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Print Censor documentation
Introduction
Print Censor is an easy-to-use program designed to record a printer's usage statistics
and to simplify the management of network printers. Using Print Censor only, you can
save the print jobs content. With Print Censor you can limit the number of pages a user
can print by setting quotas for the number of pages printed or for the print cost.
After a user exceeds a specified quota, access to the printer is denied.
Print Censor gives you all necessary information about every print job:
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user name;
computer name;
document name;
time & date of printing;
number of pages ;
number of copies;
document size;
priority;
paper size;
color of printing (colored or black and white);
whether it was a duplex printing or not;
print job cost.
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Using Print Censor you can:
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Copy/move print jobs from printer to printer;
Preview contents of print job before sending to printer;
Pause or lock all new print jobs;
View the printed jobs content;
Notify users when quotas are exceeded;
Control all the printers simultaneously;
Sort printers by a desired parameter (e.g. when sorting by the number of jobs currently running, you can see the most overloaded printers).
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Print Censor can determine and store print jobs created under various operating systems:
DOS, Windows 3.11/95/98/ME Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista, Windows Server 2003, Macintosh, Linux
and other Unix versions. Print Censor features an improved print jobs manager. All basic
operations and print jobs can be handled directly from Print Censor. The software also
features remote management of printers installed on other computers. You can also
remotely install and configure Print Censor to store print jobs on remote computers.
All the information can be collected for preview in any number of ways. Exporting the
data into files of various formats is also supported.
Print Censor works as service. This means it automatically starts when the computer boots
up and all print jobs will be recorded, even if a user does not log in to the system.
Thus, using Print Censor, you can make routine print job management easy, cut down your
printing expenses and better predict the need for printing materials for the whole network.
Licensing
Print Censor Personal and Professional
A license is granted for one computer. This means one license is needed to use the
software on one computer (print server). You can use different types of licenses:
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Single printer license;
2-5 printers license;
6-10 printers license;
11-20 printers license;
21-50 printers license;
Unlimited printers license.
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Before installing Print Censor, let's look at a typical network configuration, and
determine the computers to which we should install Print Censor:
Printer A and Printer C are connected to computers directly (using LPT or
USB ports). Printer B is connected to network using a TCP/IP netcard.
In this case, to control:
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Printer A - install Print Censor on Computer 1;
Printer B - install Print Censor to a computer which will be a print server
for all the other computers in the network, and make Printer B shared for all
the other users;
Printer C - install Print Censor on Computer 4.
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In this case, one license "Single printer license" and one license "2-5 printers license"
are needed if you choose Computer 1 or Computer 4 as a print server for
Printer B. 3 licenses "Single printer license" are needed if you choose Computer 2
or Computer 3 as a print server for the same printer.
Printer B, Printer D and Printer E are connected to computers
directly (using LPT or USB ports). Printer A and Printer C is connected
to network using a TCP/IP netcard.
In this case, to control:
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Printer A and/or Printer C - install Print Censor to a computer which
will be a print server for all the other computers in the network, and make this
printers shared for all the other users;
Printer B - install Print Censor on Computer 1;
Printer D - install Print Censor on Computer 2;
Printer E - install Print Censor on Computer 4.
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In this case, 2 licenses "Single printer license" and one license "2-5 printers license"
are needed if you choose Computer 1, Computer 2 or Computer 4 as a
print server for Printer A and Printer C. 4 licenses "Single printer license"
are needed if you choose Computer 3 as a print server for these printers.
Print Censor Enterprise
A license is granted for one computer. This means one license is needed to use the
software on one computer (print server). You can use different types of licenses:
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1-5 Servers, Single Printer license;
1-5 Servers, 2-5 Printers license;
1-5 Servers, 6-10 Printers license;
1-5 Servers, 11-20 Printers license;
1-5 Servers, Unlimited Printers license;
6-10 Servers, 6-10 Printers license;
6-10 Servers, 11-20 Printers license;
6-10 Servers, Unlimited Printers license;
11-20 Servers, 11-20 Printers license;
11-20 Servers, Unlimited Printers license;
21-50 Servers, Unlimited Printers license;
51-100 Servers, Unlimited Printers license;
Unlimited Servers, Unlimited Printers license.
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For example: with "6-10 Servers, 11-20 Printers license" you can install the
Print Censor Enterprise on one computer (print server) and you can monitor
11-20 printers from 6-10 servers.
Note: Also you need to buy licenses for all your computers.
For example if you have one printer connected to your computers, than you need
to buy 6-10 licenses "1-5 Servers, Single Printer license" or you can buy licenses
for Print Censor Professional "Single Printer license".
