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Install the Direct Print Monitor on a Linux computer

This page applies to:

The process to install the Direct Print Monitor on a Linux computer is the same no matter which operating system your Application Server is on.

If your organization does not have a dedicated print server at one or more site, you should consider setting up Direct Printing. Direct Printing allows you to track and report on local printing that is sent directly from a computer to a printer, without a print server.

Step 1: Ensure the primary server is set up correctly

Before installing the Direct Print Monitor, you should ensure that the primary server (Application Server) is set up and running correctly.

Verify that:

  • PaperCut NG/MF release 16.0 or above is installed

  • users can log in to user pages from their computers

  • administrators can access the system

  • the Application Server is accessible from each computer requiring Direct Printing, that is, you can ping the Application Server.

Step 2: Ensure firewall software is set to allow access to the port used by the Application Server

A computer with the Direct Print Monitor installed needs to communicate (initiate a TCP connection) on the port used by the Application Server (9191 (HTTP), 9192, and 9195 (HTTPS) may be used). Ensure that any firewall software on the primary Application Server is not set to block any incoming local network traffic on this port.

Step 3: Check that the host user account exists

On the computer, create a user account called papercut. Set the papercut user’s home directory to the desired install location. This is normally /home/papercut. The method of creating this account is the same as that used for the primary server setup. For more information, see Installation .

Step 4: Install the Direct Print Monitor

Install the Print Provider software onto the computer by copying all files and directories from the primary Application Server’s directory:

For Linux Application Servers:

[app_path]/providers/print/linux-x64/* (64-bit)

For Windows Application Servers:

[app_path]/providers/print/win/* (64-bit)

To the equivalent location on the computer:

/home/papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/ (64-bit)

Perform the copy operation as the papercut user so that files are owned by the papercut user. You can use any method to copy the files, including over the network or via a USB key. If the primary server is also Linux, the simplest way would be use Secure Copy (scp) as follows:

shell> su - papercut
shell> mkdir -p providers/print
shell> cd providers/print
shell> scp -r primary.server.name:/home/papercut/providers/print/* .

After the copy operation is performed, execute the setperms and roottasks scripts as root:

64-bit

shell> su - root
shell> sh ~papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/setperms
shell> sh ~papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/roottasks

Step 5: Configure the Direct Print Monitor on each computer

The Print Provider on the computer needs to know where the primary server is installed (that is, its IP address) and that it should be running in Direct Printing mode.

  1. Open the following file in a text editor:

    /home/papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/print-provider.conf (64-bit)

  2. Locate the line starting with ApplicationServer= and change localhost to the name or IP address of the primary server.

  3. Locate the line with #DirectPrintingMode=false and change it to:

    DirectPrintingMode=true

    4. Save the file and exit the text editor.

  4. Integrate the binaries copied in step 4 into the CUPS, Samba, or Novell iPrint print queues.

    This process is detailed in Linux print queue integration and Step 5 - Printer/iPrint configuration .

Step 6: Test

The Direct Print Monitor should now be configured.

  1. Log in to the Application Server as “admin” and verify that the printer queues are linked to the printer:

    1. Click the Printers tab.

      The Printer List page is displayed.

    2. Select a printer.

      The Printer Details page is displayed showing the Summary tab contents.

    3. Click the Queues tab.

    4. Verify that the printer queues are linked to the printer.

  2. Perform a multi-page test print on each printer and verify that print jobs are tracked correctly.

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