How do I change my print queue so I'll now print to the printer on my new floor?

Articles and Tips: qna

01 Sep 1997

Dear Ab-end: I'm a former Mac user who has been downgraded to using Windows 95 as my workstation operating system. That's bad enough, but now I've been moved to another floor in the same building, while my printing is still set up to print at my old floor. How do I change my print queue so I'll now print to the printer on my new floor?

-- Crying in Cupertino

Dear Crying: If you are running Novell's Client 32 for Windows 95 or IntranetWare Client for Windows 95, the process is fairly painless to set up. First, ask your system administrator to make sure you have rights to the new print queue (and therefore the printer) that you want to use. You should also get the print queue "path" (server and queue name) so you know how to designate the print queue you want to use. You'll also need the name of the printer driver that Windows 95 uses for the designated printer.

With that information in hand, perform the following steps:

Click on the My Computer icon, then select the Printers folder.
In the Printers window, double-click on the Add Printers icon. This will bring up the Add Printer Wizard screen; click Next.
Click on Network Printer and click Next again.
In the "Network Path or Queue Name:" entry box, type the print queue designation (such as \\ORM-NRD\HP4).

If you don't know the full queue path, click the Browse button and select the server/print queue you want to use. By double-clicking on the server icon, you will see the print queues that have been designated under that server. Following our example, I would click on the ORM-NRD server to see its created print queues, then I would click on the print queue designated for the HP4 printer and click OK. (This approach works for NetWare 3 and NetWare 4/IntranetWare servers.)

If you are using NetWare 4 or IntranetWare, you may have to burrow down in tree/container designations to reach the appropriate print queue. Print queue paths include full distinguished NDS names for everything. For example, the print queue designation \\NOVELL\ORM-NRD\HP4.*SERVICES.nrd.novell indicates that the HP4 print queue was located in the Novell tree, the ORM-NRD server, in the *SERVICES container found under the nrd.novell container.

If you enter the designated path directly without using the browser and the Printer Wizard tells you that the designated printer is not on-line (but you know that it is), you may not have sufficient rights to the print queue.

Once the queue name is entered, continue with the next step.
Answer whether you print from any DOS-based applications or not, then select Next.
Match the printer driver to the printer that services the print queue you just selected. For the most part, you can use the printer drivers that come with Windows 95.
1. Choose the manufacturer of the printer in the Manufacturers: column (example: HP)
2. Choose the printer name from the Printers: column (example: HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS). Click Next.
3. Your system may already have the appropriate driver installed, but if it doesn't, you will need to supply the appropriate Window 95 diskette/CD-ROM, or the appropriate directory path to where the printer drivers or .CAB files reside (either locally or on the network).
There will be times when you'll need to get a newer driver from the manufacturer. In this case, click on the Have Disk button to type in the full directory path to the printer driver, or you can use the Browse button to fill in the full directory path to the printer files. Windows 95 and Windows NT workstations look for a .INF file to get the information about the printer drivers that you are making available, so be sure you have the appropriate .INF files in the same directory as the printer drivers you want to install.
Next, you can give the printer driver a different name--one that can tell you where the printer is located, such as "HP in Lunchroom." When you reference this printer, you'll see this name for easier selection.
If you want, you can also make this printer your default printer. Answer Yes to the question asking if you want to make this printer the default for Windows-based applications.Click Next.
Finally, test your newly installed printer driver and see if it can send jobs to the print queue and therefore the printer that you have designated.
Click Finish to complete the Print Wizard Setup.

The setup process leaves a message asking you if the printer got the test page (if selected). If it did, answer Yes and you're finished; if it didn't, you'll have to retrace your steps to see if you can figure out what went wrong. Answering No brings up a Windows Help screen to help you troubleshoot your printing problem. Ensure you have the correct path to the print queue and that you have rights to print to that queue. Also ensure you have the proper printer driver installed for the printer you are printing to. You can follow other suggestions made through the Windows Help screen.

* Originally published in Novell AppNotes

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The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.