Restrict Color for Some Installs

[KManny]

Hi,

We have a new HP LaserJet 500 color M551.  It's networked, naturally.  We have no domain, and instead have a workgroup.  We are a public library and I would like to restrict this machine from printing in color on some patron computers.

I just want to disable color printing for some installs, then, of course, prevent users from changing this setting in printer preferences.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Manny

[KManny]

I've tried using Access Control.  My Job Log shows user names.  Users are written out with the machine network name before the user login name.  Like this:  computername\loginname.

I added my login name in in Access Control.  Denying access for my name locks the Guest account to require login.  But I can still print color. 

What am I missing here?

[5dollars]

Another alternative- if you use the HP Universal Print Driver (UPD) it allows for policy control.  There are several ways to implement- via Active Directory, using the HP MPA server, but for you need you could have a client side XML file to enforce the defined policy.  To get started, use the UPD System Admin Guide to learn how to enable it.  Basic steps (which are involved):

1) install HP MPA on any host, found in the Print Administrator Resource Kit.  This will allow you to define the policy settings, then save those settings out to an XML file.  After this you dont require the MPA- you just used it to create the XML file with proper settings/structure.

2) Install the HP UPD on the library host machine.

3) Copy the XML file to the library host machine.

The UPD admin guide has all the details.

[KManny]

Hmmm...  How about editing the XML file directly?  What will the XML file be named?

[KManny]

 Even using Web Jetadmin won't allow me to preconfigure the driver with color off and locked.  The option is there, but when I retrieve the preconfigured driver it simply won't install...

Hmph.

[KManny · Accepted solution]

This is what I did.

Used Web Jetadmin to import, pre-configure, then export the driver.  The first exported, reconfigured driver did not work for me.  I did a file compare between the exported files and those that came with the CD.  I found that the CFG file was, indeed, different.  Great!  Some change was made!  Still the exported driver would not work though.  I copied the entire install CD contents to USB, swapped just the CFG file, and the install went well with color being disabled.

Don't know why the exported driver files didn't work, but, at least, the config did happen where I needed it.

I hope this helps someone else...

manny

[shawn-23]

Hi there,

You can restrict color printing via the Color Access Control feature, by restircting the users access to print in color. The users name is derived from the Active Directory log in username. Hope this helps.

Configuring Color Access Control for Users

1. To open the EWS, in a supported Web browser on your computer, type the IP address for the printer in the address/URL field, and then press Enter.
2. Click the Settings tab, and then click Restrict Color.
3. In the Restrict Color Use area, select Color If Allowed.
4. In the System User Name box, type the user's name, and then click the left arrow

(NOTE The user name must be the same that the printer driver sends to the printer. To find a user's exact user name, print a color usage job log. See Using the color usage job log to monitor color use. The user name is limited to 20 characters. 5.

Configuring Color Access Control for Software Applications

In the User Permission section, select the appropriate color setting in the Permission dropdown box. Using the HP embedded Web server to restrict color use by software program Use the HP embedded Web server (EWS) to define which software programs can be used to produce color print jobs. NOTE As many as 10 software programs can be recorded to restrict or allow color printing.

1. To open the EWS, in a supported Web browser on your computer, type the IP address for the printer in the address/URL field, and then pressEnter. 2.
2. Click the Settings tab, and then click Restrict Color.
3. In the Restrict Color Use area, select Color If Allowed.
4. In the Technical Application Name box, type the software program name, and then click the left arrow

 NOTE The program name must be the same name that the printer driver sends to the printer. To find the exact program name, print a color usage job log. See Using the color usage job log to monitor color use. The program name is limited to 20 characters.

1. In the Application Permission section, select the appropriate color setting in the Permission drop-down box

Tracking Color Print Jobs

Using the embedded Web server to monitor color use use the embedded Web server (EWS) to track color print jobs by viewing the color usage job log.

1. To open the EWS, in a supported Web browser on your computer, type the IP address for the printer in the address/URL field, and then press Enter.
2. Click the Information tab.
3. Click Color Usage Job Log. The page shows color use information.
4. To print the log, click the browser File menu, and then click Print.
5. Select the correct printer, and then click Print. NOTE The color usage job log is intended for monitoring color use rather than job accounting. The oldest print jobs are deleted from the list as new print jobs are added to the list. Also, the printer erases the log each time the printer is turned off. Using the HP embedded Web server to restrict color use by user Use the embedded Web server (EWS) to define which users can produce color print jobs. NOTE As many as 50 user IDs can be recorded to restrict or allow color printing.