Comments on: Users vs. Network Printers in WinXP

By: cip

cip — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:08:04 +0000

Anyone know how to use this with netware queues in an NDS tree?

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:54:11 +0000

To Satya:
Here is the right command:
rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n”\\Hops1\Business Change”
if you have spaces in the printer name.

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:29:35 +0000

@Satya “Business Change” PrinterName

Does Busine~1 work?

Obviously you cannot have other PrinterNames which start with Busines

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:34:49 +0000

Thanks all for this post,

It is exactly what I needed. To know such a tool is in windows and no one knows about it. Wow, the ability to delete and add network printer using a batch file now. I was facing a big task, but now it will take a fraction of the time.

Again thanks so much!!!!

By: Satya

Satya — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:13:27 +0000

I had tried to install another Network Printer which does not have a space in its name. I was delighted to see that it actually works.

It fails to Add printers which have spaces in its name. I have tried using quotes(”) and percentage (%) and it does not seem to work.
Any idea what syntax I should use?

By: Satya

Satya — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:34:42 +0000

Hi,
I believe the document is exactly what I was looking for. I was so delighted to read it.
I thought of starting with a simple command first to Add a Printer from a netowrk drive before I could add the printer per machine.

I am facing a problem with the following commands (from C:\Documents and Settings\smalik prompt)to add a printer from Network.

rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n\\Hops1\”Business Change”

where “Business Change” is a printer on \\Hops1.
The command throws up a message saying “Connecting to \\Hops1\”Business and then eventually fails to find the printer.

Interestingly the command (Please notice the missing quotes):
rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n\\Hops1\Business Change
gives a slightly diferent message “Connecting to Business on Hops1″ (instead of “Connecting to \\Hops1\”Business ) which again fails eventually.

But I am able to add the printer “Business Change” from \\Hops1 using the Add Printer Wizard.
I guess I have to put a escape character.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Satya.

By: Forrest Shields

Forrest Shields — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:56:59 +0000

Here is the help for the printui.dll that Jonathan mentioned:

Usage: rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry [options] [@commandfile]
/a[file] binary file name
/b[name] base printer name
/c[name] unc machine name if the action is on a remote machine
/dl delete local printer
/dn delete network printer connection
/dd delete printer driver
/e display printing preferences
/f[file] either inf file or output file
/ga add per machine printer connections
/ge enum per machine printer connections
/gd delete per machine printer connections
/h[arch] driver architecture one of the following, Alpha | Intel | IA64 | x64
/ia install printer driver using inf file
/id install printer driver using add printer driver wizard
/if install printer using inf file
/ii install printer using add printer wizard with an inf file
/il install printer using add printer wizard
/in add network printer connection
/j[provider] print provider name
/k print test page to specified printer, cannot be combined with command when installing a printer
/l[path] printer driver source path
/m[model] printer driver model name
/n[name] printer name
/o display printer queue view
/p display printer properties
/q quiet mode, do not display error messages
/r[port] port name
/s display server properties
/Ss Store printer settings into a file
/Sr Restore printer settings from a file
Store or restore printer settings option flags that must be placed at the end of command:
2 PRINTER_INFO_2
7 PRINTER_INFO_7
c Color Profile
d PrinterData
s Security descriptor
g Global DevMode
m Minimal settings
u User DevMode
r Resolve name conflicts
f Force name
p Resolve port
/u use the existing printer driver if it’s already installed
/t[#] zero based index page to start on
/v[version] driver version one of the following, Windows 95, 98 and Me | Windows NT 4.0 | Windows NT 4.0 or 2000 | Windows 2000 or XP | Windows XP
/w prompt the user for a driver if specified driver is not found in the inf
/y set printer as the default
/Xg get printer settings
/Xs set printer settings
/z do not auto share this printer
/Y do not auto generate a printer name
/K changes the meaning of /v and /h to accept 0,1,2,3, respectively for Windows x64 and Windows IA64 | Windows NT x86 | Windows NT Alpha_AXP | Windows 4.0
/Z share this printer, can only be used with the /if option
/? help this message
@[file] command line argument file
/Mw[message] show a warning message before committing the command
/Mq[message] show a confirmation message before committing the command
/W[flags] specifies flags and switches for the wizards (for APW & APDW)
r make the wizards to be restart-able from the last page
/G[flags] specifies global flags and switches
w suppress setup driver warnings UI (super quiet mode)

