printers getting generic driver, not the correct driver for make/model printer....

Hi @tcandela

These are both known issues that we have filed with development and QA.

First, D-006357: This is the issue in which the printer sharing box is checked by default. This was determined to be a feature request as opposed to a defect, and one was created here.
That feature request is currently under review, but I’d still encourage you to go and leave a comment and vote it up.

Second, D-007581: In this one, we see that the “Use generic PPD file” box in the webapp is checked by default after printer capture.

The workaround to D-007581 is to go into Computer Management >> Printers >> Edit the printer >> Definition >> Uncheck “Use generic PPD file” >> Save.

If you’d like to create a case to get your issue attached to D-007581, please get in touch with your Technical Account Manager either by giving them a call, sending an e-mail in to support@jamfsoftware.com, or by using the My Support section of JAMF Nation.

Thanks!
Amanda Wulff
JAMF Software Support

Amanda - after I uncheck 'use generic ppd file' , do I have to then upload ppd? Or just leave it blank, and Save?

I have always added/captured the printers through casper admin. I'll now check the JSS, go into Computer Management >> Printers >> Edit the printer >> Definition >> Uncheck “Use generic PPD file” >> Save.

is there any way to do the in mass? we have over 300 printers in our district.

We found that using a script for the printer add and attaching it to a policy works much better for us. we have close to a 100 network printers with 5 different models, several different print servers, and multiple locations. The script made it so much easier.

Like JimAllsop, we've also found scripting with lpamin works better & more consistently. This discussion was a good starting point for me:
https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=9475

@amanda.wulff I have been noticing this as well and I think the bug is deeper than just unchecking "Use generic PPD" in the JSS. If I uncheck "Use Generic PPD" as suggested there are two problems:

1 - After unchecking, the correct PPD is listed in the PPD field but the "Path to PPD File" is blank and then when you click Save it always defaults to a path of /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/YOURPRINTERNAME.ppd when it should be defaulting to a path of /private/etc/cups/ppd/YOURPRINTERNAME.ppd.
2 - Whether or not I uncheck this box it still does not fix the issue. As described in another similar thread at https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=13057 where the PPD file should be stored in the mysql database there is only the word "stored" instead of what should be the contents of the PPD file for your printer.

At first I thought this was just a fluke with one or two printers however when I search our database for printers with the word stored about one third of our one hundred printers appear to be affected. The mysql query I used to find them is:

SELECT printer_id,cups_name,device_uri,location,display_name,category_id,model,ppd,contents,os_requirements,make_default,ppd_path FROM jamfsoftware.printers WHERE Contents = 'stored';

So far with any printer I have come across like this the resulting PPD file created in /private/etc/cups/ppd/ will have either the word "stored" in it or absolutely nothing in it. And in my case I know these printers worked after I first created them (using Casper Admin) because I tested them immediately after creating them. A few months later I find they are corrupted so I have to delete the old printer object and create a new one (because Casper Admin won't allow my to upload printers with the same PPD name), then update any policies to use the new printer.

I started seeing this when we were on Casper 9.63 and am still seeing it after we upgraded to Casper 9.73. To me it seems like some process on the JSS may be corrupting these because 99% of the time after I get a printer uploaded and associated policy setup, I test the policy then assign it to the appropriate Macs and never touch the printer again. I only notice when a new computer needs to be assigned to a policy and I see that a printer looks like it has no PPD assigned to it when viewing it in the Printers and Scanners system pref.

I can create a support case if needed but wanted to post here to see if others are still seeing issues.

I had some printers saying "No PPD" in JSS inventory. Might have caused by wrong "Path to PPD File" on Printer Object of JSS.

To completely fix this issue follow these steps:

Computer Management > Printers > Edit the printer > Definition (Tab) > Uncheck “Use generic PPD file” > type "null" in Path to PPD File > Save.

@Kumarasinghe - I went to Computer Management > Printers > Edit the printer > Definition (Tab) >

and noticed one of my 4 Sharp printers had 'use generic ppd file' checked but the PPD file was listed next to 'upload ppd'. Once I deselected 'use generic ppd file' and clicked 'save', the .ppd file for the printer was correctly listed in 'path to ppd file'

/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/YOURPRINTERNAME.ppd

I am still having this issue with my Sharp printers saying NO PPD. No matter if I have USE GENERIC PPD FILE checked or unchecked. If unchecked and I give a path to the .ppd It still shows NO PPD for the printer model in the JSS for the specific computer that installed the printer.

no matter where i specify the .ppd it still says NO PPD in the JSS for the printer model

/private/etc/cups/ppd/YOURPRINTERNAME.ppd.

/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/YOURPRINTERNAME.ppd

First thank you to everyone in this Post, lots of help, it has been much appreciated.

@Kumarasinghe, does the unchecking of the, Use generic PPD file, and putting, null, into the Path to PPD file, still stand in Casper 10.2 or higher?

@JimAllsop and @jduvalmtb I would like to learn more about scripting the printer as well. Any other links that I could go to besides the one that was posted in this post, as a start?

Thank you, everyone!

@skinford I don't have any links. Here's a script for one of our copiers:

lpadmin -p 3_Copier -L MS_Office -E -v lpd://192.168.0.32/ -P /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/Xerox WorkCentre 7855.gz  -o printer-is-shared=false -o XRTrays=FiveTraysHCTT -o XRFinisher=SBFinisher -o XRHolePunch=23Unit -o sides=one-sided -o XRJobStorage=true -o XRBannerSheet=none -o XRAccountingSystem=None -o XRAccountingPrompt=DoNotPrompt

If I've added a printer through System Preferences, I can see its options using this command:

lpoptions -p <printername> -l

From there, it's basically a) knowing where your printer PPD files are, b) knowing the IP addresses (I statically assign them all), and c) figuring our what flags your devices use. For instance, I know I want everyone to default with no accounting system popup, so that's why "-o XRAccountingSystem=None -o XRAccountingPrompt=DoNotPrompt" is there: two options, as designated with the -o flags, and from the "lpoptions -p <printername> -l" command, I found "XRAccountingSystem=None" & "XRAccountingPrompt=DoNotPrompt" are needed to prevent accounting system popups.

@jduvalmtb thank you, I'll give this a look.

In our current environment (Jamf Pro 10.9, Mac OS 10.14.6), we've noticed a potential bug when uploading smb printers through Jamf Admin. Basically we set it up on a machine with the correct driver, smb connection, default settings, and sharing disabled. Then use Jamf Admin to upload the printer. Somehow Jamf Pro still picks up the printer with Generic PostScript Printer driver and ipp:printername._ipps._tcp.pc-printer-discovery.domain./ connection. So I had to go into the Jamf Pro web console, manually update the definition.

After further testing, it seems Jamf somehow always picks up the advertised printer on the network through Bonjour even it is only available (not added) to the client machine. If the Bonjour printer name is the same as the smb connection printer name, one is it will screw up with the Jamf Admin printer upload when trying to create that smb printer into Jamf, two is Jamf inventory always reports this advertised network device in the inventory>printer rather than the actual smb printer added on the client machine.

You can list all the network devices through the command lpinfo -v.

I think you can also report the actual printer client machine is connected to through extension attribute: lpstat -v.