Secure Design - Print Server Bindery Context FAQ

SDLPD PrintServer missing in SDLDPCON

Q. The print server I wish to use does not appear in the SDLPDCON.NLM list to select a printserver.

A. There are 2 main reasons the print server does not appear. The first, and most common is because the bindery context is not set correctly. (you may notice that some/none or your queues appear in the SDLPDCON utility either) Please read faq_context.html first before proceeding, and verify your bindery context is set correctly.

The second reason is a bit more problematic. Print servers may have an NDS attribute called "Host Device" which specifies the file server where the print server is to be loaded, audit log is stored, etc. If this NDS attribute is present and does not list your server, your server's bindery services will not report the print server to SDLPDCON, and it will not show up in the list of available print servers.

This problem is reproducible in the following NDS tree where the server is in a different partition from the queue and printserver. It is likely that this problem will occur any bindery context with more than one server.

The example to the right shows 2 containers. Both the SecureDesign and Rufus OUs are in the bindery context of the server Rufus. When adding the NewQueue and NewPserver to the container, the NewPserver does not show up in SDLPDCON on Rufus, however NewQueue does.

The solution is simple, either change the "Host Device" attribute to list the file server running SDLPD or simply remove the "Host Device" attribute altogether. Removing the attribute does not affect the way SDLPD operates but it will allow your server's bindery emulation to display the print server object to SDLPD.

(click to enlarge)

To remove the object you will need a special tool; none of the tools provided with NetWare allow you to modify the "Host Device" attribute on a print server. Novell does provide a tool called NDS Snoop for programmers to modify and view NDS information. You can use NDS Snoop to remove the attribute from the print server.

NDS Snoop is available for download from Novell.

NDS Snoop is a powerful tool and will allow an Admin to seriously affect your NDS Tree. You are hereby advised to proceed with caution. Secure Design will take no responsibility for your actions with this or any other NDS editing tool.

Run NDS Snoop, select the "Object Editor" tab at the top of the screen.

In the "Object Selector" section, locate your print server. click on the + mark to expand and show the print server attributes.

Click on the "Host Device" attribute. The attribute will be displayed to the right. (CELILO.SecureDesign.Beaverton.OR in this example)

In the "Set Modification Criteria" section, set the attribute to "Host Device" and the "Modification Operation" to "Remove Value". Click the "Add Criteria" button.

The Object Modification Criteria list should reflect this as shown in the sample. Click "Modify Object" to finalize the change.

After removing the "Host Device" attribute, your print server should appear in the bindery context. (assuming all bindery context settings are accurate.)

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