Some clients have expressed an interest in tracking and intercepting print jobs from Windows 2000/2003 Active Directory systems and on Peer-to-Peer shared networks. The explanation below is the preferred solution to this issue.

We will be using a method called printer masquarading to create a new "local" printer which can be tracked by the checkBox and logSheet backend process, but all of the print jobs will still be going to the Active Directory or Windows Shared Printer queue.

First, install a local printer with the correct drivers for the printer that you wish to track. For example, if your A.D. or Windows shared printer is an HP LaserJet 2100, you should install the appropriate drivers for that printer and create a new printer object. Set the port of that new printer to LPT1 temporarily.

Then go to the printer properties sheet and then the "Ports" tab. Once in ports, create a new local port of type "\\servername\printershare" where \\servername is the name of your print server and the printershare is the actual "sharename" of the printer. Make sure that the LPT1 port is now unchecked and the newly created port is selected as the port for this printer.

For example:

Your print server is "testpdc01" and your printer is an HP LaserJet 2100 with a sharename of "HPLJ2100". The port name would be "\\testpdc01\HPLJ2100".

You can follow the same steps for any additional printers.

IMPORTANT: Windows must be restarted for these changes to take effect.