Example scenario

Client setup

Configuring thin client

Setting up the workstation

Server setup

ThinPrint Ports

Configuring AutoConnect

Printing

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Example scenario

The installation wizards for both the ThinPrint Engine server and the ThinPrint Client Windows client components are preconfigured so that it is possible to print immedi­ately after installation is completed, with no further configuration – provided you install either the RDP-type ThinPrint Client Windows or the ICA-type ThinPrint Client Windows for supporting the respective RDP or ICA connection types.

This plug-and-play installation cannot be used in every scenario. One reason is that it requires a Windows workstation as client. So only the main configuration options are illustrated here, using a example scenario as example. The following descriptions refer to the example scenario below.

 

Our scenario attempts to combine a couple of typical client and connection types in a terminal server environment. Clients are a workstation and a thin client as well as a local print server. In the following practical example, the local print server has been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The following table describes the print environment used in the example configu­ration.

The ICA protocol can also be used as an alternative to RDP. In that case, all RDP specific installations and configurations must be replaced with those for ICA.

Client setup

Configuring thin client

client1: ThinPrint Client Linux (TCP/IP) on a thin client

• For this example scenario, choose a thin client with an embedded ThinPrint Client.
• Open the configuration of the thin client (in this example: Igel Linux) and firstly, create a printer under Printer→ CUPS→ Printers (Caution: not under Thin­Print), see the arrow on the left in following Illus.
• Select ADD (click on the asterisk, see right arrow in following illustration).
• Create a printer name (no spaces) select a printer port if necessary, and click on the button Detect Devices (middle arrows in following illustration)
• This opens the window, Select available device, where you can select the printer.

• Next illustration shows the successfully created printer under CUPS.

• Now go to ThinPrint→ Printer (left arrow).
• Click on Add (asterisk) and enter the printer name. You can use spaces here.
• Click on the button Detect Devices.
• This opens the window Select available device, where you can select your printer as CUPS printer.

• Enable this ThinPrint printer.

Next screenshot shows the result. The printer is now set up for ThinPrint. 

Setting up the workstation

client2: RDP type of ThinPrint Client Windows on a workstation

Requirement: An RDP client must be installed. The Example scenario applies (see above).

• For the example scenario, install an HP Color LaserJet printer.
• Install RDP type of ThinPrint Client Windows; please refer to ThinPrint Client Windows.

ThinPrint Client is started automatically with the RDP session. It does not need to be configured for the example installation.

Server setup

All settings made for server configuration must be performed on each terminal server in a server farm (for import, export or sending configuration see Distributing port configuration).

Requirement: ThinPrint Engine must already be installed. The Example scenario applies (see above).

ThinPrint Ports

• Open the ThinPrint Configuration.

• Click Add for each remote ThinPrint Engine to be configured and then specify the computer address. For the local ThinPrint Engine, click ThinPrint Engine in the console tree.

• Select: ThinPrint→ ThinPrint Engine→ Port Manager.

• Create the following ThinPrint Port by clicking the New ThinPrint Port icon and set the protocol:

• To enable AutoConnect to create a corresponding printer for each client printer in a remote desktop session and also so that the printer can print across different con­nections, create the following printer templates in the server’s print­ers folder :

Connect the printer template _#Samsung ML-2525 to the printer port \\.\pipe\TPv4_ThinPort: (this supports both type-3 and type-4 drivers, but it is recommended to use it only for type-4 drivers).

• Under Properties→ Security, assign permissions to the two printer templates, _#Samsung ML-2525 and _#RDP:
  • Delete all users and groups except for administrators and all application packages, if applicable.
  • Add SYSTEM and allow full control.
• Change to the port configuration and check that the new printers have been assigned correctly to the ThinPrint Ports (if necessary, press F5 to refresh).

Configuring AutoConnect

• Select Dynamic Printer Matrix in the Console Tree.

Notes:

• Double-click in the gray area to change to the edit mode.
• AutoConnect processes the Dynamic Printer Matrix from top to bottom, for each printer activated in ThinPrint Client (on a workstation). When a match­ing entry is found, AutoConnect stops searching the table and the target printer of the matching line is being created in the user’s session. So, lower lines will only be executed if the conditions of the upper lines don’t match for this client printer.
• Click Publish to finish.

Printing

• Establish a Remote Desktop Connection from each client machine to the termi­nal server farm. The printers appear in the printers folder in the two sessions.
• Open an application and print with each of these printers.

Please note which printers in remote desktop sessions use a native driver and which use the TP Output Gateway (see the Model column).