Miléca/Netprinter Printer Driver
The Timestone Software Miléca/Netprinter Printer Driver is a printer driver for use with the
Microsoft Windows® NT or 2000 operating system. It is designed to print to the Gretag Imaging
Miléca™ or Netprinter™ digital printers which use standard photographic (RA-4) paper.
For the remainder of this document we will refer to it simply as the Printer Driver.
Even though the target is a photographic printer, to an application using the Printer Driver, it
behaves as if were like any other “normal” printer connected to the system.
The Printer Driver works closely with the CREW software from Gretag Imaging. Various
components of CREW are supplied with the printer, one of which is of particular interest when
using the Printer Driver.
The CREW Hotfolder Client component monitors one or more directories for certain files which
describe jobs requiring printing. These directories are often termed “hot folders”. When some
process places the necessary files in a hot folder, Hotfolder Client “sees” them, processes them
and relays the details to further CREW components for eventual printing by the printer.
The Printer Driver “prints” by creating the necessary files into a hot folder ready for processing
by Hotfolder Client.
The logical sequence is therefore
Application
Application
Printer Driver
CREW
Hotfolder Client
further CREW
components
An application using the Printer Driver can be one from Timestone Software such as a Neo
application or PrintTime, or any other typical Windows® program such as Adobe Photoshop®.
Also, if the printer is shared it can used by applications across the network.
Preparation
CREW
As the Printer Driver uses CREW Hotfolder Client, you should make sure that CREW is installed
and operating properly. For information on CREW refer to its own documentation.
It is recommended that the Printer Driver be installed on the same computer as Hotfolder Client.
Hot Folder
If Hotfolder Client has been setup correctly, there will be a shared folder (directory) that it uses to
monitor for files. The Printer Driver will be configured to create files in this folder.
It is strongly recommended that this output folder reside on the same computer as the Printer
Driver. Having the folder on a separate computer raises issues which are outlined in a separate
section “Outputting to another computer” on page 10.
For the purposes of this discussion we will assume that the computer’s name is PRINT and the
hot folder is C:\Printer Files\For CREW which is shared as CREW_Hot.
All folder names in CREW and the Printer Driver must be specified in UNC format. The UNC
name of the example hot folder is \\PRINT\CREW_Hot.
Dongles
Hotfolder Client requires a HASP key to operate. This is attached to the computer’s parallel LPT1
port.
Similarly, if you are installing the licensed version of the Printer Driver, you would have been
supplied with a Timestone Software Hardlock key marked Miléca or Netprinter as the case may
be. Ensure this is also plugged into a parallel port before installing the Printer Driver.
It is permissible to piggy-back the two keys and attach them to the one port.
Both of these keys will be referred to as dongles for the remainder of this document.
Sharing
We will share the printer after it is installed to allow it to be accessed across the network. For the
purposes of this discussion its share name will be Printer1.
Installation
If you are installing the licensed version of the Printer Driver you must install the Hardlock
device drivers. On the installation CD you will find HLDRV32.EXE. Run this and follow the
prompts.
The installer for the Printer Driver itself is Mileca_Netprinter???.EXE is also on the installation
CD or available from the Timestone Software website.
Running this will present you with the following screen:
1. Click Install Driver.
2. The following screen appears prompting you to select the printer model you are installing a
driver for:
Click the appropriate option followed by Install.
3. The Printer Driver files are installed. When prompted if you want to define a new printer,
answer yes.
4. The following screen appears prompting you to add a new port:
You can change the port name or you can accept the default name. Click Add Port.
5. The Port Settings screen appears allowing you to the configure the port. For information on
port configuration see the Port Configuration section on page 4.
Make sure Type is set to ‘CREW Hotfolder (CREW-XML)’ and set Hotfolder Client path
accordingly; for our example this would be ‘\\PRINT\CREW_Hot’.
Click OK.
6. The Printer Driver installation is complete. The installer may automatically prompt you that
the computer requires to be rebooted. Allow the computer to reboot.
After the computer reboots it is recommended you set the Device Settings before proceeding –
see the Device Setting section on page 6.
Testing the Installation
It should now be possible to do a test print. Doing a test print is an excellent method of
determining if the communication between the Printer Driver, Hotfolder Client and the actual
printer is all operational.
To do a test print, select:
Start | Settings | Printers | click on printer | File | Properties | General and click Print Test
Page.
Port Configuration
A printer driver sends printer information to a port. A port is typically something physical like a
parallel printer (LPT) or SCSI port.
In the case of Miléca/Netprinter Printer Driver, its port simply defines the interface to CREW
Hotfolder Client.
The Port Settings screen allows you to set the port settings. If you installed a new printer this
screen will appear automatically. You can, however, open this screen at any time after initial
installation by the following:
Start | Settings | Printers | File | Server Properties | Ports | click Miléca or Netprinter |
Configure Port
The Port Settings screen:
•
Type · Describes the type of output files that the Printer Driver can deposit in a hot folder.
The options are:
Type
Usage
Mileca Direct (FPCL)
Mileca Direct Batch Mode (FPCL)
Present for backwards compatibility with systems
not using CREW or Job Control.
