Mapping Printers in HTML

Cork Skate

Hi there,

I am trying to create a link so that users can map a printer just by clicking on the link.

If a user goes to Start - Run - Types in '\\server\printer' and clicks OK

I have put the following code on a HTML page but it doesn't work

<td><a href="\\server\printer">\\server\printer</a><td>

Does anyone have any ideas?

Duckjob

Where is the printer connected? To the client or to the server ?

What is the bigger aim of what you are doing?

phil

The only way I'm aware of doing this is through ActiveX.

Look into:

- The ActiveX WScript.Network control
- The AddWindowsPrinterConnection function

Bear in mind that ActiveX support isn't ubiquitous across browsers and AFAIK is IE only.

Phil.

Cork Skate

Duckjob wrote: »

Where is the printer connected? To the client or to the server?

Server

What is the bigger aim of what you are doing?

Just want a page on the intranet that will allow users to map printers easily. "Click'n'Print" just to make life easy for them.

Cork Skate

phil wrote: »

The only way I'm aware of doing this is through ActiveX.

Look into:

- The ActiveX WScript.Network control
- The AddWindowsPrinterConnection function

Bear in mind that ActiveX support isn't ubiquitous across browsers and AFAIK is IE only.

Phil.

Ah, dont think that would be an option. Not on the stanard image user in work. Cheers for the help though.

daymobrew

Would it be possible to have a small Windows app downloaded from the intranet site and then run? This would then have access to system settings and could do the mapping.

feylya

What about using some VBScript in the HTML?

Set wshNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network")
wshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\server\printer"

seamus

Here's a script I wrote for our helpdesk internal site which does the trick. Only works in IE I assume:

<script type="text/vbscript">
	
	Function connect_printer(printerName, serverName)
		On Error Resume Next
		
		strUNCPrinter = "\\" & serverName & "\" & printerName
		
		Set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
		objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection strUNCPrinter
		If Err <> 0 Then
			MsgBox "The selected printer could not be connected. Please contact the helpdesk for assistance in connecting this printer", 0, "Connection Error"
		Else 
			myVar = MsgBox("You have been connected to the selected printer. Do you wish to set this as your default printer?", vbYesNo, "Connection Status")
			If myVar = 6 Then
				objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter strUNCPrinter
				MsgBox printerName & " is now your default printer", vbOKOnly, "Connection Status"
			End If
		End If
		Return false
	End Function
	
</script>

This line:
Set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")

May trigger security warnings in IE, so the site will need to be on the trusted sites list. This can be set in group policy for the domain.