of this procedure, it is not necessary to enable printer sharing for this queue in the Control Panel. However, if printer sharing had been previously enabled, then make note of the share name.

Note:

  • In the standard Print dialog of a Windows application, choosing the queue will indicate it is a Fiery printer.
  • If in doubt, then print a test job to the installed queue, and the job should appear within the corresponding VPM queue.

Part C - Install Windows Print Service

For the remote Mac computer to send jobs to VPM, Windows must be configured with its Line Printer Daemon (LPD) service. This allows UNIX-based print services (i.e., Mac) to send jobs to queues that are installed within the Windows Control Panel.

  1. In Windows Control Panel, choose Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off.
    The Windows Feature dialog lists the various services available.
  2. Under Print and Document Services, select the LPD Print Service check box.
  3. Fare clic su OK.
    Windows installs the necessary components.

Note:

  • Microsoft comments are available at: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731857.aspx
  • The LPD service installs and starts the TCP/IP Print Server (LPDSVC) service.
  • If you receive a warning message that the service could not be installed, or that you do not have permission, check with your system administrator.
  • If the Print Spooler service is stopped, the LPDSVC service must be restarted manually.
  • Using the LPD service creates an inbound exception for port 515 when Windows Firewall has been enabled with Advanced Security.

Part D - Obtain the IP Address of the Windows Computer

When a computer or peripheral is connected to a network, that device is assigned an unique IP address that is used for reference. We need to determine the IP address of your Windows computer, so it can be referred to from the Mac computer.

  1. From the Windows System Tools, choose Command Prompt. (Alternatively, run the cmd.exe application.)
    The Command Prompt window opens, which provides a text entry means of accessing system commands.
  2. From the command line, type ipconfig.
  3. The ipconfig command displays several lines of information that detail the configuration settings of the computer’s Internet Protocol (IP).
  4. Of the various lines, make note of the IPv4 Address line, which should be formatted 0.0.0.0 (i.e., four numbers that are delimited by periods).

Part E - Obtain the Printer PPD file used with VPM

When a VPM printer is installed, there is a PPD file that contains configuration data for the printer. You need to locate this file, so it can be used by a Mac computer.

  1. Using Windows Explorer, browse to the VPM install directory.
    Within the Printers sub-directory, there will be one-or-more PPD files.
  2. Of these PPD files, identify the file name that most closely corresponds to your printer.
    Note: The filename can be somewhat difficult to identify because the file name length is restricted to a maximum of eight characters.
  3. Open the PPD file in Notepad.
  4. Of the first six lines within the PPD file, make note of the following line:
    *% Printer: [PRINTER LONG NAME]
    The Printer Long Name should correspond to the name of your printer.
  5. Copy the PPD file to a location on your Mac computer.

Part F - Installing the Mac Printer

At this point, all preliminary Windows setup for remote printer sharing is complete, and the printer can be installed on the Mac computer so printed jobs are received in the VPM queue.

  1. Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
  2. Click + to add a printer.
    The Add dialog opens.
  3. Click IP.
  4. From the Protocol drop-down list, select Line Printer Daemon LPD.
  5. In the Address field, enter the IPv4 address that you previously determined for your Windows computer.
  6. In the Queue field, enter the queue name as it appeared when the queue was added to the Windows Control Panel.
    Note: If printer sharing was enabled, set the Queue field to the share name.
  7. In the Name field, type a meaningful name for the queue/printer on the Mac computer.
  8. From the Use drop-down list, select Other.
    A prompt appears to choose the PPD file that you previously copied from the Windows computer.
  9. [Optional] The Location field can remain blank. Type a meaningful note, such as where the PPD file has been placed, or where it originated.
  10. Click Add.
    The dialog closes.
    The Printers & Scanners dialog displays your new printer.

At this point, you should be able to print a test page from your Mac computer, and the print job should be received in the VPM queue.

Note: In the Print dialog for your Mac application, create a custom page size that is appropriate for the queue.