Getting Started |
Top Previous Next |
|
Once CirrusPrint is installed and started, the next step is to configure it to print or transfer files to one or more remote locations. This involves several administration browser interface pages.
Configuration CirrusPrint has many default settings that can be used when first installed, but some things require configuration. Use the Configuration screen to change items, or you can edit the config.ini file directly.
Three important things to configure are:
•Email settings, used both to send administrator notifications and also to send email for other purposes, such as client deployment or MFA notifications. •External URL, which is a URL that external users can use to connect to the server. Often times the administrator may connect to the server using a local address, so when sending links out to external users, it is important to have a public URL that can be used by others. •SSL certificates, if you will be using them. A default certificate is provided, but since it is a self-signed certificate, browser users will encounter warnings when accessing the server.
Configure a Company Use the Companies page under Site Options to create a company. A CirrusPrint installation can support many companies, each with its own configuration and company-specific administration users. Even though the nomenclature is "Companies", you can also use this feature to divide entities within a company, such as by office or department. All browser users within an entity have visibility to other users and devices in that entity. For any company, you then configure Locations/Users, Input Sources, and Output Devices.
Configure a Location or User There are two types of remote locations: system and browser. Both types of locations are configured to login to the server, using location@company, and a password. Both types of locations connect to the same server port.
A system location will run the remote client software, designed to receive and process files and print jobs sent from the CirrusPrint server. It can deliver documents to printers, file systems, or programs at the location where it runs. A system location can support multiple output devices.
A browser location runs an HTML5 application in the user's browser, such as Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox. This is an offline application, meaning it will run even when it can't connect to the server. When it does connect, it monitors the server for documents to be delivered.
To set up remote locations or browser users, use the Locations/Users menu option. You can use the deployment button to assist in installation and configuration of a location or browser user, or perform installation and configuration manually.
Once a system location has been configured, install the client software on a system at that location, and configure it to connect to the CirrusPrint server, using the location ID and company ID and password. As soon as that location connects successfully, it will upload a list of printers to the server, assisting in the next configuration step. Use the deployment feature available in the Locations/Users toolbar to simplify setup and configuration of the system client.
Browser locations have one type of device, called "browser".
Configure Output Devices Remote devices are where files or print jobs are delivered. A remote device can be a printer, such as a Windows printer or a Linux spool queue, or it can be a file, where the file name can include parameters to ensure uniqueness or produce a logical naming convention. It can also be a command on the remote system, where the file is passed to a command line for processing.
Remote devices are given an ID, a device type, and a target device name or path. When configuring a device, the list of printers provided by the remote location is presented, allowing simple selection of printer names when configuring printers. The following types of devices are supported:
A set of printer devices is automatically configured when a system client has connected. There is a device record created for each local printer on the client system, with device ID values derived from the printer name on the system. These auto-generated devices are initially disabled to allow for additional configuration before they are active.
•Printer - a printer name on the system where the remote system client runs. This can be a Windows printer name, or a Linux CUPS spool destination. Printers can be configured to support specific raw formats, such as PCL5 or Postscript. If one of these formats is sent via CirrusPrint, it is passed in raw mode to the printer. PDF, text, and image files are printed using the local print driver configured for the printer.
•File - a file is created on the remote system, based on a path and substitution parameters. •Command - A command line is run, typically with the substitution parameter {file} to use the file created at the remote location.
•Network Printer - A network name or address of a printer, or a UNC share name. The default port is 9100, but you can add a :port suffix if needed, such as "192.168.1.99:9101". Each remote location can have any number of devices configured. To set up remote devices, use the Output Devices menu option. First select a location, then edit or add devices for that location.
Configure Input Sources A input source is a port, path, or email addresss that receives jobs destined for a remote device.
•A port source is a TCP/IP port that the server or a system client listens on for print jobs. System spoolers and many applications can print to a network printer, and that is exactly how a port source operates. When a print job arrives on a port, CirrusPrint stores and parses the job, then queues it for a specific remote location device (or more than one device if you configure it that way). If a remote location is connected, it receives jobs immediately. If not, the server keeps the job until the location connects and receives it.
•A path source is a disk directory on the server or a system client, monitored for new files. It can read all files, or files selected with a wildcard, from that directory. A path source is typically used to transfer files to one or more remote locations. When a new file appears in a directory, it is picked up, parsed, and queued for a specific remote location device. If a remote location is connected, the file is delivered immediately. If not, the server keeps the job until the location connects and receives it. A companion .ini file can also be provided with the file, which can provide information used by the remote client to create a file name or pass details to a remote command line. •An email source is a dedicated email address that the CirrusPrint server manages via IMAP. PDF files can be emailed to this address, along with specific To names or subject tags, to direct the PDF to a target device or user.
To set up sources, use the Input Sources menu option.
|