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Question

Is it possible to package printers using Composer?

  • May 22, 2015
  • 6 replies
  • 62 views
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I have purchased Composer, but we do not own the Casper Suite. We're using OS X Server / Deploy Studio for all deployments at the moment. In previous environments where we've had Casper, I would just use Casper Admin to create printer policies. However, I'm now limited to just Composer.

Is it possible at all to package up a printer using just Composer? If I start a new and modified snapshot, then install the printer manually, will Composer reliable capture all of the changes?

If not, is there a solid alternative (other than buying Casper)?

Thanks.

    6 replies

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    • ooshnoo
    • Honored Contributor
    • May 22, 2015

    Don't think so, but try it and find out.

    MattT
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    • MattT
    • Employee
    • May 22, 2015

    Might be cool to try packaging a printer driver with a postInstall script buried inside, using lpadmin syntax to map a printer with that driver.

    F
    J
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    • jonnydford
    • Contributor
    • May 22, 2015

    Yup, we do it this way.

    Capture your drivers, then have a post install script with lpadmin to add the printers.

    I have moved away from this though as if a printer IP changes or we get a new one its easier to update if it's just in a script on its own.

    J
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    • jonnydford
    • Contributor
    • May 22, 2015

    We use the following for example. You just need to change what's after -P for the printer driver

    #!/bin/sh
lpadmin -p PRINTERNAME -L "label - eg 1ST FLOOR" -E -v lpd://ip.add.re.ss -P /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/CNPZUIRAC5235ZU.ppd.gz
    Chris_Hafner
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    • Chris_Hafner
    • Jamf Heroes
    • May 22, 2015

    @jonnydford Yep. I agree. It can be done but I tend to prefer using Casper Admin and or other scripts where necessary. That said, we leverage Apple software updates for driver downloads.

    V
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    • vstewart
    • New Contributor
    • October 5, 2016

    Greetings!
    I am trying to create a printer package with Composer. I'm with a university, but not with central IT, so I don't have access to Caspar Admin....I do have access to Composer 9.x. I am on OS X El Capitan 10.11.6, using the Canon ImageRunner 4051 package.

    What I've done was the following:
    1. Opened up the Canon driver package to install; leaving the window with the "install" button in that state.
    2. Launched Composer and started a normal snapshot.
    3. Click on the "Install" button to install the driver and PPD files.
    4. Completed the snapshot.
    5. Created a new script with the above info from jonnydford, and then complied it.
    6. Once done, I then created the package.

    I then tested the package. While the installer seems to work, when I went inside System Preferences, the printer was not added there.

    What am I missing? Any assistance would be appreciated; thanks!
    Velanche

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