Not about a degree program...question for the technically minded

Hi all...

I teach Business Education and Computer & Tech Apps in high school.

Have a quick question - our school has a good network (details of which I am unfamiliar). Assuming students have a unique log in to access network resources...is there any way to have a printer automatically print the username of the student as a footer of all documents printed?

We are running into the juvenile miscreant syndrome where typing inappropriate comments and then printing it is met with raucous laughter.

ANY suggestions would be appreciated.

Steven King

 

Having the printer automatically insert some user-identifiable signature line on every printed page is certainly workable provided the printer support such a feature.

Without knowing the specific make and model of the printer though it is difficult, if not impossible, to provide actual instructions as to allow the feature to be enabled. What operating system has been installed on the network (desktops and servers).

I am sure someone can help you given the necessary information about the network and printer.

 

Ooops

Sentinel,
Thanks for your courteous reply. If it helps...it's an HP Laserjet 4250. Would a query of this nature be correctly sent to HP directly?

Kindly,
Steven King

 

I found configuration instructions for the HP Laserjet 4250 that should guide your network administrator through the process of setting up a Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) print server which then directs print jobs to the actual printer.

Unfortunately, I do not have an HP LJ 4250 in my home office with which to test the various configuration settings such as 'User Name'. I recommend you have the network administrator review the provided information. In the good old MS/PC-DOS days all that would be needed was a custom-written terminated-and-stay-resident (TSR) utility that intercepts all calls to the interrupt responsible for printing.

 

Thanks!

Wow. I appreciate the willingness to undertake a little research. I will forward it to the appropriate personnel and see if they can do something for me.

I did send a similar request to see if the HP 4250 has an automatic feature which I can't "see" in the online documentation.

Kindly,
Steven King

 

Another, albeit more expensive, way is to have each print run include a cover page. Most spoolers have this ability (which is usually disabled).

 

However, the cover page or banner page can be tossed aside and cannot be cross-checked against the actual subsequent content that has been printed.