Remote Desktop Printing

JeffWMiller

Are there any documentation or discussions that describe how to successfully configure printing in Open Insight over Remote Desktop? I am thinking it has something to do with setting up shared printers. But I am not having any success with the INIT statement in OI (Set_Printer). I am not sure if I have syntax wrong or if Windows is working against me.

If I could be pointed to some type of documentation. I ran across a discussion in OI that referenced something SRP had created. But I cannot find it.

Thanks.

DonBakke

Let's start with what you have already configured and working. Do you have redirect printers appearing in the remote desktop session? That is, if you open up the Devices and Printers window, the Print dialog from Notepad, or even the Print Setup dialog from the Table Builder, do you see the local printers you wish to print to? Are you able to print to the local printers through Notepad or the Table Builder?

JeffWMiller

I can see the local printers through printers and devices when I am on Remote Desktop. I can also open up Notepad and print to the local devices by picking them in the printer selection. Also I can see all the printers in Print Setup dialog. All the local denoted by the (Redirected) words next to the printer selection. However I cannot print to the device in Table Builder. It want to go to the default printer. But to recap, I can print OK through notepad.

DonBakke

Thanks for the thorough response. By way of confirming one part of your answer and repeating my understanding of it, when you run the Table Builder, print the dictionary, and then use the Print Setup to select one of your redirected printers, it doesn't produce anything? If so, when you attempt to do this, do you see any activity in the Windows print queue for this printer? That is, does the See what's printing window even attempt to list a document being printed?

Are you using OIPI classic or OIPI.Net? If OIPI classic, does changing to OIPI.Net make a difference?

JeffWMiller

This application is running on OI 8.0.8. So I am guessing it is OIPI Classic. Is OIPI.Net available on version 8? Or is there a service that SRP offers to help with this.

I am going to verify what happens when you print in Table Builder as far as the "What's printing window". I do not remember this popping up. But I have seen it before. I will need to open up on my other computer.

DonBakke

OI 8.x does not support OIPI.Net. We might have something to help you with this, but I'm not sure it will be worth pursuing versus upgrading to OI 9.x (assuming that is even possible). But, before we get ahead of ourselves, we should verify that OIPI.Net would even make a difference. Do you have a way of installing OI 9.x, ideally a clean version, on this system for testing purposes? If you don't have a copy lying around, you could download the installer from Revelation and request an evaluation code. We just want to see if an OI 9.x system configured for OIPI.Net will successfully print to your redirected printers. If so, then perhaps we have a way forward.

JeffWMiller

I will put a version 9 on their server for testing. But I don't think at this time in the startup of this system my client will want to pursue upgrading to version 9. I am resurrecting an old system and they are still feeling the pains of startup. But I do intend to upgrade. This may help in their decision. I will verify version 9 on my end. But I am wanting to explore the other path you are thinking of.

JeffWMiller

I have verified that the problem is also with OI version 9. I believe I am using classic OIPI. I will need reminded how to change from Classic to OIPI.Net.

Also you mentioned a possible fix. Can you expound on that?

DonBakke

Open the CFG_OIPI record in SYSENV. It probably says VSPRINTER. Change this to VSPRINTER2.

I've been deflecting your question about our possible fix because it will likely be moot if OI 9.x and OIPI.Net won't work. Our solution is our own implementation of the OIPI.Net using the same .NET library:

SRP Unicode OIPI

We wrote this many years ago for pre-OI9 systems. It has only been installed in a few sites and we haven't been supporting it like we do our other products. So, while this might be s solution, it isn't one that I'm overly keen about.

JeffWMiller

I was looking through the documentation and was wondering if the Unicode OIPI would require that I re-program my reports that are using OIPI classic? Or is it a new program call. So I can use the old way and the Unicode way at the same time. If the later, I can slowly convert any reports to the new way that are needed.
If I can use both at one time, is there an evaluation version of the program for me to test. Maybe something that prints evaluation on the report until I purchase the product.

I will test the .net version on OI9 to see if it works.

DonBakke

It was designed to allow a relatively easy transition and require little or no code changes. It does have an API based on/off mechanism so you can switch between it or the original OIPI on demand.

JeffWMiller

Thanks. I will get back with you tomorrow.

JaredBratu

What server version is the Remote Desktop server? E.g. Windows 2008, 2012, or 2016?

Do you have at least one printer installed on the server? I understand your redirected printers are appearing but these can get set up in the background while logging in and may not be available when OI launched. You might want to install at least one printer on the server even if it's a PDF writer or XPS document writer printer.

Please make sure the default printer is the local printer installed on the server and it's set as the default before starting OpenInsight.

As I recall OIPI relies on reading a registry branch to determine what printers are available on the system whereas OIPI.NET users a more robust method to determine which printers are active. I think if you switch to OIPI.NET you'll be able to see the list of printers. If so, as a troubleshooting step, try running OI as an administrator and see if the list of printers is available. It's possible your network admins have somehow locked down the environment and prevented OIPI from reading the registry branch containing the list of printers.