Before installing Print Censor, let's look at a typical network configuration, and
determine the computers to which we should install Print Censor:
Printer A and Printer C are connected to computers directly (using LPT or
USB ports). Printer B is connected to network using a TCP/IP netcard.
In this case, to control:
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Printer A - install Print Censor on Computer 1;
Printer B - install Print Censor to a computer which will be a print server
for all the other computers in the network, and make Printer B shared for all
the other users;
Printer C - install Print Censor on Computer 4.
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In this case:
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If you choose Computer 1 or Computer 4 as a print server for Printer B
(for example Computer 1): you need one license "1-5 Servers, 2-5 Printers license"
for Computer 1 and one license "1-5 Servers, Single Printer license" for Computer 4.
You can monitor all printers from Computer 1;
If you choose Computer 2 or Computer 3 as a print server for Printer B
(for example Computer 2): you need one license "1-5 Servers, 2-5 Printers license"
for Computer 1 and you need 2 licenses "1-5 Servers, Single Printer license"
for Computer 2 and Computer 4. You can monitor all printers from Computer 1.
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Printer B, Printer D and Printer E are connected to computers
directly (using LPT or USB ports). Printer A and Printer C is connected
to network using a TCP/IP netcard.
In this case, to control:
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Printer A and/or Printer C - install Print Censor to a computer which
will be a print server for all the other computers in the network, and make this
printers shared for all the other users;
Printer B - install Print Censor on Computer 1;
Printer D - install Print Censor on Computer 2;
Printer E - install Print Censor on Computer 4.
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In this case:
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If you choose Computer 1, Computer 2 or Computer 4 as a print server
for Printer A and Printer C (for example Computer 1): you need
one license "1-5 Servers, 2-5 Printers license" for Computer 1 and
2 licenses "1-5 Servers, Single Printer license" for Computer 2 and Computer 4.
You can monitor all printers from Computer 1;
If you choose Computer 1 as a print server for Printer A and Computer 2
as a print server for Printer C: you need 2 licenses "1-5 Servers, 2-5 Printers license"
for Computer 1 and Computer 2 and one license "1-5 Servers, Single Printer license"
for Computer 4. You can monitor all printers from Computer 1 and Computer 2;
If you choose Computer 3 as a print server for Printer A and Printer C:
you need one license "1-5 Servers, 2-5 Printers license" for Computer 3 and you need
3 licenses "1-5 Servers, Single Printer license" for Computer 1, Computer 2 and
Computer 4. You can monitor all printers from Computer 3.
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Print Censor Installation
Please read this before installation
Print Censor is designed to control printers in a Microsoft Windows network.
It is presumed that all the print jobs are sent from workstations to a Windows
server (or a workstation which serves as a print server) and not directly from
a workstation to network printers.
You will need administrator privileges to install Print Censor to a local workstation
or print server.
Installing Print Censor
Print Censor consists of two components: client and server. You can install them both,
or only a client for remote management.
Before installing Print Censor, make sure you are installing the latest version of the
software. Run setup.exe and follow the instructions.
When installing Print Censor, you may have to reboot the computer if the files which
should be replaced are currently in use. After system reboot, all the necessary files are updated.
If the installation wizard did not ask for a system reboot, you can start using
Print Censor immediately.
Server component
The Server component is the Print Censor, service which should be installed to a print
server to allow the following:
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Print job recording.
Control of quotas.
User notification of quota status.
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Client component
The Print Censor client component can be installed to any server or workstation and can
remotely manage any print server on which the Print Censor service is installed.
Previous version update
You have to un-install previous version of Print Censor before installing a new version.
If you want to keep print job history, do not delete the old database when un-installing
the software.
The new database format is incompatible with the Print Censor 3.õ and 4.1x database format.
Print Queue
You can manage the print queue of any network printer using Print Censor. Besides, unlike the standard Windows print window you can control several printers simultaneously with the help of Print Censor. For this, select the necessary printers on the "Queue" tab holding the Ctrl key.
Working with printers
All standard printer operations are available in Print Censor. Just right click the necessary printer and select the command:
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"Open queue…" - open the standard Print Queue View window for the selected printer (you can also simply double click the necessary printer);
"Set as default";
"Suspend printing";
"Cancel all jobs";
"Delete printer";
"Page cost…" - for this option description refer to the quotas help;
"Properties…" - open a standard printer settings window.
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All these commands are available for several printers simultaneously (except the default printer setting).
Working with printing tasks
Unlike the standard Windows Print Queue View window you can see more information on the print jobs in Print Censor. The following information is provided:
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The user sending the print job;
The PC from which the print job has been sent (you can see the DNS computer names instead of the IP addresses, for this just open the Settings window from the "Options" - "Preferences…" menu item and set the "Determine PC name" option in the General tab);
Print job status;
Name;
Number of pages (you can see the approximate number of the printed pages even for printing tasks not visible in the Windows standard Print Queue View window);
Number of copies;
Print job size;
Print job creation date and time;
Priority;
Paper size;
Color mode;
Duplex mode (double-sided print).
