Setup, installation or upgrading FAQ

Does SETUP need to be run on each workstation in order to run Pcontrol or PAdmin?

No. If Pcounter is originally installed on a shared network directory, then any user with access permission to that directory can run the Pcounter programs. For ease of use, create a shortcut to the Pcontrol network location on the workstation. If only Pcounter Administrator is required, just copy the PAdmin.exe file to the workstation and create a shortcut to the local file.

Quick configuration summary (NT/2000) Setup the Data Server

  • In Pcontrol, select the NT computer which will be the Data server and choose Pcounter configuration.
  • Create the Pcounter shared directory - this is where all printing data is stored. Don't forget to set the appropriate permissions to the share and its contents.
  • Set the Global and Popup settings.
  • Select the Services/Ports tab and install the Data Server service.
  • Press the Configure button if a new log file should be written periodically and/or configure custom account balance notification messages.
  • Start the Data Server service.

Setup a printer host

  • In Pcontrol, select the NT computer which is hosting printers and choose Pcounter configuration. A printer host can also be the Data server.
  • Set the Global and Popup settings - on the Global Settings tab, they can be imported from the Data server (or any other previously configured computer) so that they need not be entered again.
  • (Optional) A default printer configuration can be set which will apply to all printers which do not have their own configurations.
  • Select the Services/Ports tab and install the port monitors.
  • Select the Printers tab. Configure Pcounter accounting settings, prices, and rules on the required printers. Use the Pcounter Port Wizard or press the Properties button to create and configure Pcounter ports for the printers.
  • Select the Services/Ports tab, install and start the Printer Control service.
  • Start printing now!

Quick configuration summary (NetWare queues)

After running SETUP, run Pcontrol and select the file server where queues are to be monitored. To configure a server in bindery mode, select a server from the NetWare Servers list in Pcontrol. To configure a server in NDS mode, browse an NDS tree in Pcontrol and select a server from the context where it is located.

  • Right click on the server and select Pcounter, Configuration (or press the P button on the toolbar to configure the server.
  • Set the Global Settings. If many queues will be monitored, select Default Queue Configuration, which allows default settings to be specified for all queues.
  • Assign/Create a new print server object which is not being used on the network, exclusively for Pcounter's use.
  • (Bindery version only) If Pcounter will be maintaining user account balances/quotas, make sure that accounting is installed on the accounting file server. Accounting is installed on NetWare 3.x using SYSCON, Accounting.
  • (NDS version only) Install the Pcounter schema extensions. If Pcounter will be maintaining user account balances/quotas, make sure that the Pcounter print server has been granted attribute rights in the context(s) where the queue users are located.
  • Select the Printing tab. Add existing queues which Pcounter should monitor to the Queue monitor mode list. If any queues require individual configurations, rules, and/or prices, set them here. For Pcounter to control the flow of data to printers, Pcounter active printing mode printers can be created with ports assigned to them and with queues to service.
  • Press Apply to save changes before loading the NLM.
  • Select the NLM Status tab. Copy the NLM and banner templates to the server. When using NetWare 4.10 or later, Pcontrol can be used to load and unload the NLM. Otherwise Pcounter is loaded from the file server console command prompt. The command line syntax is: (Bindery Version) LOAD PCOUNT3X (NDS Version) LOAD PCOUNTER Pcounter can run at server boot time by adding one of the above lines to the \SYS\SYSTEM\AUTOEXEC.NCF file.

Quick configuration summary (NDPS)

After running SETUP, run Pcontrol and select the NDPS Manager where printers are to be monitored. The NDPS Manager can be found by browsing the NDS tree in Pcontrol and selecting the NDPS Manager from the context where it is located.

  • Right click on the NDPS Manager and select Pcounter, Configuration (or press the P button on the toolbar to configure the NDPS Manager.
  • On the Global Settings page, select Install server files.
  • Set the Global Settings. If many printers will be monitored, select Default printer configuration, which allows default settings/prices/rules to be specified for all printers. Press Apply to save changes before loading the NLM.
  • Go to the Printer Agents page. For each printer where accounting is required, select it. If a printer needs its own configuration which is different from the defaults set above, press the Configure button, and configure settings/prices/rules for the printer. Press Add Accounting so that the Pcounter NDPS accounting gateway NLM is loaded along with the printer agent. Shutdown and startup the printer agent to start accounting. The next time the printer agent starts up or the NDPS Manager is loaded, the Pcounter NDPS accounting gateway NLM will also be loaded.

Upgrading Pcounter for NetWare (Queues)

  • After downloading, run SETUP.  This will overwrite your existing program files and icons.
  • Run Pcontrol, Network View.
  • (NDS Pcounter.NLM)  Find your server in the NDS tree, right-click, and select Pcounter, Configuration.
  • (Bindery Pcount3x.NLM)  Find your server in the NetWare Servers list, right-click, and select Pcounter, Configuration.
  • On the NLM Status page, press Install server files.
  • Restart the NLM if necessary.

Upgrading Pcounter for NetWare (NDPS)

  • After downloading, run SETUP.  This will overwrite your existing program files and icons.
  • Run Pcontrol, Network View.
  • Find the NDPS Manager in the NDS tree, right-click, and select Pcounter, Configuration.
  • On the Global Settings page, select Install server files.
  • Either restart NDPSM.NLM, or else shutdown all Pcounter printer agents and start them up again.

Upgrading Pcounter for NT

  • After downloading, run SETUP.  This will overwrite your existing program files and icons; however, this will not affect printing.  To update the server components, please continue below.
  • Run Pcontrol, Network View.
  • Find your server in the domain/workgroup, right-click, and select Pcounter, Configuration.
  • (Print Server) On the Services/Ports tab:
    • Stop the Pcounter Printer Control Service.
    • Update the Ports.
    • Update the Pcounter Printer Control Service.
    • Start the Pcounter Printer Control Service.
  • (Data Server) On the Services/Ports tab:
    • Stop the Pcounter Data Server Service.
    • Update the Pcounter Data Server Service.
    • Start the Pcounter Data Server Service.