How to create a Virtual Queue for use with Equitrac Print-to-Me printing using Windows PowerShell
Question:
What is the best way to create a Virtual Queue for use with Equitrac Print-to-Me printing and can I use Windows PowerShell to help me do this?
Answer:
Best Practice is to follow a simple process to ensure creating your virtual queue is quick and simple
Follow these steps:
- Create your Physical device in Web System Manager and set secure printing defaults.
- Create your Printer ports in Windows PowerShell.
- Create your Printer Queue using the ports above.
- Print test pages to register the queues in Equitrac.
Step 1
Open Web System manager and go to Devices > Physical Devices and choose + Add Physical Device
When it opens, set the following:
- Name - make it meaningful
- Hostname/IP address can be a name or a real address e.g. 127.0.0.1 or FollowYou
- Set Secure Printing Default to Enabled
- Set Monochrome/Color as appropriate
- Add a Pull Group
- Save your settings
- Go back into the Physical device
- Open the Output Section
- Important: Set the Output to None and save again - this prevents the virtual queue from taking a device license.
Step 2
- Open Windows PowerShell ISE in Administrator Mode
- Select File > New
- Add the following command:
Add-Printerport -Printer HostAddress FollowYou -Name Fy1
[You can create the name as you like as long as Printer host address matches the hostname/IP address in Step 1]
Repeat if you wish to use printer pooling incrementing the name. For example, if using 5 ports for the queue the script will show:
Add-Printerport -PrinterHostAddress FollowYou -Name Fy1
Add-Printerport -PrinterHostAddress FollowYou -Name Fy2
Add-Printerport -PrinterHostAddress FollowYou -Name Fy3
Add-Printerport -PrinterHostAddress FollowYou -Name Fy4
Add-Printerport -PrinterHostAddress FollowYou -Name Fy5
4. Press the Play button in the task bar to create the ports, which is much quicker than using the printer wizard.
Step 3
Add the printer queue in Print Management using the wizard:
- Add a printer
- Use an Existing port from Step 2
- Add the driver as appropriate
- Add the queue and share name
- Complete the wizard without printing
Step 4
- Open the Printer properties
- Turn off any bi-directional communication and add the printer ports using Pooling from Step 2
- Set printing defaults
- Pause the print queue and send 5 test prints
- Un-pause the queue and let the jobs spool through
- Open Equitrac Web System Manager and open Sources > Print Queues. Your queues should display with Secure Printing Enabled ready for use
Applies to:
Product | Version |
---|---|
ControlSuite | 1.2 |
ControlSuite | 1.1 |
ControlSuite | 1.0 |