More information regarding the Imprints installation client is available from the documentation file Imprints-Client-HOWTO.ps that is included with the Imprints source package. The Imprints installation client comes in two forms:

The installation client (in both forms) provides a means of querying the Imprints database server for a matching list of known printer model names as well as a means to download and install the drivers on remote Samba and Windows NT print servers.

The basic installation process is in four steps, and Perl code is wrapped around smbclient and rpcclient.

One of the problems encountered when implementing the Imprints tool set was the namespace issues between various supported client architectures. For example, Windows NT includes a driver named “Apple LaserWriter II NTX v51.8”, and Windows 95 calls its version of this driver “Apple LaserWriter II NTX”.

The problem is how to know what client drivers have been uploaded for a printer. An astute reader will remember that the Windows NT Printer Properties dialog only includes space for one printer driver name. A quick look in the Windows NT 4.0 system registry at:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environment

will reveal that Windows NT always uses the NT driver name. This is okay because Windows NT always requires that at least the Windows NT version of the printer driver is present. Samba does not have the requirement internally; therefore, “How can you use the NT driver name if it has not already been installed?”

The way of sidestepping this limitation is to require that all Imprints printer driver packages include both the Intel Windows NT and 95/98 printer drivers and that the NT driver is installed first.