BarnardRefDesk

CUIT has a list of printers from which people accessing the BC/CU network via a laptop can choose. The NINJa printer on the 2nd floor is bclibrary200a. Presumably the one on the 1st floor is bclibrary100a.

I had no idea this existed! Printing from a laptop should be easy once the user has the proper driver installed.

Labels: CUIT, laptops, NINJa

We should use the paper from the green and white boxes only for the Ninja printer, according to Paul Woo. He believes the reason the printer has been jamming so much recently is because we've been using the paper from the orange/red boxes.

Labels: NINJa, paper, printer

Esther suggested storing the paper for the Ninja printer in the reference desk cabinet instead of the staff room. All the other supplies, like printer cartridges, are going to the staff room, but Esther suggested that she would make room on the bottom shelf of the reference cabinet for the printer paper. Michael and I agreed that this was a great idea. Any objections from the rest of you? Esther plans to finish moving the supplies out of room 207 tomorrow, June 16.

Lois

Labels: NINJa, officesupplies, paper, printer

In case you were curious, like I was, the story, as I understand it about the new printer is this:

The Dell printer, currently housed on a cart between ref06 and the table that used to hold the NINJa computer HP printer, is our new network printer for reference. That's where jobs will go once released by the NINJa computer. It should be able to deal better with large files like pdfs better than the HP did.

Contrary to what I originally thought, the HP will not a backup for when NINJa goes down, but it could be utilized in the case of a hardware failure. Though I assume that wouldn't be a simple replace and go operation.

Labels: NINJa, printer

The following form was sent to help after too many complaints -

User name: (Heidi Winston, contact)

Email: hwinston@barnard.edu

Location:library, 2nd floor

Printer label NINJA printer

What is the symptom? prints VERY slowly - probably no slower than usual, but the students' patience is wearing thin. As I am often the recipient of their complaints, mine is also.
Is anything in the works to rectify this problem? If not, maybe there should be a sign posted near the printer which states that the pace of printing is beyond our control.
Thanks!

the response:
"One reason that the printer is slow is if the student is printing large pdf files.
Make sure the print as image is checked in the printer preferences, although it
should be set as default already. Perhaps you could make a sign that reminds
students to check the print as image option." Done. hmw.

Labels: NINJa, printer, suggestions

Earlier today jobs sent to the printer were not showing up on the NINJa print menu. I rebooted the NINJa computer (not the printer), and everything is fine now.

Labels: NINJa, printer

"Andrew worked with the Columbia team to solve the current NINJa printing problem. The CU folks located the source of the "looping" symptom and developed a patch for the NINJas. The patch did not automatically install on all NINJAs. Columbia applied the patch directly to the West Wing and Library NINJas.

"In theory, all NINJa printers are working correctly now. Please report any problem on the regular form so we can investigate."

per an email from Mary Ellen

Labels: CUIT, NINJa, printer

Here are some notes about the NINJa printing problem. This is a known problem, university wide. More pronounced in some locations due to network speed.

update from Andrew and Josh 2/8/08

• you see error message 42.09 - caused by an unprintable PDF, sometimes PPT
  
• to avoid this, the user should choose "print as image." Getting this message out to the users is impossible.
  
• generally just reboot printer (not the NINJa computer)
  
  • stop the job at the printer during reboot
    
  • keep hitting red "stop job" button on the printer
    
• NINJa is taking a long time (25 minutes to an hour) to reboot - so we want to avoid turning off the NINJa computer
  
  • CU is tinkering with NINJa image
    
  • when NINJa rebooted - it requests a new image from the CU server.
    
  • CU now recognizes that there is a problem with the NINJa system
  • NINJa reboot slower in Plimpton and 616 because network is slower.
    
• MET asks:
  
  • report to help@barnard.edu the prof name, course and document name of documents that are creating this problem. We will offer training to the prof about PDF creation.
  • We are looking for suggestions on documentation for users: post note on the Resnet page, sign on printer, sign on all computers re error message. You are welcome to post signs now. Send me the samples. The most likely solution is to create a 3" by 8" horizontal sign to attach to the bottom edge of each monitor. We will work together to develop the best phrasing for this. The sign will include note that we have printing exemption system for Barnard students.

If you have other ideas or information about this problem, please write back to me.
Thanks,Mary Ellen

Labels: NINJa, printer

The Library printer still has an intermittent problem - ok for a while, then won't process job, reboot ends up in endless loop. We are seeing this in some other printers -- most often Plimpton. We are still looking for a solution. Please continue to report any problems at http://www.barnard.edu/resnet/reportform.html.

Labels: NINJa, printer