Maintaining CCLAS Devices

System devices include printers, fax queues, email queues and folder/shares on the system network, and are used for reporting.

Device Scope

Devices are created either with org-scope or lab-scope. An organisation or laboratory can contain multiple devices.

Devices can be scoped by type:

  • Printer
  • Fax
  • Email
  • Folder
  • Other.

Properties of a Device

A device can have:

  • An activity status—To indicate whether it is available or not.

  • A location—Text to explain where the device is located.

  • A model name—The printer must be given a unique code, which is used to locate the physical printer on the network.

  • A flag to indicate whether it is the default device of its type

  • Network address—Used to access the printer over the network. The usual URL format is:

    ipp://<host>:<port>/printers/<printer>

Use of Devices

A report template can be linked to a device, to provide a default distribution point for reports.

Configuring Devices

Although the MSE016—Device application is used for configuring network devices, this is just for compatibility with the underlying framework. This application is not used generally as it does not allow devices to be scoped correctly to organisations and laboratories, so is hidden usually from the quick launch and menus, and is available typically only to users with LIMS Manager privileges. The CCDEVI—Device application is used for configuring devices. Both applications store printer information in the MSFPRT file.

Default Printers

For every printer used, a global default must be created along with a default for each laboratory. For example, when a report is directed to a printer, CCLAS attempts to direct the report to the printer defined on the report template used to generate the report. If that printer is not found, CCLAS searches for the laboratory's default printer. If the laboratory's default printer is not found, CCLAS searches for the global default printer.

While a printer is set as a default, it cannot be deleted; another printer must be assigned as the default before the former one can be deleted.