How to set displayed printer name when using printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga

[Scott I. Remick]

I'm trying to add a printer to my disk image that will be available to all
profiles. I've figured out how by using the following method:

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /c\\machinename
/n\\servername\printershare

This works fine. However, when I use it, I get a printer called
"printershare on servername" which isn't ideal because both are rather
obscure and meaninless to John Doe User. I'd rather have the printer appear
as "Nice description of departmental printer" which is what already happens
if one does a normal install by browsing to the exact same \\servername and
double-clicking on printershare (at which point you're prompted to install
it if it hasn't been installed already).

So is there a way I can either A) get PrintUIEntry to use the descriptive
name already present for \\servername\printershare, or B) explicitly set
the descriptive name on the command-line when I do the global add? I
thought the /b or /m parameters might work for B) but they don't.

Thanks!

 

[Alan Morris\(MSFT\)]

You cannot rename a print connection to a more friendly name. One can
create a local printer that utilizes a Local Port with the name
\\servername\share. This will then copy the file to the shared printer on
the server and you can name the local printer any thing you want. Admin or
power user access is required top create the printer, User can print.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Scott I. Remick]

You cannot rename a print connection to a more friendly name.

I still don't understand why when the printer is installed via browsing to
\\server\printershare the descriptive name is used (the printer name as set
on the print server), but when the EXACT SAME printer is installed via
PrintUIEntry /ga no name is used and you just get a name of "printershare
on server" instead. This is the same printer, same path, same share, same
server, same driver. Why can't it be the same name? Can you please
elaborate? This is a pain. Users get confused by anything other than the
descriptive names, which are already set, and I'd like to use the
PrintUIEntry /ga method because we use images to deploy systems and having
printers already set up would save me a lot of time.

Thanks

 

[Bill Stewart]

I still don't understand why when the printer is installed via browsing
to \\server\printershare the descriptive name is used (the printer name
as set on the print server), but when the EXACT SAME printer is installed
via PrintUIEntry /ga no name is used and you just get a name of
"printershare on server" instead.

When using /ga, specify the full name, not just the share name; e.g.

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /n"\\PS1\Descriptive Printer Name"

Regards,

Bill

 

[Scott I. Remick]

When using /ga, specify the full name, not just the share name; e.g.

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /ga /n"\\PS1\Descriptive Printer Name"

THANK YOU! That works. I never knew you could do it that way.

Again, many thanks.