Job Control (JC-FPCL)
Can be used with CREW or Job Control.
CREW Hotfolder (CREW-XML)
Can be used with CREW.
When using Hotfolder Client, the ‘CREW Hotfolder (CREW-XML)’ option is recommended.
•
Hotfolder Client Path · Set the Hotfolder Client hot folder path here. The browse button (…)
can be used to browse for a directory. Remember that this path must be in UNC format.
•
File name templates · Used to define the file naming formats of various files when they are
output. Generally, there is never a need to change these options – they are present for
backwards compatibility. If you inadvertently change them, click Reset.
Device Settings
A printer is associated with a set of device settings. These are global settings and describe how
the printer operates. To set the device settings of a printer, select:
Start | Settings | Printers | click on printer | File | Properties | Device Settings
For the Miléca/Netprinter, the following screen appears (this will vary between Windows® NT
and 2000 but is essentially the same):
•
Installed paper roll width · The paper width currently loaded on the printer. It is important
that this setting matches the actual paper width.
If a particular paper width that you use does not match any in the list it can be added by
clicking on Other.
•
Selected DPI Range · The DPI range you wish to use.
•
Forms · Printers make use of the concept of forms – essentially pages of a certain height and
width – which they present to an application to choose from. Further forms can be added to
the list by clicking on Forms Setup.
For Listing there are three options to choose from, of which ‘Exclude forms wider than paper
roll’ is the default and recommended setting.
Printing Preferences
When the applications print they do so with a set of printing preferences. In contrast to device
settings, these values are set per application, from within the application, generally with a menu
option such as File | Print Setup | Windows printer Properties.
You can also set a default set of printing properties. The next time an application will select to use
the printer it will inherit these default properties. To set a default set of printer properties, select:
Start | Settings | Printers | click on printer | File | Printing Preferences (or Document
Defaults under Windows NT)
Either way, by clicking Advanced the Advanced Printer Defaults Options screen appears (this
will vary between Windows® NT and 2000 but is essentially the same):
•
Paper Size · The default paper size that the application will use.
This is important only if the application is set up to use the default paper size. Timestone
Software products are not by default so this setting is irrelevant.
•
Orientation · The orientation of the default paper size.
Again, this is only important if the application is set up to use the default paper size.
•
Copy Count · The number of copies to print. This is generally ignored by the application
which sets its own copy count.
•
Resolution · The resolution (DPI) of the output file. This is usually set to ‘300 dpi’.
Sharing
To share the printer so that other workstations connected to the network can use it, select:
Start | Settings | Printers | click on printer | File | Sharing
Click on Shared and enter a name in Share Name; for our example this would be Printer1.
To access this printer from another workstation, just add it to the workstation’s available printers
as you would any other Windows® printer via:
Start | Settings | Printers | Add Printer
Troubleshooting
Due to the nature of printer drivers, they may not always be able to display an message when an
error occurs. The Printer Driver will instead add an entry to the system event log in the event of an
error describing the problem. This is a good source of information when troubleshooting.
To access the event log under Windows® 2000:
Start | Settings | Control Panel | double click Administrative Tools | Event Viewer |
System Log
To access the event log under Windows® NT:
Start | Programs | Administrative Tools | Event Viewer | System Log
Outputting to another computer
As previously mentioned, it is recommended that the Hotfolder Client hot folder that the Printer
Driver outputs to be on the same computer. If for some reason you wish to output to a folder on
another computer, take note of the following:
•
An account must be created or enabled on the output computer for use by the Printer Driver.
This account must have read/write access to the hot folder and the password should not
expire.
•
The account name and password must be set in the Printer Driver’s Port Configuration by
clicking on Credentials.
•
The Hotfolder Client computer must have ‘logon as a service’ privileges.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am trying to print a test page and I keep getting a “User has not been authenticated” error
message.
The printer driver cannot “see” the Timestone Hardlock key.
Make sure you have installed the Hardlock device drivers by running DLDRV32.EXE from the
installation CD. Make sure the Hardlock key is plugged into a printer port.
After printing a test page, I get a message that the test page succeeded but nothing comes
out of the printer.
The Printer Driver succeeded in creating some files in the folder you have specified but Hotfolder
Client is not running, does not recognize the files or has a problem.
Make sure that CREW is running correctly. Make sure the output Type and path is correct in port
configuration (see the Port Configuration section on page 4).
The printed pages do not seem to fill the page, many are the wrong orientation and there
are white gaps on the sides.
The installed paper width setting is wrong.
Make sure the Installed Paper Width value in the device settings matches the currently loaded
paper width (see the Device Settings section on page 6).
The photos are very “crunchy” – I can see pixels.
The resolution may be set at a low value.
Increase the resolution from within the application. From within a Timestone application select
File | Print Setup | Windows printer Properties | Advanced and set the Resolution to a higher
value such as ‘300 dpi’.
The photos come out very dull even though they look great on screen.
You should consider implementing color management.
Implementing a Color Management system will greatly improve, as well as keep consistent, the
quality of output. Download the Color Management document from the Timestone Software Web
site for more information.