Abstract: In the Microsoft® Windows 2000™ environment, ports for printers on a network can be created using an AddPort command and XcvData function. By placing pointers within XcvData to data structures, the process of adding ports can be made largely invisible to a user.

Abstract: In a system having a plurality of digital printers on a network, when a newly-installed printer is discovered, new printer's object ID is used to determine the type (make and model) of printer. A template printer, of sufficiently similar type, is also identified on the network. Configuration data is then automatically copied from the template printer to the new printer. A central database of configuration data for various printer types is not required.

Abstract: In a network comprising printers and print servers which retain queues of print jobs, a user is able to survey and view selected portions of the network, either by enumerating printers to be queried directly, or by enumerating servers. By providing substantially simultaneous “views” of printers and queues in servers, problems within a large network can be readily isolated.

Abstract: A method for automatically configuring a printer in a network is provided. In practice, an unconfigured printer is communicatively coupled to the network and begins transmitting an advertising protocol. In turn, an entry, varying as a function of the advertising protocol is entered into a table. In response to reading the entry, an auto install program creates a set of print related objects and stores them for use with a print service manager. By reference to the objects, the print service manager communicates information to a broker for indicating to a set of network users that print operations can be performed with the previously unconfigured printer.