iPrint Auto Driver Update Feature

  • Document ID:7002435
  • Creation Date:23-Jan-2009
  • Modified Date:26-Apr-2012
    • Micro Focus Products:
      iPrint

Environment

Novell iPrint for Linux

Situation

Does iPrint have a feature similar to the "Update Driver" NDPS feature?

Is it possible to flag an iPrint printer agent's associated printer driver or printer driver profile to auto-update an iPrint printer installed on a workstation?

Resolution

This feature is available for iPrint on NetWare 6.5 SP8 with post SP8 updates and OES 2 SP1 with post iPrint updates, and with OES 2 SP2.  See KB 7004814 to read how obtain the updated software.  KB 7004814 documents iPrint support for Windows 7.  The auto driver update feature is released in that same code set. 

After the updated software has been installed,
    1. Go to iManager-> iPrint -> Manage Print Manager -> Printer Agents tab -> Services -> Auto driver update check box.
    2. The iPrint printers installed to workstations which have that box check enabled will compare timestamp values.
    3. If the timestamp value on the server is found to be newer, the printer will be auto removed and auto installed with the new print driver (and printer driver profile if one is associated). 
      1. Workstation Driver Time Stamp:
        \HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\,,ipp://[address],[PAname], [YYYY]-[MM]-[DD]TO[H:MM:SEC]
        The value of this registry key is the TimeStamp of when the driver was uploaded to the Broker or Driver Store
      2. Server Driver Time Stamp:
        1. NetWare Broker
          [vol]:\ndps\resdir\ENGLISH\Prndrv\winXP\[xxxxxxxx]\ARCHIVES\NDPSDRVR.ZIP [View the modified date]
        2. Linux Driver Store
          /var/opt/novell/iprint/resdir/driver_windows-nt-5.1_x86-32_en/[driverName]/ARCHIVES/resource.zip [View the modified date]
          1. Note:  matching timestamp values will be different by a few hours due to the difference in how the workstation and server use time zone formats.

Additional Information

Known Issues:
Default Printer Lost:
If the iPrint printer installed to the workstation is assigned as the Windows Default Printer and that printer is updated using the Auto Driver Update feature, the default printer assignment will move to another another printer.  Apply the iPrint Client 5.32 or later to prevent this problem from happening in the future. 

Check box for Auto Driver update is greyed:
Re-install the iPrint plug-in following KB 3424524.

OES 2 Linux:
This feature will be available for iPrint on Linux with OES 2 SP2.  Until that time Printer Agent Redirection can be used as a workaround. 

Workaround (how to auto update driver with Printer Agent Redirection):
  1. Create a new printer agent with the desired updated printer driver or new printer driver profile associated. 
  2. Use the Printer Agent Redirection feature to redirect the original printer to the new printer agent. 
  3. Wait.  Over time, the iPrint client on the end user workstations will auto remove the printer that is scheduled to be redirected, then install the new printer (with the new driver and/or profile) in its place. 

Information on Printer Agent Redirection:
Within iManager, go to iPrint -> Manage Print Manager -> Printer Agent Redirection. This page will list all of the IPP enabled Printer Agents assigned to that Print Manager.  The page also shows a column of empty fields to populate printer agent URLs to redirect.  The new printer agent URL can be manually typed into the field, or can be auto created by using the browse button.  Be sure to click APPLY after populating the URL.

The default configuration causes end users to receive a pop-up that notifies them the printer has been deleted. The end users receive a second pop-up notifying that the new printer will be installed. To change that notification behavior, see KB 3476106.