problem with large number of printers

[christoph]

Kurt Pfeifle wrote:

>> hey,
> 
> Hey!
> 
>> this is somehow more a basic understanding problem on my half maybe.
> 
> Hmm... from reading all your mail, I do not have a full understanding of
> your requirements either.
> 
> I just guess that your users want to print from clients using KDE... Is
> that right?
Ups,

yes, exactly I just tried KDE because most of my linux users seem to use it
and I thought it will be one of the more 'shiny' implementations on the
client side

> 
> [...]
> 
>> So what I need is [....] the user should be able to browse the
>> print-server via a build in desktop tool and install the bunch
>> of printers he/she wants to without having detailed knowledge
>> about the printer hardware. The installed printers should then
>> display individual ppd dependent options like the admin prepared
>> them on the server, sounds normal to me but somehow I'm stuck,
>> any hints someone ????

> 
> I suggest to you to try this on one of the KDE clients:
> 
> * start "kprinter";
> * click "System Options" (bottom, 2nd button from left);
> * click "CUPS server" in left column;
> * fill in the "Server information" fields;
> * fill in the user info (if anonymous printing is disallowed);
> * click "OK".
> 
> Now see if this setup does what you require. *If* it is what you want, you
> should see the 500 printers on that server in the kprinter dropdown
> listing. This figure is clearly too large; you'll want to filter it.
> 
> Alright, then setup such a filter:
> 
> * start "kprinter";
> * click "System Options" (bottom, 2nd button from left);
this one is always greyed out no matter if I'm in sysadmin mode or user-mode
(?)
> * click "Filter" in left column;
> * (resize window vertically so you see "Location" field at bottom;)
> * you'll see all printers in the left field, none in the right one;
> * click on the arrows to move selected printers into the right field;
> * (optionally use a regex in "Location" field to match wanted printers;)
> * click "OK".
> 
> Now apply the new filter to the full list:
> 
> * start "kprinter";
> * click on the "funnel" icon just right to the printer dropdown;
> 
> The dropdown list now only shows those printers you defined in the
> previous step. To again see all printers, just click on the funnel icon
> again.
> 
> You may additionally want to automatize the setup by filling in the config
> files in each user's ${HOME}; the config file in question is to be found
> here:
> 
>    ls -l $(kde-config --localprefix)/share/config/kdeprintrc
> 
> If you want to lock down these settings for your users, have a look at the
> KDE "Kiosk" mode. More infos about Kiosk are f.e. here:
> 
>  
http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/3.5/kdelibs/kdecore/README.kiosk?rev=438982&view=markup
>   http://developer.kde.org/documentation/tutorials/kiosk/index.html
> 
> Kiosk is able to make the print settings immutable, so users can't mess up
> with the system....
I installed this a minute ago and will try it, I need to get correct
profiles for > 1.500 linux clients so any tool is interesting ;-)  
> 
> Hope this helps.
Yes, this helps a lot already thanks, anyway I am surprised that there is a
different quality of printer announcing depending on the client
configuration (browsing/browsepoll/servername) is this intended ?

Thank you for the quick response

cheers
        C. Beyer