VBscript - Can I do this?

workaccount

set objNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.network")
objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\pri-fileserver\Accounts printer 1"

Now if I want to make this script longer by adding in one or two more printers do I need to create a new object everytime with new names (variables). Or can I scapeboat off the top line and add as many second lines as I want for different printers.


Cheers.

matt-dublin

yes i use that here as a logon script to ad

vbscript wrote:

'

---

' Printer Install
'

---

Dim net
Set net = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
net.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\server\print1"
net.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\server\print2"
net.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\server\print3"
net.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\server\print4"
net.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\server\print5"

'

---

' You can add multiple printers and shortcuts
' by copying the above data and editing the paths

'

---

'net.SetDefaultPrinter "\\server\print1"

save it as a .vbs file

workaccount

Right and to set my default printer do I just need to uncomment that last line?

matt-dublin

yup

dunno why i have it commented....

strange!

workaccount

Right my script is set up as a policy on the AD. It's definitely in the correct folder and the gp had been refreshed.

Its just not coming down to the machines though. Ive tried everything and I simply don't know how to troubleshoot this further.

If I type the full address to the script located on the server from my workstation in the run box (that was a handful) it will install the printer no bother so the script is defo sound.

matt-dublin

it should be located in user config>windows settings>scripts>logon

don't put it in computer config startup shutdown section as it won't run

workaccount

Yeah its in user config alright.

matt-dublin

where are you applying the policy? top level or an OU

policy needs to be applied to the Users OU (or whereever your users are located in AD)

workaccount

matt-dublin wrote:

where are you applying the policy? top level or an OU

policy needs to be applied to the Users OU (or whereever your users are located in AD)

Its being applied to the OU alright.

workaccount

Everythings up and running now. Thanks matt.

workaccount

Actually ive now run into another little problem.

Our AD is organized on a business unit level. eg. All accountants are in the "Accounts OU". There are a few accountants desks though and each one has a printer. I want to dish out my policy on an OU level but how will I target the "default printer" groups without modifying the directory?


By the way I don't think I can really split them up into head accounts, payroll et cetera.

matt-dublin

I'm not sure how you could do it without breaking it down into further OUs

Unless you create user specific login scripts that would call a .vbs file or something to that extent

workaccount

hmmm, Is there a way to report back via script through an enviroment variable or something what printers are installed?

Google doesn't seem to yield any results.

seamus

I'm not sure what you mean. You mean that you want to set a particular default printer, depending on what OU they're in?

matt-dublin

if what seamus said is the case, just apply another group policy directly to that OU and add a new script

workaccount

seamus wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean. You mean that you want to set a particular default printer, depending on what OU they're in?

If it was as you said it would be easy.

Eg. Theres 5 desks with 4 ppl on each desk in accounts and head accountants, payroll etc are mixed between the desks. Each desk has a printer. Users are authenticated through AD and all ppl in the department are in the "one" OU.

With the script which is run on this AU, default printer won't work as theres five printers between all those users and I can't use "define more OU's" in this case as there mixed. The only solution that way would be to define ppl in the AD according to where they sit which probably isn't worth doing for the sake of printer scripts.

Im hoping there may be some david blane stuff built into windows for dealing with these sort of problems.

seamus

You could go for the messy, convoluted way.

Define a security group for each printer. Insert the relevant users into the group corresponding to the printer they should be connected to.

Then in the logon script, determine which group the user is a member of, and define their default printer that way.

Horrible and painful. Easier and less trouble stricken to put a big sign on the printer saying, "This is Printer X, make it your default printer by ...."

matt-dublin

if there's only four of them create an individual logon script for each and put it into ad users & computers. Easier than multiple group policies.

Thats most likely the quickest way to make it work.

workaccount

Actually, I must check this out.

Perhaps if I leave a default printer undefined in my script and let users select the default printer manually, it should remember the user defined default printer upon re-logon.

Im sure the users wouldn't mind just setting it themselves.