List of installation parameters and filename configurations

This topic explains how to use optional parameters and filename configuration combinations to deploy the PaperCutPrint Deploy client to a multiple operating systems.

At a high level, when downloading the Print Deploy client it will have the name of the Print Deploy server added to the filename.

e.g:

• pc-print-deploy-client[printserver.company.lan].msi

• pc-print-deploy-client[192.168.1.100].dmg

• pc-print-deploy-client[printserver].deb

The Print Deploy client also accepts parameters via command line.

• msiexec /i pc-print-deploy-client.msi STRICT_SSL=true

• For .rpm based distributions: sudo STRICT_SSL=true yum localinstall pc-print-deploy-client\[<hostname>\].rpm

• For .deb based distributions: sudo STRICT_SSL=true dpkg -i pc-print-deploy-client\[<hostname>\].deb

• macOS uses a .plist

This topic explains what parameters and filename configurations are available, and what they do.

Before you start

This is an advanced topic. In most environments the servername in the installer filename is sufficient to install the client.

Priority order

The Print Deploy client installers will preference parameters first, then filename configurations and finally fall back to defaults.

e.g. msiexec /i pc-print-deploy-client[server.company.lan].msi SERVER_HOST=printserver.company.lan will result in the Print Deploy client being configured to work with printserver.company.lan.

Available Parameters and Filename configurations

Filename (common)

Windows msiexec parameters

macOS /Library/Managed Preferences/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist entries

Note: All .plist entries are lowercase.

Linux .deb based distro’s

Setting up client.conf.toml file for the Linux .deb based distro’s

For managed environments, application parameter file can be created and stored in /etc/papercut-print-deploy-client/client.conf.toml prior to installation. With this approach, no need to set parameters in the file name or as an environment variables. However, SKIP_DPM=true has to be specified as an environment variable during each installation. Do not use this approach if Direct Print Monitor is required.

Installation command will be as follows.

sudo SKIP_DPM=true dpkg -i --force-confdef pc-print-deploy-client.deb

OR

sudo SKIP_DPM=true apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" install pc-print-deploy-client.deb

Linux .rpm based distro’s

Windows notes

Many organizations use Microsoft’s Intune to push the Print Deploy Client to the user’s machines. We have instructions on how to do that here: Deploy print queues using Microsoft Intune and Print Deploy

Other deployment methods may be able to take advantage of the file name options above, however customers using msiexec parameters have reported success. Adding a /log parameter will allow you to diagnose any installation problems.

macOS notes

The PaperCut Print Deploy Client use the .plist file to bootstrap itself. This must be found at /Library/Managed Preferences/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist

To create a reference .plist file, you can use the following example:

1. Open a terminal and issue the following command:

   defaults write ~/Documents/com.papercut.printdeploy.client server_host hostname

2. Replace the hostname with the FQDN from the ‘.dmg’, for example, print-server.company.lan

3. Convert the .plist file with the following command:

   /usr/bin/plutil -convert xml1 ~/Documents/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist

   This prevents an error in Jamf ‘Problem uploading file. Plist files must be in XML format’.

4. Verify the contents of the new .plist with the following command:

   defaults read ~/Documents/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist

   The output should be:

   macOS:Documents localadmin$ defaults read ~/Documents/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist    
   {
       "server_host" = "print-server.company.lan";
   }
   macOS:Documents localadmin$
   

5. Copy ~/Documents/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist to /Library/Managed Preferences/com.papercut.printdeploy.client.plist on your macOS device, and install the Print Deploy Client.

strict-ssl notes

When you Enable SSL/TLS certificate checking make sure that the value used for server_host is a FQDN (fully qualified domain name) that matches the certificate you are using.