Print rules and print adjustments
A print rule watches print jobs. When a job matches the conditions you choose, the rule adjusts it. For example, it can force two-sided printing, force colour or black and white, force a paper tray, send the job to a different printer, or show the user a message.
You set up print rules centrally in the Cirros Dashboard, under the Rules menu group. The Cirros print service on your site carries them out as each job is processed. There is nothing to install or change on users' computers.
How print rules are organised
The feature has three parts, all under Rules in the Dashboard.
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Print Rule Actions | The adjustment itself: what to do to a job, such as force duplex, force a tray or redirect it. You define an action once and reuse it. |
| Print Rules | The conditions that decide which jobs are affected, plus the action to apply and a priority. |
| Print Rule Sets | A group of rules applied together, so you can manage and assign a consistent policy instead of single rules. |
To apply a rule set to a workstation, see Edit a workstation.
What a rule can adjust
| Adjustment | What it does |
|---|---|
| Duplex | Forces two-sided printing, or forces one-sided, whatever the user selected. |
| Colour or mono | Forces the job to print in colour or in black and white. |
| Paper tray | Forces the output to a named paper tray on the printer. |
| Redirect (IPP destination) | Sends the job to a different printer or endpoint, given as an IPP destination URL. Use it to reroute output to another queue, driver or device. |
| Alert text | Shows the user a short message when the rule fires, for example to say the job was switched to two-sided. |
When a rule fires
A rule only acts on jobs that match the conditions you set. You can use any combination. Text fields accept patterns (regular expressions), so you can match broadly or exactly.
| Condition | Matches on |
|---|---|
| Job name | The name of the print job. |
| Application | The application the job came from. |
| Page count | Total pages, with an operator (for example, more than 50). |
| Colour or mono | Whether the job is colour or black and white. |
| Colour and mono page counts | The number of colour pages or mono pages, each with an operator. |
| Page size | Page width and height, each with an operator. |
| Output queue, driver or port | The local print queue name, driver name or printer port the job is heading to. |
| Priority | The order rules are checked in, so the right rule wins when more than one could apply. |
How rules are applied
You create the actions and rules once, in the Dashboard. The Cirros print service on your site collects the current rules and applies any that match as each job is processed. Because the work happens in the Cirros service, the result is the same for every user.
Typical uses
- Cut cost and waste. Force two-sided and black and white on everyday queues, so the defaults are right without relying on users.
- Send jobs to the right device. Send large or colour jobs to a specific printer or tray by matching page count, colour or page size.
- Redirect printing. Point a queue at a different printer or cloud endpoint using the IPP destination, for example while a device is being swapped.
- Tell the user what happened. Use alert text so people understand why a job printed the way it did.
Good practice
- Name rules clearly. Give each rule a name that says what it does.
- Set priorities. Make sure more specific rules win over general ones.
- Test on one queue first. Try a new pattern on a single queue before you apply it widely.
- Use rule sets. Group related rules into a rule set so you can manage the whole policy together.
Wrong defaults on a device? If a printer is printing with the wrong duplex, colour or resolution defaults, print rules are the central way to set those defaults on purpose, rather than changing each device. If you cannot see the Rules menu, your role may not include it. See Roles and permissions or contact servicedesk@cirros.net.