Defining Ricoh PDF printer objects

Ricoh PDF printer objects represent specific models of RICOH printers. The Printer server for all Ricoh PDF printers must be a Linux primary or secondary server or a Windows application server.

If you have a printer that uses TotalFlow Print Server, follow the instructions in the help system for configuring to send jobs to a printer that uses TotalFlow Print Server.

Jobs are assigned to Ricoh PDF printers using these scheduling properties: Customer name, Job size, Location, Media, Output bin, Output format, Folding, Perfect binding, Ring binding, Punch, and Staple. The AFP Support feature adds Class, Destination, and Form to the scheduling properties. Other scheduling properties may be defined in a configuration file.

Both Ricoh PDF printer objects and Passthrough printer objects can print jobs in PDF format. Ricoh PDF printer objects support more functions such as reporting job progress. If Ricoh PDF printer objects support your printer model, we recommend that you define a Ricoh PDF printer object rather than a Passthrough printer object.

To define a Ricoh PDF printer object:
  1. Click the Administration tab.
  2. In the left pane, click Devices ⇒ Printers.
  3. Click Add ⇒ Ricoh PDF Printer.
  4. On the General tab, fill in values for all the required fields.
      Note:
    • Select a Linux primary or secondary server or a Windows application server as the Printer server.
    • The printer driver reports status information in the language that you selected when you installed the RICOH ProcessDirector server. To receive messages from this printer in a different language, set the Printer language property appropriately.
    • SNMP returns the printer serial number when RICOH ProcessDirector establishes a connection to the printer. RICOH ProcessDirector checks the Serial number property to make sure that the printer is one of the models supported as Ricoh PDF printers.
    • The default value for the Job status polling interval property is 10 seconds. If you want to reduce the traffic on your network, you can increase the interval between RICOH ProcessDirector requests to the printer for job status.
  5. On the Scheduling tab, enter the values that you want RICOH ProcessDirector to use to assign jobs to this printer. Leave the values blank or Not set for any properties that you do not want to use for scheduling. Those values match any values specified by the corresponding job scheduling properties.
    If you want to schedule jobs to a printer based on media, keep these items in mind when you set the Media supported property:
    • If you choose specific media, only jobs that use that media can be scheduled to this printer.
    • If you choose Ready media objects, only jobs that require the media that is currently loaded in the printer can be scheduled to the printer.
    • If you choose All media, all jobs can be scheduled to the printer, regardless of what media is loaded.
  6. Click OK.
      Note:
    • RICOH ProcessDirector creates a separate Java virtual machine on the Linux primary or secondary server or on the application server to run Ricoh PDF printers. Some computer security software notifies users when Java virtual machines are created.
    • Supported RICOH printers work with RICOH or EFI Fiery printer controllers. Both Ricoh and EFI Fiery controllers return information to RICOH ProcessDirector. For RICOH controllers, the % Printed property shows the percentage of pages printed. For EFI Fiery controllers, the % Printed property shows the job transmission status. Print progress is complete when EFI Fiery controllers have queued an entire job for printing. EFI Fiery controllers can be configured to print queued jobs in the order received or to hold them for later printing.
    • Use the Data stream to send property to choose whether to send PDF files and JDF job tickets or to send PostScript data to the printer.

      Only Ricoh PDF printers that have TotalFlow Print Server or an EFI Fiery control unit support JDF/PDF. For a list of control units that support this data stream, see the Ricoh PDF printer readme. After you add a Ricoh PDF printer on a Linux primary or secondary server, the readme file is in the /aiw/aiw1/pc directory. After you add a Ricoh PDF printer on an application server, the readme file is in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Ricoh\ProcessDirector\pc directory.

Related information:

Adding or removing scheduling properties
Database property names
Supported RICOH printers
Setting up Ricoh PDF or Custom PDF printers to print PDF banner pages
Configuring to send media product IDs to Ricoh PDF printers
Jobs do not print on a Ricoh PDF printer
Parent topic: Defining printer objects