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The following operations are available in the Print Queue window:
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Pause print job;
Continue print job;
Restart print job;
Cancel print job;
Change print job priority.
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All these operations are available for several print jobs at once.
Besides, you can hide the unnecessary columns. For this, just right click the columns header and select the necessary columns.
Net printers
To view the print queue of network printers select the "Settings"-"Show network printers" menu item.
Note: Net printers are not displayed at remote control, for additional information see the "Remote Control" section.
If you have to work with print job queues for a long time, for more convenience you can switch to the "Queue manager only" mode (the "Options" - "Queue manager only"). Besides, for this you can also use our Print Censor Free software, but the simultaneous view of several printer queues mode is not available there.
Quotas
We realized in Print Censor the quota support using which you can easily control the number of printed pages of the user.
Quotas activating
To activate the quotas for the specified printer select this printer on the "Printers" tab, check the "Activate quotas for this printer" option and click the "Apply" button. That is all. The quotas will be activated for this printer.
Quotas setup
You can specify the quotas according either to the number of the printed pages or to the cost. In order to setup the quotas switch to the "Quotas" tab and click the "General quotas settings" button. First of all, specify how you would like to count the printed pages - according to the number or to the cost.
If you select the quotas according to the number of the printed pages all the pages printed by the user will be counted, but in case you select according to the cost, the cost of the printed pages will be accounted. It can be useful when you need to manage several printers at a time.
For example, the printing cost for color printers is higher than for black and white ones, and the printing cost for the A3 format is higher than for the A4 format.
If you specify the quotas according to the cost all these differences will be considered automatically. You can set the cost of one page for a specified printer both on the "Printers" and "Queue" tab: select the necessary printer and right click it, then select the "Cost…" item in the appeared menu. You can find out the approximate one page printing cost for your printer either from its documentation or on the printer manufacturer site.
Actions for new users
New users are the ones who have not printed anything after activating the quotas for the specified printers. In order to setup new users click the "Actions for new users" button. Here you can either forbid or allow printing for new users. If you forbid printing, the print job sent by the users can be either removed from the queue or paused in order to print them after the user manual setup. If you allow printing for new users you can enable the quotas by default. Also you can enable automatic quotas activation for the user (if you do not do it, the counting is still being done for the user, but there are no restrictions until the quota is activated for this user).
Actions for existing users
In order to setup the users already existing in the database click the "Actions for new users" button. Here you can configure the commands at the user's achieving the specified quota. If the quota is achieved, you can either remove the sent print jobs, or pause them. In addition, you can specify the command for print jobs which page number exceeds the user's quota. You may not print this job, but print the exact number of pages without exceeding the quota, or print the whole job.
The settings being specified, click the "Apply" button to save the changes.
Quota setup by default
If you allow printing for new users and check the "Set quotas by default" option, you should specify the default quota value. Select the "Quotas by default" row and set the necessary values. Balance is the number of printed jobs or their cost (if the quotas are selected by cost). Quota is the value achiving which the user's printing access is denied according to the specified settings. Also you can set a period at the end of which the balance value will be a null.
You can add, delete and configure any user in the same way.
Remote Control
To start the remote control it is enough to get connected to the necessary computer (the "File" - "Connect…" menu). After being connected, you can immediately install Print Censor on the computer. Besides, if the previous version of the software is installed you will be asked to update it.
Note: You can refuse from updating the old Print Censor version when connecting and continue working with the previous version - it can be useful if you don't have the license for the new software version for this computer.
Now all the operations with printers on this computer are available and you can control the remote printing queue and configure the job logging for the printers connected to the remote computer.
Remote Printer Control
Using the remote printer control you can easily provide the shared access to the printers.
Without Print Censor you would have to go to the computer and configure the shared access right on it. Thus, using Print Censor you can save much time managing the printers work especially for large networks.
Remote Print Queues Control
When managing the remote print queues all the standard operations the same as with the local control are available for you, but the net printers queue mode view is unavailable.
Remote Configuring Print Jobs Logging
With the remote control you can configure the print jobs logging for the remote printers in exactly the same way as with the local control. You can view the logged jobs in the same way as with the local connection.
Remote Quotas Configuring
The quotas on the remote computer are configured in exactly the same way as on the local computer.
In other words, the remote control is exactly the same as the local control of all standard print tasks.
If you run the program from the computer without Print Censor being installed (i.e. for the remote control) or you need the automatic connection to the remote computer at start up, you can check the option of restoration of the latest connection from the "Settings" - "Restore latest connection" menu.
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