PSF Other printer

Create a PSF Other actual destination to represent a PCL printer. By default, a PSF Other printer transforms all incoming data streams into either PCL4, PCL5, PCL5C, PCL6, or PPDS before sending the job to your printer. The actual destination submits jobs to the printer through the CUPS backend program that is defined on the printer command (just like an CUPS DSS). Before creating a PSF Other-driver actual destination, you should review the special processing considerations for jobs submitted through this type of actual destination that are described in Processing concerns when using the PCL Secondary.

By setting the document-formats-ripped-at-destination actual destination attribute, you can specify particular document-formats (such as PostScript and PCL) that will not be transformed by InfoPrint Manager. Using this attribute, you can eliminate the performance overhead of having PCL and PostScript documents transformed into Advanced Function Presentation data and then into PCL image data when your printer is capable of accepting those data streams.

The use of certain job and document attributes requires the actual destination to transform a job even if the job's document format is listed on the document-formats-ripped-at-destination attribute. For example, if you submit a PostScript job that contains the document attributes form-definition and output-format, InfoPrint must transform this job to honor these attributes. For a complete list of the attributes that force InfoPrint to transform the job, see Document attributes that cause a job to be transformed, Job attributes that cause a job to be transformed, and PSF header sheet attributes that cause a job to be transformed.

If the printer you are defining is not an SNMP printer, you must configure the psf-tray-characteristics attribute to specify the input tray values (paper types) that the printer supports. For more information about the paper type limitations, see RICOH InfoPrint Manager: Reference.

Before creating a PSF Other-driver printer, complete this worksheet.

PSF Other printer worksheet

Wizard prompt Description Value
Name The name for the actual destination object (64-character limit).  
Server The InfoPrint server that controls this actual destination.  
Model This single-valued attribute indicates the make and model of the printer device represented by the PSF-other actual destination.

Select the printer model from the pull-down list in the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI or enter a value.

The value you specify must match a file in the /usr/share/cups/model directory. For example, one of the files for a Ricoh Aficio MP 5000 printer is Ricoh-Aficio_MP_5000_PS.ppd. Therefore the value you specify is Ricoh-Aficio_MP_5000_PS.ppd.

Note: Specifying the .ppd format is optional.

Examples from the predef directory:

  • Lexmark_W850.ppd
  • pxlcolor.ppd
  • Ricoh-Aficio_MP_5000_PS.ppd
  • Ricoh-Pro_907EX_PS.ppd
  • textonly.ppd

If you are not using a predefined printer model, the first time you enter a value that matches a PPD file, InfoPrint Manager dynamically retrieves the printer model from the PPD file and adds it to the dynamic-destination-models server attribute. The dynamic-destination-models are also added to the CUPS DSS actual destination creation wizard drop-down list for further utilization on that server. If you want the new printer model to be displayed in the GUI drop-down list of all the available servers on the same system, you can either create one CUPS actual destination on each server using the same PPD file or restart each server.

Consult dynamic-destination-models server attribute to check for additional printer models dynamically supported by InfoPrint Manager.
Note: If the PPD files are not located in the default location you can also specify the full path to the PPD file. For example for a Ricoh Aficio Pro 907EX the value you can specify is /printing/drivers/Ricoh-Aficio_Pro_907EX_PS.ppd1
SNMP TCP/IP address The IP address used to access this printer. This value is used only for SNMP printers.  
Device The printer device name. Leave this column blank.
Printer command

The device-uri of the CUPS backend that submits the print data to the printer.

This is the command that would appear as the printer Device URI or Backend Connection if you had created a CUPS printer for you device.

As an alternative, you could use the InfoPrint-supplied pioinfo CUPS backend or the InfoPrint-supplied piorpdm CUPS backend for Ricoh printers and supply the correct port number to make sure you get accurate job completion and accounting information2.

 Examples3
Data stream The data stream for PSF transforms to create (for example, PCL4, PCL5, PCL5C, PCL6, or PPDS).  
Logical destination The logical destination that directs jobs to this actual destination.

You can accept the default LD, use another existing LD, or create a new one for this printer.
  • __ Default
  • __ Existing: ________
  • __ Create: ________
Logical destination's server The InfoPrint server that contains the logical destination.  
Queue The queue that holds jobs destined for this actual destination. If you selected a new LD, you get these three options:
  • __ Default
  • __ Existing: ________
  • __ New: ________
    Note:
  1. Regardless of whether you enter a value or pick a model from the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI drop-down list, the printer driver (including the PPD files) must be installed on your CUPS system.
  2. InfoPrint Manager provides two CUPS printer backend programs that provide accurate job completion information and an accurate count of the pages printed: pioinfo, piorpdm.
  3. You can specify a variety of printer commands, depending on the type of printer:
    • InfoPrint and most of the printers: pioinfo.

      Examples:

      • pioinfo://address:9100. The use of port is optional.
      • pioinfo://address:9100 raw. The use of raw option enables CUPS to print the data without any processing or filtering.

    • Ricoh: piorpdm.

      Examples:

      • piorpdm://address:9100. The use of port is optional.
      • piorpdm://address:9100 raw. The use of raw option enables CUPS to print the data without any processing or filtering.

    • IPP Printer:
      • ipp://address/ipp/print.
      • ipps://address:443/ipp/print.
    • Hewlett Packard JetDirect:
      • socket://address:9100.
    • Lexmark MarkNet:
      • lpd://address/ps.
    • EPSON Multiprotocol Ethernet Interface Board:
      • socket://address.

To create this type of printer, use the Create Printer Wizard in the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI. (On the menu bar, click Printer → Create → PSF → Other.)

PSF Other printer worksheet provides the information that the wizard prompts for. See the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI online help for more assistance.

Note: If the Create PSF Other printer option is not shown in the Printer menu, you can add it to the menu using customizing options in the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI. Select the Customize option from the Options menu to open the Customize dialog. Click the Printer tab and select the Menu checkbox for PSF Other-driver printer. Click OK to apply your change and close the dialog. The Create PSF Other-driver printer option displays in the Printer menu.

If you did not enable the printer with the Create Printer Wizard, use the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI to enable it.

After you create the PSF Other-driver attached printer with the Create Printer Wizard, you might want to passthrough PostScript and PCL data stream jobs. To configure for this support, you must go into the Printer Properties notebook for pdf the printer and modify the Formats to RIP at destination field. The Formats to RIP at destination field can be found on the Document tab of the Printer Properties notebook when all the available properties are displayed. It might be necessary to click Show More to display all the printer properties.

Highlight both PCL and the PostScript (or only one of the two, depending upon what data types your actual destination supports natively) from the Formats to RIP at destination list of possible values, and click Add>>.

You can specify other values besides PCL and PostScript because you might have a destination that can accept them directly. For example, your printer might accept ASCII or PDF.

Parent topic: Creating actual destinations with the InfoPrint Manager Administration GUI