In order to use the color printer in the math department, you may need to configure a printer device. This document covers how to use this printer in each of the four majority OSes in the department - Linux, Solaris, Windows, and Mac OS X. Mac OS 9 is also covered, but has a limited support life left at the University; users of OS 9 should migrate to OS X as soon as possible.

If your machine is a "kit" machine (most Solaris and Windows machines, some Linux and Mac OS X machines), please email support@math.ncsu.edu and ask to have this printer added to your system. Once this is done, you may follow the instructions below for use of the printer.

To configure the printer on non-kit Solaris or Linux machines, simply add an entry to the printcap file (usually /etc/printcap) for a printer on server ink.math.ncsu.edu with queue name ha245c.

To use the color printer once it is configured on wither Solaris or Linux, you can either set the PRINTER environment variable to "ha245c" ("setenv PRINTER ha245c" in the standard Solaris tcsh) or you can specity the -P switch to the lpr command (e.g. "lpr -P ha245c <filename>").

To set up the printer on a non-kit Windows machine, you will need to go through the "Add a Printer" wizard available in the "Printers" folder inside the Control Panel. The new printer must be a "Local Printer" (this is important - Windows does not recognize as a "Network" printer, even though it is in fact a networked printer). You should then add a new LPR port; the queue name is "ha245c", the server name is "ink.math.ncsu.edu". If Windows does not include the appropriate drivers by default, they can be downloaded from http://www.hp.com/. The name you give the printer is your discretion - it will not affect use as long as the queue and host names are correct for the port you've created. Once the printer object has been created, use it as you would use any other Windows printer.

The creation of an LPR printer on Mac OS X is similar to Windows; first, open the Print Center from the Applications/Utilities folder:

Next, option-click the "Add" button (hold the option key down while clicking the "Add" button) to bring up the device configuration window and select "Advanced" from the top pulldown menu:

Next, specify a "Device type" of "LPD/LPR Host or Printer":

Next, give the device a name in the "Device Name" text box; this is the name you want your system to know the printer as and is up to your discretion. You then need to enter the "Device URI", which is "lpd://ink.math.ncsu.edu/ha245c". Finally, you will need to specify the Printer Model from the bottom pull-down list:

The printer model is HP, Color LaserJet 4700 (color laserjet 4600 will also work).

In Mac OS 9, you should be able to select the "ha245c" printer from your Chooser to print to this printer. If there are problems creating or using this printer in Mac OS 9 and you are unable to upgrade to OS X, please email support@math.ncsu.edu.