Examples:
Run server properties:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /s /t1 /n\\machine
Run printer properties:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /p /n\\machine\printer
Run add printer wizard localy:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /il
Run add printer wizard on \\machine:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /il /c\\machine
Run queue view:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /o /n\\machine\printer
Run inf install:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /if /b “Test Printer” /f %windir%\inf\ntprint.inf /r “lpt1:” /m “AGFA-AccuSet v52.3″
Run add printer wizard using inf:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ii /f %windir%\inf\ntprint.inf
Add per machine printer connection:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c\\machine /n\\machine\printer /j”LanMan Print Services”
Delete per machine printer connection:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /gd /c\\machine /n\\machine\printer
Enumerate per machine printer connections:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ge /c\\machine
Add printer driver using inf:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ia /c\\machine /m “AGFA-AccuSet v52.3″ /h “Intel” /v “Windows 2000 or XP” /f %windir%\inf\ntprint.inf
Add printer driver using inf:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ia /K /c\\machine /m “AGFA-AccuSet v52.3″ /h “Windows NT x86″ /v 3
Remove printer driver:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dd /c\\machine /m “AGFA-AccuSet v52.3″ /h “Intel” /v “Windows 2000 or XP”
Remove printer driver:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dd /K /c\\machine /m “AGFA-AccuSet v52.3″ /h “Windows NT x86″ /v 3
Set printer as default:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /y /n “printer”
Set printer comment:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Xs /n “printer” comment “My Cool Printer”
Get printer settings:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Xg /n “printer”
Get printer settings saving results in a file:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /f “results.txt” /Xg /n “printer”
Set printer settings command usage:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Xs /n “printer” ?
Store all printer settings into a file:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Ss /n “printer” /a “file.dat”
Restore all printer settings from a file:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Sr /n “printer” /a “file.dat”
Store printer information on level 2 into a file :
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Ss /n “printer” /a “file.dat” 2
Restore from a file printer security descriptor:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Sr /n “printer” /a “file.dat” s
Restore from a file printer global devmode and printer data:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Sr /n “printer” /a “file.dat” g d
Restore from a file minimum settings and resolve port name:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /Sr /n “printer” /a “file.dat” m p

By: Jonathan R.-B.

Jonathan R.-B. — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:28:51 +0000

@justin:
Use the /in switch instead of the /ga one. Run “rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /?” at the command line to see all the options.

@Delano & h00n3r:
Per-user connections (or mappings) are stored in the registry in [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections], and per-machine connections in [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Connections]. Note that per-machine connections will also show up in user’s connections (since they get copied when one logs in). To delete those tricky per-machine connections, remove the appropriate keys in [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Connections] and [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections], then restart the spooler service (run at the command line “net stop spooler” then “net start spooler”)

By: Bill’s Weblog » Install Network Printers for All Users in Windows XP

Bill’s Weblog » Install Network Printers for All Users in Windows XP — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:40:18 +0000

[...] [Source] [...]

By: justin

justin — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:41:37 +0000

Well since noone else mentioned it yet, I’d like to ask:

By simply removing the /ga portion of the command can one map a printer without setting it available to all users?

Also, does this support mapping numerous printers such as one each of a color and b&w printer?

Thanks.

[tags]Multi-printer support?[/tags]

By: h00n3r

h00n3r — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 17:28:32 +0000

worked just fine, with the exception of my inability to spell. How does one go about deleting the printer for all users.

By: Delano

Delano — Wed, 31 May 2006 14:36:07 +0000

The command works just fine.
I did a small test; I used the command one time with the right printer name and path, second time I used a wrong printer name, every time the user is loged in the wrong printer is beening mapped. Here is my question; Where in windows the command is stored that makes the printer mapping every login?

By: Vasken

Vasken — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 02:34:27 +0000

Well yes, it’s technically possible to add a network printer as a local printer, but that means you have to install drivers locally/pray they’re included in XP SP2. When you connect properly, however, the driver gets updated on the server side–ergo, when we put in a new printer, we also can update everyone’s drivers by changing just one set. Nifty keen, no?