I'd like to set up a system where black and white documents print directly on the printer, but color printing goes into a holding queue and waits for administrator/teacher approval. Is this scenario possible?

This can be accomplished using with PaperCut NG using the Print Release Station. More information on the Release station, including an online tour can be seen at:

http://www.papercut.com/products/ng/tour/release_stations/

http://www.papercut.com/products/ng/manual/ch-release-station.html

To configure the release station so only color jobs are held, you'll need to set up two separate print queues - one for color printing and the other for grayscale printing only. That is, install the print drivers on the server twice so you have two queues mapping to the same physical printer. Call one queue Approved Color Printing and the other Black and White Only (or other names as appropriate).

Inside PaperCut NG, configure the Filters/Restrictions on the black and white queue so only grayscale documents are allowed. Configure other settings as appropriate (e.g. set the cost per page for grayscale printing).

On the color queue, enable the Release Station with the option Only managers can release approval and apply a filter so only color documents are allowed (not grayscale). Configure other settings as appropriate (e.g. set the cost per page for color printing).

With this configuration, if the user/student wishes to print color the job will go into the release station holding queue pending staff/teacher release.

keywords: release station, print queue control

Categories: ReleaseStations