Construction of an improved Printing System Diploma Thesis

Construction of an improved Printing System Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler

Existing Equipment • 35 PC-Rooms with printing facilities • 60000 users in current system • Each printing facility consists of: – Terminal model Digital VT 420 – Printer model HP Laser. Jet 4 xxx N – Terminalserverbox model Lantronix ETS 4 P – Cardreader device model TST Copy. Box March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 2

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Existing Printing Solution • Limitations of the existing solution: – Very strict user and operating system environment – Very strict hardware pool – Modification of the standard hardware necessary – Expansive and inefficient maintenance March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 5

Guideline for New Equipment • Using of existing network and user administration infrastructure • Using of existing hardware is preferable • Standalone PC should serve as the new printing interface March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 6

New Printing Solution • Based on software • No modification of the printer model necessary • Current operating system: Windows XP • Migration to other operating systems easily possible • Program development with C# March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 7

Programflow 1 • Start of printing • Click on desktop icon – Read needed parameters from INI - file – Build connection „printserver to printclient“ – Query all user files in spool directory – Printing a form on the desktop March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 8

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Programflow 2 • Selection of printfile by user – Read printfile and calculate number of pages in file – Build connection „printclient. PC to printer“ – Get number of total printed pages from printer – Send printfilestream to printer – Get number of printed pages – Generate signal for Copy. Box – At the end of printing close all connections March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 10

Programflow 3 • Error management – Error recovery sequence closes all connection – Close program in a defined procedure – Error message on desktop March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 11

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Improvements of the new solution • Wide pool of printers • Reduces significantly the costs for a new printing facility • Reduces significantly the overall effort for maintenance • No a priori preferences for a specific printer model March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 13

• Acknowledgements – To the Staff of the FH for teaching – To my colleagues at work for ideas – For your attention March 2007 Diploma Thesis Ing. Martin Vogler 14