MAKEMSI quickly and reliably creates MSI files in a non-programmatic way\Tips and TricksPrinterPrinter Installation

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Printer Installation

The following code is used to create a package which creates a printer queue using "prnadmin.dll" (free MS tool). This will only work on WIN2000+.

As written the code doesn't do anything if the queue already exists, another option might be to delete or update the existing queue. However if deleting would you delete jobs on queue, if not then what?

You would need to ensure that "prnadmin.dll" was already installed or install it (register) as part of your package.

Also check out the "printui.dll,PrintUIEntry" options available (this was used for the Printer Driver Installation example).

;--- Main Attributes --------------------------------------------------------
#define QUEUE_NAME     HP DeskJet 430
#define PORT_NAME      LPT1:
#define DRIVER_NAME    HP Deskjet 430 printer


;--- Load MAKEMSI (via wrapper) ---------------------------------------------
#include "ME.MMH"


;--- Create the code --------------------------------------------------------
<$VbsCa Binary="CreatePrinterQueueIfRequired.vbs">
   ;--- Global variables ----------------------------------------------------
   dim oMaster, oPrinter

   ;--- Entry point ---------------------------------------------------------
   <$VbsCaEntry "CreatePrinterQueueIfRequired">
       ;--- Initialization --------------------------------------------------
       set oMaster  = CreatePrinterObject("PrintMaster.PrintMaster.1")
       set oPrinter = CreatePrinterObject("Printer.Printer.1")

       ;--- Create the printer if it doesn't already exist ------------------
       if  not QueueExists("<$QUEUE_NAME>") then
           CreateQueue("<$QUEUE_NAME>")
       else
           CaDebug 0,"Not creating the queue (if you want to recreated the queue manually delete it first)"
       end if
   <$/VbsCaEntry>


   <?NewLine>
   '============================================================================
   function CreatePrinterObject(ObjectId)
   '
   ' Creates required object or aborts install with decent message
   '============================================================================
       CaDebug 0,"CreatePrinterObject(""" & ObjectId & """)"
       on error resume next
       set CreatePrinterObject = CreateObject(ObjectId)
       if  err.number <> 0 then
           ;--- FAILED ------------------------------------------------------
           dim T : T = "Failed to create """ & ObjectId & """. The most likely reason is if ""prnadmin.dll"" is not available." & vbCRLF & vbCRLF & "Error Information: " & err.description
           on error goto 0
           VbsCaRaiseError "CreatePrinterObject()", T
       end if
       CaDebug 0,"Successfully created the object (""" & ObjectId & """)"
   end function


   <?NewLine>
   '============================================================================
   function QueueExists(QueueName)
   '
   ' Checks if a named printer queue already exists
   '============================================================================
       CaDebug 0,"QueueExists(""" & QueueName & """)"
       on error resume next
       oMaster.PrinterGet "", QueueName, oPrinter   ;;Query works with any case queue name
       if  err.number = 0 then
           QueueExists = true
           CaDebug 0,"Printer Queue """ & QueueName & """ exists."
       else
           QueueExists = false
           CaDebug 0,"Printer Queue """ & QueueName & """ does not exist."
       end if
       err.clear()
   end function


   <?NewLine>
   '============================================================================
   sub CreateQueue(QueueName)
   '
   ' Creates a queue, see "prnadmin.doc" for more details.
   '============================================================================
       on error resume next
       CaDebug 0,"CreateQueue(""" & QueueName & """)"
       oPrinter.PrinterName = QueueName
       oPrinter.PortName    = "<$PORT_NAME>"
       oPrinter.DriverName  = "<$DRIVER_NAME>"
       oPrinter.Comment     = "Created by '<$ProdInfo.ProductName>' version <$ProductVersion> at " & date() & ", " & time()
       oPrinter.Location    = "<$PORT_NAME>"
       oMaster.PrinterAdd oPrinter
       oMaster.PrinterSet oPrinter
       if  err.number <> 0 then
           ;--- FAILED ------------------------------------------------------
           dim T : T = "Failed to create """ & QueueName & """." & vbCRLF & vbCRLF & "Error Information: " & err.description
           on error goto 0
           VbsCaRaiseError "CreateQueue()", T
       end if
       CaDebug 0,"Successfully created the queue """ & QueueName & """"
   end sub
<$/VbsCa>

;--- Schedule after files installed and any registration performed ----------
<$VbsCaSetup Binary="CreatePrinterQueueIfRequired.vbs" Entry="CreatePrinterQueueIfRequired" Seq="StartServices-" CONDITION=^<$CONDITION_EXCEPT_UNINSTALL>^>

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