Using TC Probe for IPPrinter

Issue

I want to use Kofax Communication Server TC/Probe to check, if my IPPrinter application is working properly.
But when I setup the Probe destination to print the probe messages to physical printers using the IPP or port 9100 protocol, it will produce a lot of paper, which I do not want.
Is there any other way to setup TC/Probe with IPPrinter?

Solution

TC/Probe is designed to perform periodic tests to check e.g. if a FAX channel is working for sending and receiving by creating a TC/Probe FAX Loop send order.

In general, it is possible to enter any kind of KCS service to be used by TC/Probe and therefore it is also possible to define Probe messages for IPPrinter.
But if you would setup the probe in the common way, printing to a physical printer, you would also produce a lot of printed pages on the selected printer(s),
which is most likely not wanted by the customer. Normally it is sufficient to check:

if the IPPRINTER application is running,
if it is polling the IPPrinter queue and
if it is able to generate PCL output

WITHOUT doing a real printout on paper.
This article describes the necessary steps to check, if IPPrinter is running avoiding real paper printouts.
We are using the print a file feature instead of printing to a physical printer.

If this "print to file" job falls into a timeout, this will visible in the TC/Probe Status as "undeliverable" and would mean:

IPPrinter is not able initiate the printing (e.g. conversion error when converting to PCL format) or
IPPrinter is not running at all

On the other hand, if the TC/Probe status reports "Delivered", it means IPPrinter is running and processing messages.

Optional: with appropriate settings it's possible to send a success or failure alert notification to any Administrator user.

Step 1: Create a new Probe definition

Start the KCS Management application (TCMC.exe) on the server where TC/Probe is installed
Navigate in the left tree view to the node Probing Agent - Probe definitions
Right click in the middle pane, which is showing all probe definitions and select the context menu option New Probe definition
Assign a name for the probe definition and set the parameters as shown in the example below. Optionally you might define a recipient
getting Failure- or Success alerts:

Step 2: Create a new Probe Endpoint

Within the probe definition window press the Edit button in the lower pane
A new dialog opens showing all Probe Endpoints
Click into the last free line of the list to add a new Probe Endpoint.
for the Probe endpoint Name assign anything you want (in this example IPPRINT Test)
for the Service field use the KCS Service used by IPPrinter, typically IPPRINT
for the number field use printer=c:/test.pcl&transport=file

NOTES:

The file name must be test.pcl, other names are not supported.
You might use any other directory than c:/ but use the forward slash / instead of the backslash \ as separator between directory names
The transport must be specified and set to file (typically the transport ipp or tcp is specified only in the IPPrinter configuration and not in the addressing line)
Use the & character as separator between printer name and transport definition

do not enable the checkmark in the reply column
Save the newly created probe endpoint and add it to the probe definition using the Add button
Set the "Enabled checkbox in the probe definition and save the probe definition

Step 3: Checking the probe results

To check the result of probe message navigate within the KCS Management console to Probing agent - Probe status
If the probe was successful you will see an entry with the Result OK and the detailed history will show the Event DELIVERED
In case of the probe send order runs into a timeout the result column will show Error and the detailed history will show the Event undeliverable
If configured in the Probe definition you will also get an alert notification in the KCS inbox of the configured user (in this example the user alex):

Level of Complexity

Moderate

Applies to

Product	Version	Build	Environment	Hardware
Kofax Communication Server Probing Agent TC/Probe and IP Printer Application (IPPrint)	all versions